The first eight names for next year’s line-up

Barely a month after the final notes of this year’s Tønder Festival have faded out, the festival is ready to present the first eight international names for next year’s programme.

Audiences can look forward to innovative British folk, a distinctive Irish Americana voice, blues, soul, Californian roots music and American storytellers of the highest calibre. All eight acts can be experienced in Denmark only at Tønder Festival 2026.

British Folk with an Edge and a Powerful Mix of Classic R&B, Blues and Soul

Known as one of Britain’s most dynamic live acts, Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys unite centuries-old ballads from the British Isles and North America with fresh, original compositions. Their album ‘Dreamers Dawn’ (2025) shows the band’s unique range, with Sam Kelly’s voice - shaped by the Irish sean-nós tradition - at the centre. Kelly will also take part in the festival’s minority-language songwriters’ circle, performing in Cornish.
From Canada comes Joce Reyome, whose commanding voice balances classic R&B, blues and soul. The Canadian singer and bassist has toured internationally, received multiple MUSIC PEI Award nominations and in 2025 won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Expect an intimate, soulful concert with Joce Reyome and band.

American and Canadian Storytellers and Roots Icons

American singer-songwriter and guitarist James McMurtry has long held a central place in modern roots and Americana with sharp storytelling that blends vivid character portraits and raw Americana. His new album ‘The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy’ (2025) again shows his gift for portraying real people and places with humour, pain and respect. He performs at the festival with full band.
A favourite from 2025, Erik Koskinen, returns. “Writes like Dylan, looks like Hank Williams, walks like John Wayne, smokes like James Dean and plays like no one else.” Grounded in American roots music, his earthy, precise songs merge raw poetry and rhythmic integrity in a sound entirely his own.
Canadian Ron Sexsmith has refined his melancholic, melodic style for three decades. With classic albums like ‘Retriever’ (2004) and the recent ‘Hangover Terrace’ (2025), his work is marked by honest, sensitive lyrics, graceful melodies and a subtle vocal that highlights the smallest nuances. He will give an intimate solo concert and join the Gentlemen’s Circle.

Californian “Golden Grass” and Cosmic Americana

In San Francisco, brothers Ben and Alex Morrison have forged their own “golden grass” sound - a sunny blend of bluegrass, rock and folk. With six albums, millions of streams and major festival appearances, The Brothers Comatose bring West Coast warmth to Tønder as leaders of a vibrant roots movement that fuses old-school string instrumentation, singer-songwriter craftsmanship and rock’n’roll exuberance.
Queer artist Aaron Lee Tasjan is one of the most inventive voices on the American roots and indie-folk scene. His latest album ‘Stellar Evolution’ (2024) mixes synth-driven experimentation with folk roots and strong personal storytelling, created amid rising political pressure and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in the American South. Expect a set ranging from alternative country to cosmic pop.

An Irish Voice with Soul

Irish singer-songwriter Susan O’Neill commands a voice of both strength and vulnerability. She broke through with the collaborative album ‘In The Game’ (2021) with Mick Flannery and topped the Irish charts with her solo album ‘Now in a Minute’ (2024). At Tønder she performs in a duo setting.

Ticket Sales 2026

Ticket sales for Tønder Festival 2026 start 1 October with four price tiers. One-day and camping tickets will be released later.

MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys (UK)
Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys have previously played Tønder Festival to great audience acclaim. Now they return with the refreshing, modern energy they bring to the British folk tradition.
After a year’s break, Sam Kelly came back in 2025 with the album ‘Dreamers Dawn’, where centuries-old songs from England, Scotland, Ireland and the USA meet new compositions co-written with banjo virtuoso Jamie Francis. With a captivating, versatile sound, the album moves from adventurous tales of pirates and poachers to contemporary themes such as mental health.
Since their formation in 2016, Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys have established themselves as one of Britain’s most dynamic live bands, filling festival tents around the world. The group features some of the most sought-after musicians on the UK folk scene: Graham Coe on cello, Toby Shaer on flutes and fiddle, Archie Moss on melodeon, and Evan Carson on drums. Their repertoire ranges from traditional ballads to surprising rock classics, and their concerts are renowned for virtuosity and sheer joy of playing.
 Sam Kelly’s distinctive voice is the natural focal point of the band. With roots in the Irish sean-nós singing tradition passed down from his grandfather, he blends tradition with modern pop elements and a powerful rock edge.
Alongside his work with The Lost Boys, Sam Kelly has also written and sung in Cornish - a Celtic language closely related to Welsh and Breton. In 2015 he won the Pan Celtic Song Contest and became the first to sing in Cornish on nationwide British radio. In that connection, Sam Kelly will also take part in Tønder Festival’s special Songwriters’ Circle in 2026, where artists perform in their respective minority languages.
www.samkelly.com/the-lost-boys

Joce Reyome (CAN)
Originally from Attleboro, Massachusetts, Joce Reyome has spent the past six years honing their musical skills. In 2016 they moved to Prince Edward Island, Canada, to study music at Holland College. Since then, Joce Reyome has become a sought-after vocalist and session musician across a wide range of genres and has toured internationally as a bassist with award-winning artists such as Dylan Menzie, Russell Louder, and Brandon Howard Roy. Reyome themself has been nominated for four MUSIC PEI Awards.
Joce Reyome’s debut single ‘Cross My Heart’ (2021) was recorded and produced by Erin Costelo and Colin Buchanan. Drawing inspiration from artists like Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, and Tracy Chapman, Joce Reyome brings old-school vibes into the present with a blues- and soul-infused vocal style that honours classic R&B while feeling fresh and personal.
Reyome has received wide acclaim for their live performances. In 2025 they won the Solo/Duo category at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, an important stepping-stone for blues musicians worldwide.
Audiences can look forward to a performance where blues and soul meet in an atmosphere of intimacy and raw honesty, expressing heartbreak, loss, hope, and humour.
At Tønder Festival, Joce Reyome will perform with a full band, and this will be their only Danish concert in 2026.
www.jocereyome.com

Erik Koskinen (USA)
“Writes like Dylan, looks like Hank Williams, walks like John Wayne, smokes like James Dean, and plays like no one else.” That’s how Spinout Records describes American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Erik Koskinen.
His music defies sub-genres - stylistically he stands alone, while drawing deeply from American roots traditions. A crowd favourite at Tønder Festival in 2025, he now returns.
Born in Colorado, raised in northern Michigan and upstate New York, and later based in the big city of Minneapolis before settling in rural Minnesota, Erik Koskinen has lived the rhythms of factory towns and farming country. For years he worked in construction while steadily developing his music career.
Koskinen’s rhythmic integrity and musical tone are as vital as his lyrics and artistic expression. With respect, he has placed himself among the sharply etched songwriters like Woody Guthrie and Ry Cooder, while expressing himself with a simplicity and everyday directness all his own.
Audiences can look forward to a concert with an artist whom the Minneapolis Star Tribune calls “the real deal” and “the best country songwriter in Minnesota.”
Erik Koskinen will perform with his band, and this will be his only Danish show in 2026.
www.erikkoskinen.com 

Ron Sexsmith (CAN)
Ron Sexsmith is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario, who for more than three decades has built a reputation as one of the quiet yet highly respected voices in folk-pop and the singer-songwriter world.
His style is characterised by honest, sensitive lyrics, beautiful melodies, and an understated vocal delivery that highlights subtle nuances and human moments.
In his songs, Ron Sexsmith blends classic pop, folk, and the roots of roots-rock, often with sparse arrangements but always with a focus on the song and its atmosphere. He broke through with his self-titled album in 1995 and has since released numerous records, including ‘Retriever’ (2004), ‘Time Being’ (2006), and ‘The Vivian Line’ (2023) - each with its own distinct character but united by his artistic integrity.
In August 2025 he released ‘Hangover Terrace’, a title that conveys a kind of after-echo - the feeling of being shaken by the recent years of pandemic and life’s ups and downs.
On stage, Ron Sexsmith is known for using his voice and guitar to present his songs with great intimacy and sincerity. Audiences can look forward to a concert where a calm, melancholic, and reflective universe meets warm melodies and exceptional musicianship.
At Tønder Festival, Ron Sexsmith will perform solo and will also take part in the Gentlemen’s Circle.
This will be his only Danish concert in 2026.
www.ronsexsmith.com

The Brothers Comatose (USA)
Brothers Ben and Alex Morrison always had great respect for bluegrass music, but it wasn’t in their blood. They grew up in a musical home in San Francisco, raised on California rock, folk, and country. So when they began playing traditional acoustic instruments, they inadvertently created their own sound - a laid-back, sun-soaked counterpart to classic bluegrass that defines The Brothers Comatose.
When one of the band’s fans dubbed the sound “golden grass,” it felt so fitting that it has since become their trademark and the title of their latest album, released in September 2025.
The album cements The Brothers Comatose as standard-bearers of a thriving, innovative West Coast roots movement, fusing old-school string instrumentation with singer-songwriter craftsmanship and rock’n’roll exuberance. The songs are as varied and captivating as the Californian landscape - at times carefree and breezy, at times wild and rugged. All of it is driven by rich vocal harmonies and the textures of fiddle (Phil Brezina), banjo (Alex Morrison), mandolin (Addie Levy), and upright bass (Steve Height).
With six album releases, millions of streams, festival appearances including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, tours alongside acts such as The Devil Makes Three, and an ever-growing fan base, The Brothers Comatose have become one of the most distinctive names in modern American roots music.
With their only Danish performance in 2026, they are ready to bring Tønder Festival the unmistakable vibe of golden grass.
www.thebrotherscomatose.com

James McMurtry (USA)
American singer-songwriter and guitarist James McMurtry has long secured a central place in modern roots and Americana music with his raw, sharply observed storytelling.
His debut album ‘Too Long in the Wasteland’ (1989), produced by John Mellencamp, clearly showcased his gift for small but precise observations and for creating vivid characters - something he inherited from his upbringing as the son of novelist Larry McMurtry.
James McMurtry truly broke through with the critically acclaimed album ‘Childish Things’ (2005), especially the song ‘We Can’t Make It Here’, hailed by many critics as one of the most important protest songs in contemporary American folk music. Since then, he has continued to evolve as a songwriter and has inspired younger artists such as Sarah Jarosz and Jason Isbell.
Both McMurtry’s albums and his live shows are built around real people and places - small towns, the working class, the overlooked voices - whose stories he tells with humour, pain, and respect.
His eleventh album, ‘The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy’ (2025), draws partly on his family’s memories. We meet a sheriff hunting partridges on horseback while hiding a secret family, a mechanic wondering if he can afford to keep his girlfriend, and a troubled man who sees hallucinations of a black dog and a wandering boy - all set against a backdrop of guitars, barroom harmonies, and touches of banjo and harmonica.
At Tønder Festival, James McMurtry will perform with his longtime band, offering audiences an intense experience where lyrics and characters take centre stage.
This will be his only Danish appearance in 2026.
www.jamesmcmurtry.com

Aaron Lee Tasjan (USA)
Aaron Lee Tasjan is one of the most innovative voices on the American roots and indie-folk scene. With five critically acclaimed albums, he has challenged genre conventions with a wink and remarkable range.
His unique blend of indie-folk, alternative country, and glam rock has earned him multiple Americana Music Association nominations and a Grammy nomination for Best American Roots Song (2022). Variety magazine named his fifth album, ‘Stellar Evolution’ (2024), one of the year’s best releases.
On ‘Stellar Evolution’, Aaron Lee Tasjan unites synth-driven experimentation with folk roots in songs created during a time of rising political tension and hateful right-wing rhetoric against the LGBTQ+ community in the American South. The album crosses genre boundaries, sharing his personal struggles while celebrating change, love, community, and the right to be oneself.
In 2025, Tasjan marked the tenth anniversary of his solo debut ‘In the Blazes’ (2015) with a special reissue featuring new tracks and an anniversary tour. At his concerts, audiences can expect the full musical spectrum - from early guitar-driven alt-country numbers to his latest cosmic pop elements. In other words, a set that clearly demonstrates Tasjan’s ability to keep evolving without losing the heart of his songwriting.
At Tønder Festival, Aaron Lee Tasjan will perform with his band.
This will be his only Danish concert in 2026.
www.aaronleetasjan.com

Susan O’Neill (IRL)
Irish artist Susan O’Neill is a rare force in modern Americana music, with a voice that can both soothe and ignite. Her concerts balance raw emotional power with subtle nuance, and she possesses a deep authenticity - as both songwriter and performer.
Her breakthrough came with the collaborative album ‘In The Game’ (2021) with fellow Irish singer-songwriter Mick Flannery - an album widely praised for showcasing their chemistry as storytellers and performers.
Since then, Susan O’Neill has toured extensively across Europe and North America, captivating audiences at festivals, solo shows, and as a special guest for artists including Phoebe Bridgers, Calexico, Jamie Cullum, Valerie June, and The Teskey Brothers.
Her work has earned recognition from both media and peers, with nominations for prestigious awards such as RTÉ Radio 1’s Best Female Folk Artist and the Choice Music Prize.
In recent years, Susan O’Neill has focused on developing as a solo artist. Her blend of folk, soul, blues, and indie elements is unmistakably her own - intimate yet expansive, classic yet fresh.
In 2024 she released her solo album ‘Now in a Minute’, which went straight to No. 1 on Ireland’s Independent Album Chart.
At Tønder Festival 2026, audiences can experience Susan O’Neill’s magnetic stage presence in a duo setting.
This will be her only Danish performance in 2026.
www.susanoneill.ie

Tønder Festival 2026 – so far:

Aaron Lee Tasjan (USA), Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys (UK), Joce Reyome (CAN), Erik Koskinen (USA), Ron Sexsmith (CAN), The Brothers Comatose (USA), James McMurtry (USA), Susan O´Neill (IRL).

Tønder Festival 26. 27. 28. 29. august 2026

www.tf.dk

www.facebook.com/tonderfestival

Twitter: @tonderfestival

Instagram: TONDERFESTIVAL

Billetsalg på www.tf.dk