The International Folk Music Awards

The International Folk Music Awards (IFMAs) are the premier recognition of folk music industry leaders, legends, unsung heroes, and rising talent. Awards presented are: member-voted Best Of for Album, Song, and Artist of the previous year, Lifetime Achievement, Spirit of Folk, inductions into the Folk DJ Hall of Fame, and in a permanent commitment to honor the socially conscious roots of folk music, the People’s Voice and Clearwater Awards. Past performers and presenters include Kris Kristofferson, Ruthie Foster, John Oates, Guy Davis, The Kingston Trio, Anais Mitchell, Megan Mullally, Bruce Cockburn, and Eliza Gilkyson. FAI members can nominate award candidates (except for Best Of Awards) here.

2019 IFMAs

The 2019 International Folk Music Awards (IFMAs) were held on Wednesday, February 13th, 2019, in the main ballroom of the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montréal, Canada. The award show featured performances by Akwesasne Women Singers, Tanya Davis, Tri-Continental, The Good Lovelies and Mélisande (électrotrad). Learn more about the show here.

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

• Living: Joni Mitchell
• Legacy: Leonard Cohen
• Business/Academic: fRoots

Best of Award Winners

• Album of the Year: Rifles & Rosary Beads by Mary Gauthier
• Song of the Year: “The President Sang Amazing Grace” by Zoe Mulford, recorded by Joan Baez
  
• Artist of the Year: I'm With Her

The Clearwater Award Recipient

• Hillside Festival

Spirit of Folk Award Recipients

• Alfredo Caxaj
• Ellen Hamilton
• Gilles Garand
• Matt Smith
• Michael Wrycraft
• ShoShona Kish
• Sonny Ochs
• Sofía Rei

Folk DJ Hall of Fame Inductees

• Bob Harris
• Matt Watroba
• Wanda Fischer

The People's Voice Award Recipient

• Buffy Sainte-Marie

2018 IFMAs

The 2018 International Folk Music Awards show at the Folly Theater, presented in partnership with Folk Music Canada, featured performances and appearances by Ruthie Foster, John Oates, Guy Davis, Giri and Uma Peters, The Kingston Trio, Anaïs Mitchell, and a rousing finale from Kansas City’s Staley Falcon Chorale. If you weren’t able to join the nearly 900 attendees, you can catch the full recording here.

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

• Living: Peter, Paul and Mary
• Legacy: Richie Havens
• Business/Academic: Elektra Records

Best of Award Winners

• Album of the Year: Freedom Highway by Rhiannon Giddens
• Song of the Year: "You Didn't Call My Name" by Molly Tuttle
• Artist of the Year: Ordinary Elephant

The Clearwater Award Recipient

• Winnipeg Folk Festival

Spirit of Folk Award Recipients

• Anaïs Mitchell
• Betsy Siggins
• Kristian Blak
• Martyn Joseph
• Richard Gilmann

Folk DJ Hall of Fame Inductees

• Dick Pleasants
• Fiona Ritchie
• Mary Cliff
  

The People's Voice Award Recipient

• Bonnie Raitt

2017 IFMAs

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

• Living: David Amram, Dónal Lunny
• Legacy: Malvina Reynolds
• Business/Academic: Helen Creighton

Best Of Award Winners

• Album: Undercurrent by Sarah Jarosz
• Song:  "Black Man in a White World" by Michael Kiwanuka & Inflo
• Artist: Parker Millsap

The Clearwater Award Recipient

• The Clearwater Festival

Spirit of Folk Award Recipients

• Michelle Conceison, Barbara Dane, SONiA disappear fear, Ramy Essam, Chloe Goodyear, Si Khan

Folk DJ Hall of Fame Recipients

• Oscar Brand, Mike Regenstreif, Howard and Loz Larman

The People's Voice Award Recipient

• Bruce Cockburn