FAI 2027: Chicago, Illinois, United States
January 27-31, 2027
- FAI 2027
- Artists
- Attending
- partners
2027 Official Showcase Artists
Select an artist to hear their music and learn more about them!
Oakland Rain
Oakland Rain
https://www.oaklandrain.comSince 2024, the Norwegian sister duo Oakland Rain has toured with legend Judy Collins. Their English debut album was released in 2025, receiving stunning reviews, with the duo being nominated for Best New Artist at Fjordingprisen by Americana Forum.
On The Lash
On The Lash
https://www.onthelashband.com/In honor of Irish traditional music, On The Lash creates timeless sounds through original voices. With new takes on classic songs and original constructions of established standards, OTL explores the inherent energy and versatility of the genre.
On the Trail
On the Trail
https://www.onthetrailbluegrass.comHigh-energy acoustic band On the Trail fuses bluegrass and contemporary pop. Top-3 on SiriusXM and Grey Fox Emerging Artists, the 4-piece features Austin Scelzo, Tom Polizzi, Matt Curley, and current CT State Troubadour Charlie Widmer.
Paula Boggs Band
Paula Boggs Band
http://paulaboggsband.netSeattle's Paula Boggs Band weaves Americana, folk, jazz, soul, and blues into compelling songs of place, purpose, and human connection. Their genre-defying sound honors tradition while speaking directly to contemporary audiences.
Paula Fong
Paula Fong
https://paulafong.comLA artist Paula Fong pairs pure-toned clarity with a soulful power that defies her small stature. Her sound traverses the full landscape of roots music - from stark Gillian Welch-style acoustic to country swing to rockin’ singer/songwriter strength.
Polky
Polky
https://polkyband.com/Polky is a Toronto-based alt folk band led by Canadian Folk Music Award winner Ewelina Ferenc, blending traditional Polish village music with bold contemporary arrangements and immigrant perspectives.
Polly Paulusma
Polly Paulusma
https://pollypaulusma.comBritish singer-songwriter Polly Paulusma emerged in 2004 with her shed-recorded debut ‘Scissors In My Pocket’ and has made five more beguiling albums since then, each receiving international acclaim. A folk scholar and teacher, her work is intimate,
Radio Free Honduras
Radio Free Honduras
https://www.radiofreehonduras.com/Radio Free Honduras is a cross cultural, multigenerational collaboration that exists to support the artistry of folk music legend Charlie Baran, an elder statesman of the mostly undocumented Honduran music scene of the 70s and 80s
Raye Zaragoza
Raye Zaragoza
http://www.rayezaragoza.comRaye Zaragoza is a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter whose music explores resilience, joy, and social justice. Paste Magazine called her “one of the most politically relevant artists in her genre.”
Reg Meuross
Reg Meuross
https://regmeuross.comOne of England's leading folk songwriters, Reg Meuross is renowned for powerful narrative songs exploring history, social justice and the human condition. Thought-provoking, moving and deeply memorable.
Robin Barnes
Robin Barnes
http://robinbarnesmusic.com/Robin Barnes is a Billboard-charting artist, Louisiana Music Ambassador, and ninth generation Louisiana culture bearer known as “The Songbird of New Orleans.” Blending jazz, folk, soul, zydeco, and Creole influence, her music bridges New Orleans and
Roisin Gowen
Roisin Gowen
https://www.breakingtunes.com/roisingowenRoisín Gowen is an emerging alt/trad-folk Irish singer-songwriter from Dublin. Roisín's commanding voice and distinctive live presence takes difficult themes and weaves them wholeheartedly, making her songs personal, powerful, and pure.
Rosalba Valdez
Rosalba Valdez
https://www.rosalbavaldez.comRosalba Valdez is one of Chicago’s most powerful bilingual voices — a first-generation Mexican-American singer-songwriter, activist, blending traditional Mexican roots with Latin alternative, salsa, cumbia, and contemporary rhythms.
RUNÖ
RUNÖ
https://ruhnuviiul.ee/sounds-and-stories-from-ruhnu-islandRUNÖ is the sounds and stories from Ruhnu Island: an interdisciplinary project that celebrates the unique history of Ruhnu. This project aims to rekindle the island's rich cultural and musical heritage, which unfortunately was lost after WWII.
Ruth Theodore
Ruth Theodore
https://ruththeodore.com/homeAcclaimed British songwriter Ruth Theodore, signed to Righteous Babe Records, is known for extraordinary lyricism, percussive guitar and captivating performances. Described as “a testament to joyous rebellion”, her songs blend folk, blues and jazz.
Sammy Brue
Sammy Brue
https://www.sammybrue.comSammy Brue released a long-awaited album, The Journals, to pay tribute to his mentor by writing, finishing, or re-imagining never-before-recorded songs taken directly from Justin Townes Earle’s journals, entrusted to Sammy by Justin’s widow.
Sam Robbins
Sam Robbins
https://samrobbinsmusic.com/Sam Robbins is often described as an old soul singer songwriter. A nationally touring musician and Artist of the Year Nominee at the 2026 IFMA Awards, he has earned a reputation as one of the brightest rising stars in the national folk community.
Sam Shackleton
Sam Shackleton
https://www.samshackleton.com/Sam Shackleton, also known by his Gaelic moniker, Sorley the Bard, is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk artist. His music is greatly inspired by the rich inter-connected musical oral traditions of Scotland, Ireland, and the United States.
Saraswathi Ranganathan
Saraswathi Ranganathan
saraswathiveena.comSaraswathi Ranganathan is an award-winning passionate practitioner of the Veena, and cultural ambassador credited to introducing this ancient Southern Indian acoustic instrument across remote corners of the globe. Heal with RagaWellness!
Sariyah Idan
Sariyah Idan
https://www.sariyahidan.com/Known among New Orleans locals & tourists as the most hauntingly beautiful voice of the French Quarter streets, Sariyah Idan is a captivating performer with a percussive guitar style while dancing drum patterns with her feet & evoking deep emotion.
Shakura S'Aida
Shakura S'Aida
https://www.shakurasaida.com/Shakura S’Aida is a 3x JUNO-nominated, Folk Music Award-winning roots-soul singer/songwriter & mentor. Having toured 30+ countries, she creates powerful musical experiences that foster connections and community.
Shane Alexander
Shane Alexander
https://www.shanealexandermusic.comKnown for his intimate tenor, signature guitar style and moody melodies, Los Angeles-based solo artist and storyteller Shane Alexander has shaped a distinctive career with his evocative indie folk and soaring California-tinged acoustic rock.
Sihasin
Sihasin
https://sihasin.com/SIHASIN is the award-winning sibling from the Navajo Nation. Blending Indigenous roots, folk, and punk energy with bass, drums, and powerful vocals, they deliver inspiring, high-energy performances that celebrate resilience, culture and hope.
Sones de México Ensemble
Sones de México Ensemble
https://sonesdemexico.comA Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist sextet founded by two 2026 National Heritage Fellowship winners. The Chicago Tribune says [They] move between styles and instruments playing with rock'n'roll energy without sacrificing cultural authenticity.
Sophie Lukacs
Sophie Lukacs
www.sophielukacs.comSophie Lukacs is a Montreal-based kora player and songwriter who studied seven years under Toumani Diabaté in Bamako. Her award-winning music fuses Mandingue tradition with contemporary songwriting in English, French, Hungarian, and Bambara.
South for Winter
South for Winter
https://www.southforwintermusic.comWith a blend of dreamy acoustic duets, foot-stomping folk, and bluesy murder ballads, South for Winter is an award-winning, internationally-touring trio with a sound as as eclectic as their origins.
Steve Poltz
Steve Poltz
https://poltz.com/Steve Poltz has fun on stage. Steve Poltz has fun off stage. Every show has its own vibe. Raucous, joyous, improvisational and always strange. Stellar guitar work and songs that will have you smiling one minute and crying the next.
Susan Werner
Susan Werner
https://susanwerner.com/Chicago Singer Songwriter Susan Werner has been busy: as a composer/lyricist (Bull Durham, The Musical, PaperMill Playhouse), a viral sensation (her rewrite of Stephen Stills' For What It's Worth saw 950,000 views on Meta platforms) and winner of the
Tafa Mi Soleil
Tafa Mi Soleil
https://www.instagram.com/tafaayiti?utm_source=qrTafa is a Haitian singer, songwriter, and performer whose music blends traditional rasin rhythms with Afro-rooted grooves, rock influences, and contemporary global sounds.Her work blends spirituality, Haitian cultural heritage, and resilience.
Tall Poppy String Band
Tall Poppy String Band
https://www.tallpoppystringband.com/Tall Poppy String Band, an old time trio featuring fiddler George Jackson, guitarist Morgan Harris, and banjoist Cameron DeWhitt, approaches tradition with playful curiosity; each performance more a discussion than a statement.
TÁR
TÁR
https://www.tariceland.com/TÁR is the Icelandic alt-folk duo of Elín Ey & Zöe Ruth Erwin—genre-fluid storytellers blending folk,country,pop, & alternative into a sound of their own. Intimate acoustics, haunting vocals & lyrics that cut deep.Deeply human, quietly unforgettable
Tautumeitas
Tautumeitas
https://www.tautumeitas.lv/enBlending Baltic folk heritage with contemporary production, Tautumeitas creates a unique sound driven by powerful vocals and ritual-inspired performances. Their captivating stage presence has earned audiences across Europe, Australia, and Asia.
The Clements Brothers
The Clements Brothers
https://www.theclementsbrothers.com/The Clements Brothers are George (guitar) and Charles (upright bass), identical twins from the heart of New England.
The Glass Hours
The Glass Hours
theglasshours.comThe Glass Hours are Megan Barbera & Brad Armstrong, a US indie-folk duo blending raw live performance and cinematic songwriting. Their Cornelius Chapel releases have earned acclaim in the US & Europe, drawing comparisons to Gram & Emmylou.
The Honey Badgers
The Honey Badgers
https://www.honeybadgerfolk.com/The Honey Badgers invite you into their world the minute they step on stage. For folks who love thoughtful lyrics, fun fiddle solos, and sparkling harmonies. SERFA & NERFA Official showcase artists; 2024 “Most Wanted” Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists.
The Lubben Brothers
The Lubben Brothers
https://www.thelubbenbrothers.com/The Lubben Brothers are a triplet trio of musicians from the farmlands of Iowa, now based in South Florida. The brothers have spent the last 15 years pioneering a high-energy original sound steeped in lyrical sensitivity, rich vocal harmonies, and th
The Pairs
The Pairs
https://thepairsmusic.comThis internationally touring trio greet every stage with a genuine, quirky presence and unbottled chemistry. Their minimalist and heartfelt approach to three part harmony, honest storytelling and familial banter consistently wins over their audiences
The Pegwells
The Pegwells
https://www.instagram.com/thepegwells/The Pegwells play old-time music of the American South from a decolonising perspective, tracing its roots to West Africa and the British Isles while reclaiming banjo and fiddle traditions as folk for the folk.
The Rebel Eves
The Rebel Eves
http://therebeleves.comThe Rebel Eves are an Americana trio featuring Katie Pederson, Jilian Linklater, and Grace Theisen. Known for soaring three-part harmony and heartfelt songwriting, they are touring nationally in support of their debut album, Rebel Eve.
The Sullivan Sisters
The Sullivan Sisters
https://www.sullivansistersbluegrass.com/Blending sibling harmonies with striking instrumental work, The Sullivan Sisters are quickly making a name in bluegrass music. Now working with Dark Shadow Recording, they create a distinctive blend of fresh originals and traditional bluegrass.
The Texpats
The Texpats
https://www.thetexpats.com/The Texpats are a Nashville-based trio featuring Grace Pettis, Natalie Price, and Rachel Laven. Blending rich three-part harmonies and Texas-rooted songwriting, they deliver an intimate, powerful show celebrating friendship, storytelling, and home.
Timbreroots
Timbreroots
www.timbreroots.comTimbreroots from the Italian Alps blending indie folk and Americana with fingerstyle guitar and cinematic vocal harmonies. They transform songs into moments of connection where individual voices become one collective harmony rooted in human warmth.
Trio Mandili
Trio Mandili
https://rootsandchordsmusic.com/trio_mandiliTrio Mandili is the world’s most viral folk music act — a women-led Georgian trio whose breathtaking polyphonic singing has generated nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers and close to 1 billion views worldwide. Blending ancient tradition with extrao
Tuvergen Band
Tuvergen Band
https://www.tuvergenband.comExperience the galloping spirit of Mongolian folk fusionists Tuvergen Band! Throat singing, the horse-head fiddle, lutes, a bespoke drum kit featuring 20 global percussion instruments, and a didgeridoo combine to create modern nomadic music.
Vance Gilbert
Vance Gilbert
www.vancegilbert.comKnown by some as the cross between Joni Mitchell, Al Green, Leonard Cohen, and Rodney Dangerfield, Vance has played everywhere, recorded with Grammy-winning folks, and will simultaneously be silly and yet heartbreakingly poignant in the same set.
Vincent Schmidt
Vincent Schmidt
https://www.vincentschmidt.ch/Fingerstyle guitarist and composer from Switzerland, Vincent Schmidt builds a one-man-band acoustic world of melody, bass, percussion and harmony. 250+ concerts, 4 albums and international festival appearances, he pushes the limits of the guitar!
Whorled
Whorled
https://www.whorledband.comCalled a road trip for the ears, Whorled transports audiences around the globe with a fusion of world folk influences. Thom Jayne, Keala Venema, and Mariko Venema, now in their fifth year have gained critical acclaim in Michigan’s music scene.
Will Varley
Will Varley
https://willvarley.com/Will Varley is a British singer-songwriter whose seven studio albums and extensive international touring career have established him as one of the UK’s leading contemporary folk artists.
Zoë Aqua
Zoë Aqua
https://zoeaqua.com/Zoë Aqua is an American fiddler. From 2021-2023, she lived in Romania studying folk music. Her recent album In a Sea of Stars was awarded 5/5 stars by Songlines Magazine. It’s a collaboration with three top musicians from Transylvania.
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