Some of these forgotten folk rock artists had pretty successful careers in their respective heydays. However, they rarely get brought up in modern-day conversations about the most influential folk rock artists through the years. We think they’re worth revisiting. Let’s take a look at four folk rock artists who have been somewhat forgotten and are worth rediscovering!
1. Jesse Colin Young
When it comes to forgotten folk rock artists, Jesse Colin Young is one we’re particularly sore about. Young was out there blasting electric folk rock goodness before Bob Dylan and The Byrds were on the same level. In fact, Young was doing it when it was considered “wrong” to incorporate the electric guitar into folk music. His 1965 album Young Blood isn’t underrated among folk-rock aficionados, but it doesn’t get as much love from mainstream audiences as it should. The whole record is essential listening for fans of Young as well as The Youngbloods.
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2. Jackie DeShannon
You might remember Jackie DeShannon as the hitmaker behind the 1969 folk-pop tune “Put A Little Love In Your Heart”. She definitely leans more towards pop and rock than folk, but her 1965 Metric Music Demo was a very folk-y effort and (as far as we know) DeShannon’s only acoustic recording. The demo shows what DeShannon would have sounded like if she stuck to what would have evolved into folk rock, and it’s kind of a huge bummer to know that she never really went there.
3. Jim & Jean
Jim & Jean don’t get brought up as often as contemporaries Phil Ochs or Bob Dylan. But they should; this pair knew what they were doing. They made a lot of excellent music together, and one of their most folk-rock-inspired efforts was the 1966 album Changes. The duo never made it big and eventually split up, and one can’t help but wonder what could have been if this husband-and-wife duo had gotten a bit more attention.
4. The Blue Things
The Blue Things were only together for a few years, and they eventually left their folk rock stylings behind in favor of psychedelic music before ultimately disbanding. However, their self-titled album from 1966 is an excellent folk rock piece of work that deserves a bit more attention from diehard fans of the genre.
During their heyday, folk rock of the 1960s was mainly honed in on the two big US cities. Blue Things, on the other hand, made music in a little town in Kansas. This “heartland” vibe to their music made them stand out, but it wasn’t enough to earn them mainstream success on a national level. Though, if you ask the right person of a certain age in Kansas, they’ll likely remember the band quite well.
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