Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 05:17 AM

I once played in that Playhouse Theatre on Country Meets Folk. Probably 1969 or thereabouts. I was in the Derek Sarjeant Folk Trio at the time (sort of Campbells meets Spinners), and our agent was the much missed Sandy Glennon. (He seemed to have everybody on his books at the time). Trouble is, poor old Sandy had a perverse sense of geography (and hated to turn down bookings!!), so we played in Manchester on the Friday night, drove down to London to do CMF at lunchtime on the Saturday, and then drove back up to Sheffield on the Saturday night!
I still have the script for Country Meets Folk as well. Johnny Silvo was compering, and the other guests on the show were the Johnstons and the Overlanders, and the featured new release was the Humblebums (Gerry Rafferty and Billy Connolly). Aahh - heady days.
The show went out live on Saturday lunchtime between 12.30 and 1.30, and we had to stop in the middle whilst they went over to the 1 o'clock News. The whole thing was timed to the second (applause 7 seconds!) and was one of the most nerve-racking experiences of my life!
Nowadays, Smooth Ops record the Mike Harding show, and Mike puts his links in afterwards, either in his studio in Dent or at his home in Ireland. All done by phone or internet.
Interestingly, at the time CMF was colloquially known as "Country Swamps Folk" and was much-maligned. I suspect that, had there been a Mudcat at the time, it would have been the subject of some lengthy threads, and much moaning. Just like the MH show has a pre-dilection for all things Kate Rusby, CMF strangely seemed to have a surfeit of Sandy Glennon artists, as did the Jim Lloyd show feature a lot of the Yetties (who just happened to be managed by one James Lloyd!).
Which just goes to prove that nothing much changes really.

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 06:40 AM

Graham, I am still in touch with Derek, are you? I can't PM you as you're posting as a Guest.
I ws a resident at the Assemly Rooms for a while so we may have met.
Derek has a little site in memory of Hazel,but I can't link to it, as it's on my main PC which is hors de combat at the moment.
Giok

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: Scrump
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 07:05 AM

Blimey, Graham, I might well have seen you on that show. I certainly saw the Johnstons many times on there (I was a great fan of theirs). I couldn't remember Johnny compering though - was he standing in for Wal on holiday or something?

As for the content of CMF, I must admit I wasn't keen on a lot of the "Country" bands they had on, many of which seemed like a poor imitation of the real thing, and IMO weren't generally of such a high standard musically as most of the folk artists. There were a few exceptions though. But in those days CMF was the only national radio show where you could hear folk music, so I was grateful for it even though it wasn't perfect. I saw most of the top folk names of the day there anyway, and have some fond memories.

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 11:17 AM

Giok
I would love to get in touch with Derek, have not seen him since Hazel died. I remember going to their wedding in Kingston, what a lovely day and so many old faces were there.
Looking forward to seeing John on Thursday, however every year we seem to have news of people no lomger with us, first Brixton Bert, then last year Dave Brient, this year my ex husband.

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: scouse
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 11:20 AM

Hey Boab,
   Didn't really know what sort of Whiskey it was 'cos the lady had to go to another Bar in the complex for it!!But it was good.
    The Saturday night before he saved the Skagen Festival's backside,
John and I sat the Saturday evening rather than go out to the Festival concerts, an after a good meal we worked our way through the best part of an excellent bottle he'd bought on the ship when he was coming over from Norway to Demark.Some of the stories are definitely not for printing ,reputations would be in ruins...I thought only Alex Campbell did strange things..I was proved completely wrong..
As Aye,
Phil..

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 11:41 AM

Well I was at the wedding too, at Michael Balfour's palatial residence.
Giok

07739 464742 Mobile My e-mail is a bit iffy protem, I can receive but not send

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: GUEST,billybob
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 11:43 AM

Hi Giok
that guest was me ..lost my name thingy!
I had forgotten Michael Balfour's name, do you remember his wonderful suit made from a tate and lyle sack!
Wendy

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 12:10 PM

Oh yes indeed I do, he too is dead alas. I remember Hazel singing with Digby Fairweather's band beside the swimming pool, and Michael's sons trying to slip off with Derek and Hazel's booze that they'd hoarded from trips to Germany, especially for the wedding. I don't think Derek was too impressed by that one!
Giok

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: GUEST,Fantoosh
Date: 26 Sep 15 - 06:33 AM

Definitely remember Johnny Silvo...still have the Sandy and Johnny album! I made Sandy's guitar strap. Good memories of that time.

Subject: RE: Johnny Silvo (The Johnny Silvo Folk Group)
From: GUEST,Kathy
Date: 27 Sep 15 - 03:20 AM

To Guest Fantoosh;

You mentioned on your post that you made Sandy's guitar strap. Just curious, did you by chance also make her guitar? What kind of guitar did she play and was it custom made for her or bought from a guitar shop?