Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three – Drinkin’ Whiskey Tonight

Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three performing “Drinkin’ Whiskey Tonight” from their album Middle of Everywhere live on Jools’ Annual Hootenanny on December 31, 2011.

Scott Avett- The New Love Song

Scott Avett of The Avett Brothers singing “The New Love Song” from 2004′s Mignonette for Crackerfarm in December 2011.

The Coachella 2012 lineup has been announced, and despite some relatively heavy hitters on Saturday, the festival is surprisingly light on folk and country-tinged acts. Coachella usually boasts at least a handful of When You Awake-approved bands thrown onto each day, but this year, two days are looking rather sparse. Regardless of our disappointment due to a lack of rootsy-love, here are our picks for the festival, which for the first time, will be head over the course of two weekends on April 13-15 and April 20-22:

Friday: The Black Keys and Dawes
Saturday: The Shins, St. Vincent, The Head and the Heart, Laura Marling and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Sunday: Beirut, First Aid Kit and Lissie

In other news, Coachella’s country cousin, Stagecoach, has officially sold out. Lineup for that is after the jump.
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Fionn Regan and The Staves- North Star Lover

Fionn Regan performing “North Star Lover” with The Staves in the Workman’s Club in Dublin, Ireland in November 2011.

Wilco, Nick Lowe & Mavis Staples- The Weight

Wilco, Nick Lowe & Mavis Staples rehearse “The Weight” backstage at the Civic Opera House in Chicago, Illinois in December 2011.

As we bid farewell to 2011, we say hello to year-end best of lists. We’ve asked our contributors to list their top 5 favorite albums released in 2011, as well as their top 5 albums that they “discovered”, “rediscovered” or “came to fully appreciate” this year. What were your favorite releases of the year? Did we miss anything good? Let us know in the comments after the jump.
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