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Vicky Swan & Jonny Dyer
http://www.smallpiper.co.uk/
 Currently taking the world by storm, Vicki and Jonny are rightly “establishing themselves as one of the best young duos around on the folk scene today” (Famous Willows Folk Club). Although best-known for their instrumental skills with Scottish Smallpipes, accordion and even Swedish Nyckelharpa, the duo are well recognised for their songs arrangements too. With their blend of traditional material and contemporary interpretations, they have developed a sound that is both familiar and fresh. Vicki and Jonny’s strong educational background makes their workshops as powerful for a festival event as their performances.
Craig Morgan & Robson
http://www.cmr-harmony.org.uk/
 In the Autumn of 2003, three singers, rich in repertoire and musical experience, decided to combine their talents as an a-capella harmony trio. Those singers were Moira Craig, Sarah Morgan, and Carolyn Robson. Under the billing Craig; Morgan; Robson they have been captivating audiences in the UK and America, earning accolades such as "A joy to the ear" and "A harmony master-class". Their debut CD, "Peppers and Tomatoes"has been hailed as "a gem of an album" Mick Peat, BBC Radio in the Midlands
Together, Craig; Morgan; Robson bring a new dimension to the art of a-capella singing. They weave beguiling harmonies around material from the British tradition and beyond with "an effortless range and variety unheard in folk music for many years" (Folk London). Timeless songs of love and longing rub shoulders with compelling contemporary songs, and passionate, dramatic ballads take their place alongside a lilting Shetland melody or a stirring hymn from the Ozark mountains. The occasional solo song only adds to the variety of their overall performance. Here is a trio in which three distinctively different voices melt into one another to create a sound which is all their own. "True tradition bearers" (Living Tradition).
George Papavgeris
http://www.folk4all.net/
 The most prolific of creative men; the grandest of hearts and maker of songs that sear into the soul, George is unique, to say the least. His lilting accent lends a fantastic clarity to his delivery that is matched by deceptively simple guitar work. Few have written so many songs that demand your full attention and then insist, in the finest of ways, on staying with you forever. (Graham Searle)
Coracle
http://www.myspace.com/CORACLETRIO
 Coracle are a young folk trio from Somerset. They play traditional music from mainly England and the UK, As well as some of their own compositions.
The Trio consists of Jon Dyer on Flute, Alex Cumming on Piano Accordion & Bouzouki, and Hannah Cumming on Fiddle.
Gilly Kemp
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=245109927
 As a child I was always singing, much to the dismay of my family, we even had a budgie that used to say “Shut up Gill” I was introduced to folk music and my husband Tony when I was invited by a friend to a folk concert. Totally hooked, we saw many wonderful artists (before they were famous). I started to sing folk myself when we accidentally found ourselves in a sing around, we had thought we were going to a concert. And guess what not a budgie in sight. Since then I have enjoyed being able to do a few bookings and fund raising events. I enjoy folk festivals and have been lucky enough to have had bookings at Bedworth Folk Festival, Alcester, Banbury, Bideford and more. For a birthday present my husband gave me the wonderful experience of recording a CD So that I could present some of my own songs.
Hanging Johnny
http://hj.englishfolkmusic.com/
 Hanging Johnny are a group of singers based in Plymouth in Devon and East Cornwall, who specialise in presenting Shanties and Sea Songs from the great age of sail together with contemporary sea songs. They sing both with instruments and unaccompanied and positively encourage audience participation. They have performed at Maritime Festivals, Music & Arts Festivals both at home and on the mainland of Europe and in pubs, clubs and theatres in Cornwall, Devon and other regions of the United Kingdom. Many festival goers will have also seen them busking, running pub sing-arounds and performance workshops as well as in concert.
In the year 2000 they were the proud ‘runners-up’ in the prestigious ‘Stan Hugill Trophy’ which is contested by Shanty Crews from all across Europe (& sometimes further afield). Competition takes place at various European Maritime Festivals and consists of singing in concert, in addition to singing whilst working at the rigging, capstan and brake windlass, or at the pump. They have been appointed official Shanty Crew to the Dartmouth Yacht Club, as far as they know, the only yacht club in England to have its own Shanty Crew!
Hamish Currie
 "He has a superb style of presentation and a wonderful way with words that makes you hang upon every line he sings." - - St. Valentine's Folk Festival
"Accomplished showman Hamish Currie gave a lively and highly entertaining performance. He developed terrific rapport with his audience through wit, charm and cleverly chosen and superbly delivered material." - - South Lakes Music Promotions, Ulverston
Anita Foley
Anita lives in Cornwall. She came to Bude Folk festival as a paying guest last year and wowed us so much in a sing around that we invited her back as an artist this year to ensure more people got the chance to enjoy her beautiful singing. Don’t miss her!
No Fixed Abode
http://www.freewebs.com/musicnfa/biog.htm
 No Fixed Abode are fronted by Una Walsh singing in her own lilting Irish accent and Tony Dean supporting on acoustic guitar. Based in Derbyshire No Fixed Abode have traveled all across the UK over the last three years building up a solid reputation performing at festivals and acoustic clubs. Their new album Clearwater, due for release 10th April 2007 is an eclectic mix of songs ranging from the pure voice/guitar arrangement of Call Me to a full folk rock sound of School Days with emotional stops all along the way. US radio stations have already spotted the potential of the album and are regularly featuring songs from the album on their play lists.The album features a number of local musicians including Ashley Hutchins of Fairport Convention fame on bass and the violin virtuoso Patrick Walker from Sheffield. To define a musical style for No Fixed Abode is as difficult as getting a politician to give a straight answer to a question, try Joni Mitchell meeting Bruce Springsteen and having a jam after a bottle or two of wine. If you like your music to have a melody with lyrics you can hear and sung in tune then perhaps this is the best definition you are going to get.
The name No Fixed Abode stems from the fact that Una comes from Ireland and Tony comes from Manchester and they live in Derbyshire, it also reflects their musical style, eclectic.At this point it is usual to boast of achievements, all too often the build up leads to a disappointment. No Fixed Abode have an old fashioned idea not currently popular that the proof is in the listening so they have made three tracks available to listen to at www.myspace,com/musicnfa You can also see a video of them performing an acoustic version of there song Absent Friends. If you are not on the web they will send you a four track demo free! In this current climate of safe jaded music take the time to give No Fixed Abode a listen and refresh your belief in real music.
“Una’s voice soars mixing tender emotions and raw power into a heady mixture, the interplay between Una and Tony is absolutely charming” - John O’Regan Irish Music Magazine
Brian & Jaqui Ross
Jacqui and Brian have drawn on a great pool of information and their mutual interest in history and music to research and create ‘Tyrants and Traitors’. The show is performed in the style of a radio play with a live audience using the American Civil War as a backdrop that binds together the songs, personal stories, photographs and drawings of the era. ‘Tyrants and Traitors’ tells a tale that is in turn comic and tragic, yet always fascinating, entertaining and informative.
James Findlay
http://www.myspace.com/jfindlay
I mainly play and sing traditional Englishy stuff.
That’s pretty much it really.
I also play as the duo fingerz n fretz with the fiddle and guitar legend Jerry Bird, playing many songs and tunes from Dorset and Somerset and elsewhere.
Corncrow
http://www.myspace.com/corncrow
Steve Hunt and Kim Guy first got the musical measure of each other a few years back during some session or other (this is a folk-music session although drinking WAS admittedly involved - a pastime they have since largely abandoned in favour of actually playing music...)
They continued to meet at the odd session and managed to 'horse out a few tunes' (a Steve expression that Kim has yet to fathom, but has nonetheless adopted, especially in reference to making music with Steve) without alienating or nauseating the rest of the session attendees.
Steve was, in the interim, pounced upon by Dalla (Cornwall's premier trad/contemporary folk group) and co-opted as a guitarist/vocalist and spent a year devoted to honing if not horsing their tunes. Kim, in the meantime, twiddled her fingers and gathered together the folk-group Elowen, joined the folksters The Rowan Amber Mill and became a part of the unfolky music that is Incana and Gnomon's Shadow. The New Year '09 comes around, a kitchen session is mooted... coffee and tunes aplenty...and before you can say "flaming crumhorns!" a new folk-duo arrives on the scene...
Friggin’ Riggin’
Bude’s Lifeboat Crew, grand job though they do are famed for more than just rescuing those on the sea, they have managed to raise vast amounts of money playing all over the westcountry for the RNLI . Their repertoire is mainly Irish, Cornish and songs of the sea and they are a popular local act, drawing regular crowds at The Falcon Inn, where the band’s lead guitarist is also landlord.
The Crows of Cree
Mike Jurkiewicz(vocals, guitar and banjo) and Keven Taylor(vocals, guitar and mandolin) met at Bude Folk Club, and have become a popular duo locally, bound to get your toes tapping with their bluegrassy feel.
Grimspound Border Morris
Grimspound is an ancient hut circle on a western facing slope on Dartmoor, a wild and barren area of moorland in Devon, England. The atmosphere of the place has inspired this team of morris dancers to try to re-create the way things could have been for the people who lived there in terms of their rituals and their approach to life. The morris dance team was formed in 1994 from a group of ex-Cotswold-style dancers and a few friends, some of whom were also Rapper Sword dancers. Right from the outset they all set out to dance with vigour and in an uncompromising “border” style that celebrates “maleness”. They are not from the Welsh/English border area and so many of their dances are now their own, using figures and movements from that style to create something that is unique to them.
Kevin & Lucy Burrow
&
The Cavaliers Ceilidh Band
Kevin & Lucy, for their sins run Bude Folk Club, Kevin is a fine singer, who has a powerful voice, fantastic for belting out shanties and chorus songs, but he is able to temper that to sing gentler melodic songs fit to melt any maids heart. He is also a bodhran player and was once described at a session in Ireland, as the finest skin player in County Waterford. Lucy is a singer / songwriter who loves singing long sad ballads, although she does try hard not to depress the entire audience! She also plays the violin, harp and penny whistle. Kevin & Lucy sing both solo and together, and play together with Jerry Tuffley on tenor banjo and octave mandola and Gordon Burrow (Kevin’s Dad – a spring chicken at 78) on melodeon in The Cavaliers Ceilidh Band, with Kevin’s Mum Valerie as caller.
Moe Keast
Moe is a true tradition Bearer, from Bodmin, Cornwall, from a family steeped in the traditions of Cornish Life. Moe sings songs in both Cornish and English and tells tall (or perhaps that should be short!) stories, with an engaging twinkle in her eye fit to capture anyone’s imagination. Moe is proud to have been made a bard of the Gorsedd of Cornwall and has represented Cornwall at various Pan Celtic festivals and competitions with great success.
Barbara Griggs
Barbara is a Bude Folk regular and has recently teamed up with Mike O’Connor, creating some wonderful sounds on Harp and violin. Her playing is sensitive and intuitive and if you aren’t spellbound by the music, you’ll be enchanted by her shy smile.
Mike O’Connor
http://www.lyngham.co.uk/mike_oconnor.html
 Soloist: Mike is a prizewinning competition fiddle player, with a stimulating style & refreshing lightness of touch. His tunes are in print in 'Piran's Welcome'
Accompanist: Over the years Mike has gained an enviable reputation as a sensitive and responsive accompanist for Sarah Morgan, Johnny Collins, the Dunns, Jake Walton, Anne Lister & Martyn Wyndham-Read
Stories: Mike tells spell-binding stories, many with fiddle accompaniment for both adult & schools audiences. He is one of the few in the land capable of delivering epic tales and sagas.
Songs: Mike's vivid songs are recorded & sung by artists such as Martyn Wyndham-Read, Johnny Collins, Kathy Wallis, Mike Nicholson, Sarah Morgan and many more. Mike produced and directed the iconic folk operas 'The Cry of Tin' & 'Unsung Heroes'
Workshops: Mike gives workshops at festivals, & in schools & community groups.
Research: Mike is the leading researcher of Cornish instrumental music.
Andrew McKay & Carole Etherton
Carole Etherton &
Andrew McKay
http://www.cranedrivinmusic.com/
 Andrew McKay and Carole Etherton are singers and musicians, currently living near Swansea in South Wales, UK. Andrew is also making a name for himself as a songwriter, drawing inspiration from historical tales of Swansea, its industry and maritime traditions. Increasingly, his songs (new songs of old times) are being taken up and recorded by other singers. They sing mainly traditional-style songs either with or without concertina accompaniment. Also recently-composed songs, which sound like they're traditional, some of which they write themselves. They also sing a selection of Music hall songs
Jon Heslop
 JON is one of folk music's leading songwriters, producing works of quality and craftsmanship. Not only is he a writer of some considerable skill, often controversial and always hard hitting, but his songs reflect his humanity and compassion in words of powerful beauty set to deceptively easy to listen to tunes, firmly rooted in the traditions of the British Isles.
Hilary Ward
 Having relatively recently ‘discovered’ folk singing in 1997, Hilary (Hils to her friends) spends much of her spare time on the fringe at folk festivals and supporting local clubs, intent on encouraging others, listening and collecting songs. A welcome visitor to Bude last year, we are delighted to again have her swelling the ranks here in 2008. As organiser of ‘MudGathers’ at various Folk Festivals, she is known as ‘my guru always said’ on the worldwide music discussion forum: www.mudcat.org. Hilary’s love of stories shows through in her collection of unusual ballads and traditional songs, which she normally sings unaccompanied. Her wide repertoire also includes many songs from contemporary artists with subjects ranging from the sad to the hilarious. Share the songs and be ready to laugh or shed a tear. Bring some tissues anyway, just in case…..
George Wilson
Known around the Portsmouth and Southampton areas since the heady days of leaving the Navy after 24 years (he joined at 15), George has become a familiar figure as Concert MC and performer at Fareham and Gosport, Winchester and Broadstairs Folk Festivals. With a steady succession of gigs to his credit, both solo and in duos like Blo Na Gale (with Keith Holloway) and the Phatt B’Stards (with Geoff Higginbottom), George Wilson is a highly entertaining and talented singer/guitarist. Welcome back after missing last year, we look forward to more of ‘Stopper’ Wilson’s inimitable talent in 2009.
Roger Bryant
Roger is a member of Rum n Shrub Shantymen. He is one of the finest songwriters in Cornwall and his song Cornish Lads has become something of an anthem in these parts. He is also an articulate MC, with sparkling wit and twinkling eye, a real Class performer.
Shake a Leg
 Shake a Leg are eight of North Devon’s best singers who all share a love of songs-of-the-sea coupled with their love of entertaining. Shake a Leg are a refreshing change from other similar groups by being four men and four women with the women’s voices equalling the men’s.
All of them solo performers in their own right their strong lead voices set against lovely harmonies and unusual arrangements led a member of the audience at Falmouth Shanty Festival to say, “You are different from the other groups, you make the hairs on the back of my neck stand-up." Although shanties and work-songs form a strong part of their repertoire entertainment and variety are at the heart of a Shake a Leg concert with maritime songs and stories, humour and harmony, contemporary and musical-hall songs rubbing alongside the more traditional material.
Formed in 2007 to bring together, from across the West Country, these eight great singers, this concert is a rare chance to hear them in Bideford and to have an enjoyable evening’s entertainment in great surroundings enjoying lovely locally brewed beers and ciders, while contributing to Bideford mayor’s chosen Charities.
If you fancy some of that, and want to know where their name comes from - you will just have to hear them to find out!
Kerensa Wright
Kerensa is well known in Cornwall for her fine hammer dulcimer playing. She will be running a dulcimer workshop during the festival, so if you ever wanted to have a go, here’s your chance!
Peter Collins
 To hear a good song well sung by a singer whose persona is suited not only to the subject of the song, but also to the quintessential mood it is intended to induce, is a joy worth waiting for. And wait one has to, to meet, or come anywhere near meeting all those qualities wrapped up in one harmonious bundle.
It is a rare experience and we who travel the folk scene, all too often have had to suffer weedy youths pip-squeaking about brawny-armed blacksmiths; demure damsels honey-toning about a gory battle at sea; and even some poor, old near-nonagenarian quavering on about the love he left behind him "down by the banks of the sweet prim-i-roses". It must have been an unconscionable time ago.
In fifty odd years of folk experience the most outstanding instance I have met of a singer meeting all these demands, is Peter Collins. To hear him render (the word "sing" is not powerful enough) the unforgettable drinking song, "Old Peculier",* is to hear the reverberating echoes of drinkers down the years, rising up from the vaulted depths of the beer cellars of the earth itself. His huge frame, his generous beard, the depth, warmth and true tonal quality of his voice and the knowing twinkle in his eye all express the attitude of a man devoted to the ancient cause of beer-drinking and all it stands for.
Peter sings songs on other themes, of course, but always with that unshakable note of conviction that he knows what he is singing about and believes it to be true. A compelling performer if ever there was one.
Bob Copper, 2003.
*or any other drinking song.
Tony Truscott
Tony is another talented singer songwriter and musician. His autoharp playing is second to none and his song writing turn of phrase is clever, witty and observant - delivered always with a sense of humour and a twinkle in his eye. We are looking forward to more of Tony’s gems this year. You won’t be disappointed, I promise!
Mary McKay
Mary is a fine guitarist, with a wonderful voice, another regular at Bude Folk Club. you will see why Bude Folk is getting such a great reputation when you hear her beautiful voice.
West Country Concertina Players
WCCP is a club that aims to promote interest in all types of concertina playing and music, to provide tuition for beginners and facilities for players to meet regularly in the West Country. The Society has been running successful concertina workshops and meetings since 1983. We now have members from all parts of the UK and the World who enhance the club with the wide variety of music that they play.
We also have an historical technical interest in concertinas thus with our members and their knowledge can answer most questions to do with the history and manufacture of Wheatstone and Lachenal instruments.
In addition to the bi-monthly meetings at Ruishton, WCCP runs two residential weekends each year at Kilve Court, which feature tuition for beginners, improvers and advanced players. These weekends feature, beside the workshops a lively social scene of dance, concerts and bar sessions. WCCP also runs workshops at the Sidmouth and Weymouth Folk Festivals. Constructive workshops are the key to all events and all abilities are welcome, especially absolute beginners.
Anne Lister
Anne is a very talented singer-songwriter, storyteller and workshop leader. She is entertaining and informative, blending traditional and contemporary references, laced with a liberal dose of humour and a close rapport with the audience, making Anne a not-to-be-missed performer. We just couldn’t contemplate Bude Folk Festival without her!
Dave and Annie Reader
Dave Reader, formerly of the Laners and Ann Mathews formerly of Priory Hard (Southampton), met at the Banbury festival in October 2001. Both singer song writers on their own accounts they have now joined together as a duo and song writing team.
Delighting in the fact that their voices and songwriting abilities blend as well as their romantic inclinations! Their set will be largely self penned songs covering a wide range of style's . The fact that they are both accomplished harmony singers adds interest to their arrangements. They sing unaccompanied and with guitars. Dave also plays the Mandola and mandolin and Ann the fiddle.
Herbaceous Border
Herbaceous Border is a travelling border morris side which invites everyone to join in, either as dancers or as musicians. They appear at various folk festivals, but their biggest presence is at Sidmouth Folk Week.
Carnkie Cloggers
Formed in 1979, the Carnkie Cloggers practise at the village hall in Carnkie, near Redruth. Our dances are a mixture of North West Morris and step-clogging. Throughout the summer we can be seen out & about in mid/west Cornwall on most Tuesday evenings and some weekends...
Whilst we take our dancing seriously our aim is to enjoy ourselves. From time to time we get up to some rather interesting capers! (Doris Dancing being one of them.) However we like nothing better than a traditional Cornish cream tea after a hard dance session.
Jumble Box
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