"Actually I've lost count of how many times we've played there," guitarist Josh Cunningham said.

"It seems we've been invited back by (festival musical director) Jamie McKew every so often.

"We've been at festivals in the US and Canada and he's turned up backstage to invite us back (to the Folkie).

"It's a pretty amazing festival.

"No wonder it's endured so long - it's such a great opportunity for punters and musicians alike.

"You get to see people you don't get to see very often."

In fact, the world-renowned festival played a part in turning The Waifs into the platinum-selling folk-rock act they are today.

"We met our drummer (Dave McDonald) at the Folkie," Cunningham said.

"He was doing some singer-songwriter gigs there and we'd seen him play (drums) with a band from WA.

"We met him and (singer/guitarist) Vicki (Thorn) asked him at the Guinness Tent to be our drummer.

"It was about 10 years ago and it was the beginning of a long-standing musical relationship.

"I've had so many other amazing moments (at the Folkie), not just playing there.

"Like watching other people - seeing Colin Hay and Paul Kelly.

"I remember Colin Hay ... I remember standing side of stage and hearing him doing his songs solo, with just a guitar and his voice and I was moved by the power of his singing and the power of his songs.

"It wasn't so much the old classics but some of his newer songs.

"One in particular, Beautiful World - I remember watching that and being moved to tears listening to his incredible performance."

Their return to the Folkie will be one of their first Australian gigs in about two years.

The band was less visible in the latter half of the '00s, poking their heads out to release Sun Dirt Water in 2007, but there has been more "real life" in the lives of The Waifs in recent years.

"The girls went on maternity leave," Cunningham laughed.

"The girls have got families and we've all got different factors in our life.

"For better or worse the band doesn't take up all our time like it used to.

"We get to indulge in other things and there's more of a balance."

Those recent years have seen the band relocate to the US as well.

Thorn lives in Utah, singer-guitarist Donna Simpson lives in St Paul, Minnesota (one half of the twin city of Minneapolis), and Cunningham calls Sonora, California - a little town two-and-a-half hours inland from San Francisco at the foot of the mountains - his home these days.

"We spent so much time touring over there and (we) fell in love and married American people. It happened to all of us."

The Waifs return signals the arrival of a new album. Temptation was recorded in the US, continuing a trend started with the Nashville-made Sun Dirt Water.

Recorded in Minneapolis, Cunningham said he sees Temptation as a return to the roots and a step back from the American sound that eked its way into Sun Dirt Water.

"I think we did (sound American) on Sun Dirt Water, whether we were conscious of it," he said.

"We were seeing a lot of the same music, and you kind of suck up what you're exposed to.

"I think we went into the album with a more generic American roots sound.

"We sounded more American but we still sounded like us ... we can't get away from what we sound like.

"But (Temptation) is a return to our roots.

"It's more reflective of where we come from.

"Guitars, vocals and harmonies, with some gospel and country-tinged songs.

"This is closer to that Australian thing.

"In the early days it was really quite pronounced.

"When we first went overseas that was the thing that appealed to people, getting a taste of Australian culture.

"One thing we did with Temptation was record a lot more live.

"Over the last couple of years we'd get together a few times a year and spend a week working on songs and the songs would be growing over that period of time.

"The songs are a lot more settled.

"A lot of times when you make and album, you're playing the songs for the first time and then you play them on tour and the songs settle and turn into something else.

"This time we had plenty of time to workshop the songs.

"I always thought we were much more of a live band.

"Our best moments are on stage rather than in the studio, although we've gotten better over the years (in the studio)."