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| A MEETING OF OLD AND NEW |
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Folk music hits the heart of the city.
Now into their fifth year, the Folk Awards are as much part of the folkie calendar as Cambridge, and draw no less of an array of famous faces. This year's ceremony took place at London's Brewery Arts Centre, deep in the heart of the City.
 Above: June Tabor
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How ironic, then, that awards should go to artist who have consistently championed anti-establishment causes (Joan Baez, Steve Earle) or who've worked hard to preserve the tradition (June Tabor, Dave Swarbrick). The presence of television cameras may have given proceedings more of a glitzy edge than before, but the essence of the awards remains unchanged - a celebration of folk music in its many forms.
June Tabor picked up two awards - Folk Singer of the Year and Best Traditional Track. Stephen Fry, as ever, was at no loss for words in presenting her with Folk Singer of the Year. Tabor followed his erudite ramblings with a brief but heartfelt sentence of thanks and left the podium to much applause.
 Above: Stephen Fry
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Veteran fiddle hero Dave Swarbrick was honoured in absentia for a lifetime's service to folk, old cohort Martin Carthy lifting the award in his stead from legendary producer and self confessed folk groupie Joe Boyd.
Although the appearance of Steve Earle may have raised a few hackles with the trad brigade, his folk credentials are impeccable, and few writers have tackled the tricky political landscape of post 9/11 America with such courage and conviction. Joan Baez, no stranger to protest song herself, joined Earle in an impassioned duet on Christmas in Washington, one of Earle's finest political songs (although he confessed that he more often writes 'chick songs' - unsurprising given his chequered marital history.)
 Above: The Waifs
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But this was also a night for new talent, including the implausibly gifted Jim Moray. Chief Afro Celt Simon Emerson described Moray as "maverick, passionate and eccentric", and there's no denying the stir created by Album of the Year, Sweet England.
Martin Simpson picked up Musician of the Year for a second time. Receiving his award from veteran broadcaster Bob Harris, Simpson re-affirmed his intention to "never get a proper job". He later showed just why the award was justified with a dazzling display of fingerstyle prowess on the old standard, John Hardy.
"Folk music comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable", according to bluegrass maestro Tim O'Brien, who presented the trophy for Best Original Song to Tommy Sands for his title County Down. Fittingly, after Irish 7-piece Danú was awarded the trophy for Best Group - a title they won in 2001 - they performed their version of the song, the warm contralto of new vocalist Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh doing the words full justice.
 Above l-r: Roy Bailey, Steve Earle, Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy
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Live music, as ever, was a big part of the evening. Australian band The Waifs were joined by Tim O'Brien for a swinging version of Lighthouse, while Kate Rusby treated the audience to a typically lovely rendition of Underneath the Stars, despite failing to win a single award this year. As a finale, a veritable folk supergroup ran through Dylan's You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - Ralph McTell, Joan Baez, Steve Earle, Show of Hands, John Tams, the Carthy clan ... we could go on but you can check out the gallery for more evidence.
You can listen to the entire show on Wednesday 11th February at 7pm on Radio 2, or watch the festivities on BBC 4 at 9pm on Friday 13th February.
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Folk Awards 2004 Home
