Allison Russell’s Outside Child was named Contemporary Roots Album of the Year and Maria Dunn’s _Joyful Banner Blazing won Traditional Roots Album of the Year during the 2022 JUNO Awards ceremonies on May 15 at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, Ontario. Members of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) selected the award recipients in these and other categories.
Sav Buist, a Nashville, Tennessee-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, took top honors during the 15th annual Songwriter Serenade in Schulenburg, Texas on May 7, 2022. She was chosen from among 15 semifinalists in the songwriting competition by a panel of judges who evaluated them based on lyrics (imagery, story, creativity, and originality), melody (structure, phrasing, and rhythm), and performing ability (vocals, musicianship), as well as stage presence/audience rapport.
Twenty-four songwriters have been named as finalists in the 2022 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. Chosen from among more than 500 submissions from around the world, the finalists will perform the two songs they submitted at the New Folk Concerts slated for Saturday and Sunday afternoons, May 28 and 29, as part of the 50th annual Kerrville Folk Festival.
Folk Alliance International revealed the names of upcoming recipients of International Folk Music Awards and Best of 2021 nominees during an April 7 livestream. An awards show is slated for May 18, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri on the opening night of FAI’s 34th annual conference. It will also be streamed online. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article that includes information about award winners and a listing of the finalists for album, song and artist of the year.]
Fifteen songwriters have been invited to showcase their original songs and compete for prize money at the St. John’s Outdoor Pavilion in Schulenburg, Texas on Saturday, May 7, 2022, after being named as semifinalists in the 2022 Songwriter Serenade competition.
Winners in the 64th annual Grammy Awards’ American Roots Music Field were recognized during a premiere ceremony that took place prior to the Recording Academy’s televised awards show on Sunday, April 3, 2022 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
With three awards each, Allison Russell and Cedric Dind-Lavoie were the big winners in the 2022 Canadian Folk Music Awards that were presented March 31-April 2 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and streamed online. They were among the more than 100 nominees from throughout Canada who vied for awards in 19 categories. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article, see the list of all the winners, and view a few videos.]
Musical highlights from the 20th annual Americana Honors & Awards will be featured on a special hour-long episode of Austin City Limits that is set to air on PBS television stations beginning on Saturday, April 2, 2022. Check your local TV listings since dates and times vary by location. The show will also be available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits beginning Sunday, April 3 at 9 a.m. CT/10 a.m. ET.
While the Canadian Folk Music Awards have been presented virtually over the past two years due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s leading folk music event – including awards concerts and nominee showcases – will be presented live and in-person at The Guild in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and livestreamed March 31-April 2, 2022.
Mike P. Ryan has been named the grand prize winner of the 38th annual Mid-Atlantic Song Contest presented by the Songwriters’ Association of Washington. The Clifton, Virginia-based contemporary folk-Americana singer-songwriter was recognized for his song “Between Heaven and the Ground,” which was also the first place (Gold) winner in the contest’s Folk-Acoustic category. [Click on the headline to continue reading this article, which includes extensive comments from Ryan and a link to hear his winning song.]
Several performing songwriter competitions are currently accepting entries. Although the Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest, Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition, and Songwriter Serenade take place in Texas, they are not solely for songwriters based in the Lone Star State.
The winner and finalists in the annual Songs for Social Change contest hosted by Renaissance Artists and Writers Association will perform and talk about their songs via a Saturday, February 5, 2022 livestream on the organization’s Facebook page beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT/7 p.m. CT.
