Awards & Contests

Music Festival Impresario George Wein Honored by APAP

Music festival impresario George Wein, founder of the Newport Folk Festival, received the Award of Merit for Achievement in Performing Arts from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) on Jan. 9. The award is bestowed on an individual whose genius, energy and excellence have defined or redefined an art form for today’s audiences. [To read the article in its entirety, including comments from George Wein, click on the headline.]

Folk/Acoustic Winners Named in 2011 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest

Category winners have been named in the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, sponsored by the Songwriters Association of Washington, while overall grand, second and third prize winners will be announced during the 28th Mid-Atlantic Awards Night Gala on Jan. 15, 2012 at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, Virginia. [To read a short article with a list of winners, finalists and those receiving honorable mention for songs entered in the contest’s folk/acoustic category, click on the headline.]

Online Voting Runs Through Jan. 12 for 2011 Irish Music Awards

Online voting began December 1 and extends until January 12, 2012 on nominees in 18 categories for the fourth annual Irish Music Awards presented by the Independence, Missouri-based Irish Music Association. [To read the article and see the list of nominees, click on the headline.]

Bruce Cockburn, Dave Gunning and Quebecois Trio Genticorum Among Top Canadian Folk Music Award Winners for 2011

The 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards were presented in Toronto, Ontario on Sunday evening, Dec. 4. Winners were named in 19 categories and a new Unsung Hero award was presented during a gala event at the Isabel Bader Theatre. Bruce Cockburn, Dave Gunning and Quebecois trio Genticorum each won two awards. [To read the article in its entirety and see a complete list of the award winners, click on the headline.]

Canadian Folk Music Awards to be Presented in Toronto, Dec. 4

The Canadian Folk Music Awards will be presented on Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto. You can be part of the celebration without leaving the comfort of your own home. Tomorrow's awards gala, co-hosted by Benoit Bourque of La Bottine Souriante and CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers, as well as a Nominee Showcase from Hugh's Room tonight at 8 p.m., will be streamed live online at http://rootsmusic.ca/. A list of nominees appears on http://folkawards.ca/. Established in 2005, the Canadian Folk Music Awards celebrates and promotes the breadth and depth of folk music in Canada and recognizes outstanding achievements in 19 categories plus a new "Unsung Hero" category. Bruce Cockburn and Dave Gunning garnered the most...

2012 Grammy Nominees Named in American Roots Music Field

Nominees in more than 75 categories have been named for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, to be broadcast live from Los Angeles, California on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, on CBS television stations. [To see a list of nominees in the American Roots Music Field -- including those for Best Folk Album, Best Americana Album, Best Bluegrass Album, Best Blues Album, and Best Regional Roots Music Album -- click on the headline.]

Arthur Alligood Wins 2011 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest

Arthur Alligood has been named the grand prize winner in the 10th annual Mountain Stage NewSong Contest.Alligood, who hails from the small town of White House, TN, near Nashville, was chosen from among more than 2,000 entrants and selected from among 12 finalists. The international finals for the noted performing songwriter contest -- presented by the live performance radio show and produced by the independent music organization NewSong Music -- took place last Thursday evening, Oct. 20, at the World Financial Center’s Wintergarden in New York City. [To read the article in its entirety, click on the headline.]

Nominees Named for 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards

With four nominations each, Bruce Cockburn and Dave Gunning are the top nominees vying for awards during the seventh annual Canadian Folk Music Awards slated to be presented during a gala event in Toronto, Dec. 4. The awards were established to bring greater exposure to the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music, celebrating and promoting it in all its forms. Outstanding achievements will be recognized in 19 categories, while a new “Unsung Hero” award also will be bestowed. (To read the article and see a complete list of nominees, click on the headline.]

Clearwater Honors George Wein with Power of Song Award

Music festival impresario George Wein, founder of the Newport Folk Festival, among others, will receive the first Power of Song Award during an Oct. 21 benefit concert in New York City. Monies raised during the event, which is set for 8 p.m. at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space, will support the environmental education programs of Clearwater, a nonprofit organization launched by Pete Seeger and others more than 40 years ago to help spur awareness of and preserve and protect the Hudson River and its tributaries. [To read the full article, click on the headline.]

Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers Win IBMA’s Top Award

Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers were named Entertainer of the Year during the 22nd Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards show on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, ending a three-year winning streak by Dailey & Vincent. [To read the article in its entirety and learn of all the award winners, click on the headline.]

Finalists Named in Avalonfest Performing Songwriter Competition

Four artists have been selected as finalists in the Avalonfest’s annual performing songwriter competition for 2011: Doug Brouder (Gettysburg, PA), Kyle Carey (Portsmouth, NH), Kathy Moser (Stanhope, NJ) and Sarah Pinsker (Baltimore, MD). [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Lara Herscovitch is SolarFest Singer-Songwriter Showcase Winner

Lara Herscovitch, an engaging contemporary singer-songwriter from Connecticut, emerged as the winner from among 10 finalists in the 11th Annual Singer-Songwriter Showcase this month at SolarFest, which bills itself as New England’s renewable energy festival. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]