Ry Cooder, Billy Bragg and Al Stewart are among the stars performing on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, which air tonight on BBC Four.
"In divisive times, the real enemy is cynicism," Bragg says in the star-studded concert, which was recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall last Wednesday.
Bragg performs Woody Guthrie's song, I Ain't Got No Home, and also quotes his hero: "I hate a song that makes you think that you're not any good."
The legendary Ry Cooder from Santa Monica California also performs. The man responsible for bringing the world the seductive and sultry sounds of the Buena Vista Social Club, as detailed in Wim Wenders' spell-binding documentary.
Cooder sings the old folk-blues standard, Jesus on the Mainline, which featured on his Paradise and Lunch album 45 years ago. He receives the Lifetime Achievement award.
Al Stewart, best-known for his huge hit The Year of the Cat, is also the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award.
Other performers tonight include Shirley Collins, who sings Washed Ashore from her current album, Lodestar, which could be described as a comeback album, given that Collins lost her singing ability and retired from performing and recording 30 years ago.
Afro Celt Sound System also perform a blistering, hugely infectious number on tonight's show.
The Albert Hall concert also includes a performance of Child Migration Ballads, a poignant suite of songs which tell the story of over 100,000 children sent from Britain, without parents, to new abodes in Australia and Canada between 1863 and 1970.
With commentary by Barbara Dickson, the BBC Four programme also features the voices of Kris Drever, Jez Lowe, While & Matthews, Boo Hewerdine, O'Hooley and Tidow, John McCusker, Andy Cutting and Mike McGoldrick.
Catch the Folk Awards at 10.00pm on BBC Four on Sunday.
