This year’s festival has a distinct theme that showcases the traditional role of the folk musician. From the roving troubadours and ballad singers of the middle ages, the village tradition bearers of the 18th and 19th centuries, to the protest singers of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, to the thoughtful composers of today, folk musicians have always been the tellers of stories.

Our next four guests embody this tradition.

Jenny Mitchell (NZ) – 2019 Recorded Music NZ Country Artist of the year, previous winner of the Gold Guitar awards, Jenny creates music that follows no trends or genre expectations.

The Bearded Cat (Aust) – an acoustic duo writing songs within the confines of two voices, a guitar and a glockenspiel. This will be their first appearance in NZ.

Alan Downes (NZ) – the country boy who writes and sings songs about the ordinary and extraordinary people who don’t make the history books.

Jessie Fenton (NZ) – poetry slam winner, both here and overseas, Jessie uses humour and personal perspectives to explore difficult subject matter.