Tenterden Folk Festival 2008
Friday 3^rd to Sunday 5^th October
	A diversity of guests at Tenterden Folk Festival 2008
	One of the objectives of Tenterden Folk Festival is to promote traditional English folk music but not all the guests booked fall clearly into this category. Take Tony Carling for example. He is as unique an artist as you could wish for, a warm engaging and totally relaxed performer. As well as playing in folk clubs all over England, last year he opened for The Blockheads on their 30th anniversary tour. Tony also spends part of each year in Nashville, Tennessee where he co-writes, records and performs in the city he describes as his spiritual home. On the other hand Chas’ n Dave, the well known cocky singers said of Tony “we play your C.D “Sign of the Times” in the motor on the way to our gigs”
	Tony’s song writing brings to life, often in a humorous fashion, the observations and characters he has met growing up around the children’s homes in South London and working in the building trade. Such characters include a fast food floozy called “Fiona”, “Mickey the brickie” with the wicked broken nose, the one woman he’ll never forget, known only as “Salt of the earth” and many more besides. Tony will be appearing in concerts and sing-a-rounds at Tenterden so come along with an open mind and be prepared to leave with a new song on your lips. www.tonycarling.co.uk
	On the other hand Derek Gifford is much more your typical folk English folk singer. He first discovered the English tradition at the Drover’s Arms Folk Club in Birmingham in the late 1960s and was influenced by such people as Pete and Chris Coe, Mick Bramich and Paul Ryan. He was also a founder member of the Silurian Morrismen.
	Having completed his teaching qualification, he became a resident of the Knowle Brow Folk Club in Skelmersdale with his teaching colleague John McAlister. They moved on to found the, now legendary, Dicconson Arms Folk Club at the aptly named Dangerous Corner, Wrightington. During the late 70s and early 80s this Friday night club became one of the foremost folk venues in the North-West.
	Derek’s first solo recording was with Fellside in 1987, called ‘Wine, Birds and Song’ which reflects his main interests!
	Several albums and many tours later in the early 2000s Derek also joined forces with Geoff Higginbottom and Keith Kendrick to form the group ‘Three Sheets to the Wind’ specialising (obviously!) in maritime material. Derek also works as a duo with Keith under the name “One sheet short” and as both Derek and Keith are guests at Tenterden they will also be appearing in this guise.
	Souvenir programme: After the success of last year’s souvenir programme we are already accepting bookings for advertising in this year’s even bigger programme.
	Festival information: More details of Tenterden Folk Festival 2008 guests, accommodation and camping are now being posted on our website at www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk. To receive our regular email updates send an email to info@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk with "add to festival news list" in the subject box.
	Alan Castle – Festival Director 3^rd May 2008
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