After a period of illness over the last couple of years, Chris Roach of Pill, Bristol (but the Somerset end!) died last week.

He was for many years the leading light of the Pill Whalers shanty group, and was responsible for organising the strong Folk content in the annual Pill Music Festival.

He had a reputation in local clubs (particularly the Nova Scotia) for writing humourous skits on contemporary events - sometimes so contemporary that he was still working on writing them up to the moment of performance!

But I remember him best as someone with considerable knowledge of traditional song, and a great respect for the 'old singers' in whose footsteps he was not ashamed to walk. He was very much a singers' singer.

Condolences to his family and friends.
Derek