Steve Martin Banjo Prize

On clawhammer banjo, Allison de Groot has become a well known instrumentalist in the North American traditional, Americana and roots music scenes. Starting out on banjo in her hometown of Winnipeg, Canada, Allison has grown into a career of continued musical exploration that is centred around collaborations. Performing regularly with Tatiana Hargreaves, their duo project has been described by Bandcamp Daily as “one living, breathing organism”. They create a sound that is adventurous and original and No Depression writes that it “transports the listener to a different plane”. Wether playing with Tatiana, percussive dancer Nic Gareiss, or artists like Yasmin Williams or The Transatlantic Sessions, Allison’s banjo style is distinctly her own, grounded, interactive, and joyfully playful. She was recently nominated by the Americana Music Association for “Instrumentalist of the Year” and her latest album Hurricane Clarice with Tatiana Hargreaves received a JUNO nomination and won both “Traditional Album” and “Instrumental Group” of the year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.