Musicians from all over Canada are arriving in Calgary this week as the Canadian Folk Music Awards return to the city for four days of performances and celebrations, April 9 – 12.
Scott Merrifield, Chair of the Programming Committee, says, “The awards celebrate folk music in Canada, and that’s a pretty big tent! We love to show the diversity in the folk music community.” The awards are now in their 21st year, and have evolved to include new awards and new performance opportunities.
Merrifield says he is most looking forward to the four showcase concerts. He notes that the programming committee always wants to invite as many artists as possible (approximately 100 nominees) to perform.
Thursday, April 9 will see a Songs & Stories Songwriter Concert in the Westin Calgary’s Ballroom. Friday, April 10 will be the Folk Forward! Concert at Bella Concert Hall. A Traditional and Global Roots Concert will take place Saturday, April 11, also at the Bella. And the Folk for Families Concert will be held on Sunday morning, April 12, at the National Music Centre.
“There’s just so much incredible talent in the mix when we gather this way,” says Merrifield. “It’s six performing artists in each of the evening shows, and four in the Sunday morning family show. I’m really excited about the lineup.”
CKUA host Tom Coxworth is delighted to welcome the awards back to Calgary. “It’s a wonderful gathering in our backyard, inviting our friends from across Canada. It’s great to get together and celebrate how fortunate we are to be a part of this growing community.”
He adds, “What we do feels underground at times, but this is an opportunity to showcase the talent that’s all around us. We have managed to take this thing called folk music and expand the meaning and grow it! The joy is when we get together.”
Coxworth is particularly happy to see longtime folk club organizers and community champions Bill and Betty jo Werthmann honoured as the 2026 recipients of the Unsung Hero Award. Their work, not just in running the Northern Lights Folk Club in Edmonton, but also in the wider folk community, is so worthy of this recognition. Congratulations, Bill and Betty jo!
CKUA host Kate Stevens will present the New Artist(s) of the Year Award. The nominees are from all over Canada.
Montreal-based singer-songwriter Claire Morrison’s debut album is called Where Do You Go at Night? It’s nominated for three Canadian Folk Music Awards and making its way onto the playlists of folk and community radio charts across the country.
Jessica Pearson & The East Wind are a trio from Ottawa whose harmonies and storytelling captivate audiences. Jessica Pearson, Sam Stone, and Malia Rogers use clawhammer banjo, mandolin, and percussion to create unforgettable songs. Their album Live from Motel Chelsea is nominated.
Toronto-based Kazdoura includes Syrian singer Leen Hamo and Lebanese-Canadian multi- instrumentalist John Abou Chacra. Rooted in Levantine Arabic music and fueled by genre-bending experimentation, Kazdoura’s debut album Ghoyoum, which means “Clouds,” is a vibrant fusion of Arabic sounds, jazz, dream pop elements.
Robert Thomas and the Sessionmen weave all-original songs into a highly entertaining musical biography of Robert’s long career as a published songwriter. A mix of folk, Americana, and bluegrass, The Way We Roll is an inviting album that plays with the country genre. Ray Legere is on fiddle and mandolin, and Jon Arsenault plays guitar and keyboards.
Wyatt C. Louis is well-known to CKUA audiences. The Treaty 6 singer-songwriter’s debut album, Chandler, is full of catchy songs with surprising depth. This lilting music blends gorgeous instrumentation and heartfelt vocals.
Kate Stevens is thrilled to be presenting, and says, “I’m such a huge fan of these awards. It’s going to be such a party. From the showcases to the awards, it will be cool. Folk music is always evolving. There are some wonderful artists in the mix, including some CKUA favourites. Kazdoura just won a JUNO.” And, she adds, “I’m always rooting for Wyatt!”
Find all the details about the Canadian Folk Music Awards at folkawards.ca
CKUA will be on site at the Westin on April 9 for the Songs & Stories Songwriter Concert, and on site at the Bella Concert Hall on for the Folk Forward! Concert on April 10. Come say hi!
You can also hear interview clips with CFMA artists on CKUA in the upcoming days.
