FOLK comes to the fore next week with the first in a season of performances at Barnard Castle’s arts centre.
Reg Meuross heads to the stage on Friday, January 27, with songs about forgotten heroes, famous names, folk legends, the climate emergency, tales from the kitchen sink and news from the world stage.
The contemporary folk veteran is touring with a back catalogue of 14 releases and some brand-new songs from two forthcoming song collections: Fire & Dust and Stolen From God.
Next up is Irish born, Edinburgh-based singer song-writer Heidi Talbot, with a show rearranged from last spring taking place on Thursday, March 16.
Her critically acclaimed and hugely popular latest album Sing It For A Lifetime was recorded during the covid alert during which an international group of musicians, including her friend Mark Knopfler, came together remotely after a planned recording session in America fell victim to the pandemic.
Two days later, Saturday, March 18, a group from a little closer to home, The Wilson Family, take to the stage.
From Billingham, they have been singing and performing “¯a cappella “¯folk songs since 1974. Over those decades the group members have consisted of sister Pat and five brothers: Tom, Chris, Steve, Ken and Mike and the present-day line-up includes the original core members, Tom, Chris, Steve and youngest brother Mike.
Next up, on Tuesday, May 2, are Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening.
They will bring some of the oldest Northumbrian tunes and songs to life, intermingling them with new material and binding it all together with contemporary resonance and attitude.
In addition to Kathryn Tickell on Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle and vocals, the group includes Joe Truswell (drums, percussion), Amy Thatcher (accordion, synths, voice, clog dancing), Josie Duncan (voice, harp) and Kieran Szifris (octave mandolin).
Sarah McQuaid is no stranger to Teesdale and she returns on the back of her St Buryan Sessions release – an album featuring some of her best known songs recorded live in her local church during lockdown.
Born in Madrid, raised in Chicago and holding dual Irish and American citizenship, she has made England her permanent residence since 2007.
The St Buryan Sessions, released in October 2021, is her sixth solo album and the live recording performance was also filmed and can be viewed on Youtube.
She will be entertaining folk fans on Thursday, May 4.
More information and full tickets details are available online at www.thewitham. org.uk.
Alternatively, call the box office on 01833 631107.
