I was hoping to get all of John's recordings on MP3 that I could download and save the cost of shipping to the US, but apparently John only has CDs. I wrote to him the other day, and he sent me this promo sheet:

Introducing …. JOHN CONOLLY

John Conolly is an internationally-respected singer/ songwriter who has based his style firmly in the folk tradition. His finely-crafted songs are performed with warmth, good humour and lilting accompaniments on guitar and melodeon.

Many of John’s songs have a tang of the sea, inherited from his upbringing on the east coast of England, where his grandfather and great-grandfather were shipwrights on the banks of the river Humber. His best-known composition, the classic Fiddlers’ Green, has the ring of a true folk ballad, and has often been taken for a traditional song. John’s more recent work continues this tradition of finely-crafted writing – listen to the heart-rending Widowmaker , the elegiac Stone Walls and Cells, or the outrageously funny and politically scathing Big Bucks for Bullshit.

John Conolly’s songs have been performed and recorded by many well-known artistes – people like the Dubliners, the Clancy Brothers, Max Boyce, Malinky, the McCalmans, ,Barbara Dickson and Archie Fisher, Dick Gaughan, Roy Bailey, Stormalong John, The Yetties and George Hamilton IV, to name but a few – but there’s a special buzz in hearing them sung by the composer - join him soon on your very own trip to” Fiddlers’ Green” . . .

CDs currently available -

THE MAN FROM FIDDLERS’ GREEN - a 19-track album featuring lots of new songs, with sparkling accompaniments from the brilliant ex-Battlefield Band musicians Rob van Sante and Alan Reid, plus vocal harmonies from the wonderful Hissyfit. . .

THE GRUMPY OLD MEN OF OLD ENGLAND – some of John’s most requested songs, including ”Grumpy Old Men” and the Les Barker version of “Fiddlers’ Green “. Accompaniments by Keith Kendrick, Robin Garside and Hissyfit.

SEND US A POSTCARD: THE SAUCY SONGS OF JOHN CONOLLY. Live performance, with Robin Garside and Pete Sumner, recorded live by Steve Rusby at Holmfirth’s Crag Rats Theatre.

RANTERS’ WHARF : A fine collection of John’s more serious material, featuring Maggie Boyle, Robin Garside ,Bill Whaley & Dave Fletcher and Thomas Conolly.

TRAWLERTOWN: THE SINGING OF THE FISHING. A Fellside Recordings production, featuring Pete Sumner, Maggie Boyle, Keith Kendrick ,Paul Bellamy, and special guests from the Fellside Family – Richard, Susan and Linda Adams.

THE NORTHERN TRAWL: Songs by John Conolly and Bill Meek, from the play

by Remould Theatre Company of Hull. A “Radio Ballad” style production, featuring John and Bill plus Will Meek, Paul Bellamy, Jane Clark, Pete Sumner, and the recorded voices of the fishermen of Hull and Grimsby.

SUMMER CD SALE !

The above CDs are all available at £10 inc UK.postage, via John’s website at:

www.johnconolly.co.uk

Enquiries and bookings : tel. 01472 695836 or email : johnconolly@hotmail.com