A homegrown folk roots duo with deep ties to the Winnipeg Folk Festival made their official debut this weekend at the 50th anniversary of the celebrated event.
Two Crows for Comfort—made up of Rockwood locals Erin Corbin and Cory Sulyma—played their first scheduled set at the festival on Friday, July 11, bringing their signature harmonies to the Spruce Hollow stage under the canopy of Birds Hill Provincial Park.
Although the pair had once filled in on short notice in 2019, this was their first appearance as part of the official Folk Fest lineup—an experience that felt like coming full circle for the couple, who got their start in the festival’s Young Performers Program roughly a decade ago.
“It feels like a huge career highlight,” said Sulyma. “Especially since we started here, just getting our feet wet. Now to come and do the actual festival as a legitimate artist—it’s pretty wild.”
Corbin called the moment “a full circle” experience and said it felt surreal to return to the place where their musical journey began.
The Young Performers Program has long helped foster emerging talent at Folk Fest, offering youth between 14 and 24 the chance to learn from professional mentors before performing live. Corbin and Sulyma participated in the program multiple times in their early twenties—sometimes with friends, and eventually together as a duo, though they weren’t even calling themselves Two Crows for Comfort yet.
At Friday’s show, they were joined by longtime musical collaborators Ben Mak on upright bass, Lachlan McLean on electric guitar, and Rob Knaggs on cello. The group delivered a heartfelt and high-energy set of both new and familiar material, including a kazoo solo and emotional ballads that drew tears from the crowd.
“Ben and Lachlan have been with us since the beginning,” said Corbin. “It’s always a joy when we get to play with them. And Rob’s just incredible on the cello—we’ve known him for years. This really felt like our supergroup.”
Beyond their main set, Two Crows also took part in two collaborative workshops throughout the weekend, including “Home to Manitoba” alongside Fred Penner, Slow Spirit and Begonia, and “Songs I Wish I Wrote (And Some I Did),” showcasing both covers and original songs.
The performance marked a milestone in what’s been a busy stretch for the duo. After nearly three years of steady touring, including their first UK shows earlier this year, they’re back in Manitoba for a brief period before heading to British Columbia. A return to Europe is also on the horizon for 2026.
“No two tours are the same,” said Sulyma. “Sometimes we’re gone for nine months, sometimes just a couple of weeks. But wherever we go, people seem to really connect with what we do.”
That constant movement has made homecomings like Folk Fest even more meaningful—and creatively inspiring.
“We tried one new song at the festival,” said Sulyma. “We’ve got a handful we’ve been working on. We don’t force it—songs usually come in waves.”
Looking ahead, the duo is hoping to spend more time at home this winter and record new music. They’re also interested in experimenting with new sounds—possibly featuring electric guitar and drums.
“I’d love to play drums again,” said Sulyma. “That’s my instrument. And I’d love to see Erin on the electric guitar. We’re going to horse around with it a bit.”
Two Crows for Comfort currently has two full-length albums and two EPs available on streaming platforms.
