Singer-songwriter Al Stewart has been chosen to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at April’s BBC 2 Folk Awards.
The Folk Awards were started in 2000 with the goal of raising the awareness of folk and acoustic music. Categories include Folk Singer of the Year, Album, Horizon (newcomer), Original Song, Traditional Track, Album, Duo and Group. This year’s awards will be given on April 5 at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Stewart first became popular as part of the British folk revival of the 1960’s and 1970’s. His first album was 1967’s Bedsitter Images but it was 1976’s Year of the Cat that brought him international acclaim. Produced by Alan Parsons, it included the title track which went to number 8 in the U.S. along with On the Border (1977 / #42). The follow-up, Time Passages, once again scored with the title track (1978 / #7 Pop / #1 AC) and Song on the Radio (1979 / #29 Pop / #10 AC).
In total, Stewart has released sixteen studio albums and is about to embark on his Back to the Bedsit Tour of the U.K.
Previous Lifetime Achievement Award honorees:
2001 – Bert Jansch
2002 – The Chieftans
2002 – Ralph McTell (songwriting)
2002 – Fairport Convention
2003 – Christy Moore
2003 – John Prine
2004 – Dave Swarbrick
2004 – Steve Earle
2005 – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
2005 – Tom Paxton
2006 – Paul Brady
2006 – Richard Thompson
2007 – Pentangle
2007 – Danny Thompson
2008 – John Martyn
2009 – James Taylor
2009 – Judy Collins
2010 – Nanci Griffith
2010 – Dick Gaughan
2011 – Donovan
2012 – The Dubliners
2012 – Don McLean
2013 – Aly Bain
2013 – Roy Harper
2013 – Dougie MacLean (songwriting)
2014 – Clanned
2014 – Martin Carthy
2015 – Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens
2015 – Loudon Wainwright III
2016 – Joan Armatrading
2016 – Norma Waterson
