The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music, with the aim of raising the profile of folk and acoustic music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British radio station BBC Radio 2. It takes place in April.
Award recipients have included Joan Baez, Cat Stevens, John Martyn, Steve Earle, The Dubliners, Martin Carthy, Billy Bragg, Shirley Collins, Kate Rusby, Cara Dillon, Eliza Carthy, Bellowhead, June Tabor, Aly Bain, Richard Thompson, Seth Lakeman, Show of Hands, Lau, Tom Paxton, Don McLean, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Nic Jones and Bella Hardy.
The event has been staged at The Brewery in London, The Lowry theatre in Salford, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and, in 2014 and 2016, the Royal Albert Hall. In 2015 the event was staged at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.
The Folk Awards was hosted by Mike Harding between 2000 and 2012, and broadcast on BBC Radio 2. Mark Radcliffe and Scottish Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis took over presenting the ceremony in 2013. In 2004 the awards were shown on television for the first time, on BBC Four. In 2011 the entire event was broadcast live on television via the BBC Red Button. It usually streams live in audio and video on the BBC Radio 2 website and the BBC iPlayer.
In 2016, Rhiannon Giddens became the first American (and first non-British) winner of the "Folk Singer of the Year" award.
The nominees in most categories are chosen by a panel of around 150 representatives from the British folk world, including broadcasters, journalists, record producers, festival organisers, venue bookers, record company directors, agents and promoters. The panelists can vary slightly from year to year, with new panelists being invited (or self-applying) each year. The final panel is selected by the Folk Awards committee, which includes staff from the BBC, the production company Smooth Operations, and representatives from outside those organisations.
The 'Best Original Track' and 'Best Traditional Track' categories are chosen by smaller specialist panels of judges, and the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award - presented as part of the Folk Awards - is decided by a standalone contest.
The 'Best Album' category is decided by a public vote, hosted on the BBC website.
Folk Singer of the Year: Rhiannon Giddens
Best Duo: Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman
Best Group: The Young'uns
Best Album: Mount the Air – The Unthanks
Horizon Award: Sam Kelly
Musician of the Year: Andy Cutting
Young Folk Award: Brighde Chaimbeul
Best Original Song: Mackerel - The Rheingans Sisters
Best Traditional Track: Lovely Molly - Sam Lee
Lifetime Achievement Award: Joan Armatrading and Norma Waterson
Good Tradition Award: John McCusker
Hall Of Fame inductee: Sandy Denny
Folk Singer of the Year: Nancy Kerr
Best Duo: Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker
Best Group: The Young'uns
Best Album: Tincian – 9 Bach
Horizon Award: The Rails
Musician of the Year: Sam Sweeney
Young Folk Award: Talisk
Best Original Song: Swim To The Star - Peggy Seeger/Calum MacColl
Best Traditional Track: Samhradh Samhradh - The Gloaming
Lifetime Achievement Award: Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens and Loudon Wainwright III
Good Tradition Award: Meredydd Evans
Hall Of Fame inductee: Ewan MacColl
Folk Singer of the Year: Bella Hardy
Best Duo: Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin
Best Group: The Full English
Best Album: The Full English – The Full English
Horizon Award: Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar
Musician of the Year: Aidan O'Rourke
Young Folk Award: The Mischa Macpherson Trio
Best Original Song: Two Ravens – Lisa Knapp
Best Traditional Track: Willie of Winsbury – Anaïs Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer
Lifetime Achievement Award: Clannad and Martin Carthy
Good Tradition Award: Cambridge Folk Festival
Hall of Fame: Cecil Sharp
Folk singer of the year: Nic Jones
Best Duo: Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman
Best Group: Lau
Best Album: Broadside – Bellowhead
Horizon Award: Blair Dunlop
Musician of the year: Kathryn Tickell
Young Folk Award: Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar
Best Original Song: Hatchlings – Emily Portman
Best Traditional Track: Lord Douglas – Jim Moray
Lifetime achievement award: Aly Bain and Roy Harper
Lifetime achievement award for contribution to songwriting: Dougie MacLean
Roots Award: Billy Bragg
Best Duo: Tim Edey & Brendan Power
Best Traditional Track: Bonny Bunch of Roses – June Tabor & Oysterband
Best Group: June Tabor & Oysterband
Young Folk Award: Ioscaid
Musician of the year: Tim Edey
Best Original Song: The Herring Girl – Bella Hardy and The Reckoning – Steve Tilston
Horizon Award: Lucy Ward
Best Album: Ragged Kingdom – June Tabor & Oysterband
Lifetime achievement award: The Dubliners and Don McLean
Best Live Act: The Home Service
Good Tradition Award: Ian Campbell and Bill Leader
Roots Award: Malcolm Taylor
Folk Singer of the year: June Tabor
Best Duo: Nancy Kerr & James Fagan
Best Traditional Track: Poor Wayfaring Stranger – Eliza Carthy & Norma Waterson
Best Group: Bellowhead
Young Folk Award: Moore Moss Rutter
Musician of the year: Andy Cutting
Best Original Song: Hollow Point – Chris Wood
Horizon Award: Ewan McLennan
Best Album: Gift – Eliza Carthy & Norma Waterson
Lifetime achievement award: Donovan
Best Live Act: Bellowhead
Good Tradition Award: Fisherman's Friends
Roots Award: Levellers
Folk Singer of the year: Chris Wood
Folk Singer of the Year: Jon Boden
Best Duo: Show of Hands
Best Group: Lau
Best Album: Hill of Thieves by Cara Dillon
Best Original Song: Arrogance Ignorance and Greed by Steve Knightley (performed by Show of Hands)
Best Traditional Track: Sir Patrick Spens by Martin Simpson
Horizon Award: Sam Carter
Musician of the Year: John Kirkpatrick
Best Live Act: Bellowhead
Lifetime Achievement Award: Nanci Griffith
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dick Gaughan
Folk Club Award: The Magpies Nest
Good Tradition Award: Transatlantic Sessions
Folk Singer of the Year: Chris Wood
Best Duo: Chris While and Julie Matthews
Best Group: Lau
Best Album: Trespasser by Chris Wood
Best Original Song: All You Pretty Girls by Andy Partridge (performed by Jim Moray)
Young Folk Award: Megan and Joe Henwood
Best Traditional Track: The Lark in the Morning by Jackie Oates
Horizon Award: Jackie Oates
Musician of the Year: Tom McConville
Best Live Act: The Demon Barbers
Lifetime Achievement Award: James Taylor
Lifetime Achievement Award: Judy Collins
Folk Club Award: Black Swan Folk Club, York
Folk Singer of the Year: Julie Fowlis
Best Duo: John Tams and Barry Coope
Best Group: Lau
Best Album: Prodigal Son by Martin Simpson
Best Original Song: Never Any Good by Martin Simpson
Best Traditional Track: Cold Haily Rainy Night by The Imagined Village
Horizon Award: Rachel Unthank and the Winterset
Musician of the Year: Andy Cutting
Best Live Act: Bellowhead
Lifetime Achievement Award: John Martyn
Good Tradition Award: Shirley Collins
Folk Club Award: Dartford Folk Club
Folk Singer of the Year: Seth Lakeman
Best Duo: Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick
Best Group: Bellowhead
Best Album: Freedom Fields by Seth Lakeman
Best Original Song: Daisy by Karine Polwart
Best Traditional Track: Barleycorn (performed by Tim van Eyken)
Musician of the Year: Chris Thile
Horizon Award: Kris Drever
Best Live Act: Bellowhead
Lifetime Achievement Award: Pentangle
Lifetime Achievement Award: Danny Thompson
Good Tradition Award: Nic Jones
Folk Club Award: The Ram Club
Favourite Folk Track Award: Who Knows Where The Time Goes (performed by Sandy Denny / Fairport Convention (public vote))
Folk Singer of the Year: John Tams
Best Duo: John Spiers and Jon Boden
Best Group: Flook
Best Album: The Reckoning by John Tams
Best Original Song: One In A Million by Chris Wood and Hugh Lupton
Best Traditional Track: Bitter Withy (performed by John Tams)
Horizon Award: Julie Fowlis
Musician of the Year: Michael McGoldrick
Lifetime Achievement Award: Paul Brady
Lifetime Achievement Award: Richard Thompson
Best Live Act: Kate Rusby
Good Tradition Award: Ashley Hutchings
Folk Club Award: Red Lion, Birmingham
Most Influential Folk Album Of All Time: Liege and Lief by Fairport Convention (public vote)
Folk Singer of the Year: Martin Carthy
Best Duo: Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham
Best Group: Oysterband The Big Session
Best Album: Faultlines by Karine Polwart
Best Original Song: The Sun's Comin' Over The Hill by Karine Polwart
Best Traditional Track: Famous Flower Of Serving Men (performed by Martin Carthy)
Horizon Award: Karine Polwart
Musician of the Year: Kathryn Tickell
Lifetime Achievement Award: Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Lifetime Achievement Award (Songwriting): Tom Paxton
Best Live Act: Bellowhead
Best Dance Band: Whapweasel
Good Tradition Award: Steeleye Span
Folk Club Award: Hitchin Folk Club
Folk Singer of the Year: June Tabor
Best Duo: John Spiers and Jon Boden
Best Group: Danú
Best Album: Sweet England by Jim Moray
Best Original Song: Co. Down by Tommy Sands (performed by Danú)
Best Traditional Track: Hughie Graeme (performed by June Tabor)
Horizon Award: Jim Moray
Musician of the Year: Martin Simpson
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dave Swarbrick
Lifetime Achievement Award (Songwriting): Steve Earle
Best Live Act: Show of Hands
Good Tradition Award: Celtic Connections
Folk Club Award: Rockingham Arms, Wentworth
Folk Singer of the Year: Eliza Carthy
Best Duo: Nancy Kerr and James Fagan
Best Group: Altan
Best Album: Anglicana by Eliza Carthy
Best Original Song: No Telling performed by Linda Thompson
Best Traditional Track: Worcester City performed by Eliza Carthy
Horizon Award: John Spiers and Jon Boden
Instrumentalist of the Year: John McCusker
Lifetime Achievement Award: Christy Moore
Lifetime Achievement Award (Songwriting): John Prine
Best Live Act: Roy Bailey and Tony Benn
Good Tradition Award: Oysterband
Folk Club Award: Edinburgh
Folk Singer of the Year: Martin Carthy
Best Album: The Bramble Briar by Martin Simpson
Best Original Song: Lullabye by Kate Rusby
Best Traditional Track: Black is the Colour performed by Cara Dillon
Best Group: Cherish the Ladies
Horizon Award: Cara Dillon
Instrumentalist of the Year: Martin Simpson
Lifetime Achievement Award: The Chieftains
Lifetime Achievement Award (Songwriting): Ralph McTell
Lifetime Achievement Award: Fairport Convention
Folk Club Award: Nettlebed
Best Live Act: Rory McLeod
Folk Singer of the Year: Norma Waterson
Best Album: Unity by John Tams
Best Original Song: Harry Stone (Hearts of Coal) by John Tams
Best Group: Danú
Horizon Award: Bill Jones
Instrumentalist of the Year: Michael McGoldrick
Lifetime Achievement Award: Bert Jansch
Radio 2 Special Roots Award: Taj Mahal
Good Tradition Award: Bob Copper
Folk Club Award: The Davy Lamp
Best Live Act: Vin Garbutt
Folk Singer of the Year: Kate Rusby
Best Album: Sleepless by Kate Rusby
Best Original Song: A Place Called England by Maggie Holland
Best Traditional Track: Raggle Taggle Gypsy performed by Waterson–Carthy
Best Group: Waterson–Carthy
Horizon Award: Nancy Kerr and James Fagan
Instrumentalist of the Year: Martin Hayes
Radio 2 Special Award: Joan Baez
Radio 2 Special Roots Award: Youssou N'Dour
Andy Kershaw Roots Award: Joe Boyd and Lucy Durán
Good Tradition Award: Topic Records
Folk Club Award: Westhoughton
Best Live Act: La Bottine Souriante
