Hmm. Cost is always relative. Here are some thoughts.



Pint and Dale (might be expensive, some trad, some US, some own stuff, lovely sound with Hurdy Gurdy and make him bring his mandolin - oh, and his Goodall is the best guitar I have ever played)

Jon Loomes (lovely Nic Jones/Carthyesque guitar, and also plays hurdy gurdy and almost anything else that will play a tune I hate people like that, and almost entirely English traditional arranged with verve)

I see MGAS has put in her bid above. I suggest you accept.

If you can pry her loose from the bowels of Kent, possibly the best (other than fully-pro) female renderer of unaccompanied English song, Marian Button - former winner of the Nats - get her NOW as (sorry Marian, I know I am not a gentleman) she gets no younger. A voice you will never forget. Also you will not forget the death toll and you may not smile or laugh until a year and a day have passed - many great tragedies in her repertoire.

Ingrid and Barrie Temple. Probably need no introduction.

Dame Patti Smith EPNS

That wonderful young girl at the last Miskin - unaccompanied song made me cry 4 times in 20 minutes - Tori something (if Tori Amos is the famous one she was Tori Lang - or maybe vice versa). From Wales I think.

Capella. From Kent. She a lady baritone, he a male tenor/countertenor, harmonies and countermelodies to DIE for. Unccompanied, some trad-ish some a bit jazz-ish or music hall-ish. For a small amount extra, get them with Kick the Cat (combined band called Catapella) and die laughing at some of the comedy songs.

Deadly Lampshade - female-led singer-songwriter tribe got boosted from club tent to main stage at Ely a couple of years ago. She has a nice guitar she plays in Open G a lot.

Our own Barden of England. Singer Songwriter, and greying, but plays a Fylde not a Martin. Wonderful alcohol-fuelled tenor voice, rich ringing and full.

Mike Nicholson. A melodic baritone full of spice and chocolate (the voice, I mean) and a Collings short-scale (12-fret) dreadnaught that sings the harmonies at you.

Peter Collins. Unaccompanied. Quite a lot of shanties and forebitters. A bass-baritone or bass. If Mike Nicholson is spice and chocolate, Peter is Death By Chocolate Pudding. If he asks for an alcohol rider, decline, he drinks wine by the pint (and knows a good one from a bad one).

Dangerous Curves (but you know them).

Pete Coe - I have no idea what he now costs but he is SO underrated. Nothing he can't do.

No Worries do do some trad. He is a VERY good finger-style guitarist with a range of Martins that will buy most retirement bungalows, and a worthwhile singer, she sings harmony arranged or on the fly and plays a very useful bodhran (egg, etc).