1. Nick Drake
Who He Is: A folk singer who had a tragically short life, living only to the age of 26. But in those short years, he recorded three albums, all of which are sometimes called the greatest folk albums ever made. His first album (released in 1969) was titled Five Leaves Left, which received positive reviews but dismal sales. He followed this with 1970's Bryter Layter, which got not-quite-as-good reception, and sold under 5,000 copies. However, two years later he unleashed what is undoubtedly his finest work, 1972's Pink Moon. The entire album was recorded by him alone in two days. Unfortunately, this album also failed to sell any more than 5,000 albums, at which point he suffered severe bouts of depression and retired from the public eye, and two years later was found dead. But with just those three albums, he maintains a legacy unlike that of many other singers. He experimented non-stop with alternate guitar tunings, allowing him to invent and play chords unheard of before. His lyrics were inspired by old works of literature, and yet made sense to the modern listener, especially in the way he could relate his messages to common sights and experiences.
Sample Performance: Unfortunately, there is no video that exists of Nick Drake as an adult, much less performing. So instead of that, here's the audio from one of his songs along with some photos of him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZsxbWHlXyY
Official Website:http://www.brytermusic.com/So, are there any other excellent folk singers who don't get the recognition they deserve? Share them with us in the comments below!