We are delighted to support Tradfolk’s The Old Songs Podcast.
Jennifer Reid on ‘The New Bury Loom’
Jennifer Reid is passionate about for broadside ballads. She talks about their history, ballad hawkers, and who might have been singing these songs and why. Her chosen ballad to feature is ‘The Bury New Loom’, Roud V9197.
Jim Moray on ‘Lord Douglas’
Jim Moray chats about passing the two-decade mark as a professional musician – and about one of Jon’s favourites of his traditional arrangements, the ballad ‘Lord Douglas’, Roud 23
John Spiers on the morris tune ‘The Princess Royal’
Melodeon player ‘Squeezy’ John Spiers discusses The Princess Royal. Did it start life as an accompaniment to morris dancing, or does it stretch further back and over greater distances?
Jon Wilks interviewed by Nick Hart on ‘The Gloucestershire Wassail / The Wassailing Song’
This Christmassy episode of the Old Songs Podcast turns the tables slightly, as Nick Hart interviews Jon Wilks about a wintery folk song, Roud 209.
Debbie Armour (Burd Ellen) on ‘When I was on Horseback’/‘The Unfortunate Rake’
Roud 2 goes under so many titles, it might be easier just to stick with ‘Roud 2’ and be done with it.
Emily Portman and Rob Harbron on ‘The Trees They Do Grow High’
Folk singers Angeline Morrison and Jon Wilks discuss ‘Shallow Brown’ [Roud 2621], a much-loved and rather mysterious traditional folk song.
Angeline Morrison on ‘Shallow Brown’
Folk singers Angeline Morrison and Jon Wilks discuss ‘Shallow Brown’ [Roud 2621], a much-loved and rather mysterious traditional folk song.
Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith on ‘The Brisk Lad’
Jimmy and Sid discuss ‘The Brisk Lad’ [Roud 1667]. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Paul Sartin
Hannah Martin on ‘Sweet Lemany’
‘Sweet Lemany’ [Roud 193] has entranced countless singers, not least Hannah Martin of Edgelarks, SykesMartin, Gigspanner and Saltlines.
Nick Hart on ‘Lucy Wan’
The Old Songs Podcast relaunched in August 2022 with ‘Lucy Wan’ [Roud 234], featuring Nick Hart, supported by the English Folk Dance and Song Society.
At the English Folk Dance and Song Society we have admired Tradfolk from its very start. We love how Tradfolk is introducing so many diverse people to the wonderful folk arts of England, while simultaneously and equally successfully producing fascinating and entertaining content for those who have always placed folk at the centre of their cultural lives. We are delighted to support Tradfolk with its Old Songs podcast, and we hope that you look forward to listening to it as much as we are.
Tradfolk editor Jon Wilks said: “I’m so pleased that the English Folk Dance and Song Society are helping us out with the second series. Not only does it help hugely with the costs of running a good podcast – one that has so far attracted nearly 9,000 listeners across the globe (not bad for something that focuses on songs that last bothered the local hit parade 200 years ago) – it also has a bit of personal resonance. My grandparents fell in love at Cecil Sharp House, the home of the society, in the 1940s. I think they’d be delighted to know that this is happening, were they still with us.”
