Heard this awful news yesterday afternoon from a number of friends in the North East and I was seriously shocked as, like a few other exiled Geordies, I wasn't aware that he was ill. I got to know Mike around 1967 when he was still a serious folkie very influenced by Ewan MacColl and Dominic Behan who were regular guests at The George and Dragon folk club in Sunderland which he used to help run. Not long after that we were to see more of the comedic side of Mike both as a solo performer and with Ed Pickford and Nick Fenwick in The Northern Front which became his forte from then on. Once that Folk Roots began referring to him as "the loathsome Mike Elliott" I knew he must be doing something right. I will always remember him not only as a great performer but as equally great company whether discussing music, politics or football even if he was a Makem! RIP Mike.