WATCH: 2025 International Folk Music Awards (live)
LIVE from the Folk Alliance International conference in Montréal, Québec – STREAM the 2025 International Folk Music Awards held Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
NOMINEES
Artist of the Year (sponsored by Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame):
Flamy Grant
Sarah Jarosz
Kaïa Kater
Nick Lowe
Crys Matthews – winner
Allison Russell
Album of the Year
Trail Of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell (Rounder Records)
The Space Between by The Heart Collectors (Spins the Gold Records)
Strange Medicine by Kaïa Kater (Free Dirt Records)
All My Friends by Aoife O’Donovan’s (Yep Roc Records)
Ordinary Elephant by Ordinary Elephant (Berkalin Records)
Halfway to Houston by Susan Werner (self-release) – winner
Song of the Year
“Tenzin Sings with Nightingales” written by Tenzin Choegyal and performed by Tenzin Choegyal and Michael Askill;
“Woman Who Pays” written and performed by Connie Kaldor;
“How I Long for Peace” written by Abena Koomson-Davis, Peggy Seeger, and Rhiannon Giddens and performed by Rhiannon Giddens, Crys Matthews, and the Resistance Revival Chorus;
“Ukrainian Now” written and performed by Tom Paxton & John McCutcheon;
“$20 Bill (for George Floyd)” written by Tom Prasada-Rao, and performed by Dan Navarro & Janiva Magness – winner
More Honors and Awards presented:
The People’s Voice Award, which is presented to an individual who unabashedly embraces social and political commentary in their creative work and public careers, will be awarded to Gina Chavez. Of Chavez, NPR said, “If you don’t know her already, I dare you to walk away and not become a fan.”
OKAN, the women-led, Afro-Cuban roots and jazz duo who have won two JUNO Awards and appeared on the NPR Tiny Desk Concert series, will be honored with The Rising Tide Award (sponsored by Levitt Foundation). The Rising Tide Award was launched in 2021 to celebrate a new generation artist who inspires others by embodying the values and ideals of the folk community through their creative work, community role, and public voice. The Rising Tide Award’s scope was expanded in 2024 in acknowledgement of the fact that some find their voice in art later in life, and therefore seeks to celebrate emergent artists of any age who inspire others by embodying the values and ideals of the folk community through their creative work, community role, and public voice.
The Spirit of Folk Awards are presented to honor and celebrate people and organizations actively involved in the promotion and preservation of folk music through their creative work, their community building, and their demonstrated leadership.
Spirit of Folk Awards will be presented to:
Tom Power, celebrated Canadian musician and broadcaster, best known as the host of *Q* on CBC Radio One and a member of the award-winning folk band, The Dardanelles;
Alice Randall, a trailblazer in folk and country music, master songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash (among others), and founder of production company Midsummer Music, whose new collection of songs and book of poetry is out now via Oh Boy Records;
Longtime Folk Alliance Region Midwest pillar Annie Capps;
And Quebec’s Innu Nikamu festival, which has exemplified commitment to the promotion and preservation of Indigenous culture through music and community building for over thirty years.
The Clearwater Award is presented to a festival that prioritizes environmental stewardship and demonstrates public leadership in sustainable event production. This year’s award will go to the River Roads Festival in Easthampton, MA. Founded in 2023 and presented by Dar Williams in collaboration with Laudable Productions in partnership with the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC).
Archie Fisher (BBC Scotland); MarySue Twohy (SIRIUS XM); Taylor Caffrey (WRKF); Matthew Finch (posthumous, KUNM); and Chuck Wentworth (posthumous, WRIU) will be inducted into the Folk Radio Hall of Fame. The Folk Radio Hall of Fame has been established to recognize radio DJs, programmers, hosts, and podcasters who have demonstrated and inspired leadership in the broadcast field and who make outstanding contributions to the preservation, promotion, and presentation of folk music.
