I heard that Surrey musician Ginny Dowden died last week after a long fight against bone cancer.
Born in 1936, she married Prosper Dowden in 1957, having a family which comprises folk musician Anna Ryder. She was active on the folk scene in the Guildford area from the 1970s if not earlier. She sang in duo with Fleet guitarist the late Pete Edwards and was a regular at the Fox & Hounds club as well as The Star in Quarry Street.
Also playing piano accordion, she joined the barn dance band Stockbrokers Belt with Tim Inchley, Brian Stock, Steve Sutton and myself in 1977 and was still performing up until a few years ago despite its many personnel changes - often acting as the calming voice in the oftime pointless quarrels about policy, repertoire etc that bands have. In fact, her insight into traditional music was more far-reaching than we junior members gave her credit for!
Her repertoire is on Monday 18th May at Merrow catholic church, afterwards at the William Bray (former Prince of Wales) at Shere.