Contenders for 'Scottish folk album of the year' honour revealed

This year's Scots Trad Music Awards will be staged at the Music Hall in Aberdeen.

Scottish folk music favourites Karine Polwart, Skipinnish, Dick Gaughan, Breabach and the Tannahil Weavers will compete with a host of the rising stars of the trad music scene for a coveted album of the year honour.

Elephant Sessions, Talisk, Kinnaris Quintet, Gnoss and Fara are also in contention for the best album prize at this year's Scots Trad Music Awards.

Organisers have revealed a 20-strong longlist ahead of the opening of nominations for the other awards at the "Folk Oscars" event, which will be returning to the Music Hall in Aberdeen in December and will go out live on BBC Alba.

Kinnaris Quintet are one of the contenders for the coveted best album award.

Other contenders include the singer and harp player Rachel Newton, guitarist Innes Watson, multi-instrumentalist Mike Vass, piper Brìghde Chaimbeul, accordionist and songwriter Gary Innes, and singer Siobhan Miller.

Two former BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musicians of the Year, Hannah Rarity and Charlie Grey (for his duo album with Joseph Peach) are also on the longlist for the award, which recognises albums released between September 2018 and August 2019.

This year's "Young Trad" winner Benedict Morris will be performing at the awards ceremony in Aberdeen, along with the bands Skerryvore and Heisk.

Public nominations opened today for the 18 categories, including best album, with the shortlisted singers, musicians, events, composers, clubs, venues and bands due to be announced in November.

Rising folk stars Heisk will be performing at this year's awards ceremony in the Music Hall in Aberdeen.

Simon Thoumire, founder of the awards, which are also known as the "Na Trads," said: "It is very exciting to announce Aberdeen as the host city for the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2019.

"It’s been another great year for Scottish traditional music in all its forms."

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Alan Morrison, head of music at arts agency Creative Scotland, said: "Voting in awards is an opportunity to honour Scotland’s tradition bearers, support our current stars and throw a spotlight on emerging talent.

Eabhal are in the running for best album at this year's Na Trads.

"It’s great to see the public at the heart of the nominations process, beating the drum for grassroots community work or singing the praises of our biggest international stars.

"Na Trads is where the past, present and future of Scotland’s traditional music come together to celebrate a scene that is the envy of the world.