The Annual Folk Alliance International (FAI) conference bills itself as the largest gathering of folk musicians and industry professionals in the world. The 2026 edition took place January 21-25 in New Orleans, gathering approximately 3,000 attendees from 34 different countries.
The Big Easy location provided a natural thematic resonance. The city is known for its vibrant mix of cultures, and San Francisco singer-songwriter Sam Chase noted the poetic symmetry between the event and its host city. “The conference is a living bouillabaisse whose mix of ingredients maintain their individual identity as part of the larger stew,” he said. “It’s not a melting pot where everything blends, but, like New Orleans itself, the distinctive elements remain separate and complement each other.” In that spirit, FAI offers a communal experience where a wide range of musical styles share space and illuminate the complexity of the human condition.
More than 150 jury-selected artists played official showcases and private parties that went on until 3:00 a.m. every night. Some musicians traveled from Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, and Europe to perform, although most came from the United States. Iowa City’s Pieta Brown, joined by bassist Liz Draper and guitarist Myra Burnette, performed an Official Artist Showcase, the Iowa City Songwriters Festival (ICSF) showcase, and several additional sets throughout the event.
The ICSF was a significant presence at FAI, hosting three full nights of music that featured a mix of Iowa artists, scholars from the 2025 Iowa City festival, and various friends of ICSF, including the puckish Irish and American duo Dug, music therapist and healer Kyshona Armstrong, and the harmony‑driven indie‑folk duo the Milk Carton Kids (who will co-headline with Sierra Hull at the Englert Theatre on February 12).
FAI hosted panels and meetings on a variety of topics, from how to make a record deal to music as medicine. There were affinity sessions focused on people’s racial and ethnic identities, political activism, and professional roles. Programming highlighted both emerging performers and veteran artists whose careers span decades.
Although there was no official listing, the best younger performers I saw included the 18-year-old folk, blues, and Americana singer-songwriter Jack Barksdale from Fort Worth and the 21-year-old singer songwriter Stella Prince from Nashville via Woodstock, New York. The 95-year-old David Amram, whose career dates back to performing with Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg in the 1950, the 88-year-old folk revivalist Tom Paxton, and the 79-year-old award-winning blues musician Doug MacLeod were among the best older performers doing complete sets. The 83-year-old Taj Mahal received the Lifetime Achievement Award and was joined on stage by Kyshona (recipient of the People’s Voice Award) and Yasmin Williams (recipient of the Rising Tide Award) for one song.
Because the range of musical styles at FAI is so broad—from Appalachian to zydeco—ranking the acts is difficult. While there were official showcases in big rooms, the best part of the conference was the private showcases. At night (starting at 10:30 p.m.), each room on four floors of the downtown Sheraton hosted different lineups that changed every hour (until 3:00 a.m.). With more than 60 acts performing simultaneously, it’s physically impossible to see more than a fraction of what’s offered. These intimate events are the jewel in the crown. One sits or stands just a few feet from the performers while closely cramped in with other aficionados. There is something magical about the experience.
That said, here are five of the best performers I witnessed at this year’s FAI. There were dozens more I could name, depending on mood and circumstance, but these stood out. The fact is the FAI was filled with glorious acts that prove folk music is alive and well and even thriving today.
Yasmin Williams won the Rising Tide Award at this year’s which celebrates emerging artists who embody the values of the folk community. She may be a dedicated activist with a commitment to diversity and labor rights, but she is also an amazing acoustic guitarist. She frequently plays the guitar horizontally on her lap with her inventive finger-style approach and simultaneously uses her tap shoes for percussion. The effect is mesmerizing. She does not sing; she doesn’t need to—her playing speaks for itself.
Cheikh Ibra Fam spent six years as a singer with the legendary Orchestra Baobab before going solo. The Senegalese artist is a dynamic performer who combines funk, jazz and pop styles into dynamic sound and dance rhythms. He’s both a terrific singer and an energetic dancer whose presence compels audiences to join in the party and be part of the larger global community.
John Smith may be unknown outside the folk community, but the English singer and guitarist is well-known within it, amassing more than 125 million Spotify streams over his career. Smith sings with a soulful rasp and writes bittersweet autobiographical observations that ring true as authentic. He is also an expert fingerstyle guitar picker who skillfully employs slide effects to create nuanced moods.
Crys Matthews won the International Folk Music Awards Artist of the Year in early 2025. Her performances at FAI 2026 demonstrate she’s not resting on her laurels. She invokes her identity as a Black woman, a butch lesbian, and a preacher’s kid from the South to reclaim space within the folk spectrum. She addresses current concerns such as racism, trans rights, and immigration with traditional and current musical themes to show folk’s musical connections with social justice.
Feng E is a Taiwanese ukulele virtuoso, which almost seems like some sort of parody until one hears him perform. He will take a popular song, such as Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and play all the parts (the guitar, drums, horns, etc.) simultaneously on his instrument. His self-penned material reveals his connections to contemporary jazz (think John McLaughlin as a touchstone) and more spiritual concerns.
There were many other great performances that should be noted, including sets by more traditional folk based singer songwriters and instrumentalists such as Emily Scott Robinson, Steve Poltz, Buddy Red, Beth Nielson Chapman, Hope Dunbar, Amy Rigby, Sara Beth Go, Alex Wong, AK Patterson, Abbie Gardner, Georgia Mooney, and more—not to mention the many other non-Western artists showing off their talents.
Folk music is undergoing a resurgence these days, thanks in part to current pop artists like Taylor Swift and Noah Kahan incorporating folk into their own music. FAI proves that the music continues to be a strong genre whose importance is self-evident.