History was made at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, presented by Mike Harding and Julie Fowlis which took place at The Lowry Theatre in Salford on Wednesday 8 February.
Not only was the ceremony open to the public for the first time, the judges were split 50/50 in the Best Original Song category, resulting in two winners: Bella Hardy with The Herring Girl and The Reckoning by Steve Tilston.
However, the awards were dominated by two veteran acts - June Tabor won the Folk Singer Of The Year title and her collaboration with Oysterband took home Best Group, Best Album for Ragged Kingdom and Best Traditional Track for Bonny Bunch of Roses.
The Dubliners and Don McLean both won Lifetime Achievement awards, while the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award was taken by sextet Ioscaid.
The 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
Folk Singer Of The Year
Jon Boden
Jackie Oates
Emily Smith
Winner: June Tabor
Best Duo
Winner: Tim Edey & Brendan Power
Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell
Spiers & Boden
Marry Waterson & Oliver Knight
Best Group
Bellowhead
The Home Service
Winner: June Tabor & Oysterband
The Unthanks
Best Album
Last – The Unthanks
Purpose & Grace – Martin Simpson
Winner: Ragged Kingdom – June Tabor & Oysterband
Saturnine – Jackie Oates
Best Original Song
Winner: The Herring Girl – Bella Hardy
Last – Adrian McNally (performed by The Unthanks)
On Morecambe Bay – Kevin Littlewood (performed by Christy Moore)
Winner: The Reckoning – Steve Tilston
Best Traditional Track
Winner: Bonny Bunch of Roses – June Tabor & Oysterband
Lakes of Ponchartrain – Martin Simpson
Maids When You’re Young – Lucy Ward
Sweet Lover of Mine – Emily Smith
Horizon Award
Megan Henwood
Lady Maisery
Pilgrims’ Way
Winner: Lucy Ward
Musician Of The Year
Andy Cutting
Winner: Tim Edey
Will Pound
Martin Simpson
Best Live Act
Bellowhead
Winner: The Home Service
Peatbog Faeries
The Unthanks
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award
Sunjay Brayne
Blair Dunlop
Winner: Ioscaid
Graham Mackenzie
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Dubliners
Lifetime Achievement Award
Don McLean
Good Tradition Award
Ian Campbell
Good Tradition Award
Bill Leader
Roots Award
Malcolm Taylor
Not only was the ceremony open to the public for the first time, the judges were split 50/50 in the Best Original Song category, resulting in two winners: Bella Hardy with The Herring Girl and The Reckoning by Steve Tilston.
However, the awards were dominated by two veteran acts - June Tabor won the Folk Singer Of The Year title and her collaboration with Oysterband took home Best Group, Best Album for Ragged Kingdom and Best Traditional Track for Bonny Bunch of Roses.
The Dubliners and Don McLean both won Lifetime Achievement awards, while the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award was taken by sextet Ioscaid.
The 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
Folk Singer Of The Year
Jon Boden
Jackie Oates
Emily Smith
Winner: June Tabor
Best Duo
Winner: Tim Edey & Brendan Power
Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell
Spiers & Boden
Marry Waterson & Oliver Knight
Best Group
Bellowhead
The Home Service
Winner: June Tabor & Oysterband
The Unthanks
Best Album
Last – The Unthanks
Purpose & Grace – Martin Simpson
Winner: Ragged Kingdom – June Tabor & Oysterband
Saturnine – Jackie Oates
Best Original Song
Winner: The Herring Girl – Bella Hardy
Last – Adrian McNally (performed by The Unthanks)
On Morecambe Bay – Kevin Littlewood (performed by Christy Moore)
Winner: The Reckoning – Steve Tilston
Best Traditional Track
Winner: Bonny Bunch of Roses – June Tabor & Oysterband
Lakes of Ponchartrain – Martin Simpson
Maids When You’re Young – Lucy Ward
Sweet Lover of Mine – Emily Smith
Horizon Award
Megan Henwood
Lady Maisery
Pilgrims’ Way
Winner: Lucy Ward
Musician Of The Year
Andy Cutting
Winner: Tim Edey
Will Pound
Martin Simpson
Best Live Act
Bellowhead
Winner: The Home Service
Peatbog Faeries
The Unthanks
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award
Sunjay Brayne
Blair Dunlop
Winner: Ioscaid
Graham Mackenzie
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Dubliners
Lifetime Achievement Award
Don McLean
Good Tradition Award
Ian Campbell
Good Tradition Award
Bill Leader
Roots Award
Malcolm Taylor
