Ahead of any official photos, here’s one by the lovely Tim Chipping!

The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards have been, for some time now, very close to our hearts. Every year they celebrate some of the nation’s finest folk, old and new. It’s an absolute honour, and a real treat to see one of Folkroom’s acts amongst those celebrated at this year’s awards. Tonight (April 22nd), our very own Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker were awarded Best Duo at the Folk Awards.

It’s almost impossible for Folkroom to write in the third person about just how deserving the duo are of this prize. After all, Ben and Josienne aren’t just signed to Folkroom, they also co-run the label with me. So excuse a rare excursion into first person as I celebrate the fine work (and terrific recognition) of two talented and inspiring musicians.

I had the pleasure of meeting Josienne and Ben very early on in the days of Folkroom, when they played our sparsely populated gig in London. I remember very little of the specifics; I’m not even sure if they headlined or not! But I do remember that Josienne complimented my selection of acts*, and noted that I must have a real love of lyrics. Well, it takes one to know one, and anyone who has had the pleasure of listening to the words Josienne has committed to song over the past few years will recognise her as one of England’s finest contemporary lyricists.

Since that first gig, I’ve come to know them better and better. It was Ben’s idea to turn the burgeoning gig into an independent label, and for three years Ben and I ruled Folkroom with iron fists ran Folkroom together, recording and releasing EPs and albums as we went. This year Josienne joined us so that we might champion new acts we love in the same way that artists like Jim Moray championed them. They are a duo whose success has come through relentless hard work – in touring, in performing, in writing and playing.

It is fitting that with four Folk Award nominations under their belt it was the Best Duo title that they finally took home. I’ve often marvelled at how symbiotic the relationship between these two musicians is. You can take any song off of their recent Folkroom-released album ‘Nothing Can Bring Back The Hour’ and find a distinct and artful balance between their strengths. The words are Josienne’s, and she is nothing short of a genius with them, imbuing modern ideas with a timeless and yet traditional feel. The tune, though usually Josienne’s to begin with, is taken by Ben. He tinkers, and he experiments (far more than you might expect in the folk tradition) and he creates something that does not only Josienne’s words justice, but also the entire history of the genre. Excuse me if that sounds like hyperbole (though I’ll provide any number of sources backing me up). Together they represent a remarkable duo, and it’s lovely to see them recognised by the Folk Awards. Ben and Josienne have always been Folkroom’s favourite duo, and now they are (presumably) the nation’s.

Stephen Thomas

Co-founder, Folkroom Records

*a note for any aspiring live acts – compliment the promoter, and eventually win a Folk Award as what one can only assume is a direct result of your kind words.