a thread of folk artists that don’t get enough attention on twitter:

Woody Guthrie - an American singer-songwriter, who is considered one of the most significant figures in American western folk music. His music, including songs such as "This Land Is Your Land", has inspired several generations both politically and musically.

Pete Seeger - an American folk singer & social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 40s, he also had a string of hit records during the 50s as a member of the Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks.

Lead Belly - an American folk & blues singer, musician & songwriter notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the folk standards he introduced, including his renditions of "Goodnight, Irene", "Midnight Special", "Cotton Fields", and "Boll Weevil".

Cat Stevens - Yusuf Islam, commonly known by his stage name Cat Stevens, & later Yusuf and eventually Yusuf/Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter & multi-instrumentalist. His musical style consists of folk, pop, rock, & in his later career, Islamic music.

Dave Van Ronk - an American folk singer. An important figure in the American folk music revival & New York City's Greenwich Village scene in the 1960s, he was nicknamed the "Mayor of MacDougal Street". his work ranged from old English ballads to blues, gospel, rock, jazz & swing.

Townes Van Zandt - an American singer-songwriter. He wrote numerous songs, such as "Pancho and Lefty", "For the Sake of the Song", "Tecumseh Valley", "Rex's Blues", and "To Live Is to Fly", that are widely considered masterpieces of American songwriting.

Odetta - an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil and human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals.

Leonard Cohen - a Canadian singer, songwriter, poet, and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death and romantic relationships. Leonard Cohen was posthumously inducted into the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall Of Fame in 2019.

Phil Ochs - an American folk protest singer and songwriter who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and distinctive voice. He wrote hundreds of songs in the 1960s and 1970s & released eight albums.

The Almanac Singers - an American New York City-based folk music group, active between 1940-1943, founded by Millard Lampell, Lee Hays, Pete Seeger, & Woody Guthrie. The group specialized in topical songs, mostly songs advocating an anti-war, anti-racism and pro-union philosophy.

The Weavers - an American folk music quartet based from the Greenwich Village area in New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, & sold millions of records at the height of their popularity.

Elizabeth Cotten - an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter. A self-taught left-handed guitarist, Cotten developed her own original style. She played a guitar strung for a right-handed player, but played it upside down, as she was left-handed.

Richie Havens - an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk, soul, and rhythm and blues. He had an intense and rhythmic guitar style, and played soulful covers of pop and folk songs. He was the opening act at Woodstock.

Valerie June - an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Her sound encompasses a mixture of folk, blues, gospel, soul, country, Appalachian and bluegrass. She is signed to Concord Music Group worldwide.

Nina Simone - an American singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop. She went on to record more than 40 albums between 1958 and 1974.

Ian & Sylvia - a Canadian folk & country music duo which consisted of Ian and Sylvia Tyson. They began performing together in 1959, but stopped in 1975 after they divorced. While living in New York City they caught the attention of manager Albert Grossman, who managed Bob Dylan.

The Incredible String Band - a British psychedelic folk band formed by Clive Palmer, Robin Williamson & Mike Heron in Edinburgh in 1966. The band built a considerable following, especially in the British counterculture, notably with their album “The 5000 Spirits”.

We Five - a 1960s folk rock musical group based in San Francisco, California. Their best-known hit was their 1965 remake of Ian & Sylvia's "You Were on My Mind," which reached No. 1 on the Cashbox chart, #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Comus - a British progressive folk band who had a brief career in the early 70s. Their first album, First Utterance, brought them a cult following, which persists. They reunited in 2009, & have released a new album. The band grew from an early folk duo to a six-piece ensemble.