I never really thought of Jo Stafford as a folksinger, myself. She was more a pop singer (and a very good one). She and her husband, Paul Weston, created some great recordings from those days including a couple of very funny ones.

My first rememberance of anything resembling Folk Music, as we know it today, was performed by Burl Ives in the 1940's. It seems to me he sang "On Top of Old Smoky," in the movie, "Smoky," based on the Will James book in the late 40's.

In the 50's and 60's it was Kingston Trio, The Weavers, New Christi Minstrils, Bud and Travis, etc. etc.

I agree with Kendall on Hank Williams and Tex Ritter. Ritter was one of the singing cowboys in 1930's and 40's movies, along with Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Jimmy Wakely, Rex Allen and a few others. John Wayne even took a crack at it as a singing cowboy in the 30's. He was pretty bad.

DougR