I never saw Peter Bellamy live and indeed until only a few years ago had never heard of him.

After a long chat with friends of him when we were in Ireland, my wife were keen to listen to this man who had been rated so highly by fellow singers whom we in turn rated highly. I wasn't immediately sure when I listened but there was enough to make me want to listen to more.
Now if I come across a new Bellamy recording I pounce on it. Some of his vocals may sound contorted (to some ears) but it always came across as compelling. I was trawling youtube recently boucing from artist to artist, link to link as one does when I came across the seam of gold which was an interview with the man.
Part of the way through he stops explaining and starts singing.
Compelling, stunning and spellbinding can be over-used in these days of hyping up everyone to the nth degree but they don't do justice to how I felt watching him on this crackly poor quality piece of video.

My wife had the same reaction when she saw the film and all I can say is that I'm envious of everyone here who got the chance to see him live and I'm sad (without even having known him) at the loss of such a wonderfully talented man but the finest tribute anyone can pay him (as well as the tribute of this thread in itself) is to keep singing his songs but in your own style and never to compromise on that.


Andy