Folk Alley, the 24-hour online stream of Kent State University's WKSU, spent eight weeks polling its listeners in search of a master list of the 100 Most Essential Folk Songs. We are proud to announce that Dave Carter's "Gentle Arms of Eden," from our DRUM HAT BUDDHA album, landed at #75 on that list. See it online at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105677068

It's worth checking out the commentary the follows this list at wksu.org's website. There are some people who are very unhappy, for instance, that Richard Thompson is not on the list, and that Bob Dylan is on there something like nine times. Others are arguing the age-old question: What is folk music? The conversation is pretty entertaining.

Me, I'm just happy to see Dave's name on there. I believe that of all the songs he left us, this is the one that will be his legacy in the folk canon. Interesting that it's the one that was easiest to write, having come to him entirely in a dream. We played it at our farmer's market gig the morning he wrote it, complete with harmonies and violin accompaniment. All in all, an incredible song.