Levon Helm, Tom Russell, Loreena McKennitt and Susan Werner Take Home Awards from Last Night's Folk Alliance Awards Show In Memphis

Memphis, TN. (Top40 Charts/ Folk Alliance) - Kicking off the 20th International Folk Alliance Conference, The Folk Awards were presented to honor merit and achievement within the field. The award winners received their trophies amongst inspired performances and presentations of The Elaine Weissman Lifetime Achievement Awards to Mavis Staples, Tommy Jarrell, and Rounder Records at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis.

The 2008 Folk Alliance Award Winners are:

Song of the Year: "Who's Gonna Build Your Wall" - Tom Russell
Album of the Year: Waterloo, Tennessee - Uncle Earl
Legacy Recording: The Live Wire - Woody Guthrie in Performance 1949
Traditional Artist: Levon Helm
Contemporary Artist: Susan Werner
World Music Recording: Loreena McKennitt
Emerging Artist: Carolina Chocolate Drops
Booking Agency: The Roots Agency
Broadcaster: Rich Warren, WFMT
Small Folk Venue: Cafe Lena and The Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse (tie)
Large Folk Venue: The Ark
Folk Festival: Falcon Ridge Folk Festival

The Folk Awards Show was hosted by Folk Alliance Board President Dan Navarro with appearances by Janet Reno, Kathy Mattea, Tom Russell, Eilen Jewell, Twilight Hotel, and Anthony DaCosta.

After the FA Awards Show the amazing film, PBS MASTERS SERIES Pete Seeger: The Power Of Song was screened.

Folk Alliance Mission: The North American Folk Music And Dance Alliance exists to foster and promote traditional, contemporary and multicultural folk music, dance, and related performing arts in North America. The Folk Alliance seeks to strengthen organizational and individual initiatives in folk music and dance through education, networking, advocacy, and professional and field development.
For more information about The Folk Alliance please go to www.Folk.org or contact Cash Edwards.