Artists you feel you can rely on, buy any new album unheard.


 Now I've stopped upgrading, the music forum is my first port of call when I bring up the Audiogon site. There are so many discussions with different wording, but the same aim, to pass onto other readers our particular enthusiasms.

 So if you're flicking through your Ipad looking for inspiration on the server, or idly checking physical albums, what artist or musician makes you stop? Most of us have favourites, where all their discs are a good listen, no duds, what are yours?

 There is no limit on genre, except maybe popular not classical. I love classical too, but it will get too complex. So Jazz, Blue Grass, Singer Songwriter, Covers artists, folk, rock etc. I'll start with my suggestions, in no particular order. Partly because the order would be different next week anyway. If anyone asks for a good starting album, I will make a suggestion, perhaps other responders can do the same.

Alison Kraus,
Shawn Colvin, 
Nina Simone,
Gregory Porter,
Frank Sinatra, of course,
Kate Rusby
Jonatha Brooke
Stacey Kent,
Antonio Forcione 
Paul Carrack
Paul Rogers
Eliza Gilkyson
Joni Mitchell
Sara K

 I look forward to exploring your suggestions.

david12
Some great suggestions guys, including artists I've never heard of. That's the whole point of the thread of course.
A great topic, and a lot of great nominees already mentioned. Some relatively obscure, and very hip: The Wondermints (I saw them live in L.A. a few times before they hooked up with Brian Wilson), NRBQ (one of the very best bands in R & R history. Terry Adams---a great, great live performer!---is the sole remaining original member), Jason Falkner (a member of Jellyfish at the time of their first album), Dave Alvin (I loved The Blasters, seeing them many times when Dave was in the band).

I won’t duplicate those above (Dylan, Ry Cooder, Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, Van Morrison, Randy Newman, etc.), and will list those currently making new music that I find essential and indispensable. You’ll notice they are mostly artists, not bands:

Iris Dement
Mary Gauthier
Patty Loveless
Emmylou Harris
Buddy Miller (with and without his wife Julie, a fabulous songwriter and singer)
Rodney Crowell
Jim Lauderdale
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives (imo currently the best band in the world)
Ricky Skaggs
The Del McCoury Band
Jerry Douglas (dobro master, Alison Krausses mate)
Albert Lee
John Hiatt
Nick Lowe
Loudon Wainwright III
Los Lobos
Steve Earle (with and without The Dukes)
Rosie Flores

There are plenty of others, but that’s enough outta me ;-) .