Beginning in 1993, Putumayo released a series of celebrated folk music releases. With American Folk, Putumayo continues to highlight musicians who have written new songs inspired by folk traditions or have created new renditions of classic songs. This collection features well-known artists Natalie Merchant, Nanci Griffith, and Patty Griffin as well as talented newcomers Josh Ritter, Lori Mckenna and many others. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of American Folk will be donated to Mercy Corps in support of their efforts to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure and productive communities.