Radio 2 Folk Awards Nominees

Hurrah. The nominees for the BBC Folk Awards 2010 have been named.

Folkingcool favourite Jackie Oates is up for folk singer of the year, along with Cara Dillon, Jon Boden and Martin Simpson.

The awards will be announced at The Brewery in That London on 2 February and folkingcool will be there. The highlights will be broadcast in a special Mike Harding Show on Radio 2 on Wednesday 3rd February.

Best Duo nominees include Belshazzar’s Feast, Damien Barber & Mike Wilson, Megson and Show of Hands (whoops) We’re all in favour here of the Best Group nominees: Bellowhead, Lau, Mawkin: Causley and The Unthanks. We love them all. Best album might go to the Unthanks’ Here’s The Tender Coming, Cara Dillon’s Hill of Thieves, Hyperboreans by Jackie Oates or True Stories by Martin Simpson.

We’re not SO keen on the likelihood of Best Original Song going to Arrogance Ignorance And Greed by Show of Hands but we’re gunning for the breathtaking Testimony of Patience Kershaw by Frank Higgins (as performed by The Unthanks). Anyone who’s ever seen them will be surely voting for the mighty Bellowhead as best live act (other nominees include Edward II and Lau) and Musician Of The Year might probably go to Martin Simpson, we think. For a full list go to the Folk Awards website or see folkingcool’s coverage in February.