Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website

Subject: BIG AL WHITTLE
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 12:31 PM

BIG AL WHITTLE

I am playing the Riddings Folk Club at The Seven Stars pub in Riddings, Derbyshire (between Codnor and Swanwick) on October 14th 2004. – fellow mudcatters most welcome!

After a lengthy apprenticeship (thirty years or so) and following a string of successful local bookings I have decided to make an attempt to find professional work gigging folk clubs.

You can find out all about me by logging on to me website

http://bigalwhittle.co.uk/



If you run a UK folk club you can get a free studio recorded (albeit no frills) cd – just me and my guitar – to give you an idea of what you would be booking.

There will never be cheaper time to book me as I am more interested in gaining a national profile by gigging folk clubs far and near, than making what most would consider a living wage.

Hopefully looking forward to hearing from you

BIG AL WHITTLE

Subject: RE: BIG AL WHITTLE
From: PennyBlack
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 01:43 PM

Hi Al -

Links added to www.PennyBlackFolk.co.uk & www.Clansfolk.co.uk websites.

It would be nice to see you at the Clarence (Blackpool Folk Club) and I think you'd go down well,I'll email you details to contact Ann & Eddie Green (The Hosts) and maybe you could send them some info.

cheers

Pete

PB

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 30 Sep 04 - 02:45 AM

Nice website.

thanks for the PM, not replied yet, been a bit busy, I'll reply in detail later.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 30 Sep 04 - 11:02 AM

Book 'im Danno (as they used to say in Hawaii 5-0)- he's a fine writer, singer and guitarist. Does a neat line in wry, dry humour and very intelligent lyrics.

Al's well worth a listen - and a gig.

IMHO!

SJ :0)

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 Oct 04 - 06:51 PM

sorry I screwed that up
October 14th Spilsby theatre folksong for Lincolnshire competition(Thursday)
October 15th Riddings Folk Club (the seven Stars)

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Sooz
Date: 03 Oct 04 - 04:38 AM

The pictures taken at the Lincolnshire Folk Event at Tattershall Castle are here Big Al was there!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 03:33 AM

Well, now I can see you're not a 'wittle guy'... :-)

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 04 Oct 04 - 04:27 AM

yeh, the ten most unwanted.....

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 05 Oct 04 - 03:47 AM

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: 14fret
Date: 06 Oct 04 - 07:17 PM

Those of you who have only seen Al do 'floor spots', get down to The 7 Stars at Riddings, Oct' 15th, and listen to a proper gig. You will not be disappointed and you'll be supporting a new(ish) club.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: PennyBlack
Date: 16 Oct 04 - 12:41 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Sooz
Date: 17 Oct 04 - 03:11 AM

A great performance at the BBC "Write a Folksong for Lincolnshire" Competition. Well done Al!!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 17 Oct 04 - 05:51 AM

Yes, Congratulations Al....and you won a great prize...
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Oct 04 - 10:15 AM

Nice gig coming up on October 28th The Greyhound, The Doghouse Acoustic Room,Loughborough - also on the bill the duo No Fixed Abode featuring the fantastic Irish Singer Una and her hubby and accompanist Tony Dean. Somebody else as well - more details later.

all proceeds to Oxfam.

all the best and thank s to all the mudcatters for their support on the night of the Write a song for Lincolnshire competition - your performances as a cracking audience were much appreciated.

Can't believe Sooz and hubby didn't win. great accompaniments and singing and pretty damn good songs. As Sooz said I think the winning song stood out because it was really topical........

best wishes to all

al

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Oct 04 - 12:40 PM

Just had these messages from howard Coleman(the organiser of the Loughborough gig)

I should have said who else IS coming... Diversion (acoustic trio from Rutland), Club O (unique funky duo from Leicester), the Leicester legend my dad Maurice, probably Skatz and Andy Griffiths. I can see it being a good un!

and

Al,

Thanks very much.   It's £3 to get in (£1.50 concessions) with all proceeds to Oxfam. Starts at 8:30. I must have a look at that site. I thought Mudcat was american and devoted to blues. Must be wrong.

Cheers,
Howard

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 02:15 AM

Refresh
Weelittledrummer {Al] is now regulary getting played on radio throughout Europe on the Sky Channel "Pulse Unsigned", it's channel 905 on the Sky box, and also avaiable online at www.pulseunsigned.com.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Sooz
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 02:29 AM

Hear Big Al on BBC Radio Lincolnshire (on the net) at 1pm on Tuesday 28th December - thats the finals concert of the "Write a song for Lincolnshire". Big Al won the performance prize!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: PennyBlack
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 04:36 AM

Nice one Al

PB

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Fran
Date: 11 May 05 - 02:15 PM

Just tracked this thread down to find out who you were after seeing you at Weymouth Festival.
Thanks for filling in with a great spot while we were waiting to "meet" Derek Brimstone.

Look forward to seeing a whole set some time.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 16 May 05 - 03:26 PM

great excitement!

fran bought a cd using the paypal thingy on the website, installed just yesterday. my first customer! the paypal thingy works...!

bless you!

as usual floor spotting everywhere I can work up the energy

folk gigs:-

June 2nd the Marlborough Club, Newstead Street, Hull (with a support act) admission free
June 9th support gig to Dave Sealey at the Rising Sun Willington
June 25th Saturday Festival at The Countryman, Kirkby in Asfield

If you can offer me a twenty minute floorspot at your club, or a gig - I'll always be interested to hear from you
http://bigalwhittle.co.uk/


all the best

al

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: GUEST,brucie
Date: 16 May 05 - 10:35 PM

Just went to your site, Al. Love it.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 May 05 - 03:22 PM

nice of you say so - not much there yet, but one day....!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Peace
Date: 17 May 05 - 05:03 PM

Smilin' fcae is good enough for me.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: freda underhill
Date: 23 May 05 - 06:01 AM

hi big Al

as you know i have and enjoy very much your CDs - and after browsing your website am wondering.. if you grew up in the States, do you still have an American accent? (I know its there when you sing!) because your humour seems very English! and when are you going to put your profile into Mudcat?


nosily

freda

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 23 May 05 - 08:32 AM

Dear Freda

Sadly I have never visited even that great continent.

However in England there is a great tradition of singing in an American accent that goes back to when American acts became popular on the English music hall at the end of the 19th century and stretches right through to the dance bands that our gradparents and grandparents used to listen to. Certainly when my Mum was washing the dishes or whatever, and broke into Slow Boat to China - it was in an American accent - mind you she was a Dolan from Dublin.

In the folkscene that happened in the 50's and 60's it became fashionable to sing in the accents of Robert Newton's Long John Silver and Walter gabriel - a character in a radio soap called the Archers. there was some attempt to justify this by pointing to the early field recordings - although I (was born in the 1940's) and grew up in a rural area, and nobody i knew sang or spoke in the grotesque village idiot tones adopoted by the revivalists of traditional music.

Also singers from genuinely working class backgrounds like myself and Jack Hudson - also found much that was distasteful in the so called English tradition. Almost invariably the narrator was a victim of cruel treatment and circumstance - if you're at the bottom of the pile as far as society's concerned - that's pretty much the last thing you feel like celebrating. When Johhny Cash stepped onto the stage and said "Hello I'm Johnny Cash" - to a lot of us it said, i am master of my soul, captain of my fate, you cannot defeat my spirit - an epic sense of self that you get quite a bit in Irish/country music - and it seemed a damn site more attractive.

PS I have upgraded the album - PM me your address and I'll send you a copy. And I didn't know about profiles - sorry!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: freda underhill
Date: 23 May 05 - 09:15 AM

Al, if you go to the quick links tab at the top of the mudcat page, go down to Member Photos & info - there you can go into profiles (rave photo & links for catters) and Photos - where people put up their pictures. I often check out peoples's photos when reading their comments, and catters are a colourful and diverse lot.

you can email jeff (his email is on the photos page) your profile and pictures, & he'll add them when he gets a minute.

thank you, I'll pm you my address

best wishes

freda

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Sooz
Date: 25 May 05 - 01:48 PM

They are playing a track from the CD on BBC Radio Lincolnshire right now!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Sooz
Date: 25 May 05 - 01:49 PM

Haiku Song btw

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 May 05 - 03:00 PM

Thankyou Sooz for telling me that was really kind!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 26 May 05 - 09:10 AM

And what a cracker! You little bugger Al, didn't know you had a 'soft romantic' side! LOL!
Drahn 'em in the barf mate!
S:0)

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 May 05 - 09:59 AM

I'm not sure that I have John - at any rate , keep quiet about it!

al

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: GUEST,Pauline Prescott
Date: 31 May 05 - 07:42 AM

Hull Folk Club
This Thursday 2 June
Big Al Whittle
Newstead Street
Hull

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 31 May 05 - 11:21 AM

Thankyou Pauline!

admission free - I believe and there is support from another singer whose name escapes me!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Peace
Date: 31 May 05 - 02:42 PM

Al,

I just gave the CDs you send a third listen. Had to play the Bathtub Song for my students. They ROARED. Got lots of kids walkin' around sayin', "Drown 'er in the bath". There is some magic on the CD. Thank you. BTW, you are one helluva guitar player. Your voice makes me think of you as someone I would enjoy meeting--and if I drank, have a few beers with. I really hope the day comes when I can see you give a live performance. From what I heard on your recordings, I think you would really 'rock' on stage. Thank you for the gift, Al. It means a great deal to me.

PS Also, I loved the liner notes. I could read them without a magnifying glass. And I did.

Bruce M

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 31 May 05 - 08:46 PM

Support is from "that Blues Bloke from Cottingham" and The Harri Watts Band.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 31 May 05 - 09:04 PM

THE Harry Watts band - great I've been reading about them on Mudcat for months- it will be brilliant to meet them!

And thanks Brucie for all those kind things you said about the album.

Don't forget to tell the students they can buy it from the website. On the other hand - maybe you'd lose your job if they started singing the big red sausage song - so perhaps you'd better not mention it.

Just caught Jack Hudsons gig tonight - totally brilliant! that guy can REALLY pick guitar, and sing!

all the best

al

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: C-flat
Date: 01 Jun 05 - 12:37 PM

weelittledrummer, I was just reading a most complimentary review on another site and decided to look you up on your own site to learn more. After poking around there a while (why no gig list?) I come here and discover this thread!!!
It seems you're everywhere I look today!
If you ever get to the Teesside area I'll be sure to come and see you.

C-flat.

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Jun 05 - 01:29 PM

Dear C Flat

but anybody whose interested

if you know any folk clubs that will put up with me - do let them know of my existence - at the moment I am doing folk club gigs - pretty much just for the exposure, no financial risk to them at all. cd available on request to club organisers.

all the best

al

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 07:29 AM

Good to meet you Big Al @ Hull Flok Club

Nice guitarist & songster with a good line in dry wit and repartee - when you book Big Al ask him to do the Sausage Song (its big and its red)

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jun 05 - 06:01 AM

9th June(this thursday) doing a support gig for Dave Sealey(ex-Cosmotheka) at The Rising Sun Club in Willington (off the A50 between Derby and Burton)

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Hand-Pulled Boy
Date: 06 Jun 05 - 06:53 AM

Yes, I agree with Mr Leg end. Big Al is talented and humourus and well worth being booked everywhere in Britain. We owe him a fiver for saying that he liked 'harriWatts band'!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jun 05 - 01:27 PM

Ah yes Harry Watts, the high voltage band putting the Hully Gully back into Hull!

any news about sir jOhn?

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Jun 05 - 01:50 AM

Apart from various professional muso gigs, I'll be playing spots of at least 20 minutes at the following local folk venues:-

Faldingworth Village hall - June 17th
The Doghouse Room, The Greyhound, Nottingham Rd, Loughboro June 23rd
Folk festival at The Countryman, Kirkby in Ashfield, Notts -- around 8 pm June 25th
Singer/songwriters workshop Newark Americana festival, Newark Showground between 12 and 4 - Friday July 8th
Park Farm Lodge Retirement Home Summer Fete, Kettlebrook, Tamworth, Staffs - an old peoples gig but open to the public between 2.30 -3.30 July 16th
July 23rd The Countryman again - tis time a karma festival - not sure what that involves!

Always interested in hearing from folk venues that would to have me entertain - no financial risk to your club involved!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Rasener
Date: 17 Jun 05 - 04:26 AM

>>Park Farm Lodge Retirement Home Summer Fete, Kettlebrook, Tamworth, Staffs - an old peoples gig but open to the public between 2.30 -3.30 July 16th
<<

Hope you are not going to drown em in the bath, Al :-)

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Jun 05 - 07:47 AM

Every year they book me. I think maybe they think one year, I'll be so knackered after the gig that I'll book myself in. But then you've never seen my tribute to Fred Astaire! a wonder to behold!

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Jun 05 - 08:50 PM

Just reminder I'll be at Loughborogh tomorrow Thursday night. the Doghouse, the Greyhound pub Nottingham Rd June 23rd. other guests as well of course. all in the cause of Oxfam. Jack Hudson will also be there.

Also another gig came in The Bramley Apple, Southwell, near Newark
august 28th

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 31 Jul 05 - 08:43 PM

Apart from bread and butter and support act stuff, three genuine acoustic gigs with a decent PA . (I always welcome offers of more!)

August 3rd The Falcon Folk Club, Poulton le Fylde
August 24th Farnsfield Cricket Club, Notts
Aug 28th The Bramley Apple, Southwell, Notts

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: GUEST,Big Al
Date: 22 Aug 05 - 12:59 PM

August 24th Farnsfield Cricket Club, Notts
Aug 27th Bakewell town hall - concert with Flossie, Rhyzla and someone else
Aug 28th The Bramley Apple, Southwell, Notts

plus a couple of bread and butter gigs deep in Sheffield and the frozen outback of Lincolnshire - busy week by current standards

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Rasener
Date: 22 Aug 05 - 01:04 PM

Al

That other person(s) at Bakewell is that lovely band called Cara

http://www.carasmusic.com/index.html

See you there :-)

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Rasener
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 12:53 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Big Al Whittle - gigs & Website
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Sep 05 - 03:22 PM

The Irish Centre, Beckett Street, Derby - September 16th Friday evening.

looking forward to seeing you there

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-Joe Offer-