Derby Folk Festival 2019

Andy Irvine is one of the great Irish singers, his voice one of a handful of truly great ones that gets to the very soul of Ireland. He has been hailed as “a tradition in himself.” Musician, singer and songwriter, Andy has maintained his highly individual performing skills throughout his over 50-year career. From Sweeney’s Men in […]

We’ve seen Barry perform as a member of the sensational acapella trio Coope Boyes Simpson; in a duo with our patron John Tams; and more recently with Narthen. His voice is instantly recognisable, and always fabulous to hear. This year, we’re very pleased that Barry is coming to join us, and introduce Kongero’s Old Bell […]

He’s been with us quite a numbers of times, and never fails to impress, and entertain whether on stage, or off! Bob is so well known, and so well loved, that he probably needs very little introduction. His career has spanned over forty years, and all began in 1975… After spending 5 years as a floor singer […]

It takes a special blend of musical flair to create memorable songs of yesteryear! Songs with a hint of contemporary—dosed with uncontrolled laughter, deep-rooted couplets and sudden, impromptu shifts—that speak to familiar rhythms of the past. Welcome to the original musical stylings of De Temps Antan! Éric Beaudry, David Boulanger and Pierre-Luc Dupuis have been […]

Folk 3D create exciting and innovative Folk Arts programmes with schools and communities. They work with people of all ages and abilities across the UK to connect with local and national culture. Folk 3D is an artists’ collaborative with skills in dance, music, song, drama, visual arts and crafts, early years, community development, family learning, […]

Furthest From The Sea is an Arts Business run by passionate and dedicated artists committed to a ‘hands on’ approach to creativity. Based in Derbyshire, but operating around the country, they believe in the power of art to rejuvenate towns and cities, to bring people together and to celebrate and take pride in the place that […]

Fingerstyle guitar virtuoso Steve Hicks and singer songwriter Lynn Goulbourn met at a gig in 2007. With a mutual love of folk, jazz, roots and acoustic genres, their musical partnership has flourished and taken them to all corners of the UK, to Germany, France, The Netherlands and the USA. They thrive on the creative process […]

Nominated for ‘Best Traditional Track’ – BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2019 Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith are one of the finest duos to have emerged onto the British folk and acoustic scene in recent years. Their unique ability to make old songs seem relevant and new songs sound ancient has brought them widespread critical […]

Drawing on influences such as John Martyn, Roy Harper and Laura Marling, Katie Spencer creates modern progressive folk music which owes as much the songwriters of the 60’s acoustic music heyday as it does the East Riding landscape where she has always felt a strong spiritual connection. Her striking vocals and deft songwriting are backed […]

Isobel and Jim Kimberley have developed a sound which is true to the tradition and refreshingly original. They take great folk anthems and approach them with a fresh and vital ear, recalling the excitement of the folk revival icons. A pair of imaginative musicians, Isobel Kimberley possesses a startlingly authentic voice, singular guitar skills and […]

Kitty Macfarlane is a songwriter and guitarist from Somerset, whose music is rich with visual imagery and written with an eco-eye. Her trademark lies in remarkably mature songwriting, a marked empathy with the environment and a strong sense of place. Carried by a clear voice ‘controlled yet wild’ (Folk Radio), her lyrics touch on intervention […]

A concert with Kongero will take the listener on a fabulous journey, an all-embracing Scandinavian folk music experience. Amazing vocal polyphony, groovy, intimate, and powerful. The group released their 4th album ‘Kom’ in 2017 and ‘Vaerla Vaken’, a collaboration CD with the group Massivet, in late 2018. They conduct well-received workshops and masterclasses worldwide and […]

Lester Simpson – who most people will know from the wonderful Coope, Boyes and Simpson (who had their farewell concert with us last year) joins us for another of his fabulous Saturday (rather than Sunday!) Sing sessions. Lester runs 6 harmony choirs and workshops all over the UK and Europe, as well as performing as […]

Luke is a Singer-Songwriter from Canterbury, Kent, who in 2013 was nominated in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for both the Horizon Award for Best Emerging Talent and The Young Folk Category. He was also winner of Fatea’s “Male Artist of the Year 2014” and 2016 and his live album ‘Solo:Duo:Trio’ was voted 2018 […]

Moirai (pronounced ‘More-eye’) Jo Freya, Melanie Biggs and and Sarah Matthews manage to create an orchestra and a choir of sounds and yet there are still only three of them. ​Throw away your preconceptions about what constitutes folk music and open your minds to a colourful pallet of sounds and song. They will take you […]

Nick Hart is a folk singer deeply rooted in the English tradition. Raised in a family of morris dancers, Nick played instrumental music for many years before discovering his passion for traditional song. Whilst studying for an ethnomusicology degree, he began to explore the large body of recordings of traditional singers from the second half […]

Phil’s love of vintage blues, hokum, old-time, and jug band music shines through as he blows the dust off obscure old songs and gives new life to classics with his intricate picking and driving rhythms on both ukulele and 5-string banjo. His original songs blend in seamlessly, with many believing them to be old songs […]

Rachael McShane is a singer, cellist, fiddle and viola player based in the North East of England. Best known as an original member of folk big band Bellowhead, Rachael toured internationally with them as well as making several TV appearances. Bellowhead recorded 5 studio albums, and won a total of 8 BBC Folk Awards in […]

Two of the finest singers to come out of the UK folk scene in the last 15 years have joined forces to record a brand new duo album. Recorded at Kate Rusby’s legendary Pure Records studio and produced by musical maestro Damien O’Kane, the album contains a dynamic mixture of revamped traditional material and brand […]

Steve Turner is a pioneer of highly sophisticated English concertina song accompaniments; he is a multi-instrumentalist, playing mandolin and banjo and accompanies himself on the cittern. After 13 years away from the folk scene he made a welcome return in 2004, producing his 5th album, the highly acclaimed “Whirligig of Time” which featured Martin Carthy, […]

In an age where the word “folk” encompasses everything from acoustic pop to hardcore traditional music, the use of such labels to distinguish one musical experience from another has arguably been stretched farther than ever. The Urban Folk Quartet’s distinguishing features have much less to do with the traditional idea of genre. Yes, this is […]

Bringing together some of the most exciting musicians on the UK folk & roots scene, The Willows blur the boundaries between contemporary song and folk traditions on either side of the Atlantic. The band was formed in Cambridge by husband & wife (Cliff Ward & Jade Rhiannon) and Ben Savage via a chance meeting on […]

The amazing Village Folk team, are back with us, and have done it again! They’ve brought  some more fabulous artists to the festival, along with a lot of love and passion for the music and all of those involved… Village Folk are a non-profit making live music organisation specialising in the very best of Folk and […]