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2025 Obit: Ken Stephens RIP

Brock 27 Jan 25 - 03:21 AM
The Sandman 27 Jan 25 - 03:31 AM
Black belt caterpillar wrestler 27 Jan 25 - 04:53 AM
Brock 27 Jan 25 - 03:47 PM
Waddon Pete 28 Jan 25 - 11:05 AM
Hesk 29 Jan 25 - 04:03 AM
Charley Noble 29 Jan 25 - 05:01 PM
SPB-Cooperator 31 Jan 25 - 01:52 PM
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Subject: Obit: Ken Stephens RIP
From: Brock
Date: 27 Jan 25 - 03:21 AM

I heard yesterday the sad news that Ken died last Friday (24th January). He had been unwell for some time and in Southampton General Hospital.
Over the last couple of years I had the pleasure of hearing him sing both at Focsle Folk Club and in his garden in Sholing at a 'Live on the Lawn' evening outdoors Focsle meeting. He also helped me with getting accurate transcriptions for each of his songs on his 'Seawheels' album -if anyone is interested in those lyrics.
Paul Burgess


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Subject: RE: Obit: Ken Stephens RIP
From: The Sandman
Date: 27 Jan 25 - 03:31 AM

SAD NEWS R I P


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Subject: RE: Obit: Ken Stephens RIP
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 27 Jan 25 - 04:53 AM

Sorry to hear this. I used to see him regularly at Sidmouth back in the 1980s and 90s.
A writer of good songs.

Robin


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Subject: RE: 2025 Obit: Ken Stephens RIP
From: Brock
Date: 27 Jan 25 - 03:47 PM

We’re saddened by the quiet passing of Ken Stephens, singer, songwriter, concertina-player, yarn-spinner, MC and general cheerleader for the folk scene. If not a founding member of The Fo’c’sle Folk Club, he was certainly an early adopter, and supported it on and off for at least 60 years.



He was known all over the country, mainly at shanty festivals, and drove considerable distances, even in his 80s, to attend events, often ones with little expectation of big audiences: he just seemed to love communicating by song. Musical collaborators include Cyril Tawney, Sophie Wright, Johnny Coppin and Pete Watkinson, as well as duo partner Fiona Murfitt (Wyndwytch). Some of these groupings had followings in Europe and the USA.



Ken was a keen supporter of FOCSLE Music’s “Live on the Lawn” strand, including hosting one event, and (in the immediate aftermath of the Pandemic, when our venue was still unavailable) floated the bizarre, though unrealized, idea of meeting on a local station concourse (enclosed, and not as impossibly noisy as you’d imagine), an enthusiasm backed up with sourcing the venue and an offer to finance the initial meets.



Ken, for a long time not a well man, had had a fall at home in early November, then a series of misfortunes in hospital, including most recently, a fall there. He died in his sleep overnight Thursday/Friday 16th/17th January As one who abhorred unnecessary "fuss", he had requested no formal funeral; a long-time musical sidekick, Geoff Payne, will be fixing some singing-based memorial event in due course.

From Focsle Music, Southampton


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Subject: RE: 2025 Obit: Ken Stephens RIP
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 28 Jan 25 - 11:05 AM

I was sorry to hear the news that Ken Stephens had died. A good supporter of Folk Music is always a valuable thing to have in your community, and Ken was certainly that. In addition he was a fine singer, songwriter and MC. As always I send my condolences to all those who know and love him. I have added his name to the Mudcat "In Memoriam" thread. RIP Ken


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Subject: RE: 2025 Obit: Ken Stephens RIP
From: Hesk
Date: 29 Jan 25 - 04:03 AM

I did not know Ken personally, but his influence was certainly felt in the North Hampshire folk clubs that I attended. He was an integral part of the Southampton folk scene along with an very talented group of singers at that time, who have largely left us. It seems that there are very few of us left from those enjoyable times in the seventies onwards, more's the pity.


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Subject: RE: 2025 Obit: Ken Stephens RIP
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Jan 25 - 05:01 PM

So sad to hear this. Ken and his bandmates spent a weekend at my then home in Portland, Maine, in the 1990s. I still have some of his autographed song sheets.

Charlie Ipcar


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Subject: RE: 2025 Obit: Ken Stephens RIP
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 31 Jan 25 - 01:52 PM

Had some fun times with Ken/Solent Breezes/Spindrift when Shanty Crew were at the same UK and international maritime festivals . Lots of stories and fond memories


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