Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 01:12 PM

I guested at Bury Folk Club everey year from 1978 TO 1990,a great singing club.
Lea Nicholson hope you are keeping well,enjoyed your two concertina recordings,excellent playing.DickMiles

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST,Lea Nicholson
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 11:54 AM

Nice to read this. Nice to see Brian Moss mentioned.

Little bit of history to set right (or record): Brian it was who started Bury Folk Club. Him and another guy called James, as i remember. I was along pretty soon after that as a resident (and then as one half of Nick and Dave)and John Dickinson and Steve Heap followed soon after. Then Dave and Bernard and after that the Caruthers family.

A lot of those people then I really rated - Joe Harrison, Sheila and Mary, Harry Boardman, Tommy Yates, Ian Chisholm, Meic Stevens, Frank Duffy, all of them. Different world, different era. Nice to see them mentioned.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Teribus
Date: 27 May 07 - 05:25 AM

Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester - Seamus Curley, aka Skirm, originally from Northern Ireland but has lived in Manchester for ages and as such is based there (from out of). Absolutely fantastic voice, terrific musician and a superb entertainer.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: jargarmani
Date: 27 May 07 - 03:37 AM

And still are!Bloody administrative counties created by gerrymandering twats. Look at the Friends Of Real Lancashire web sight or Russell Grant's book "The Real Counties Of Britain."
To paraphrase Jim Royle: "Greater Manchester-my arse!."

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Edmond
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 11:36 AM

The oul' memory ain't what it used to be.

Jack and Lynn Taylor's club (see previous post) was in the Waggon & Horses, Bridge Street. Harry Boardman (God be good to him) also had a club there, as did Frank Duffy (ditto). The Gents (? !) was wherever you wanted it to be, before the landlady was re-decorated by the Brewery, and up went the dreaded notice : NO OVERALLS.

Which, of course, was interpreted by the landlord (tw*t) as no jeans.

Did I mention Tom Yates ? Stockport had a thriving scene. Indeed, the first time I ever saw Martin Carthy was October 9th 1966 at the Navigation, top of Lancashire Hill.

Iam Jentle ; Gray, Bob and Bri ; Mary and Sheila ; Joe Harrison ; Leo and Geek ; Tony Martin who played 'Anji' even better than Davy Graham IMO. Heigh ho. Bryn Pugh

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Edmond
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 11:00 AM

Vin, it isn't legend that Paul Simon played the Guild. He did - I was there.

In any case, that old fox Jenks used to take great delight, when PS charted, in bragging

'I booked Paul Simon for ten quid'.

Bryn P

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Edmond
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 10:47 AM

Greetings and love to my cousin Bronwen.

Alive, well, living and working in Northamptonshire.

Don't sing any more - after all the whiskey and all the Woodbines there's only a croak left.

Great folkies ? Stan Ellison ; Pete Astles ; Pete "Fatty" Farrow ; Mary Asquith, to whom I raise my hat ; Big John Macatee ; 'Spider' John Graham ; Ivan the Banjo ; this in addition, you understand, to Frank, Harry, Terry W. (anyone remember a woman singer, Terry English ?); Mary Humphreys ; Maria Louden ; The Oldham Tinkers (OK, Greater Manchester) ; Jack and Lynn who used to have that Club on Bridge St. until they did the landlady up so that the Coronation Street cast could sup ale there and not be inconvenienced by folkies and other riff-raff ; Rosemary Hardman ; I could go on.

Bryn Pugh

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Y_Not
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 04:27 AM

I don't remember "The Shaw Brothers" from Poynton

Are you thinking of "The Hughes Brothers".

Dave Hughes and Judy can still be seen as (The Sad Pigs)
Pete Hughes (Deceased)
Tom Hughes

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Y_Not
Date: 23 Apr 07 - 04:16 AM

Who was the banjo player at Heaton Moor Rugby Club?

The only singer I can remember who played banjo at the club was Ian Sidebottom who was one of the main residents along with Pete Astles.

Canny Fettle were a good oufit with guitarist Bob Morton

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 07 - 05:35 PM

No

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 03:31 AM

Anybody remember the Shaw Brothers from Poynton or there abouts?

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Apr 07 - 04:58 AM

Thanks Dave,

When I have more details I will start a fresh post. Basically it is a night of mostly trad songs and tunes as part of the Chorlton Arts Festival.

If you pm me I will give all the details as they firm up

Cheers

Les

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST,Dave Bishop
Date: 10 Apr 07 - 03:39 AM

I'll be there Les! Thanks for letting me know.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Apr 07 - 03:14 PM

We are having a session of some kind on May 21 at the Lloyds in chorlton, how are you fixed?

Cheers

les

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST,Dave Bishop
Date: 09 Apr 07 - 01:13 PM

Hi Les,

Yes, I remember you and your mate coming to the Volunteer. Unfortunately, we couldn't rely on the room being available - sometimes we would turn up and find that some other group was occupying it.

The Millstone ran from around 1972 to about 1978 (if I remember correctly). It was a great club and I can't remember why it fizzled out now (people moving away I think).

I last saw Steve Mayne at Terry's funeral. Unfortunately, he doesn't sing much now (but can sometimes be persuaded to sing at parties etc.).

I think that there's still a lot of talent and enthusiasm in Grtr. Manchester - but there are problems finding suitable venues.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST,Brian Peters
Date: 09 Apr 07 - 06:03 AM

"Jean Carruthers used to run the Bury Folk Club with her husband in the 1980s & 90s. Jean's sister and her husband used to occasionally come to the singaround that Dave Bishop, Terry Whelan and I used to hold at the Ducie Arms. I haven't seen them for several years now..."

I saw Jean and Alan Seymour, and her sister Sheila, at a ceilidh the Rising Sun Band played not so long ago for the birthday of Ann Nash, another of Bury Folk Club's regulars. All were in good fettle and contributed songs from the floor. Bury was a fine club in its day - before becoming yet another casualty of venue problems.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Anglo
Date: 08 Apr 07 - 01:37 PM

Mary, I think I must have just missed you at Manchester U. I was there from 63-66, then went on VSO, and I was back in Manchester for a few months in 68 before I moved to the States. As I recall the Bury club started in 65 or 66. Thanks for the news about Frank, sorry to hear it.

John Roberts

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Mary Humphreys
Date: 08 Apr 07 - 01:23 PM

Frank Duffy died quite a few years ago - some time in the 1990s I think.
I remember Meic Stevens too, now my memory has been jogged. He used to sing Cosher Bailey and could sing the Welsh verses ( Y Mochyn Du) too!
Of course Steve Heap was a member of the Valley Folk, not the Pennine Folk as I said earlier.
Jean Carruthers used to run the Bury Folk Club with her husband in the 1980s & 90s. I remember that was where I saw the Threlfall sisters do one of their first gigs together. Jean was the caller for the ceilidh held to celebrate Harry Boardman's life. Gorton Tank was the band, if I remember rightly. Jean's sister and her husband used to occasionally come to the singaround that Dave Bishop, Terry Whelan and I used to hold at the Ducie Arms. I haven't seen them for several years now, but used to bump into them at the Bacup Nutters or the Midgely Pace-Egg play.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Anglo
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 10:00 PM

Nice to see Frank Duffy mentioned above, I remember him well from my time there. He was part of a Salford group named Folksong Northwest, as I recall (My Brother Sylvest was one of the numbers I remember them doing). But he split and "went solo" and the group reformed as the Northwest Folk Four. I always wondered what happpened to him.

Meic Stevens was around at that time before he went back to Wales and became famous as a TV personality. I learned a song or two from him. And Mike Richards and his brother Howard were on the scene. Mike and I used to go up on the bus as regulars at the Bury Folk Club when it first opened.

I also remember Mick Taylor who played in a duo with (I think) his wife - can't remember her name - I learned Rawtenstall Annual Fair from them.

And talking of Rawtenstall, someone mentioned Steve Heap. He of course was one of the Valley Folk, with John Dickinson and the Carruthers sisters (were they twins?)

Well, not many of these went on to "folk success" but they were all good, and I remember them fondly as a big part of my own development.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST,Peter Hood
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 03:28 PM

I used to go round all the clubs in '74/75. With my two buddies Pete and Brad. We were about 10 years younger than everyone else. Something I do remember is that there were some dirty holes with about three people and a dog in them even then.
Cor, the Rising Sun In Manchester. Who ran that club then? It was a real dump.
It was a bit of a shock after Poynton and Heaton Moor Rugby Club which were buzzing. Who played banjo nearly every week at Heaton Moor? I remember him but not his name.
Peter

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 03:20 PM

Didn't Tony and Marge Hill run a club at the Millstone in the early 80's on a Friday night? I'm sure I went along a few times and I think Tony gave me a booking there but I'm afraid I can't remember - it was 25 years ago!

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Y_Not
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 12:25 PM

Les asked who the fiddle player is who plays with Geoff.
It's Ken Thompson who also runs Hobgoblin Music at Johnny Roadhouse Music on Oxford Rd, Manchester.
Ken was a member of The Cheshire Folk many moons ago.
Rob Carroll from Gentlemen Soldier is also seen with Geoff at many a club, Rob plays Mandoline, Banjo & Guitar

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 02:56 AM

We moved to Manchester in '78. I think the Millstone had ceased to be a folk venue by then but I visited Manchester once in around '73 and had an amazing night their. The guest list above is some else.

It is a shame that Central Manchester has so little trad music outside of the Irish sessions. With the current upsurge of younger bands and singers and lots of excellent recordings perhaps it is time for something to happen?

I think we met at the Volunteer Rifleman a couple of years ago. It was good to be at a club where the songs we traeted so well. I suspect we have crossed paths before. We used to go to the Unicorn between '78 and '84. I remember Terry and Steve Mayne, is Steve still singing?

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST,Dave Bishop
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 12:57 PM

Hi Les,

I was a resident at the Millstone (and the Bay Horse before it). The other residents were Terry Whelan, Pam and Alan Bishop (no relation), Steve Mayne and Rowdy Yates. In addition there were loads of great floor singers (who I daren't try to list in case I forget someone!).

The club had a mainly traditional policy and we had some great guests including: Paddy Tunney, Lizzie Higgins, Willy Scott, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, Mike Seeger, Bert Lloyd, Kali Das Gupta, Kevin Mitchell, Alison McMorland, Donal McGuire and Heather Heywood.

We also had theme evenings which gave a chance for the non-singing members of the club to participate through reading linking passages of prose or poetry.
In addition we had a thriving singers' workshop to which such luminaries as Charles Parker occasionally turned up.

On a personal note, I moved to Manchester in the early 70s and this club was to form the basis of my new social life. Many of the friendships that I made then are still important to me now. Terry Whelan, who sadly died last October, was one of the best and most loyal friends I ever had. Underneath his rather argumentative and contentious exterior he was a fine person - and, of course, a great singer! He was always proud of the part he played in the development of the early Manchester folk scene.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 09:18 AM

How important was the Millstone pub in all this then?

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: BanjoRay
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 07:52 AM

That should of course have been Harry Boardman, not Pete Boardman who died on the North West Ridge of Everest. The tricks your brain plays when you're getting on ...
Ray

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: BanjoRay
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 07:50 AM

Anybody remember Brian(Tiger)Moss who was originally from Salford? I was at University with him in Aberystwyth in the early sixties, and we started the first Aber folk club in the Angel Inn. Brian had been heavily McColl'ed in his early years and was just getting into blues guitar and sea shanties. He had a great voice and knew a lot of people in the Manchester (and the rest of England) folk scene, so we had some great guests like Pete Boardman, Terry Whelan, Cyril Tawney, Ewan and Peggy, Stan Hugill (a regular from up the coast at Aberdovey). We formed the first Old Time band in Wales called the Virginia Bootleggers (would you believe) with a couple of Londoners (Paul Darby and Barry Keywood), and performed on BBC Wales TV.
In later years I'd run into Brian at a few festivals, and apart from having wife and kids he never changed. He died around 1990 in York, and I went to his funeral where a lot of of his old mates turned out.
Ray

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 06:50 AM

Who's that demon fiddle who plays with Geoff?

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 06:36 AM

Surprised tharrit took so long for Geoff Higginbottom to get a mention - Well Done Dave Polshaw!

Geoff wrote a 'mini folk-opera' aboot the Man Utd air crash using his own songs and others written about the tragedy. Crackin album.

Aah've worked wi' Geoff for best part of 15 years noo and he's purrup with a lot of grief from me but he IS a true talent and a fablious lad. Crack on Stockport's Foghorn.

Aah nevver knaah'd Fiona Simpson wez from Stockport - She speaks so well - A voice like an angel!

And aah love Marie Little te bits - We're hopin' te et a small tour arranged in October doon here in Hampshire/Dorset so if anyone can help, give us a PM and aah'll pass the details on to Sam & Sandy who are organisin'

Love yez aall
G-P (Married 25 years t'day)
(Some of the train robbers didn't get that lang)

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 05:57 AM

(This is Flick Lawes using Geoff's sign in) I don't make any judgements about 'best folkies', but these are some of the ones I remember. During the mid-sixties I and my singing partner used to go every Monday to the singers night at MSG (Manchester Sports Guild), compered by Frank Duffy, who played banjo and sang traditional songs. I think Frank was also connected with Sunday nights at MSG, but am not sure. MSG was a focus for singers in the area, and Frank did a lot to encourage singers. I have forgtotten a lot of the names of the people singing then, but there was Rose Hardman, singer/songwriter who had a lovely song about Ontario, the Pennine Folk, John(?) Dronsfield ('Drony') who sang a song about being weighed down by change in halfpennies and pennies on a corporation bus, amongst others. One year there was a visiting Dutchman called Joost Pak, who taught me a song I have never tried to sing about a knife grinder in Dutch.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 12:10 PM

I wonder if any of you lot ever knew my cousin. He was Barry Halpin of St Helens. I only net him once when I was four, but he was a page boy at my Mum's wedding.

Many years later someone wrote a book confusing him with Lord Lucan.

As far as I know this is only link my family can claim with the aristocracy.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Y_Not
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 11:54 AM

Barry danced for Gorton Morris and I think Alison was his sister, and it was a horn, there was a young lad with red hair who also played in the brass section I only remember his name was Steve.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Y_Not
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 10:28 AM

Vin you have just saved me some sleepless nights, I have been trying to remember the name Noel Murphy for a week Thanks!

Gorton Tank had many members over the years and the band would vary in size depending who turned up, it was crazy but brill at the same time.
If I forget anybody please forgive me!

CHRIS COLE (MELODEON)
ASH LATHAM (WASHBOARD)
ALAN ????? (BANJO)
TONY NYLAND (GUITAR)
KEITH HANCOCK (MELODEON)
JAN HANCOCK (MELODEON)
TONY MANION (MELODEON)
DAVE TUCKER (FIDDLE)
TONY REAGAN (TROMBONE)
ALISON ???   (TUBA)

There were other members in the brass section but their names escape me.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 10:21 AM

Chris Cole,Leader, singer, melodeon
Ash Lathom Washboards
Paddy MGinley various drums
Keith Hancock melodeon
Janette, later Hancock, melodeon
Tony ? trombone
Barry thing's sister Bb horn

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: VIN
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 06:02 AM

Hi Mary, yeah i think Sat nights were my fave night tooo. Noel Murphy was a fairly regular guest and Alex Campbell.

I currently work a M/c Uni in Stopford opposite the Students Union. Didn't you have something to do with a folk club at the Uni some years back? Must of bin nice days. Remember the Unicorn with Harry and a group called Gorton Tank mentioned earlier.

Anyone remember the line-up of G/Tank anyone?

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Mary Humphreys
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 06:30 PM

I remember the Pennine Folk - wasn't Steve Heap part of that group?
And yes, I also remember Bryn Pugh - he was the first person I ever heard singing Matt Hyland. He had a beautiful voice and I often wonder what happened to him. Is he still singing? He was the only other Welsh person I ever met in Manchester.

I used to go to MSG on a Monday for the singers night - it used to be Frank Duffy as the MC, then Drony, if I remember. I think Drony was Dronfield, though his first name escapes me. The Saturdays were fantastic - MacColl, Seeger, Bert Lloyd, Martin Carthy, Swarbrick, Christy Moore.
Happy days! But I really should have done a bit more work and got a better degree.....

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: JohnB
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 01:15 PM

Thanks VIN, I was trying to remember Roy Harper, it just wouldn't come out of the dark bit at the back, hidden in cobwebs.
Damned good guitarist anyhow.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: VIN
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 08:40 AM

Hi Llanfair, when i saw Magna Carter at MSG they had just made or were making their first album which pre-ceded 'Seasons'. Still have Seasons but no longer the first. The first album featured Chris Simpson on Guitar and Vocals, Lyell Tranter on Guitar and Vocals, Glen Stuart on Vocals; Danny Thompson on Bass; Harold McNair on Flute; and Johnny van Derek on Fiddle (1969). Great album.

I remember seeing Carthy & Swarb upstairs at MSG so we must have been at the same gig mate. Smal world. Do you rember seeing the Pennine Folk and Blackpool Taverners? Legend has it that Paul Simon played there once.

Speaking agin of Mancy folkies - Roy Harper was born in Manchester tho maybe not strictly a folkie he's part of the revival and played at the beginning with Jansch, Al Stewart, Renbourne etc.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 08:09 AM

The Manchester Ship canal song that Brian sings is one of the "Manchester Ballads" that Harry Boardman compiled along with Roy Palmer. Apparently it was cheaper to send goods from Manchester by road to Hull and ship them from there than it was to go through Liverpool.

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST,banjoman
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 07:00 AM

Yea its me again - just to agree about Brian Peters - a great guy and a great performer - knew him in the early days when he guested at Whitchurch and later with Sarah Grey & Lost Nation Band.
As to the rivalry between Mcr & Liverpool - it really started with the building of the Ship Canal (Brian has a great song about it) which meant that the cotton barons could sail right past Liverpool & so deprive that city of one of its main sources of income - import duties- and things have never been the same since.
Old resentments die hard

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Llanfair
Date: 03 Apr 07 - 10:54 AM

Was that the "seasons" LP Magna carta made then, because I was at that gig, too, and I'll never forget seeing Carthy and Swarbrick for the first time there, too.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: GUEST,sinky
Date: 03 Apr 07 - 09:35 AM

hey nonny nooasis

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Stu
Date: 03 Apr 07 - 09:01 AM

"Villa never stopped being great, anyway."

Amen to that - and good times will come again if we can hang on to O'Neill . . .

As an expat Brummie living just south of Manchester there seem to be heaps of folkies in the area, and with the city's thriving Irish scene this spills over into the surrounding area giving a very healthy provincial session scene.

Mike McGoldrick, John Joe Kelly, Desi Donnelly, Tony 'Sully' Sullivan, Emma Sweeney plus a whole host of others who contribute to a very lively folk community indeed.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: VIN
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 01:27 PM

Errr, didn't mean Magna Carta made there lp at MSG and the lp wasn't upstairs, the room was until it moved downstairs - not the room, the folk club, cos jazz used to be downstairs --- help!!!!

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: VIN
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 01:20 PM

Yeah Llanfair, MSG - Manchester Sports Guild, brill; Don't think it's ever been bettered really - Jenks in charge (and i mean in charge! or Mr jinks as the late and great Alex Campbell called him and got away with it - whatever happened to Jenks i wonder, after it shut down).

Monday nights with Drony? - who was Drony? I can't remember. Saw Magna Carter when they made their first lp there when it was upstairs.

Barkis - was he from Manchestu? Played quite a few times at the Sunday Ring-o-Bells nights with Pint & Half (Martin Gittins and Rick the clog maker) and poet John Ashurst.

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: the fence
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 12:40 PM

Saw Pete Ryder on Friday nite at Swinton, thoroughly enjoyable performance!!!

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Phillip
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 12:25 PM

Villa are fourth, with 19 major domestic honours, five more than Everton in fifth, and safely ahead of Russian's trying to buy glory till at least May 2010.

Villa never stopped being great, anyway. As Liverpool fans like to say, class is permanent and form is temporary. (They speciously use it in a different context, of course, but it is definitely applicable in the case of Villa.)

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 11:13 AM

Staff Folk (although strictly speaking one half of the Swinton Folk Club duo is a sandpiper!). Pete Ryder (Salford lad, now living in exile in Bolton). Geoff Higginbottom - Stockport. Fiona Simpson - Stockport. Ok, they will say Cheshire but it WAS in Greater Manchester for a while:-) Has anyone mentioned the late lamented Tony Hill? Talking of late and lamented - our very own recently deceased Pied Piper, John Snelson.

And what about the Smiths? OK - Morrisey isn't what you would really call folk but some of the ballads are destined to be sung at folk clubs. They are as depressing as anything by Cohen anyway;-)

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 10:22 AM

phillip
>>I think the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester pre-dates Liverpool becoming the most successful club in English football which happened only in 1983, before then it had been Aston Villa since 1897.<<


If onoly the Villa were great again :-)

How about the Beatles :-)

Subject: RE: Best Folkies from out of Greater Manchester
From: VIN
Date: 02 Apr 07 - 09:07 AM

Errrrr humbly sorry Mavis. Some of those mentioned above e.g John Howarth of the Tinkers, Mike Canavan, Martin Lynott (of Beggermen fame) and Tony Downes (occasionally), Jack & Mavis Lee + Des Friel can be seen (and heard)down at the Oddfellows in Middleton on Monday nights.

As we're being Mancy nostalgic, who remembers the great nights at the Black Lion run by Pete Farrow and where John Cooper Clarke often 'starred' afore 'makin it big'? and a favourite local poet who sadly passed away a year or two ago - Paul Connor.