"Strong, clear vocals, and songs of substance" Daily
Telegraph
"One of the finest voices in its field" Q Magazine
"One of the land's finest singer-songwriters....his music is as natural
as the sun on the hills or the fresh waters of the streams" Brum
Beat
"Eloquent, evocative and romantic" Birmingham Post
Johnny
Coppin is a singer/songwriter, composer and poetry anthologist. Formerly
with the folk-rock band Decameron, his many solo albums include "Forest
& Vale & High Blue Hill" (Songs of Gloucestershire), "Edge
of Day" - a collaboration with world-famous writer Laurie Lee,
"Force of the River", "A Country
Christmas" "The Shakespeare Songs"
, "Keep the Flame" and and his most
recent albums"The Winding Stair"
and "Breaking the Silence" with Mike Silver. His
clear voice together with his ability to write fine songs make his
music essentially English in character while having universal appeal.
Jack Russell, the Gloucestershire and ex-England wicket-keeper, is
a big fan and often used to lead his team in singing one of Johnny's
rousing Gloucestershire songs!
Johnny has supported Gerry Rafferty, Jasper Carrott and
The Albion Band on tour and has appeared at Festivals
in Britain, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Holland and Belgium
- including the prestigious Cambridge, Edinburgh, Lisdoonvarna and
Nyon Festivals. He has played on the European folk scene for many
years, and makes a long overdue return to Scotland this May before
beginning a UK tour of "Edge of Day"
- his tribute to Laurie Lee, the writer of "Cider with Rosie".
Johnny
Coppin with Paul Burgess and Mick Dolan Johnny plays solo with guitar
and piano and regularly works with his own trio or band. Members of
his band have included Phil Beer from Show
of Hands, Albion Band etc, and his current
sidekicks are fiddle player Paul Burgess from The
John Kirkpatrick Band and guitarist Mick Dolan
who has worked with Steve Winwood, Dr Hook and Show of Hands.
TV appearances include his own programme "Song of
Gloucestershire" for the BBC, "Stars in a Dark Night" for Channel
4, and the recent "Music Writers on TV" for HTV, while his radio
work includes "Kaleidoscope" for Radio 4, "West Country Christmas",
the Arts Programme and "Folk on Two" for Radio 2, as well as many
appearances on British local radio shows.
His music for theatre includes "Songs
on Lonely Roads" (the story of composer/poet Ivor Gurney) with
David Goodland, The Shrewsbury Theatre Guild's production of "Arthur's
Plough", as well as writing and directing the music for the Festival
Players Theatre Company and their touring productions of Shakespeare
which culminate in the Three Choirs Festival. He has edited two poetry
anthologies - "Forest & Vale
& High Blue Hill" and "Between the Severn and the Wye" - poems
from the border counties of England & Wales. His 3rd book was "A
Country Christmas" - a collections of prose, poetry, carols, songs
and folklore .
All the important dates and events from Johnny's career:
1946 Born 5th April at South Woodford, Essex to
Alan and Mary Coppin. Family lived at 63 Walpole Road.
1951-7 Piano lessons with Miss Free but gave up after
a few months because bad at practising scales! Churchfields Junior
School. Family moved to 92 Broadmead Road, Woodford Green, Essex
1958 First guitars- a Russian acoustic - then a white
Rosetti semi-acoustic. Joined choir and madrigal group at Buckhurst
Hill County High School encouraged by music teacher Donald Ray.
1959-64 Formed band "The Shifters" - with cousin
Martin Wright on bass, Neil Dunwoody on guitar, and Howard Jones on
drums. First public performance at United Reform Church Hall, Woodford
Green. Then Eddie Broadbridge joined band as lead singer- Eddie and
the Shifters Bought red Framus 3 hole semi-acoustic (thanks to Andy
Webb who remembers buying it from me in 1965!) Performed many gigs
with band in Essex and North-East London. Left school July 1964 with
3 A levels..then had a gap year working for Planning Department of
GLC in London
1965 Went to Gloucestershire College of Art, Cheltenham
to study architecture. Bought Harmony Meteor electric guitar.
1966 Formed college band "Love to Mother" (with Al
Fenn guitar, Tom Bennison on bass, Mike Ketskemety on drums)
1968 Began year out working in London. Bought Harmony
Souvereign acoustic guitar. Formed "DECAMERON" - duo with Dave Bell.
1969 First performed at The Crypt, Notting Hill.
Johnny worked in America for 3 months then back to Cheltenham to complete
final 2 years of college. Al Fenn joins on guitar.
1970 Geoff March joins on cello. First tour of Cornwall.
1971 Johnny, Al and Geoff complete college courses.
Decameron go professional. Signed by Fingimigig Agency run by Jasper
Carrott and John Starkey. UK dates. Salisbury Cathedral concert.
1972 UK dates plus Cambridge and Norwich Folk Festivals.
First tours of Scotland, Belgium and Holland. Radio 1 "Sounds on Sunday".
Bought Martin guitar.
1973 First album "Say Hello To The Band" released.
Dik Cadbury joins on bass guitar/violin. UK tour with Gordon Giltrap.
1974 Second album "Mammoth Special" released. UK
tour with Bert Jansch. Radio 1 "Speakeasy". Tours of Belgium and Holland.
Queen Elizabeth Hall concert with full orchestra.
1975 "Third Light" album released. Bob Critchley
joins on drums. UK tour plus tours of Germany, Belgium, Denmark and
France. "New Girl in School" single released.
1976 "Tomorrow's Pantomime" album released. Final
concert at Southsea on 4th July. Johnny goes solo. Major tours of
UK, Denmark, Norway, Ireland and Holland.
1977 Solo tour dates. Johnny forms first band with
Phil Beer, Mick Candler, Steve Hutt and Tony Bennett.
1978 First solo album "Roll on Dreamer" released
(produced by Jon Acock). Tours of Germany and Switzerland. recorded
Children of the Night single with Anthony Head.
1979 "No Going Back" album released, and first single
"We Shall Not Pass". Rough Hill Festival with Steve Winwood. Mick
Dolan joins band. Tours of Holland and Germany.
1980 "Believe in You" single release receives major
radio airplay. Session on Radio 1's Kid Jensen show. Tours of Belgium,
Holland and Germany.
1981 "Everybody Knows" single released. Trip to Los
Angeles, plus concerts in Vermont and Bermuda. Matt Clifford joins
band. Glastonbury Festival appearance on main stage.
1982 "Get Lucky" album released. Three songs including
"Catherine" published by Bruce Welch. Support act for Gerry Rafferty
and Jasper Carrott. Researched Gloucestershire poets.
1983 Four month residency in Bermuda. "Forest and
Vale and High Blue Hill" album launched at Cheltenham Festival of
Literature. Paul Burgess joins band. Tour of Ireland.
1984 Five months residency in Bermuda. Moved from
Cheltenham to Oxford. Glastonbury Festival.
1985 "Line of Blue" album released on own label Red
Sky Records. Tour of Hong Kong and China. Trevor Foster joins band.
1986 Own BBC TV programme "Song of Gloucestershire"
shown nationally. Trowbridge Folk Festival (with Phil and Matt). Decameron
reunion for Cheltenham Greenpeace Ball.
1987 "English Morning" album released. Met future
wife Gillian at Gloucester Docks Folk Day. Malvern, Warwick and Broadstairs
Festivals. Gareth Sampson joins band. Tour of Italy with Phil Beer.
1988 Moved back to Gloucestershire in January. 2nd
Italian tour with Phil. Tour of Scotland. Began Laurie Lee project.
1989 "Edge of Day" album (with Laurie Lee) released
following a BBC Radio 4 "Kaleidoscope" Special. Guernsey and Cardiff
Festivals. Decameron reunion for Trowbridge Festival, Redruth, and
Cheltenham concerts. "A Cotswold Christmas" for Radio 4. Gareth Sampson
joins band.
1990 Married Gillian on 2nd June. "Songs on Lonely
Roads" theatre performances and album with David Goodland released
for Ivor Gurney Centenary. "Stars in a Dark Night" programme for Channel
4. "Festival" with Bill Oddie for BBC 1. "Edge of Day" tour dates
and at Edinburgh Festival. "West Country Christmas" album release
and tour dates.
1991 Publication of first book, "Forest and Vale
and High Blue Hill". BBC Radio 2 programmes and radio 4 "Poetry Please"
for Christmas and New Year with Paul Burgess and David Goodland. John
Broomhall joins band. Salisbury Festival.
1992 Filmed "Between Two Rivers" for HTV. Wrote music
for and performed in Festival Players production of "Merry Wives of
Windsor". "West Country" Christmas tour.
1993 "Force of the River" album launched with UK
promotional tour. 2nd book "Between the Severn and the Wye" published.
1994 "The Gloucestershire Collection" (Forest and
Vale/English Morning) released on CD. Devizes Festival. "Between the
Severn and the Wye" event at Three Choirs Fringe. Wrote music for
"Much Ado About Nothing".
1995 Own programme as part of "Music Writers on TV"
series for HTV. "Severn Meadows" programme at Three Choirs Festival.
Wrote music for "The Winter's Tale". "A Country Christmas" album launched
with national tour dates.
1996 25th Anniversary Concert and Decameron Reunion.
Wrote music for "The Merchant of Venice". "A Country Christmas" book
published and UK Christmas tour dates.
1997 Awarded an Honorary Fellowship of Cheltenham
and Gloucester College of Higher Education (now University of Gloucestershire)
in recognition of "his outstanding contribution to the cultural life
of the county". Performed at Swaledale Festival in Yorkshire. Premiered
the "From Cotswold Edge" show with Martin Fry and Paul Burgess at
the annual Royal Photographic Society Conference in Cheltenham. Wrote
music for Festival Players UK summer tour of "As You Like It" starring
Kate Winslet's sister Anna as Rosalind. Released album of "The Shakespeare
Songs" on tape, songs from six comedies written specially by Johnny
for the Festival Players tours. UK Tour of "A Country Christmas" show.
1998 son Ross Anthony John born 2nd November to wife
Gillian. Performed "Edge Of Day" tribute to Laurie Lee at various
venus including Swaledale Festival. Appeared at Leonard Stanley Festival
and Newent Onion Fair! Johnny's setting of Frank Mansell's "Cotswold
Lad" (from Forest and Vale album) mentioned in Jack Russell's autobiography
as one of his favourite songs. Performed two "A Slice Of Apple" shows
for Bulmers and Dunketon's Cider in Herefordshire. Wrote music for
Festival Players UK summer tour of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". UK
Tour of "A Country Christmas" show.
1999 Uk Spring tour of "Edge Of Day" tribute to Laurie
Lee including Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, New Vic Studio in
Bristol and the Guildhall in Derby. Festivals include Girvan Folk
Festival in Scotland and the Cheltenham Cricket Festival in special
benefit concert for Gloucestershire cricket captain Mark Alleyne.
Website Launched.
2000 Double compilation album "A Journey" released.
2001 Decameron live album "Afterwords" recorded and
released. Wife Gillian dies from ovarian cancer 14th July. 30th Anniversary
concert in memory of Gillian - with Decameron 28th Sept Cheltenham
Town Hall. A Celebration in memory of Gillian 16th October - Stroud
Subscription Rooms. A few Christmas dates.
2002 Wrote music for Romeo and Juliet/ Festival Players
summer tour. Songwriting workshop for Bristol community project. Article
in Cotswold Life magazine. A Country Christmas UK Tour.
2003 Filmed for ITV's "Heart of the Country " - broadcast
on 3rd July ITV Central.. Wrote and directed music for Comedy of Errors/
Festival Players summer tour. A Country Christmas Tour in December
- recorded Keep the Flame EP
2004 Released Keep the Flame EP. Wrote and directed
music for Twelfth Night Festival Players summer tour..... Force of
the River CD remastered and reissued. The Glorious Glosters album
on CD for first time in June .... plus two major DECAMERON reissues-
Say Hello to the Band...and Parabola Road anthology
out in summer. 35th Anniversary concert Sat 2nd October- Cheltenham
Town hall. .....Articles in November issue of Cotswold Life and 11
Dec Glos Citizen 'Seven' magazine................ Keep the Flame Christmas
Tour 2nd to 22nd December.
2005 Recorded and released "The Winding Stair"
CD - in April to good reviews and airplay on Bob Harris and Mike
Harding on BBC Radio 2....... Toured with singer/songwriter Mike Silver
Spring 2005 and Festival appearances at Chippenham, Saul, Priddy,
Trowbridge, and Budleigh Salterton...........Wrote and directed music
for Festival Players summer tour of Midsummer Night's Dream........Two
acoustic DECAMERON concerts at Cambridge and Birmingham clubs in September......
Article in issue 64 of Living Tradition magazine www.folkmusic.net...........
Johnny's Folk Roots Show on BBC Radio Glos. goes onstream and "listen
again:" www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire................ Keep the Flame"
Christmas Tour 3rd to 17th December.
2006 Toured with singer/songwriter Mike Silver. Spring
2006........Wrote and directed music for Festival Players summer tour
of Hamlet.......Festival appearances at Wimborne and Bromsgrove .......major
DECAMERON reunion concert at Cheltenham Town Hall in October. Tour
of Holland and Belgium in October with Mike Silver. Johnny's Folk
Roots Show on BBC Radio Glos. goes onstream and "listen again:" www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire.-
programme in Top 10 of BBC national chart of listen again local progarmmes............
Keep the Flame" Christmas Tour in December.
2007 Coppin/Silver and solo dates Spring - plus Festival
appearances at The Wirral, Devizes, Show of Hands Day at Abbotsbury
in Dorset. Played at Edward Thomas Fellowship Centenary event April
at Petersfield, and launch of Cotswold Way at Stanway in May. Wrote
and directed music for Festival Players summer tour of As You Like
It. (May to end August) Recorded and released "Breaking the Silence"
CD with fellow singer/songwriter Mike Silver- summer 2007 October
Tour of New Zealand - Devonport nr Auckland, Upper Hutt nr
Wellington, Christchurh, Takaka, Nelson, Greymouth, Cardrona Festival,
and Dunedin Dec Tour - "All on a Winter's Night" with Paul
Burgess and Mick Dolan. With nearly 9,000 listening again each week,
Johnny's "Folk Roots" programme on BBC Radio Glos. was the
4th most listened to BBC local radio programme online in December!!-
2008 "The Winding Stair" album was selected as one of best albums of 2007 by Len Holton for his 9th Jan Radio programme From Albion And Beyond...on KUAR FM89 Little Rock, AR 72205, USA . With Mick Dolan, co-produced new solo album for Mike Silver-"How Many Rivers". In Feb played A Memorial concert for Alan Briars at Trowbridge Arc THeatre (with Mike Silver, Fred Wedlock, Kevin Brown, etc.).... In Feb, listeners to Mike Harding on BBC Radio 2 voted for Johnny's version of "Joseph Baker" (by Pete Coe) to be played on the programme. It was recorded at Sidmouth in 1976!- and up against live recordings by Martin Simpson, Pete Seeger, Ani de Franco, etc.
In March/April /May/June/July several dates with Mike Silver, some with Paul, and some solo. Wrote music for "Much Ado About Nothing" for The Festival Players summer tour. Folk Festivals included Holmfirth, Wimborne, and Priddy - plus the 19th Charity concert for MS at Wantage. Autumn concerts included a rare reunion gig with Phil Beer (Show of Hands) at Nettlebed Village Club. Christmas Tour with " All on a Winter's Night" plus guest at BBC Radio Gloucestershire Christmas concert at Gloucester Cathedral.
2009 various concerts throughout the UK plus 2 songwriting workshops in Herefordshire. Tour of Scotland with Mike Silver- March/April. Music for "Merchant of Venice" for The Festival Players summer tour. Festivals included Banbury, and Sherston Arts Festival. First concert with Karen Tweed. Christmas Tour of "All on a Winter's Night" including Karen Tweed (ex Poozies) as special guest at Cheltenham and Stroud concerts
2010 produced charity album for singer/songwriter Nigel Waite. Several concerts with Mike Silver April/May/June. Celebration of FW Harvey and Ivor Gurney at Minsterworth on 26 March. Festivals include Leek Arts (with Mike Silver) , Hartpury Perry Festival (with Karen Tweed), Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester (with Aussie s/s Peter Combe, and Paul Burgess), Malmesbury Carnival, and Coleford Festival of Words. Tutor for Songwriting Week in France 22- 26 August. Autumn concerts included a rare reunion gig with Phil Beer (Show of Hands) at Nettlebed Village Club
2011
January - a launch concert for Nigel Waite's Once in a While CD in Bournemouth - together with Martyn Wyndham Read and Iris Bishop, Tinderbox, Stan Graham, Les Wild and others. £650 was raised for the charity SeeAbility. Johnny produced this album with Mick Dolan
February - performed at Cheltenham Folk Festival with Karen Tweed and Paul Burgess
Spring - lots of concerts - solo,and with Mike Silver, and also with Paul Burgess.
June tutor at Songwriting Weekend in Herefordshire.
Festivals included Folk on the Pier at Cromer, Carnglaze Cavern in Cornwall, Brownshill Music Festival in Glos., and St Ives September Festival
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players production of "The Taming of The Shrew" which toured the UK during summer of 2011
September performed in High Sheriff's "Gloucestershire Performs" concert at Gloucester Cathedral - 2 songs with Paul Burgess -
Also tutor at Performance Workshop at The Crown in Minchinhampton, nr Stroud
October - "The Book Show" on Sky Arts TV asked Johnny to sing his "Dublin bookshop song" The Winding Stair - with Paul Burgess for a recording of "The Book Show" with Mariella Frostrup, at the Cheltenham Festival of Literature - the show was broadcast on Thursday 3rd November at 8pm on Sky Arts 1 HD
November - tutor at Songwriting Weekend in Herefordshire
A new mix of my Keep the Flame song was released as a download single end of November
All on A Winter's Night tour.
2012
February - tutor at Songwriting Weekend in Herefordshire
March/April -"The Show Goes On" tour dates - with Mike Silver
Concerts plus Bromsgrove Folk Festival, and The Village Pump Folk Festival.
On 23rd May Johnny sang "Song of Gloucestershire" with local youth choirs at an Olympic Torch concert at Cheltenham Racecourse,
also in May sang at Cotswold Schools Olympic event in Stroud.
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players production of "Twelfth Night" which toured the UK during summer of 2012 .
Was commissioned to write a song for The Sing Thing- a Choir Day at Thornbury, S Glos. 15 September.
September - played at The Didmarton Bluegrass Festival, and a charity concert for Acorns Children's Hospice at Stroud Subscription Rooms.
October - tutor of a workshop in Oxfordshire on "Song arrangement and accompaniment for the singer/guitarist - using standard and DADGAD tuning"
Oct/Nov - concerts with Mike Silver and solo
December - new download single release of 'Keep the Flame' song by Mary-Jess
December - All on A Winter's Night UK tour dates
2013
Acoustic Music programme moves to Saturday at 5.30pm on BBC Radio Gloucestershire
Was commissioned to write a song for the 2013 Cheltenham Music Festival
January - Performed at 1st Bradford Roots Festival in Bradford on Avon.
A Charity concert "Shine Silently- a concert for Shirley" at Chapel Arts in Bath
Spring concerts - with Mike Silver and solo
April - tutor at Songwriting Weekend in Gloucestershire
Performed 2 reunion concerts with Phil Beer (Show of Hands) in Oxon and Devon
May - Radio Times- feature "Face Behind The Voice"
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players tours of both Romeo and Juliet + Midsummer Night's Dream
June - Folk for MS charity concert in Oxfordshire
July - First performance of "There Was Such Beauty" song at Cheltenham Music Festival - as part of newly commissioned suite of Glos. songs - Tewkesbury Abbey.
also Brownshill Music Festival nr Stroud
September - played at Llanwddyn Day of Folk, Folk 21 South-West conference and made Patron of Stroud Folk Festival.
Sept/Oct recorded a new album plus appearances at Banbury Folk Festival and other concerts with Mike Silver
All on A Winter's Night - December tour
2014
January - Bradford Roots Festival in Wiltshire, plus Budleigh Salterton concert with Mike Silver
Spring - release of new album Borderland - (Album of the Week on BBC Radio nan Gaidheal, the Caithream Ciuil show in Scotland)
plus UK Tour dates at Warwick, Cramlington, Dartford, Thornbury, Trowbridge, and launch concert at Nailsworth Town Hall with Paul Burgess, Mick Dolan and John Neilson.
May - Tutor at a Songwriting Weekend in Sussex.
June - concerts with Mike Silver at Chipping Norton Theatre (5th), and Leek Festival with Paul Burgess and The Phoenix Singers (7th)
BBC Radio 2 Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe Wed 18th June - a live session with Paul Burgess - played Joseph Baker, Dream of England, and When The Morning's Here
'Edge of Day - a tribute to Laurie Lee' (with David Goodland and Paul Burgess) as part of The Laurie Lee Centenary Celebrations - at Stroud Sub Rooms on 28 June and Cheltenham Bacon Theatre on 23rd October
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour productions of both The Comedy of Errors and Macbeth
Summer concerts at Bradford on Avon, Brownshill Music Festival, Bath Folk Festival, Swanage Festival with Mike Silver, Northleach, Wotton under Edge.
Mick Dolan passed away in Turkey on 2nd August
Autumn concerts at Alveston nr. Bristol, Exeter, St Neot's, Forest of Dean.
One of many singers involved in The Armistice Pals Project - with band Merry Hell - charity single and local folk club evenings.
All on a Winter's Night Tour dates at Swindon, Chatsworth, Bromsgrove, Havant, and Trowbridge, Stroud*, Cheltenham,* (* with special guest Geoff March and images by Martin Fry)
2015
Spring concerts at Hitchin with Mike Silver, Chedworth Village Hall, Highworth,
Bath, and Charity concert at Tetbury Goods Shed.
Tutor at a Songwriting Weekend in Stroud in May
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour production of As You Like It.
Summer concerts in Chester, Stroud, Chippenham Folk Festival, Miserden, Runcorn, Guiting Festival with Mike Silver.
Memorial Concert for Mick Dolan - 18th Sept at Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham - 30 min set with my full band including Phil Beer - also appearing Steve
Gibbons, Steve Ashley, Keith Donnelly, John Richards, Phil Capaldi, Kate Gee, Red Shoes, Patsy Gamble, NIgel Mazlyn Jones, etc. the concert raised over £3,500 for Help Musicians UK and Macmillan Cancer Support
The Gloucestershire county cricket team sang the chorus of my song
The Glorious Glosters'after their magnificent one-day win at Lords. They also made history by singing it to the supporters when they did a lap of honour.
Autumn tour dates with Mike Silver at Upwood nr. Huntingdon, Red Lion in Birmingham, and Poynton. With Paul Burgess at Dymock, and solo at Weymouth, Lingfield, and Lechlade.
Line of Blue album re-released on CD.
All on a Winter's Night Tour dates with Paul Burgess and Dik Cadbury at Torrington, Harlington, Bradford on Avon, Lichfield, Stroud Sub Rooms*, and Cheltenham Bacon Theatre* (* with special guests Karen Tweed and Geoff March plus images by Martin Fry)
2016
Spring concerts: Reading, Churchdown Community Centre (with Paul Burgess), Rainford, Cramlington, Evesham Arts Centre, and Guernsey (with Mike Silver).
18-22 April I was one of the guest tutors at La Jeusseliniere - The Reunion at Halsway Manor, nr Crowcombe Somerset Hosted by Martyn & Danni Wyndham-Read.
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour production of Hamlet
Summer concerts at Bristol (Saltcellar Folk Club), Winchcombe Festival, Wimborne Folk Festival (with Mike Silver). Chepstow Festival (with Paul Burgess), Cheltenham Music Festival Free stage (with Paul Burgess)
"My Life in Music and Poetry", a talk with CDs and live music. St George's Church, King's Stanley, Glos.
Autumn concerts:
Solo at Shrewsbury (10/9) Lingfield (14/10), and Aberystwyth (19/10)
With Mike Silver at Ascott under Wychwood (3/9), Tettenhall (24/9), and Folk on the Moor near Plymouth (20/11)
With Paul Burgess at The Convent, South Woodchester nr. Stroud (7/10), and Kings School, Gloucester (4/11)
With Phil Beer at Nettlebed Folk Club (26 Sept)
All on a Winter's Night album released 1st December
All on a Winter's Night Tour dates with Paul Burgess and Dik Cadbury at Faringdon, Bridgwater, Havant, Biddulph, Belper, Nailsea, Stroud*, and Cheltenham Bacon Theatre* (* with special guest Geoff March and images by Martin Fry)
2017
Stroud Wassail 14th January with premiere of my song The Five Valleys Wassail
50th Anniversary of Hitchin Folk Club - with Mike Silver on 22 Jan.
Tutor at a Songwriting Weekend in Sussex in March.
April /May concerts at Kitchen Garden Café, Birmingham, Folk on The Pier Festival in Cromer (with Mike Silver), and Poynton.
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour production of The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Summer concerts: Nature in Art at Twigworth (with Paul Burgess), Gloucester Music Festival (with Paul Burgess),
Boscastle Village Hall, and Highworth - both with Mike Silver
"My Life in Music and Poetry", a talk with CDs and live music for Cirencester Music Society 28th June
Autumn concerts: Oswestry, Lingfield, Oakridge Village Hall, Dartford Folk Club
9-13 Oct I was one of the guest tutors at La Jeusseliniere - The Reunion at Halsway Manor, nr Crowcombe Somerset Hosted by Martyn & Danni Wyndham-Read.
All on a Winter's Night Tour dates with Paul Burgess and Dik Cadbury at Upwood nr Huntingdon, Corsham, Wotton under Edge, Harlington, Stroud Sub Rooms*, Cheltenham Bacon Theatre* ( *with images by Martin Fry).
2018
Spring concerts at Cheltenham Everyman Theatre, Bolton,
with Mike Silver at Hitchin and Birmingham, and Charity Concert in aid of Youth At Heart with Paul Burgess.
Tutor at a Songwriting Weekend at Stroud in May
Summer concerts with Paul Burgess at Minsterworth, Stroud, plus solo at Rockhampton Festival, Wordfest at Lady Chapel, Gloucester Cathedral, Bath Folk Festival, and Shrewsbury Folk Festival with Phil Beer 26th August.
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour production of The Winter's Tale.
Dame Judi Dench accepted an invitation to become a Patron of The Festival Players
My Acoustic Radio show now on BBC radio across the West - Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire every Sunday at midnight.
Autumn concerts at Runcorn, Minchinhampton Church with Paul Burgess.
"By Severn and Somme" a commemoration of the Centenary of end of WW1 at Gloucester Cathedral on 9th Nov with Paul Burgess and images by Martin Fry.
30 Songs 2 CD compilation released
All on a Winter's Night Tour dates with Paul Burgess and Dik Cadbury at Pimperne in Dorset, Tedburn St Mary, Ascott under Wychwood, Bristol Folk House, Folk on the Moor in Devon, Stroud* and Cheltenham* (* with special guest Geoff March and images by Martin Fry)
2019
Stroud Wassail with Paul Burgess 12th January
Spring concerts at Trowbridge, and with Mike Silver at Highworth in Wiltshire, and Hitchin
Tutor at a Songwriting Weekend at Stroud in May
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour production of Much Ado About Nothing
Summer - Bromsgrove Folk Festival with Mike Silver; Gloucester Music Festival, and Hartpury Village Hall both with Paul Burgess
Autumn - Nettlebed Village Club with Phil Beer 16th Sept,
"30 Songs" concert at 27th Sept at Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham with full band -
Paul Burgess, Dik Cadbury, John Broomhall, Mick Candler, and Gareth Sampson - performed songs from 4 decades and many I hadn't sung for years!
Solo at Brockweir in Forest of Dean 19th Oct.
All on a Winter's Night Tour dates with Paul Burgess and Dik Cadbury at Tedburn St Mary, Lechlade, Tetbury, Havant, Stroud*, and Cheltenham*
(* with special guests Geoff March on cello, Mick Candler on drums, Gareth Sampson on bass, and images by Martin Fry)
2020
Stroud Wassail with Paul Burgess 11th January
Spring concerts: UTEA at Wotton under Edge with Paul Burgess and John Broomhall 29th Feb
Two solo concerts at Cheltenham Everyman Theatre Studio 4th and 5th March
Last concerts before lockdown.
All remaining 2020 concerts and Songwriting Weekend cancelled
22nd March was my last BBC Acoustic Radio show - but from July onwards I chose and introduced my Acoustic Track of the Week on The Late Show with Chris Baxter on BBC radio across the West - Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire every Monday 10pm-1am
Commission to write a song for new Training Centre at Berkeley - from Glos. Police and Crime Commissioner (Song for The Severn)
Songwriting at home.
Edited Midwinter - Live in concert album of Cheltenham concert December 2019 at ffg studio with David Pickering Pick - released in November
The Five Valleys Wassail and Keep The Flame on youtube with images by Martin Fry
Stream of Sound choir sang five of my songs in their online
Christmas concert
2021
Songwriting at home
I was one of the judges in a new songwriting competition for the over 50's called Talent is Timeless - along with many others that included Chris Difford, Elles Bailey, Phil Beer, Ian Matthews (Kasabian), and Alex Gibson.
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour production of Henry V.
May to September - recorded a new album at ffg studio with David Pickering Pick.
Autumn concerts at Poynton, and with Paul Burgess at Chapel Arts in Cheltenham, and Minsterworth Village Hall.
All on a Winter's Night Tour dates with Paul Burgess and Dik Cadbury at Tedburn St Mary, Lowdham in Notts, Tetbury, Ascott under Wychwood, St Neots, Cheltenham*, and Stroud* (* with special guests Geoff March on cello, Mick Candler on drums, Gareth Sampson on bass, and images by Martin Fry)
2022
Concerts at Minchinhampton, Derby, Ivybridge, Exeter.
River of Dreams albums released - with launch concert at The Bacon Theatre in Cheltenham.
I was one of the judges in the songwriting competition for the over 50's called Talent is Timeless - along with many others that included Chris Difford, Elles Bailey, and Phil Beer.
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Summer concerts at Malmesbury, Swindon, Kingswinford, Cheltenham and the White Horse Folk Festival.
Autumn concerts at Pershore, Wotton-under-Edge, Kempley, and two nights at
The Everyman Studio Theatre in Cheltenham.
All on a Winter's Night - 25th Anniversary Tour dates with Paul Burgess and Dik Cadbury at Corsham, Havant, Tetbury, Nailsea, plus Cheltenham* and Stroud* (* with additional special guests Geoff March on cello, Mick Candler on drums, Duncan Kingston on bass, and images by Martin Fry)
2023
Spring concerts in Whitminster, Harthill near Sheffield, Minsterworth, Dartford, and a "From Cotswold Edge" concert on 29th April at Lansdown Hall in Stroud with Geoff March and images by Martin Fry.
Tutored a Songwriting Weekend 1st/2nd April at the Richard Jeffries Museum
In Swindon.
I was one of the judges in the songwriting competition for the over 50's called Talent is Timeless - along with many others that included Boo Hewerdine, and Elles Bailey.
Wrote and directed music for The Festival Players summer tour production of Twelfth Night.
Summer concerts in the Forest of Dean, Newport in South Wales, and Minchinhampton.
On 10th June there was a special concert in Leek with The Phoenix Singers -
Directed by Ashley Thompson. Apart from our separate sets, together we sang nine of my songs - the first six for the very first time:
Come Live With Me And Be My Love, Hymen's Hymn (from As You Like It)
There Was Such Beauty (words: Ivor Gurney), Song of the Severn, This Night The Stars, What Is Time? (words: Longfellow/Gibran/Corelli) a Millennium song I was commissioned to write for the choir, plus When The Morning's Here,
The Holy Brook, and Innocents' Song.
