1980s-2000s independent folk label from Naperville, Illinois. See also Folk Era.
Originally conceived as a reissue label in 1985, contemporary artists began to creep steadily into the mix from 1985 until 1988, when founder Allan Shaw (5) decided to take a brief hiatus from the record releasing business. Folk Era was the first folk label to reissue any popular folk music from the Kingston Trio, and in 1986, it was the first record label to issue folk music on CD (with a Kingston Trio album). In 1987, Folk Era partnered with the Commission On The Bicentennial of the United States Constitution to produce We The People, an album of songs that celebrated the 200th birthday of the United States Constitution.
Shaw restarted the Folk Era label again in 1991; he bought out the man who'd been his business partner in the early days, and restarted Folk Era. Several of the early Folk Era titles were brought back into print, distribution was secured, and a new line of Folk Era releases began to roll out. Their roster of albums includes both reissues and new releases from legends like The Kingston Trio, Glenn Yarbrough, The Brothers Four, John Stewart (2), and The Chad Mitchell Trio.