Cardiff singer songwriter Amy Wadge, known for her collaboration with man-of-the-moment Ed Sheeran is one of the latest artists to be announced for the 2013 Frome Folk Festival – along with Britain’s Got Talent finalist Sam Kelly.

Amy will appear at the Somerset winter festival with Liverpool songwriter Pete Riley – an affecting and talented duo who were one of the highlights of Frome’s sister event – Bristol Folk Festival – earlier this year. Their album Rivers Apart, released last year, won a 5* review from Maverick magazine who said “They gel together incredibly well – this collaboration is nothing short of remarkable. See them singing their sensitive song Drifting here. 

Brits winner Sheeran who recently appeared at the Olympics closingceremony with Pink Floyd, released an EP entitled Songs I Wrote With Amy-a collection of love songs. It stayed six months in the iTunes Top 10 whilst Amy co-wrote Goldrush on his debut album which reached No 1 in the official UK album charts.

Amy who has five album releases to her name has twice won the Best Solo Female Artist title at the Welsh Music Awards, ahead of Charlotte Church in 2002 and Cerys Matthews in 2003 whist Pete recently returned to his native Liverpool after spending some 10 years touring the States after signing a major record deal with Atlantic Records and EMI Publishing.

Also announced for the February festival is Sam Kelly, whose stunning contemporary folk original songs and covers made him one of the stars of TV’s Britain’s Got Talent this year. The 19-year-old from Norfolk has roots in Irish folk and has supported Mumford and Sons at Cambridge Festival. See Sam singing Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love.

Frome Festival is also building an impressive line up of local, grass roots artists. Newly announced is Bristol-based singer songwriter Phil King whose music has been applauded by the likes of Radio 2’s Bob Harris, Steve Lamacq and Alex Lester. His accomplished set has been described as “a mixture of Damien Rice- style heartfelt balladry, John Martyn guitar picking melancholia and the raw energy of a busker.”

Also from Bristol come four man acapella band The Longest Johns with their engaging folk songs and shanties. The newly formed act has entertained crowds at the London 2012 Olympic Park and Bristol Harbour Festival and have supported Duke Special and will bring a taste of the brine to Frome. 

Up and coming Cambridge five-piece The Willows have also been announced for the weekend festival. Likened by some to Alison Krauss and the Union Station and Fairground Attraction, their style draws on both British folk and Americana. Jade Rhiannon Ward fronts the band with her distinctive voice, backed by rich vocal harmonies and sensitive acoustic musicianship. Their eponymous debut EP was released last year and they have supported some of the best names on the UK folk scene from Lau to Rory McLeod and Boo Hewerdine. 

Recorded in myriad hotels, garages and living rooms, their debut album Beneath our Humble Soil is due for release in January and was co-produced with Megson’s Stu Hanna.

Dave Garner and Alan Doyle who opened for Cara Dillon at this year’s Bristol Folk Festival, will also bring their popular act to Frome.

They met at the Hibernia Irish Society in Bristol’s Avonmouth. With a focus on Irish music as well as songs from the Scottish tradition, Dave is a dazzling fiddle player and Alan an outstanding guitarist and singer. A multiple All-Scotland and All-Britain fiddle champion, Durham-born Dave is considered one of the most unique fiddle players in UK whilst Alan has long been a name on the Irish circuit and in 70s Dublin he ventured into rock music, playing with some of the greatest names of the time from Gary Moore to Phil Lynnott and Bono.

Artists previously announced for Frome include Lucy Ward (Best Emerging Act winner at the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards), Peter Knight’s Gigspanner, captivating duo Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow, singer songwriters Johnny Coppin and Mike Silver, the Young’ Uns, Rag Morris who performed with Eric Idle at the London Olympics closing ceremony and Somerset’s own Reg Meuross (right) – “one of the finest singer-songwriters this country has produced” according to Radio 2’s Mike Harding.

In addition to the growing line-up there will be entertainment from Frome Story Circle and Frome Poets and a wide range of workshops including a bodhran workshop hosted by German-born Gerhard Krees, a Pontypridd-based instrument maker.

The festival will return to the former 19th century market hall of Frome’s popular Cheese & Grain with the nearby Westway Cinema as a busy second venue and will run from 10am-11pm both days. Early Bird weekend tickets, price £58 (£48 concessions) now available HERE.

A family weekend ticket for two adults and 2 children (aged under 15) is £190.