The Canadian Folk Music Awards were established in 2005 to bring greater exposure to the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music, celebrating and promoting it in all its forms. The annual awards in 21 categories were presented during four concerts showcasing many of the talented nominees. More than 100 jurors — located across Canada and representing all of its official provinces, territories and languages — determined the recipients in each category.

A complete list of winners in the 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees follows, while recorded livestreams of the concerts and awards presentations may be found, along with more information, online at www.folkawards.ca.

Stan Rogers Traditional Singer Award: Matthew Byrne – Stealing Time

Contemporary Singer of the Year: Julian Taylor – Pathways

Vocal Group of the Year: PIQSIQ – Legends

New Artist of the Year: Claire Morrison – Where Do You Go at Night?

French Songwriter of the Year: Guillaume Arsenault – Les plantes continuent de pousser même quand tu dors – Face B

English Songwriter of the Year: Terra Spencer – Sunset

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year: Rachel Therrien – Mi Hogar II

Solo Artist of the Year: Lennie Gallant – Shelter From the Storms

Indigenous Songwriter of the Year:  TIE — Aysanabee – Edge Of The Earth and Inuksuk Mackay and Tiffany Ayalik (PIQSIQ) – Legends

Album Artwork of the Year: Ru Rose – Revival

Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries Award: Oktoecho – Saimaniq Sivumut

Single of the Year: AHI – Human Kind

Contemporary Album of the Year: AHI – The Light Behind The Sun

Instrumental Composer of the Year: Eric Abramovitz, Rebekah Wolkstein and Drew Jurecka – Schmaltz and Pepper

Producer of the Year: Ben Plotnick for “Every Colour Left” by Loud in the Pines

Instrumental Group of the Year: The Fretless – Glasswing

Ensemble of the Year: Cassie and Maggie – Gold and Coal

Traditional Album of the Year: Matthew Byrne – Stealing Time

Global Roots Album of the Year: Kazdoura – Ghoyoum 

Children’s Album of the Year: Ginalina – All the Earth Speaks

Young Performer of the Year: Max Francis – Home

Originally slated to take place during two Awards Weekend Concerts at the PEI Convention Centre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, April 3-4, Canada’s leading folk music event took place virtually in light of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Observing social distancing protocols, Benoit Bourque and Jean Hewson co-hosted the bilingual broadcast from 1,600 miles apart.

A two-stage jury process featuring 100 jurors based across Canada and representing all official provinces, territories and languages determined the official recipients in each of 19 categories. In an effort to recognize more outstanding albums and performers in higher-subscribed categories, the number of nominees in the Contemporary Album of the Year, New/Emerging Artist of the Year, Solo Artist of the Year, and English Songwriter(s) of the Year categories were expanded this year. Donnie Campbell of Nova Scotia was named as the recipient of the Slaight unsung Hero Award.

The Canadian Folk Music Awards were established in 2005 to bring greater exposure to the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music, celebrating and promoting it in all its forms.
A complete list of 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees follows, while more information may be found online at https://folkawards.ca.

Traditional Album of the Year

Queen City Jubilee by The Slocan Ramblers

Contemporary Album of the Year

Assiniboine & the Red by The Small Glories

Children’s Album of the Year

Lullabies For Big Eyes by The Kerplunks

Traditional Singer of the Year

Rachel Davis for Ashlar (Còig)

Contemporary Singer of the Year

Matt Andersen for Halfway Home By Morning

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year

Sabin Jacques for Grandes Rencontres (Sabin Jacques & Rachel Aucoin)

Instrumental Group of the Year

Mairi Rankin & Eric Wright for The Cabin Sessions

Vocal Group of the Year

The Small Glories for Assiniboine & The Red

Ensemble of the Year

The Small Glories for Assiniboine & The Red

Solo Artist of the Year

Irish Mythen for Little Bones

English Songwriter(s) of the Year

Abigail Lapell for Getaway

French Songwriter(s) of the Year

Bernard Adamus for C’qui nous reste du Texas

Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year

Diyet van Lieshout for Diyet & the Love Soldiers

World Solo Artist of the Year

Wesli for Rapadou Kreyol

World Group of the Year

Ayrad for Zoubida

New/Emerging Artist(s) of the Year

Geneviève Racette for No Water, No Flowers

Producer(s) of the Year

Daniel Ledwell for Time Travel (Lennie Gallant)

Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries Award

Elisapie for The Ballad of the Runaway Girl

Young Performer(s) of the Year

Joshua Haulli for AQQUT

During the online awards broadcast, Rob Oakie, executive director of Music PEI, announced that the 2021 CFMAs would take place in Charlottetown, PEI next April.

Gunning, Grant and The Small Glories are among the eight artists/acts in the running for Contemporary Album of the Year for Up Against The Sky, Love, Inevitable and Assiniboine & the Red, respectively. Gunning and Grant also received nominations for both Contemporary and Solo Artist of the Year, while Gunning also is among those vying for English Songwriter of the Year. The Small Glories also are nominated in the Ensemble and traditional Group of the Year categories, while Vishten received nominations for Traditional Album and Ensemble of the Year, as well as the Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries Award.

A two-stage jury process featuring 100 jurors based across Canada and representing all official provinces, territories and languages determine the official recipients in each category. In an effort to recognize more outstanding albums and performers in higher-subscribed categories, the number of nominees in the Contemporary Album of the Year, New/Emerging Artist of the Year, Solo Artist of the Year, and English Songwriter(s) of the Year categories have been expanded.

The Canadian Folk Music Awards were established in 2005 to bring greater exposure to the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music, celebrating and promoting it in all its forms.

A complete list of 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees follows, while more information may be found online at www.folkawards.ca.

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Traditional Album of the Year

Easy Money by Old Man Luedecke
Horizons by Vishtèn
Queen City Jubilee by The Slocan Ramblers
Territoires by Le Vent du Nord
Watchmaker by Shannon Quinn

Contemporary Album of the Year

Assiniboine & the Red by The Small Glories
Citizen Alien by Leaf Rapids
Getaway by Abigail Lapell
Love, Inevitable by Jenn Grant
The Al Purdy Songbook by Various Artists
The Maze by Ariana Gillis
Time Travel by Lennie Gallant
Up Against The Sky by Dave Gunning

Children’s Album of the Year

It Takes a Village by Ginalina
Lullabies For Big Eyes by The Kerplunks
Magical Lullabies by Amos J & Jérôme Fortin
Rocks and Roots by Will’s Jams
You, Me and the Sea by Splash’N Boots

Traditional Singer of the Year

Rachel Davis for Ashlar (Còig)
Joshua Haulli for AQQUT
Sophie Lavoie for Portraits (Sophie & Fiachra)
Old Man Luedecke for Easy Money
Allison Lupton for Words of Love

Contemporary Singer of the Year

Matt Andersen for Halfway Home By Morning
Jenn Grant for Love, Inevitable
Dave Gunning for Up Against The Sky
Lydia Persaud for Let Me Show You
Andrea Ramolo for Homage

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year

Itamar Erez for Mi Alegria
Sabin Jacques for Grandes Rencontres (Sabin Jacques & Rachel Aucoin)
Graham Lindsey for TradHead
Jon Pilatzke for Amongst Friends
Richard Wood for Unbroken

Instrumental Group of the Year

Emilyn Stam & Filippo Gambetta for Shorelines
Mairi Rankin & Eric Wright for The Cabin Sessions
Pierre Schryer & Adam Dobres for Mandorla
The Fitzgeralds for The Fitzgeralds
Toronto Tabla Ensemble for Bhumika

Vocal Group of the Year

Fortunate Ones for Hold Fast
Geneviève et Alain for De la rivière à la mer
Musique à bouches for L’habit de plumes
The Small Glories for Assiniboine & The Red
The Sweet Lowdown for Low Clouds in the Morning

Ensemble of the Year

Haley Richardson & Quinn Bachand for When The Wind Blows High and Clear
Oliver the Crow for Oliver the Crow
The Slocan Ramblers for Queen City Jubilee
The Small Glories for Assiniboine & The Red
Vishtèn for Horizons

Solo Artist of the Year

Michael Jerome Browne for That’s Where It’s At
Jenn Grant for Love, Inevitable
Dave Gunning for Up Against The Sky
Sarah MacDougall for All The Hours I Have Left To Tell You Anything
Danny Michel for White & Gold
Irish Mythen for Little Bones

English Songwriter(s) of the Year

Ben Caplan, Christian Barry for Old Stock (Ben Caplan)
Lennie Gallant for Time Travel
Dave Gunning for Up Against The Sky
Kaia Kater for Grenades
Abigail Lapell for Getaway
Cara Luft, JD Edwards, Neil Osborne, Catherine MacLellan for Assiniboine & The Red (The Small Glories)
Madeleine Roger for Cottonwood
Justin Rutledge for Passages

French Songwriter(s) of the Year

Bernard Adamus for C’qui nous reste du Texas
Jordane Labrie, Clement Desjardins for 12 jours (Jordane)
Jean Leloup for L’étrange pays
Safia Nolin for Dans le noir
Caroline Savoie for Pourchasser l’aube

Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year

Sugar Plum Croxen, Shelley Hamilton, George Elliott Clarke for Constitution (The Afro-Métis Nation)
Jenelle Duval, Danielle Benoit, Stacey Howse for Qama’si (Eastern Owl)
Joshua Haulli for AQQUT
Diyet van Lieshout for Diyet & the Love Soldiers
Mike Paul for Origine

World Solo Artist of the Year

Ben Caplan for Old Stock
Cristian De La Luna for SABES
Quique Escamilla for Encomienda
Roberto López for Kaleido Strópico
Wesli for Rapadou Kreyol

World Group of the Year

Al Qahwa for Cairo Moon
Ayrad for Zoubida
Emilyn Stam & Filippo Gambetta for Shorelines
Pierre Schryer & Adam Dobres for Mandorla
Toronto Tabla Ensemble for Bhumika

New/Emerging Artist(s) of the Year

Birds Of Bellwoods for Victoria
Geneviève Racette for No Water, No Flowers
Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys for Dreamland
Hook & Nail for Ghosts of Taylorton
Lydia Persaud for Let Me Show You
T. Buckley for Miles We Put Behind
The Lumber Jills for The Lumber Jills
The Unfaithful Servants for The Unfaithful Servants

Producer(s) of the Year

Erin Costelo for Grenades (Kaia Kater)
Steve Dawson for Halfway Home By Morning (Matt Andersen)
Luke Doucet for The Northern South Vol. 2 (Whitehorse)
Daniel Ledwell for Time Travel (Lennie Gallant)
Jory Nash, Chris Stringer for Wilderness Years (Jory Nash)

Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries Award

Ben Caplan for Old Stock
Elisapie for The Ballad of the Runaway Girl
Samson Wrote for Pigeon
Tri-Continental for Dust Dance
Vishtèn for Horizons

Young Performer(s) of the Year

Conway for Conway
Nick Earle for Breaking New Ground
Joshua Haulli for AQQUT
Keltie for Expect Inhibition
Jacques Surette for Marche, marche, marche

The always entertaining, genial and witty Quebecois folk artist Benoit Bourque and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)’s Shelagh Rogers co-hosted the gala event that featured performances by Finest Kind, Lennie Gallant (who was named Solo Artist of the Year), The Good Lovelies, Lynn Miles, and Laura Smith. De Temps Antan closed out the evening with some rousing Quebecois traditional music. The event marked the culmination of an awards weekend that began on Nov. 27 and included showcases and concerts by nominees as well as the premiere screening of a CFMA 10th anniversary film.

The Canadian Folk Music Awards were established in 2005 to bring greater exposure to the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music — celebrating and promoting it in all its forms. As previously reported by AcousticMusicScene.com, 68 artists and groups from nine provinces and one territory in Canada were announced as nominees during a Sept. 24 news conference at Folk Music Ontario’s Ottawa headquarters.

Although 18-year old Quinn Bachand and his Victoria, British Columbia-based group Brishen were the top nominees vying for awards, with a combined five nominations, they were shut out. Fellow BC-based instrumental artists The Fretless and vocal group The High Bar Gang also received multiple nominations. The Fretless was named Ensemble of the Year, while The High Bar Gang took Vocal Group of the Year honors. Shari Ulrich, a member of The High Bar Gang, also was named English Songwriter of the Year for Everywhere I Go, while Julianne Aube, Vivianne Roy and Katrine Noel shared French Songwriter of the Year honors for Mon Homesick Heart by Les Hey Babies, and Ottawa’s Amanda Rheaume and John MacDonald won the award for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year for Rheaume’s Keep A Fire. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia-based Coig received the Traditional Album of the Year award for Five. Ontario’s The Strumbellas’ We Still Move On Dance Floors was named Contemporary Album of the Year – having previously won the Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year.

The Unsung Hero Award, recognizing exceptional contributions to the promotion, preservation and presentation of Canadian folk, roots and world music, was presented to Ottawa’s Harvey Glatt. Singer-songwriter and friend Ian Tamblyn paid warm tribute to him. Folk Music Canada’s Innovator Award went to Paul Symes, owner of the Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield, Quebec, in recognition of the “tenacity, vision and innovation” needed to establish a venue outside of the city. Symes’ daughter accepted the award on his behalf.

A complete list of 2014 Canadian Folk Music Award winners follows. More information on the awards may be found at www.folkawards.ca.

Traditional Album of the Year:
Còig for Five

Contemporary Album of the Year:
The Strumbellas for We Still Move on Dance Floors

Children’s Album of the Year:
Fred Penner for Where In The World

Traditional Singer of the Year:
Mélisande for Les metamorphoses by Mélisande (électrotrad)

Contemporary Singer of the Year:
Matt Anderson for Weightless

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year:
Jayme Stone for The Other Side of the Air

Instrumental Group of the Year:
The Andrew Collins Trio for A Play On Words

English Songwriter of the Year:
Shari Ulrich for Everywhere I Go

French Songwriter of the Year:
Julie Aubé, Vivianne Roy, Katrine Noël for Mon Homesick Heart by Les Hay
Babies

Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year:
Amanda Rheaume and John MacDonald for Keep A Fire by Amanda Rheaume

Vocal Group of the Year:
The High Bar Gang for Lost and Undone: A Gospel Bluegrass Companion

Ensemble of the Year:
The Fretless for The Fretless

Solo Artist of the Year:
Lennie Gallant for Live Acoustic at The Carleton

World Solo Artist of the Year:
Quique Escamilla for 500 Years of Night

World Group of the Year:
Moustafa Kouyaté & Romain Malagnoux for Les frontières imaginaires

New/Emerging Artist of the Year:
The Bros. Landreth for Let It Lie

The Oliver Schroer Pushing The Boundaries Award:
Tanya Tagaq for Animism

Producer of the Year:
Tom Terrell and Karl Falkenham for City Ghosts by The Modern Grass

Young Performer of the Year:
Kacy & Clayton for The Day Is Past & Gone

The Canadian Folk Music Awards were established in 2005 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 Unsung Hero and Folk Music Canada’s Innovator Award recipients will be named in October. Sixty-eight artists and groups from nine provinces and one territory in Canada were announced as nominees during a Sept. 24 news conference at Folk Music Ontario’s Ottawa headquarters.

Bachand, who has been called “Canada’s best Celtic guitarist” by Ashley MacIsaac, with whom he’s toured, was nominated for Emerging Artist of the Year and Young Performer of the Year, while his group Brishen (which means bringer of the storm) snagged nods for Instrumental Group of the Year, Ensemble of the Year and World Group of the Year. Bachand has recorded three albums and received two Irish Music Awards during the past five years. Brishen’s musical repertoire ranges from Django Reinhardt compositions to more contemporary works.

Benoit Bourque of La Bottine Souriante, and formerly of Le Vent du Nord and Matapat, joins the CBC’s Shelagh Rogers in hosting the bilingual gala awards presentation. The event marks the culmination of a CFMA weekend that begins on Nov. 27 and will feature performances by a number of talented Canadian artists. Tickets for the gala show are available to the public for $40, while weekend passes are $70.

A complete list of 2014 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees follows. More information may be found online at www.folkawards.ca.

Young Performer of the Year

Keiffer Mclean (Drama in the Attic)
Rebecca Lappa (Ode to Tennyson)
Quinn Bachand (Brishen)
Kacy & Clayton (The Day Is Past & Gone)
Benjamin Rogers (Wayfarer)

New/Emerging Artist of the Year

The Bros. Landreth (Let It Lie)
Robyn Dell’Unton (Little Lines)
Scott Cook (One More Time Around)
Quinn Bachand (Brishen)
Kacy & Clayton (The Day Is Past & Gone)

Pushing The Boundaries (celebrating innovation in creating new folk sounds)

Tanya Tagag (Animism)
MAZ (Chasse-Galerie)
Mark Berube (Russian Dolls)
The Fretless (The Fretless)
West My Friend (When The Ink Dries)

English Songwriter of the Year

Shari Ulrich (Everywhere I Go)
James Keelaghan (History)
Lennie Gallant (Live Acoustic at The Carlton)
Del Barber (Prairieography)
Chris Ronald (Timeline)

French Songwriter of the Year

Laurence Helie (A Present le Passe)
Klo Pelgag (L’Alchimie des monstres)
Alexandre Poulin (Le movement des marees)
Antoine Corriveau (Les Ombres Longues)
Julie Aube, Viviane Roy et Katrine Noel – Les Hay Babies (Mon Homesick Heart)

Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year

Tanya Tagag (Animism)
Vince Fontaine (Colors)
Amanda Rheaume (Keep a Fire)
Buffy MacNeil and Larry Boutilier – Buffy & Larry (Surrounded)
Jasmine Netsena (Take You With Me)

World Group of the Year

MAZ (Chasse-Galerie)
Shtreimi (Eastern Hora)
TANGA (HavanaElectro)
Romain Malagnoux (Les frontiers Imaginaires)
Brishen (Brishen)

World Solo Artist of the Year

Quique Escamilla (500 Years of Night)
Jorge Martinez (Carnaval)
Susan Aglukark (Dreaming Of Home)
Amanda Martinez (Manana)
Robert Michaels (Via Italia)

Traditional Album of the Year

Coig (Five)
Poor Angus (Gathering)
Moustafa Kouyate & Romain Malagnoux (Les fronteres imaginaires)
The High Bar Gang (Lost and Undone: A Gospel Bluegrass Companion)
Sarah Jane Scouten (The Cape)

Traditional Singer of the Year

Kim Beggs (Beauty and Breaking)
Fafard & Schwartz (Borrowed Horses)
Melisande [electrotrad] (Les metamorphoses)
Sarah Jane Scouten (The Cape)
Ventanas (Ventanas)

Contemporary Album of the Year

The Bros. Landreth (Let It Lie)
Colleen Rennison (See The Sky About To Rain)
Jill Zmud (Small Matters of Life and Death)
Matt Andersen (Weightless)
The Strumbellas (We Still Move On Dance Floors)

Contemporary Singer of the Year

Matthew Barber (Big Romance)
Jadea Kelly (Clover)
James Keelaghan (History)
Del Barber (Prairieography)
Matt Andersen (Weightless)

Instrumental Group of the Year

The Andrew Collins Trio (A Play On Words)
MAZ (Chasse Galerie)
Coig (Five)
Brishen (Brishen)
The Fretless (The Fretless)

Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year

Maxim Cormier (2)
Gillian Boucher (Attuned)
Steve Dawson (Rattlesnake Cage)
Jayme Stone (The Other Side of the Air)
Robert Michaels (Via Italia)

Vocal Group of the Year

The Fugitives (Everything Will Happen)
Gathering Sparks (Gathering Sparks)
The High Bar Gang (Lost and Undone: A Gospel Bluegrass Companion)
The Marrieds (Saving Hope)
Sweet Alibi (We’ve Got To)

Ensemble of the Year

The High Bar Gang (Lost and Undone: A Gospel Bluegrass Companion)
Brishen (Brishen)
Notre Dame de Grass (That’s How The Music Begins)
The Fretless (The Fretless)
Ventanas (Ventanas)

Solo Artist of the Year

Matthew Barber (Big Romance)
Shari Ulrich (Everywhere I Go)
James Keelaghan (History)
Lennie Gallant (Live Acoustic at The Carleton)
Del Barber (Prairieography)

Children’s Album of the Year

Helen Austin (Colour It)
Rattle and Strum (Rattle and Strum)
Alex Mahe (Reveiillons les bonnes chansons)
Kathy Reid Naiman (When It’s Autumn)
Fred Penner (Where In The World)

Producer of the Year

Maziade (Chasse-Galerie – MAZ)
Tom Terrell and Karl Falkenham (City Ghosts – The Modern Grass)
Luke Doucet (Ephemere sans repere – Whitehorse)
The Fretless with Joby Baker (The Fretless)
Steve Dawson (St. Louis Times – Jim Byrnes)