The Cambridge Folk Festival, Europe’s most acclaimed folk festival has revealed some of the first artists confirmed for 2012’s eclectic bill. 2012 is the 47th year of the event, this year held from 26th to 29th July at Cherry Hinton Hall.
Performances announced so far include a rare festival appearance by the original line-up of Irish folk royalty and multi-million album sellers Clannad (Sat), leading singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading (Sun), who has enjoyed success in pop, folk, blues, reggae and jazz genres; ever-popular Scottish icons The Proclaimers (Sat), guaranteed to bring the Festival to its feet; a rare Festival appearance by June Tabor & Oysterband (Fri), following their acclaimed 2011 collaboration Ragged Kingdom and recent multiple BBC Radio 2 Folk Award wins.
Internationally acclaimed Canadian singer and composer Loreena McKennitt, is set to play an intoxicating blend of Celtic and Middle Eastern sounds on Sunday; renowned singer-songwriter and activist Billy Bragg (Thur) celebrates Woody Guthrie’s 100th Birthday, which falls in mid July; and the first full public performance in 30 years by English folk legend Nic Jones (Sun), whose career was cut short by a car accident in 1982. Penguin Eggs by Nic Jones is widely recognised as one of the finest folk albums of all time.
More headline names including emerging and contemporary stars should be announced very soon.
