The winners of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2019 were announced last night in a ceremony presented by Mark Radcliffe at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester as part of the Manchester Folk Festival, the whole thing being broadcast live on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. Radcliffe himself won an award for 40 years of “talking in between records”, an award presented by Ralph “Wind in the Willows” McTell.
During the evening, contemporary folk musician and singer Maddie Morris, who is based in Leeds, was presented with the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, presented to her by folk duo and former winners of the award, Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar.
Here is the full list of winners:
The Horizon Award for best emerging act – presented by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
Brìghde Chaimbeul
Musician of the Year – presented by Blue Peter’s Lindsey Russell
Seckou Keita
Best Original Track – presented by comedian, writer and musician Rich Hall
I Burn But I Am Not Consumed, written by Karine Polwart and Steven Polwart
Best Duo or Group – presented by Countryfile’s Ellie Harrison
Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita
Best Traditional Track – presented by award winning author, Joanne Harris
The Foggy Dew by Ye Vagabonds
Life Achievement Awards were given to:
Wizz Jones – presented by singer and founding member of The Hollies, Allan Clarke
Dervish – presented by journalist and BBC Breakfast presenter, Steph McGovern
Best Album – presented by musician and songwriter Graham Gouldman, of 10cc
Hide and Hair by The Trials of Cato
Folk Singer of the Year – presented by actor and comedian, Miranda Richardson
Ríoghnach Connolly
Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall of Fame
Leonard Cohen
