meet our 2025 finalists
Out of 59 bold, creative, and delightfully unexpected entries, our panel of judges narrowed the field to just four finalists. Now it’s up to you to help pick the winner of this year’s Not Your Average Folk Contest.
Take a listen. Find your favorite.
Voting is open through July 18.
EVAN BLACKERBY TRIO
Rooted in connection and community, the Evan Blackerby Trio blends heartfelt songwriting with a mission to bring people together. What started as one artist’s search for shared creativity has grown into a local songwriting circle — and now, a dynamic trio built on friendship, trust, and the power of music to break down walls.
ELIZABETH MCCORVEY
Elizabeth McCorvey’s banjo-driven protest songs reclaim folk music’s deep roots in the African-American experience. With lyrics that speak truth to power and melodies steeped in tradition, her music challenges, empowers, and connects — amplifying the voices too often left out of Appalachian folk.
folkknot
Blending Celtic tradition with maritime spirit, FOLKKNOT sails into the “sea-folk” subgenre — a rhythm-driven sound rooted in the folk revival of Nova Scotia and New England. Anchored in 6/8 time and shaped by global influences, their music is both a nod to ancestry and a fresh take on tradition.
IAN ROOD
Blurring the lines between folk and jazz, Ian Rood brings a storyteller’s soul and a trumpet player’s heart to every performance. Rooted in Black American musical traditions, his sound is theatrical, genre-defying, and deeply personal — a celebration of individuality and the folk traditions that fuel it.