Leonard Cohen has been honoured at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in Manchester.
Three years after his death, the revered songwriter and poet (pictured at Glastonbury in 2008) was inducted into the Folk Awards Hall Of Fame during the ceremony at Bridgewater Hall.
A posthumous Cohen album is due for release by Columbia next month. A documentary about the Canadian singer’s relationship with Norwegian muse Marianne Ihlen is currently on BBC iPlayer.
As a tribute, Thea Gilmore performed Cohen’s 1984 song Dance Me To The End Of Love during the Folk Awards. Cohen joins artists in the Hall Of Fame including Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, Woody Guthrie, Ewan MacColl and Cecil Sharp.
The event was hosted by Mark Radcliffe and broadcast live on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. It was produced by 7digital.
Radcliffe was presented with a special Folk Award during the ceremony this evening to celebrate his 40 years in radio
Other wins at the Folk Awards included Lifetime Achievement awards for Wizz Jones and Dervish; Musician of the Year for Seckou Keita; Best Duo or Group for Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita; and Folk Singer of the Year for Ríoghnach Connolly.
Lewis Carnie, head of Radio 2, said: “A huge congratulations to all of the winners at the Radio 2 Folk Awards tonight. I am delighted that at Radio 2, we can keep celebrating the very best of folk music every year, and we’re honoured to have witnessed such an array of sensational performances on stage this evening in Manchester.”
Shane Mitchell from Dervish said: “We are thrilled and so delighted to be receiving this very special honour at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, particularly as this is the 30th anniversary of the band.”
During the evening, contemporary folk musician and singer Maddie Morris was presented with the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award.
The full list of winners is below:
The Horizon Award for best emerging act - presented by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
Brìghde Chaimbeul
Musician of the Year - presented by Blue Peter’s Lindsey Russell
Seckou Keita
Best Original Track - presented by comedian, writer and musician Rich Hall
I Burn But I Am Not Consumed, written by Karine Polwart and Steven Polwart
Best Duo or Group - presented by Countryfile’s Ellie Harrison
Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita
Best Traditional Track - presented author Joanne Harris
The Foggy Dew by Ye Vagabonds
Life Achievement Awards:
Wizz Jones - presented by singer and founding member of The Hollies, Allan Clarke
Dervish – presented by journalist and BBC Breakfast presenter, Steph McGovern
Best Album - presented by musician and songwriter Graham Gouldman, of 10cc
Hide and Hair by The Trials of Cato
Folk Singer of the Year - presented by actor and comedian, Miranda Richardson
Ríoghnach Connolly
Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall of Fame
Leonard Cohen
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