Tenterden Folk Festival
The seventh Tenterden Folk Festival takes place on Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd October 1999 and comprises a full weekend of folk song, music and dance. Tenterden, situated in the ancient Weald of Kent, about 12 miles west of Ashford, is an ideal setting for this friendly, family folk festival. It features one of the widest High Streets in the country lined with historic and listed buildings, numerous friendly pubs and restaurants and green verges.
The guest list has not yet been finalised, but already includes local and nationally known performers such as The Copper Family from Sussex. The Coppers are one of the most respected singing families on the folk scene and can trace the songs they sing back through the generations. Bob Copper has researched the family tradition and written several books including "A song for every season". The family group now comprises Bob with his son, daughter, son-in-law and, occasionally, his grandchildren, so the Copper family singing tradition is set to continue.
Also on this year's guest list are Ian and David Campbell. As David lives locally, in Bethersden, it seemed natural for him to get involved in the Festival. When he suggested that we get his father, Ian, along as well, it seemed like an opportunity too good to be missed. The Ian Campbell Folk Group was very well known in the 1960's and 70's. Ian was born and raised in Aberdeen, until he was fourteen, when his family moved to Birmingham. Although both of his parents were lifelong singers (and were to become a popular turn among traditionalists), his own music making began with The Clarion Singers, a socialist choir, and was kicked into another gear by what he usually refers to as "the great skiffle disaster". Ian formed a group, including his young sister Lorna, whose extra-ordinary voice was soon celebrated as perhaps the most dramatic of her generation and inspired many women singing today.
Under the influence of Ewan MacColl, with whom he was to work on the famous Radio Ballads, Ian abandoned the standard repertoire of Leadbelly, Guthrie and the like, and concentrated on the traditional music and song of the British Isles. The Ian Campbell Folk Group quickly became the most popular such group in the country, and hosted one of the most successful folk clubs, The Jug o' Punch. As well as the Campbells' outstanding singing, the group featured the instrumental combination of Dave Swarbrick's fiddle and John Dunkerley's banjo. Dave Pegg was a later member.
The group retired in the 1970's when Ian went to university, and he has since worked in broadcasting, teaching and community arts. He has continued with various song writing and composition projects, but has performed in public only occasionally, when asked. He's now resident in Ireland, and so is to be heard even less frequently in England so we are extremely lucky to have him booked for Tenterden Folk Festival.
The band for this year's barn dance will be The English Country Dance Band. The band includes many well-known and talented musicians who are equally happy playing for dancing, sessions or running workshops. During the course of the weekend you will have a chance to see them doing all these things and probably more.
Other guests already booked include The Copper Family, Ian and David Campbell, Pete Castle, Lucy Castle-Hotea, Cinque Ports Corp of Drums, Bob and Kathy Drage, Bo Foaks, Penny and Stuart Mack, M'Bargo (African drummers), Pett Level Band, Sean and Trooper, SkynFlynt, John Smedley, Vic and Tina Smith, The Tabs, Tanglefoot Appalachian, Tan Tethera, Thomas Clark Quire, Chris Timson and Anne Gregson, Amazing Zolas, morris dancers from Kent and Sussex, with many more still to be added.
This page was last updated on 20th March 1999
The next news letter was April 1999
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