For the 2021 Folk Tui, Darren Watson and You, Me, Everybody are in line for their first time trophy, alongside previous title winner Tattletale Saints. 

Known as more of a blues man, Darren Watson doesn’t quite fit the usual mold of a finalists for the Folk Award, but the folk world will hopefully embrace his finalist spot for the quality of songs he has provided. The Pōneke-based musician’s latest album ‘Getting Sober For The End Of The World’ was released in September this year.

The Tennessee-based Tattletale Saints duo is regular NZM columnist Vanessa McGowan along with Cy Winstanley. They took home the Folk Tui in 2014 on the strength of their album ‘How Red Is The Blood’, and are this year back in the running with their third release, ‘Dancing Under The Dogwoods’.

Recently formed You, Me, Everybody, made up of brothers Sam and Laurence Frangos-Rhodes (Rhode Workz), Nat Torkington of the Pipi Pickers, James Geluk (ex Frank Burkitt Band) and Kim Bonnington (Kim & Dusty), pushes the boundaries of what NZ knows of a genre formed on tradition and rules to create progressive bluegrass. Their backgrounds are as diverse as their ages and musical style. Released in February their self-titled EP ‘You, Me, Everybody’ reached #13 in the NZ album charts.

The 2021 Folk Tui award will be presented on Sunday evening at the Auckland Folk Festival, held over Anniversary Weekend in January 2021 at the Kumeu Showgrounds.

Recent previous winners

2013 – Great North – ‘Halves’
2014 – Tattletale Saints – ‘How Red Is the Blood’
2015 – Great North – ‘Up In Smoke’
2016 – Holly Arrowsmith – ‘For The Weary Traveller’
2017 – Guy Wishart – ‘West By North’
2018 – Albi & The Wolves – ‘One Eye Open’
2019 – The Frank Burkitt Band – ‘Raconteur’
2020 – Mel Parsons – ‘Glass Heart’