01 The Willett Family

The Roving Journeyman – English Traditional Songs

(Topic Records, 1962)

I love the traditional styles of old English singers. This was the first LP of purely traditional English singing, principally by the father, Tom Willett. His sense of pace and swooping melodies still make me swoon. Now, more of the Willett’s songs are available on CD, but at the time of release, this album was a beacon of pure light. JOHN KIRKPATRICK

02 Enoch Kent

The Butcher Boy and Other Ballads

(Topic Records, 1962)

I was a huge fan of Enoch Kent, and this EP really represented him at his best. He chose great songs and would sing them beautifully. Sometimes he would over-sing and this led to him losing his voice at one point. He had to work really hard to get it back. MARTIN CARTHY

03 Davy Graham

3/4 AD

(Topic Records, 1962)

This little-mentioned EP with Alexis Korner captures Graham at the start of his career and features the first appearance of the iconic ‘Angi’. A guitar pioneer who popularised DADGAD tuning and pushed the boundaries of what his instrument could do, Graham drew musical influence from all over the world. His restless spirit has inspired countless musicians. TOBY HAY

04 Jeannie Robertson

The Great Scots Traditional Ballad Singer

(Topic Records, 1964)

I first heard Jeannie Robertson on an early folk club visit. Her voice was unlike anything I had heard. Her whole performance was riveting. I remember being in a pub at the first Blairgowrie festival when the audience, which included a good number of travellers in Blair for the berry picking, were getting rather wild. Jeannie got up and in a few moments the place was silent and transfixed. She launched into a big ballad and I was transported by this ancient story brought to vivid life. ALISTAIR ANDERSON

05 Hedy West

Ballads

(Topic Records, 1967)

Hedy West was one of the radical outsiders of the 1960s US folk boom. Her background was deeply rooted in traditional music and Southern left-wing politics, and she was also classically trained in composition. She sounded like no one else, her singing and playing and choice of material are all so personal and truly remarkable – Ballads is one of the most important records of my lifetime. MARTIN SIMPSON

06 Dave & Toni Arthur

The Lark in the Morning

(Topic Records, 1969)

Littered with superb examples of duetting, from unison to harmony ballad singing, offered with verve and joy, coloured with robust accompaniment on melodeon, concertina and fiddle by Barry Dransfield, this is a spectacularly curated album from one of Britain’s most influential male-female folk-singing duos. Toni Arthur’s singing on ‘The Merchant’s Daughter of Bristol’ is an exemplar of English ballad delivery and vocal ornamentation, while engineer Bill Leader’s recording makes you feel you are in the room with them. HANNAH SANDERS & BEN SAVAGE

07 Anne Briggs

Anne Briggs

(Topic Records, 1971)

Anne Briggs has always been a huge inspiration to me. She had such a fragility about her voice and guitar playing. Her approach to traditional song, both emotive and stark, has a real freshness to it. I also love her unique bouzouki accompaniment, particularly on ‘Willie O’Winsbury’ and ‘Living by the Water’. SETH LAKEMAN

08 Various Artists

The Wide Midlands

(Topic Records, 1971)

The Wide Midlands is an amazing resource and a thrilling listen. Indebted to the work of Charles Parker, Pam Bishop and others, it’s got classic Midlands songs like ‘I Can’t Find Brummagem’ (brilliantly recorded recently by Jon Wilks), Black Country dialect stories and jokes, a 1967 recording of the then 87-year-old Birmingham source singer Cecilia Costello, and even a contemporary folk song (composed in 1970) called ‘The Aston Villa Supporter’. The cover illustration is iconic. ANGELINE MORRISON

09 Dick Gaughan

Handful of Earth

(Topic Records, 1981)

There are probably two albums that have consistently influenced and inspired my work. One is Lal & Mike Watersons’ Bright Phoebus. The other is Dick Gaughan’s Handful of Earth – a masterpiece with an approach to traditional and folk material that is unmatched by any other artist. The delivery and connection to each song’s source is incredible. With its great depth and personal connections, alongside voicings of political and social standpoints, I struggle to think of another folk record that is as complete, comprehensive and influential. Over 40 years old and still untouched. JIM GHEDI

10 Various Artists

My Father’s the King of the Gypsies

(Topic Records, 1998)

As a singer, I keep returning to the amazing resource of Topic’s The Voice of The People collection, a treasure trove of field recordings of traditional singers, with extensive sleeve notes by Reg Hall. Volume 11, My Father’s the King of the Gyspies, is a real gem, showcasing singers with Romani heritage. Highlights include Mary Ann Haynes’ ‘The Colour of Amber’, Jasper Smith’s ‘Down in the Meadow’ and Levi Smith’s ‘Georgie’. The 32 tracks contain a wealth of excellent songs from master storytellers that deserve deep listening. EMILY PORTMAN

BONUS ALBUM Various Artists

The Iron Muse (A Panorama Of Industrial Folk Music)

(Topic Records, 1963)

I am fascinated by industrial folk song, music and poetry, and this classic release was immensely valuable as I sought a voice as an emerging singer and writer. An incredible range of fine singers including Anne Briggs, Louisa Jo Killen, Ray Fisher and AL Lloyd showcase songs of work and courtship ('The Weaver and the Factory Maid'), war ('The Recruited Collier') and epic symbolism (Tommy Armstrong’s 'The Row Between the Cages'). Proof of the durability and expressiveness of folk song across centuries. NANCY KERR