Judy Collins leads second wave of artists announced

We have revealed the second wave of artists on our 2020 line up – topped by non other than American folk legend, Judy Collins! 

Five time Grammy Award winning blues and Americana star Keb’ Mo’, Zimbabwean group Black Umfolosi, a rare show from the Seckou Keita Quintet, a unique interpretation of the work of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns from Band of Burns, sitar maestro Sheema Mukherjee (Imagined Village, Transglobal Underground), The John Martyn Project – a musical tribute to the legendary singer songwriter and guitarist – Sheelanagig, Yorkston Thorn Khan, The Jellyman’s Daughter and a cappella band The Longest Johns have also been added to the bill.

Artists already announced included globally acclaimed Galician piper Carlos Núñez, Show of Hands, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, The Young’uns and the Ballads of Child Migration with Boo Hewerdine, Katriona Gilmore, Chris While, Julie Matthews, Jez Lowe, Andy Cutting, and narrated by John Leonard.

We are hosting the only UK festival performances of The Lost Words: Spell Songs with Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter, Jim Molyneux and illustrator Jackie Morris, and the Welsh super group Pendevig.

Also on the line up are American duo Truckstop Honeymoon, Stephen Fearing and The Sentimentals, Colin Linden (solo), Calan, FOS Brothers, Kabantu, Will Pound’s A Day Will Come, The Boxwood Chessmen, SherburnžBartleyžSanders, Mazula, Benji Kirkpatrick & The Excess, and Tom Wilson (solo).

Dance bands are Hekety, Threepenny Bit, Woodpecker Band, Naragonia Quartet, The Four Idiots, The Gloworms and Token Women.

Festival Director Sandra Surtees said: “We are over the moon to have secured performances from Judy Collins and Keb’ Mo’ in particular – they are both absolute stars in their own genres and a huge coup for us.

“Although we are a ‘folk’ festival, our line up is incredibly diverse, showcasing everything from traditional and contemporary folk from all corners of the UK to Americana and blues as well as world music.

“The festival has earned an international reputation as a world class event so that enables us to entice such an amazing array to musicians to this corner of Shropshire. We still have more headliners to announce so our advice is, as always, to book as soon as possible before ticket prices go up into the next tier.”

The festival has four main music stages, a dance tent featuring ceilidhs and dance shows, children and youth festivals, workshops, a craft fair, food village, real ale, cocktail and gin bars and on-site camping and glamping.

Fringe activities take place in Shrewsbury town centre throughout the weekend including dance displays in the town centre, a parade through the streets on the Saturday afternoon and bands performing in local pubs.

Weekend and day tickets can be booked here. Onsite camping and glamping is available for weekend ticket holders.

For more about the artists on this year’s line up, click here.