I got into folk music in the mid to late 60's and started out listening to Donovan, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, Dylan, Peter, Paul & Mary and folk rock - The Byrds. So from the beginning I loved songs that were topical or ballads. I still listen to some of these artists; saw Donovan a few years ago in concert in California,
Judy Collins and Baez, but don't listen to Dylan or Joni Mitchell much anymore, (their current music). I then went on to listen to Sandy Denny & Fairport, Pentangle, Ralph McTell and love the music of singer/songwriter, Allan Taylor. He's great but don't think he has ever toured in California. Did see him years ago in the 80's when I was visiting England.

Then in the 1980's and 90's I got into Celtic music and listened to various groups, singers in that style of folk. (Figgy Duff, Lorenna McKennitt,and many others). I also started listening to Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Richard Shindell and other American folk solo artists - so still really follow the singer/songwriter as I love songs that have strong messages (not necesarily political though).

I have a hugh collection of "unknown" folk artists too - that no one has really heard of. Sometmes I have found quite a few gems of a folk singer or folk group who maybe only had one or two albums out and just never really made it big - but were still very talented.
I have been searching for albums of these type of folk artists lately so that is relatively new fo me in seeking out more "unknown" artists.

I don't really think that my taste in music has really changed that much - just have listened to different artists as the years went by and in some ways - many in similiar genre/styles of folk from the 60's to current folk.