DBT #266 2023 Year in Review
I have been posting to the Facebook page short news without these blog posts, because of course laziness or mere other life choices; so I thought I better put up the 2023 Recap I promised in one of those posts.
Using my Apple music library (I liked it better called iTunes) smart playlist I find that I added 6.9 days of music to the library this year 2,793 songs! Impressive right? Well not if you consider the previous year was 6,808 songs and 2021 was 8,765. Part of those two years were significant imports from CDs or Vinyls in the library, but in general I'm spending a little less as my wife tells me that I buy more music than she buys Kindle books. My Bandcamp site shows I'm up to 1,246 in my collection but a whopping 732 on my wantlist, but time to listen to all this music is not always the easiest for even a retired guy to find.
So let's look at what I treasured for 2023, alphabetical with only one song per artist.
Right... that a lot of great music, how the heck do I share it. Well how about I pick FIVE albums I reviewed that will always get plays in the future, keeping in mind ALL 44 albums that I have reviewed in 2023 are special to me.
Plus it was fun to see Robbie Fulks at the Great River Folk Fest in August.
WAMI Winner, Mr. Blink absolutely love this album.
Julie Williams is on the rise and I saw her at Mile of Music in 2023.
Now getting to meet and see Kelly Hunt is on my bucket list for 2024 and beyond.
Yep Drayton Farley is a poor man's Jason Isbell. Right Jason appears on everyone's 2023 list, but Drayton is just as good.
Back to song lists... here are pictures of all those four pages!
Now iTunes also tracks plays, so here are the top 12 most played songs added this year... right only one per artist.
Great recap right there. Drayton made my top five albums. Joni's "For The Roses" was imported this year. Please Call Home is an incredible cover by Kerri Powers with Paul Thorn, and thanks again to David for the music gift. Lojo Russo reached out to me for a house concert and I fell in love with her music. Cassie and Maggie's cover of the classic Arthur McBride is great and it's ironic that 2022's list had a different cover of the same song with Ellie Gowers on lead. Daisy Jones was such a great show. Judy Collin's "Fisherman Song" was a vinyl import of one of my all time favorite song of hers. Long Mama's single "Corduroy Road" will be a long time favorite and inspiration to a great playlist. Hope Dunbar continues to let the light in as a new digital friend. Marcia Ball, dang that woman has a great groove. My Van playlist brought me a new favorite from Melissa Carper. Finally, almost all the songs off of the Nanci Griffith tribute album were listened to, but Billy and Molly took the top spot.
Ok that was fun, but here's where you'll get my prediction and something to click on and listen to. (Note all the links above do take you to pages in the blogs to listen to as well) While listening to the 134 song playlist in the car during Xmas commuting, I thought what songs might I still be listening to in 2028! Here's my prediction and why.
1) The Rise Up Singing Book - Siena Christie
Written as such a great recollection of her family it completely ties to my journey into folk music. We need more feel good songs, and this one will always bring me a smile to my face.
2) Old Friend - Allison Young
I'll remember 2023 for introducing me to Allison's music, she's definitely a bucket list artist for me. Right this was a song released in 2017, and good music has no expiration date.
She has an incredible YouTube Channel, but here's one of her solo on a different channel.
3) Highway 9 - Barnaby Bright
2023 brought me an email from an agent that turned into booking this group. This kind of dark song will linger with me.
And no I didn't pick it just because I got a great video of them playing it in my house.
4) The Trempealeau Hotel - David Nash
Oh my, sure he's a friend writing a song about my favorite local bar, but he nails it and I know I'll still be playing it in 2028. For those of you waiting for the YouTube playlist as a one click this song isn't out in that world yet.
5) Queen of Sullivan Street - David Stoddard & Karen Mal
Ha, a guitar picker's dream; thanks Karen for writing this and David for pushing me to listen.
6) Tomatoes from the Vine - Luke Callen
Pretty sure I'll be singing this every year as I pick tomatoes.
Plus I saw him play it live the weekend he released the single.
7) Cruel - Stone & Snow
It took until 2023 to book these two to the house concert, and for them to release my favorite song of theirs, it's a no-brainer it will still be spinning in 2028.
Yes I first heard it in their GRFF Songwriter submission, and it was highlighted by NPR too.
8) Teardrops on my Guitar - Taylor Swift
Right 2023 found me saying, I should give Taylor some of my time and seriously listen to her music. This song came from her first album that I "borrowed" from the library, a touch more country (loved that) and then I used it in a video recalling Hobbes. Now it'll be forever tied to my missing Hobbes who died way to young at seven this year.
Part of it is tagged at the end of this video, because he is the reason I cried the most in 2023; and this video makes me tear up every time.
9) City of Immigrants - Wolf Loescher
Boy I loved that album, and I loved being surprised this was a Steve Earle song.
10) I'm Just a Moose - Mr. Blink
Mr. Blink is local so I'll see him play this a bunch of times, and will smile and enjoy it everytime. So glad he put this album out.
Here's a great video from the Bandshell at Riverside Park.
11) Will Your House Be Blessed - Mother Banjo
2023 found us trying to replace Hobbes with a new kitten in fall; well we went with twin brothers; and we were blessed. Posting their Pete and Pat adventures found me searching for songs that matched their antics. This song by Mother Banjo was not on my radar until I did, now I know it will stick forever.
Yes I try to always make sure the videos fit for a full song.
12) Born a Worm - Carsie Blanton
Ah... love when my Patreon support gets me an exclusive download. While I'm listening to Carsie, here's the original from Dan Reeder. Yes I would consider seeing Dan is on the Bucket List too. Of course I did see Carsie sing this live at Moccasin Creek Festival in 2022 when Bill Poss requested she sing it.
Here you go a one click playlist in YouTube (without the David Nash song)
Next steps:
- Stop over to the Review page to my other most spinned and loved albums.
- Browse the rest of the blogs by stopping at this "Theme Page."
- Enjoy Tune Tuesday which brings you one song from a past blog post.
- See what other post have been most popular recently with our Stats Page.
- Find out who in the world thinks he has the authority to write this blog in the About.
- Let me answer why you won't find the playlists on Spotify here.
- Finally, the Mission page explains why there is no advertising cluttering the page.
If you use Facebook, we have a page that will help you remember to read the next post.
You could always decide to feed my music addiction and donate to the cause. If you did, I will spend it only on music and even will buy the music you recommend if you tell me to. Here's a Paypal donate button
