1970s Folk Artists the Mainstream Forgot but Still Earned Enduring Songs

The 1970s produced countless folk musicians. Some earned fame while others remained underground heroes. Given the genre’s rich and robust history, particularly in this decade, it’s impossible to know every artist who contributed to the movement. Every once in a while, though, it’s nice to dig a little deeper to brush up on our folk fandom. Below, find three folk artists from the ’70s who aren’t household names and yet still have songs that have endured for decades.

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Labi Siffre

Over the last several years, Labi Siffre has been popping up in soundtracks, socials, and other forms of popular media, helping reignite the love for this underrated English poet. Siffre is many things and his genre isn’t easily defined, but many group him within the folk movement. He rose to fame in the early ’70s, laying the groundwork for an enduring career based on stunning songwriting.

Many listeners, even if they couldn’t recall Siffre’s name, know his seminal “Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying.” This simple yet affecting 1972 release hits the listeners right in the heart. Even today, decades removed from its release and with the mainstream obscuring Siffre’s name, this song still manages to tug on the heartstrings.

Nick Drake

It took a while for Nick Drake to receive his due. It wasn’t until the ’90s and ’00s that this ’70s folk icon earned that status. Nowadays, he’s considered a touchstone of the genre, despite not all mainstream folk fans knowing his name.

Despite his slow-burning posthumous rise to fame, Drake earned several songs that have become mainstays among folk fans, most prominently “Pink Moon.” This simple song was decades ahead of its time, playing more like something from the alternative folk artists of the ’00s. Drake’s name might not be on the quick draw for casual folk fans, but he undoubtedly left his mark on the genre.

Judee Sill

Judee Sill was underrated in the truest sense of the word. Though her peers acclaimed her, she didn’t get her flowers from the mainstream. Her rich vocals and vivid songwriting not only inspired her scene in the ’70s, but she continues to be a name dropped by folkies who followed her footsteps in modernity.

Sill had a couple of songs that have survived in the mainstream across the decades, including “Jesus Was a Cross Maker” and “The Kiss.” Both of these songs highlighted Sill’s silky voice and keen point of view. She didn’t receive commercial success before she passed in 1979, but she was beloved enough by her peers to keep her in the rotation for decades.

(Photo by Warwick Bedford/Radio Times via Getty Images)