Line up (2008)

Artists for the 2008 line up


	MARTIN CARTHY MBE
	www.watersoncarthy.com
	Martin Carthy is an English folk singer and guitarist who is widely considered to be one of the most significant figures to have emerged from British folk revival of the 1960s. Both as a singer and accompanist Carthy's impact has undoubtedly stretched beyond folk music but it is within the British folk scene in particular that his influence has been most keenly felt over a career that has spanned more than forty years.. This is what the BBC website has to say about Martin Carthy and his award in 2005: “For four decades, Martin Carthy's work has immeasurably enriched the British folk heritage. He is regarded as one of the finest singers and interpreters of traditional music of the British Isles, as well as a highly influential and much-imitated guitarist. Awarded the MBE for services to English folk music in 1998, his drive and enthusiasm are undiminished and he continues to be one of folk music's great innovators.”


	CHRIS WHILE & JULIE MATTHEWS
	www.whileandmatthews.co.uk	listen on Chris & Julie's myspace
	Chris While & Julie Matthews - are breathtaking singers, songwriters, musicians and performers whose dedication to their craft and audience holds no bounds. Though internationally acclaimed, they continue to be a leading force on the UK's acoustic/roots arts circuit. Their songs cover life as they see it, from the industrial waste lands of the north, to injustice and freedom, matters of the heart and everything in between.


	HARVEY ANDREWS
	www.harveyandrews.com
	Harvey Andrews was born in Birmingham on May 7th 1943. He trained as a schoolteacher but began his singer/songwriter career in 1964 when he was paid ten shillings for singing three of his songs for the first time in a folk club. He turned full time pro in 1966. He has produced 15 albums of his own songs, many of which have been recorded by other artists.


Photograph © Alan Bennington	JEZ LOWE
	www.jezlowe.com	listen on Jez Lowe's myspace
	County Durham singer-songwriter Jez Lowe is one of this country's best loved folk artists singing songs and tunes that reflect the hard times, the good times, the hard work and hard play of the region where he was born and raised. He has a new album out, his 14th series of original songs of the North Country, and the BBC's "Radio Ballads" - to which he contributed twenty-odd songs last year - has just won a Sony Radio Academy Award. In December 2007 Jez was nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008 as 'Folksinger of the Year', alongside Martin Simpson, Kate Rusby and Julie Fowlis.


	LES BARKER
	www.mrsackroyd.com
	Les Barker writes strange poems and comes from Manchester. He's written 70 books, which sell in large numbers at his gigs because people don't quite believe what they've just heard. . Les has several solo albums to his credit: 'Dogologues', An Infinite Number of Occasional Tables', 'A Cardi and Bloke', 'Up the creek without a poodle' and 'Arovertherapy'. In addition there are three highly acclaimed albums of his serious work; the folk opera 'The Stones of Callanish', 'Some Love', 'The Wings of Butterflies', and 'Airs of the Dog', all involving a galaxy of talent. His serious songs have also featured on recent albums by Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick, and by June Tabor. June invariably includes a smattering of Mr Barker's serious and comic songs in her live performances


	JOHNNY SILVO

	Johnny's main aim as an entertainer has always been to make people happy. He has continuously succeeded in this over the years by mixing excellent music, brilliantly performed, with a large measure of humour. He has a wonderful voice which is superb in volume, clarity, tone and versatility. Once heard it is never forgotten. For good measure he is also a top-notch guitarist.


Photograph © Roger Liptrot	TOM TOPPING BAND

	The Tom Topping Band are one of the most popular local bands around, they have been entertaining audiences for many years with their warm wit and brilliant musicianship.


	KEITH DONNELLY
	www.keithdonnelly.com
	In no particular order Keith Donnelly has been described as - * a superbly original Stand-Up * a great singer-songwriter * a fine guitarist * a kids entertainer par excellence* a stunning storyteller * the cleanest comic I’ve ever seen.......... Never, ever, offensive - safe to bring your kids, your mother or your great-great-granny too!


	ANTHONY JOHN CLARKE
	www.anthonyjohnclarke.com
	Anthony John Clarke started songwriting at the age of nine inspired by the sixties but it was only when he left Ireland and came to England that he pursued his passion for writing with any vigour. There are very few places in the UK and Ireland that Anthony John has not played, his supporters are loyal and many and the tributes he receives from his peers bear witness to the talent and hard work of one of the folk scene's nicest guys.With several albums of songs to his name he retains his reputatation as one of the top songwriters on the scene. His hard work and dedication to his craft are a credit to him.. For him, songwriting is indeed a craft.


	FIONA SIMPSON
	www.thefionasimpsonband.co.uk
	Fiona Simpson was born in Farnborough, Hampshire until the age of eighteen when she left the area to become a professional singer. With the duo Therapy, she played at venues all over the world and recently played with The Fiona Simpson Band.


	JOHN O'CONNELL
	www.johnpig.com
	Born in 1959, John was raised in the Everton area of Liverpool. At the age of 22 he began to play music full time and was one half of the duo Groundpig. John’s musical influences are routed in acoustic, folk and classical guitar. John plays many styles of music and if you were to see John play live, you would be pleasantly surprised to hear music from the likes of the Poques, David Gray, Cat Stevens, U2 and Oasis. John also plays a wide range of instruments such as Nylon String Guitar, Steel String, Mandolin, Five String Banjo and Harmonica. He also mixes into his live sets, a number of his own original songs from his two latest albums which have also been featured many times on Radio.


	FULL HOUSE
	www.fullhousefolk.co.uk	listen on Full House's myspace
	From the sweep of the Cheshire Plains comes a band that will have you calling for more. Dazzling mandolins, pulsating melodeons, breathtaking whistles and subtle strings combine to bring you traditional tunes and songs with a comtemporary feel. The origins of the band lie in the folk-club scene but Full House have always played to audiences other than the strictly ‘folkie’ and over the years have played at festivals and many different types of venue up and down the country. They are Ian Jones, Chris Lee, Nick Mitchell, Dave Russell and Mark Woolley


	ZOE MULFORD
	www.zoemulford.com
	Singer/songwriter Zoe Mulford was born and raised in the United States, She has lived in Belgium and Japan, studied Chinese poetry and East African drumming, and has most recently fetched up in the great music city of Manchester. Landmarks on her musical journey include English and Scottish folk ballads, the songs of Kurt Weil and George Gershwin, an apprenticeship in the Old Time picking circles of North Carolina, and a long-running flirtation with the Blues.


	JOE TOPPING
	www.joetopping.co.uk	listen on Joe Topping's myspace
	Joe grew up surrounded by folk/acoustic music thanks largely to his father Tom Topping who ran the popular Black Horse folk club in West Kirby and performed in the Tom Topping Band. In his solo performances, Joe plays a mixture of Celtic, Acoustic blues and original songs taken from his debut album "Love, Loss and Alcohol" and the new album "Take Me Home" which features such artists as Chris Leslie and Gerry Conway (from Fairport Convention), Maartin Allcock, Chris While and Julie Matthews and a host of other talented musicians. Joe's original songs have received much critical acclaim.


Photograph © Roger Liptrot	COLIN HENDERSON

	As well as a member of the Tom Topping Band, Colin Henderson is an accomplished singer songwriter in his own right.


Photograph © John Sharp	PHIL CHISNALL

	Phil Chisnall is a fantastic and prolific singer-songwriter, and an expert guitarist; acoustic, electric or slide, he is a technical master. He has released a solo CD, 'As For Me' . When not performing solo Phil is a member of the Miv Cameron Band, and is a well known face on the local folk scene.


	VOCAL POINT

	Vocal Point's love of singing and harmonising is apparent in their performances and their relaxed style ranges from ballad and wistful lullaby to an injection of contemporary and traditional folk songs. They are equally at home singing a cappella. Vocal Point consists of John Owen - vocals/guitar, Patricia Ward - vocals/guitar; Sue Farley - vocals/guitar; also Angie Owen - Bodhran.


Photograph © John Sharp	ALISON PARKER & THE THIRD MAN

	Alison Parker is a very experienced singer with a strong voice which lends itself to a variety of flavours, celtic airs, pub Irish, blues, gospel. She has been singing since the age of nine and playing guitar since she was eleven and the bodhran for fifteen years. The band 'Alison Parker and the Third Man' is a local 4 piece concert, session and ceilidh band, they were formed 5years ago and they are well known for their wide range of instruments and clever vocal solo and harmony work. They host a lively weekly session at the Farmers Arms in Frankby on a Monday.


	SHELLBACK CHORUS
	www.shellbackchorus.com
	The Shellback Chorus performs shanties, and traditional and contemporary maritime songs. The performances combine strong lead singing with a full-bodied chorus. Songs are delivered with precision and verve which audiences over the years have found to be infectious. Since its inception in 2000, the Chorus has performed at over eighty UK festivals as well as at national maritime institutions and festivals in the USA, New Zealand and Holland.


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