Less than three weeks after winning the Grammy for Best Bluegrass album City of GoldMolly Tuttle & Golden Highway won album of the year for their Nonesuch self-release at the 2024 International Folk Music Awards. The awards were presented at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri on Wednesday (February 21), which was first day of the Folk Alliance International (FAI) Conference. The event, now in its 36th year, continues until Sunday (February 25).
Tuttle, who won in the same category last year for Crooked Tree, accepted her award remotely, saying, “I feel so lucky to be a part of this hometown music community. I draw so much inspiration from folk tradition when writing this album. I imagined these songs being played by the people around the fire. Music is really my golden city.”
Billy Strings won entertainer of the year. “I'm incredibly honored,” he said. “The fact that my name is even being heard in conversations with the other candidates just blows my mind. I made so many great friends at the FAI in 2013-14 when I was tearing up shop windows and taking them up and down the corridors and hotel rooms. I would like to thank Folk Alliance for giving us artists a place to come together and make lifelong friends, showcase our music, meet the right people and start growing our careers organically and naturally. ”
Strings, which won a Grammy for best bluegrass album three years ago, spent nearly a year at the top Advertising signThe Bluegrass Albums chart combines the streaks of three of his albums – Home (25 weeks at No. 1), Renewal (nine weeks) and Me/and/the dad (16 weeks). Additionally, all three albums received Grammy nominations for Best Bluegrass album. Home He won.
“Workin' on a World”, written and performed by Iris Dement, won the International Folk Music Award for Song of the Year.
Tracy Chapman, whose 1988 song 'Fast Car' became a pop and country hit in 2023 for Luke Combs, received a lifetime achievement award. Joy Clark performed Chapman's 'Give Me One Reason' as a tribute.
Other Lifetime Achievement Award recipients included the late Chilean songwriter and activist Víctor Jara and McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, California, which has hosted concerts in Southern California for more than 50 years.
Hurray for Riff Raff's Alynda Segarra received The People's Voice Award, which recognizes an individual who “unabashedly embraces social and political commentary in their creative work and public career.”
“I started writing songs as a way to have power in this world,” Segarra said upon accepting the award. “I started a band to start a family. From my early days playing music on the street in New Orleans, I turned to the mysteries of songwriting to document, honor and advocate for people on the fringes of society. I was drawn to folk music because it speaks the truth, exposes warmongers and defends the innocent. It was alive to see folk music becoming more overtly queer and radical.”
The Rising Tide Award went to Guatemalan songwriter, singer and activist Sara Curruchich, who is the first musician to use her people's Kaqchikel language in popular music for an international audience.
“To be the first Mayan singer-songwriter to be recognized with this prestigious award is a dream come true,” said Curruchich upon receiving her award. “This award not only represents a personal achievement, but is also a step and a testament to the diversity and richness that we, as Indigenous artists, bring.”
The Clearwater Award, given to a festival that prioritizes environmental stewardship and demonstrates public leadership in producing sustainable events, was won by the LEAF Global Arts festival.
The Spirit of Folk Awards went to Terika Dean of Lead Belly Estate. Amanda Rheaume, artist from the Métis Nation of Ontario, Canada. Jim Fleming, founder of the Fleming Artists booking agency. and FAI Conference Director Jerod Rivers.
The newly created Folk Radio Hall of Famers includes Folk Alley's Linda Fahey. Roots music and folk expert Jan Vanderhorst, host of 'Just Us Folk', Mountain Stage founder Larry Groce. Bob Sherman, whose show “Woody's Children” graced the New York airwaves for nearly 55 years. and Celtic music ambassador Brian O'Donovan.
Other performances included The Steel Wheels (also the house band), Kaia Kater singing “Moving It On” by Odetta. Latin Grammy winner Mireya Ramos sings Victor Jara's “Manifiesto,” which was first released in 1974, shortly after Jara's death. and Willie Watson and Malena Cadiz (courtesy of McCabe).
NPR Music and World Cafe carried the awards show live.
In a sad sign of the times, a moment of silence was observed at the beginning of the evening to acknowledge the shooting that happened across the street at last week's Super Bowl victory celebration in Kansas City.
Interim Director of Folk Alliance International, Jennifer Roe, announced from the stage that next year's convention will be held February 19-23, 2025, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the Queens Elizabeth Hotel, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded “Give Peace a Chance.”
Here are the finalists for the Best of 2023 awards, with the winners noted:
album of the year
Amatssou – Tinariwen (Wedge Records)
WINNER: City of Gold – Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (Nonesuch)
False Lankum – Lankum (Crude Trade)
Stand in the Joy – William Prince (Six Shooter Records)
Welcome to Whatever – Rainbow Girls (self-release)
Artist of the year
WINNER: Billy Strings
Digging Roots
Gabi Moreno
Nickel Creek
Mandy Diaz
The song of the year
“Changes”, written by Joy Oladokun & Dan Wilson, performed by Joy Oladokun
“Keep It on a Burner,” written and performed by Margo Cilker
“Tears Run Dry”, written by Abraham Alexander, Ian Barter, Leo Stannard, performed by Abraham Alexander
“The Returner,” written by Allison Russell, Drew Lindsay and JT Nero, performed by Allison Russell
NIKITIS: “Workin' on a World”, written and performed by Iris Dement
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2024-international-folk-music-awards-winners-billy-strings-molly-tuttle-1235614090/
