Sam Sweeney & Grace Smith

Sam Sweeney and Grace Smith are among the most exciting fiddle players on today’s English folk scene. Deeply rooted in tradition yet always pushing musical boundaries, they share a passion for reimagining archive material, championing new compositions and creating music that feels both authentic and forward-looking.

Sam Sweeney, described by Mark Radcliffe as “one of the defining English fiddle players of his generation,” is a multiple BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner. A founding member of Leveret, former artistic director of the National Youth Folk Ensemble, and longtime member of Bellowhead, his acclaimed solo work Made in the Great War earned him the title “Britain’s Premier Fiddler” (Songlines). He has collaborated widely with artists such as Eliza Carthy, Fay Hield and Jon Boden.

Grace Smith is a fiddle and viola player known for her distinctive, innovative approach to English tradition. Her trio album Overleaf (2023) was praised by Klof Mag as “the exciting future of instrumental folk music.” She also performs with Cri du Canard and Katie Doherty & the Navigators, and is an active educator, serving as Musical Director of the Folkworks Summer School in 2025.

Together, Sam and Grace form a dynamic partnership, blending tradition and creativity with depth, precision and infectious musical energy.