The Small Glories, Amythyst Kiah and Mavis Staples were among the recipients of International Folk Music Awards presented Wednesday, Jan. 22, on the opening night of the 32nd annual Folk Alliance International Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana that continues through Jan. 26.
The Small Glories, the Winnipeg, Canada duo of Cara Luft and JD Edwards, was named Artist of the Year, while Amythyst Kiah, a Tennessee-based roots music artist and member of the Grammy Award-nominated Our Naïve Daughters, was recognized for Song of the Year (“Black Myself’), and singer Mavis Staples, a member of both the Rock & Roll and Blues Halls of Fame, was hailed for Album of the Year (We Get By) during an awards show held in the grand ballroom of the Sheraton New Orleans.
New Orleans resident Leyla McCalla, part of Our Native Daughters along with Kiah and also a former member of the Grammy Award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, served as the evening’s emcee. In addition to the FAI member-voted awards for artist, song and album of the year that were chosen from among a list of nominees culled from a number of top folk DJ charts, publications, lists and other awards rosters around the world, Lifetime Achievement, Spirit of Folk, Clearwater, and People’s Voice Awards also were presented.
The Elaine Weissman Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented annually to a living recipient, a memorial recipient, and an organization or recognized academic. Honored this week were Grammy Award-winning Cajun band BeauSoleil (avec Michael Doucet) – Living; the “Queen of Gospel” Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972) – Legacy; and New Orleans’ Preservation Hall – Organization/Academic.
Spirit of Folk Awards 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. Recipients include Ellen Bello (Native American Music Awards), Ephraim Bugumba (refugee-artist), Laura Hassler (Musicians Without Borders), Ake Lundstom (Nordic Folk Alliance), Jan Ramsey (OffBeat Magazine), and Ben Sandmel (folklorist and writer).
Ani DiFranco is this year’s recipient of he People’s Voice Award that is presented to an individual who unabashedly embraces social and political commentary in his/her creative work and public career. A vocal activist and female icon whose folk roots run deep, Ani DiFranco’s international career was made notable through meaningful songwriting that embraces and embodies social activism. DiFranco launched Righteous Babe Records in 1990 and has released more than 20 albums to date.
Pickathon, based near Portland, Oregon, received the Clearwater Award recognizing a festival that prioritizes environmental stewardship and demonstrates public leadership in sustainable event production.
Featuring 180 juried official artist showcases and several-thousand private ones, a wide array of workshops and panel discussions, keynotes by Rhiannon Giddens and Mavis Staples, mentoring and peer group sessions, a large exhibit hall, an associated music camp, receptions and networking opportunities galore, the Folk Alliance International Conference is the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community – drawing some 3,000 participants this year. Through its theme of The Story of People and Place, this year’s conference is focusing on cultural equity — with some programming exploring such topics as diversity, inclusion, immigration, intersection, and influence.
Folk Alliance International is a Kansas City, Missouri-based nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion. For more information on the organization, visit www.folk.org.
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