The 38th annual Folk Alliance International (FAI) conference and festival is still taking place through this weekend, with thousands of participants descending on the already musical city of New Orleans. On Wednesday night, FAI hosted its International Folk Music Awards during a two-hour, star-studded presentation. The categories and nominees are listed below, with winners in bold.
Artist of the Year (sponsored by the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame)
- Abbie Gardner
- Carsie Blanton (tie)
- Crys Matthews
- I’m With Her (tie)
- Ordinary Elephant;
- Sam Robbins
Album of the Year
- Alison Krauss & Union Station - Arcadia
- Flamy Grant - CHURCH
- Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ - Room On The Porch
- Crys Matthews - Reclamation
- I’m With Her - Wild and Clear and Blue
- Woody Guthrie - Woody At Home: Volumes 1 + 2
Song of the Year
- Woody Guthrie - “Ain’t Afraid To Die”
- Andrew Bird & Madison Cunningham - “Crying In The Night” (written by Stevie Nicks)
- Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer - “I BOUGHT ME A PRESIDENT” (written by Cathy Fink & Tom Paxton)
- Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, and Ruby Amanfu - “Room On The Porch” (written by Kevin R. Moore, Henry St. Claire Fredericks, Jr., Ruby Amanfu, and Ahmen Mahal)
- Crys Matthews - “Sleeves Up”
- I’m With Her - “Sisters Of The Night Watch” (written by Aoife O’Donovan, Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz)
Global Folk Album Award (in partnership with Songlines Magazine)
- Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali - At the Feet of the Beloved
- Da Kali - Bagola
- Hajda Banda - Niepraudzivaya
- Rastak - Tales of Earth and Sun
- The Baltic Sisters - Värav / Vārti / Vartai
- Votia - Vié Kaz
Additionally, the International Folk Music Awards honored the following musicians:
- Kyshona - The People’s Voice Award (presented to an individual who unabashedly embraces social and political commentary in their creative work and public careers)
- Yasmin Williams - The Rising Tide Award (sponsored by the Levitt Foundation, presented to an individual who inspires others by embodying the values and ideals of the folk community through their creative work, community role, and public voice)
- Taj Mahal and Clifton Chenier - Lifetime Achievement Awards
In other roots music news, Carolina Chocolate Drops have a 15th anniversary re-release of their breakthrough third album, Genuine Negro Jig out today via Nonesuch Records. The reissues includes nine bonus tracks, seven of which are previously unreleased.
The Avett Brothers recently discovered previously-unreleased music video for their song "Matrimony," off their 2006 album Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions. Check it out below:
Not-really-but-actually-super-group Fantastic Cat announced a new record, Cat Out Of Hell, due out April 10 via Missing Piece Records. Staying true to their absurdist shtick, the band also shared a new video for lead single "Donnie Takes The Bus" with buff, hot dude stunt doubles. Check it out below:
WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO
Jobi Riccio - "Buzzkill"
Brother Wallace - "Electric Love" (from his debut album, Electric Love, due out May 8 via ATO Records)
NEW RELEASES – 1/23/26
Sammy Brue- The Journals
Della Mae - Magic Accident
Sophia Gault - Unhinged
Julian Lage - Scenes From Above
The Lowest Pair - Always As Young As We’ll Ever Be
Paper Kites - If You Go There, I Hope You Find It
Lucinda Williams - World's Gone Wrong
COMING SOON - 1/30/26
Tyler Ballgame - For the First Time, Again
Cordovas - Back to Life
Kim Moberg - All That Really Matters
Steve Poltz - JoyRide
Emily Scott Robinson - Appalachia
Ye Vagabonds - River Lea
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