Veteran Tabor wins top folk prize

Tabor won the evening's main prize

Veteran folk artist June Tabor has been named folk singer of the year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Tabor also received the award for best traditional track for her song Hughie Graeme at the fifth annual awards ceremony in London on Monday evening.

Jim Moray, 22, won the best newcomer prize, as well as best album for his debut CD, Sweet England.

And UK fiddle player Dave Swarbrick and US artist Steve Earle were presented with lifetime achievement awards.

Ireland's Danu were named best group, and won best original song for County Down from their album The Road Less Travelled.

FOLK HONOURS Folk singer of year: June Tabor Musician of year: Martin Simpson Best original song: County Down by Tommy Sands from Danu Best duo: John Spiers and Jon Boden Horizon award for best newcomer: Jim Moray

Scunthorpe-born guitarist Martin Simpson was named musician of the year, while Show of Hands - acoustic duo Steve Knightley and Phil Beer - were voted best live act.

Tabor, 56, regarded as one of the folk scene's finest interpreters of the song, is known for her "chamber folk" style and her 1970s collaborations with Steeleye Span's Maddy Prior, recording as the Silly Sisters.

She is especially known for her interpretations of Richard Thompson songs, and counts Elvis Costello among her biggest fans.

Swarbrick, born in London and raised in Yorkshire, is legendary in folk circles from his associations with Ian Campbell, Martin Carthy and - particularly - Fairport Convention with whom he recorded from 1969 to 1984.

MORE FOLK HONOURS Best group: Danu Best live act: Show of Hands Lifetime achievement award: Dave Swarbrick Lifetime achievement for songwriting: Steve Earle Best album: Sweet England by Jim Moray (pictured)

US artist Earle was at the helm of the so-called new country movement of the 1980s, and has recently emerged as one of America's most outspoken critics of current US foreign policy.

Some of the world's leading folk singers and musicians gathered for the awards at The Brewery venue in central London, including Joan Baez, Ralph McTell, Joe Boyd, Eliza Carthy, Kate Rusby and Cara Dillon. Several guests and winners performed live.

Awards were also presented by high profile fans of roots music, including comic actor Stephen Fry, arts minister Estelle Morris and former foreign secretary Robin Cook.

The awards, compered by Mike Harding and Mary Ann Kennedy, are broadcast on Harding's BBC Radio 2 show on Wednesday 11 February at 1900 GMT.

The show will be televised on BBC Four on Friday 13 February at 2100 GMT.