3 Folk Singer-Songwriters From the 80s You Can Probably Recognize (Even if You Can’t Name Them)

During the 80s, folk music experienced quite the revival. Here are a few folk singer-songwriters from the 80s whose names you may not know, but whose songs you’ve definitely come across.

John Hiatt

You might not remember the name John Hiatt, but you definitely know the song “Have A Little Faith In Me”.

Hiatt moved to Nashville when he was 18 years old but didn’t achieve commercial success until 1987. That’s when he released his album Bring The Family, which featured “Have A Little Faith In Me”. Since then, the song has been covered by countless artists, including Mandy Moore, John Bon Jovi, Dolly Parton, and more.

Edie Brickell

Edie Brickell is known most for her connection to the New Bohemians. She’s also married to popular songwriter Paul Simon.

Edie Brickell first joined the New Bohemians in 1985 after a friend invited her to sing with the group in high school. Brickell quickly took on the position of lead singer, and the group name was changed to Edie Brickell & New Bohemians after they got their recording contract. The group’s popular song, “What I Am”, which was written by Brickell and Kenny Wthrow, emerged from their first album.

“The lyrics came from my one elective in my first year in college, world religions,” Brickell told Mary Lyn Maiscott of the song. “From the time I could first think, I wondered, What does the rest of the world think? I know what these Texas folks think, but what’s going on in the rest of the world?”

Suzanne Vega

Have you heard “Luka” and “Tom’s Diner”? Then you’re definitely familiar with the work of Suzanne Vega.

Vega was a pioneer of the 1980s folk music revival. She became quite well known for popularizing her own blend of neo-folk in Greenwich Village. Vega’s debut self-titled album was released in 1985 and was well received by critics in the US. Not much longer after that, her song “Left Of Center” appeared in the John Hughes movie Pretty In Pink. Her second album, Solitude Standing, which featured the song “Luka”, sold over 1 million copies in the US.

Photo by: Per Ole Hagen/Redferns