BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British radio station BBC Radio 2.
The award winners are chosen by a panel of 120 experts in the field of folk and easy listening music, including broadcasters, journalists, festival organisers, agents and promoters.
The award ceremony, which takes place early in February, has been presented since its inception by Mike Harding, and broadcast on BBC Radio 2. 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's red button.
Award winners
2011
- Best Duo: Nancy Kerr & James Fagan
- Best Traditional Track: Poor Wayfaring Stranger - Eliza Carthy & Norma Waterson
- Best Group: Bellowhead
- Young Folk Award: Moore, Moss and 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
2010
- 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
2009
- 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
2008
- 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
2007
- 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)
2006
- 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)
2005
- 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
2004
- 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
2003
- 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
2002
- 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
2001
- 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
2000
- 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 Duran
- Good Tradition Award: Topic Records
- Folk Club Award: Westhoughton
- Best Live Act: La Bottine Souriante
External links
- BBC's Folk Awards site
- Acoustic Magazine The UK's only dedicated Acoustic magazine