I don't think the Spinners put anyone off folk music.

They did me. Luckily I heard an alternative before it was too late.

I don't understand the "Lifetime Achievement" award for Nancy Griffiths either, no more than I did James Taylor, Steve Earle, Judy Collins or any other of the Americans - all just coincidentally (?) represented by the PR company who handle the Awards - who have won them in the past.

Surely if this type of irrelevant (to the UK folk scene) American artist was deserving of such acclaim you might have seen these kind of names coming up in nominations in the voted categories at some time, but they never have. So if all the experts who apparently vote year in, year out never think of nominating American AOR/ country singer/songwriters, how come the BBC impose them every year instead of far more deserving UK artists with some relevance to our folk scene.

Giving the "Good Tradition" award to a BBC TV programme is downright dodgy too. Good programmes, but the BBC connection ought to have ruled that out. There are many other people and organisations who have done tremendous service to the folk scene over the years who have never been recognised. Nepotism doesn't look good.

The rest is fine. Not always to my taste, but at least democratically arrived at.