Now in their 18th year, the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards are a key highlight of the folk music calendar and serve to raise the profile of folk music. During the show at London’s Royal Albert Hall talent, new and old, received accolades including Folk Singer of the Year, Best Duo, Best Album, Musician of the Year, Young Folk Award and more. Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Ry Cooder and Al Stewart.
American roots-rock musician and songwriter, Ry Cooder, took to the stage for a rare UK performance, singing Jesus On The Mainline. A career-long champion of folk music, he is renowned for his inspired slide guitar playing, and through his own work and collaborations with others, from The Rolling Stones to The Chieftains and Buena Vista Social Club.
British singer-songwriter Al Stewart also took to the stage for a performance of his 1977 song, On The Border. Al started his career on the 1960s London folk scene and has worked alongside Bert Jansch, Jimmy Page, John Renbourn, Rick Wakeman, Tori Amos, Roy Harper and many more. Appearing at the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970, he became known for his brand of folk-rock, which he combined with tales of characters and events from history. He’s best known for his 1970s hits Year of the Cat and Time Passages.
Tony Blackburn presented Al Stewart with his award and regaled the audience with his own personal story of Al. He explained that in the early 1960s, he had in fact been the lead guitarist in Tony’s own group, ‘Tony Blackburn and the Swinging Bells’.
Tony said: “We used to practice at my parents’ house and, as good as he was, he always played his electric guitar far too loud as it always drowned out my vocals… The fact I’m here tonight will do Al’s credibility a lot of damage but I don’t care as I’ve enjoyed playing ‘Year of the Cat’ very much over the years and I haven’t seen him in a long time. It really is an honour to present this Lifetime AchievementAward to such a talented musician.”
The evening opened with a rousing performance by Afro Celt Sound System. And across the night there were spectacular performances from Shirley Collins MBE (performing Washed Ashore), Daoirí Farrell (Van Diemen’s Land), Jim Moray (Fair Margaret And Sweet William), Billy Bragg (I Ain’t Got No Home), and Fara (Three Fishers).
There was a powerful and moving performance taken from the Ballads of Child Migration, which tells the story of the enforced migration of over 100,000 children to Australia and Canada between 1863 and 1970. The specially-curated performance was narrated by Barbara Dickson with original songs performed by Kris Drever, Jez Lowe, While & Matthews, Boo Hewerdine, O’Hooley & Tidow, John McCusker, Andy Cutting and Michael McGoldrick.
Folk icon Woody Guthrie was inducted into the Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall of Fame, to celebrate his lasting influence. Billy Bragg performed a special tribute with a rendition of Guthrie’s I Ain’t Got No Home. The celebration marked 50 years since Guthrie’s death in 1967, aged 55. The musician wrote some of the most enduring standards in the genre with his life and work dedicated to supporting and documenting the rights of workers and the downtrodden. His songs have been covered by countless singers from Bruce Springsteen to Lady Gaga and he was a mentor to a young Bob Dylan and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott.
Lewis Carnie, Head of Radio 2 said: “Huge congratulations to all the winners of the Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017 – the calibre of all the nominees was outstanding. This annual event is a wonderful celebration of the vibrant folk music scene and tonight’s show was spectacular, featuring some of folk’s most long-standing, biggest and newest stars which Radio 2 is committed to supporting throughout the year.”
The Folk Awards will be broadcast on BBC Four on Sunday 9 April at 10 pm as an hour-long highlights programme which will include all the performances.
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017 Winners:
FOLK SINGER OF THE YEAR presented by Sharleen Spiteri
Kris Drever
BEST DUO presented by Peter Lord of Aardman Animations
Ross Ainslie & Ali Hutton
BEST GROUP presented by Sir Ray Davies
The Furrow Collective
BEST ALBUM presented by Mark Kermode
Songs of Separation – Songs of Separation
HORIZON AWARD presented by Rachel and Becky Unthank (of The Unthanks)
Daoiri Farrell
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR presented by Gus Unger-Hamilton from Alt-J
Rachel Newton
BEST ORIGINAL TRACK presented by Susie Dent
If Wishes Were Horses by Kris Drever
BEST TRADITIONAL TRACK presented by Pauline Black of The Selecter
Van Diemen’s Land by Daoiri Farrell
BBC RADIO 2 YOUNG FOLK AWARD presented by Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention
Josie Duncan & Pablo Lafuente
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD presented by Tony Blackburn
Al Stewart
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD presented by Nick Lowe
Ry Cooder
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Woody Guthrie