As always we have a massive guest list for song dance and music performers - the list so far includes:

Guests (Scroll down for info about guests)

* Aardvark Ceilidh Band (Friday ceilidh) * Alhambra * Bob Kirkpatrick * Brian Peters * Brian Rogers * Coventry Worldsong * Daniel & Vaughan * Dave Bennett * Dave James * David Kidman * Derek Gifford * Eddie Murphy * Emily Weygang and Ben Harker * Geoff Higginbottom (Saturday daytime only) * George Simmons * Gilly Kemp * Graeme Knights * Heather Innes & Ciaran Dorris * Ian Bruce * Jez Lowe (friday Only) * Jill Gilsenan * John Kearney * John Prentice * Johnny Collins * Jon Harvison * Katherine Fear Band * Keith Donnelly * Les Barker * Ninepenny Marle * Malc Gurnham * Martin Banks * Martin Bushnell * Mic Spenceley (Saturday ceilidh) * Newbold * Parker & Watts * Peeping Tom (Saturday ceilidh) * Pete Burnham & Shiela Moseley * Pete Grassby * Rod Felton * SpinDwyers * Steve Tilston * Sue Simmons * Sally-Ann Veasey * Synchronicity * Three Sheets to the Wind (Saturday daytime only) * Steve Edkins * Tim Ellis * Vikki & Trefor Williams * Young No More

...... plus full programme of dance displays etc.

Aardvark
Aardvark is a folk-rock band, tooled up to provide lively and exciting music for dancing or listening. Among the most energetic Ceilidh bands on the scene, whether playing electric or acoustic instruments, this band rocks! The band plays a varied selection of dance tunes, including some original compositions by Pete Grassby (melodeon). Pete G. is aided and abetted by Pete Laity (guitars etc.), Martin Trewinnard (bass and flute) and Colin Halliwell (drums and other percussion). These highly experienced musicians have all had solo careers or worked extensively with other bands - so Aardvark may justifiably be regarded as a 'super-group' on the dance circuit. Based in Coventry, this band has performed at numerous festivals, dance clubs and other events around the country. CD's are also available ('Pleasures of the Town' and 'Malvern Hills').

Alhambra
Pete, John and Andy are rapidly gaining themselves a reputation as one of the festival circuits most popular fringe acts! You seem to bump into them at festivals all over the country, not on the main stage, but doing what they do best sitting in the corner of a pub singing, joking and storytelling in their unique style ensuring everyone has a damned good time – that’s just what they are going to do for us at Bedworth, where they will be entertaining you both early Saturday evening, and early Sunday morning in the White Swan. Don’t miss the fun!

Bob Kirkpatrick
Bob started playing at the Holly Bush Folk Club, in Nuneaton in 1970, and has enjoyed playing folk clubs everywhere since. He started out listening to Joni Mitchell and James Taylor music during the initial months of playing, but his most influential performer remains Ralph McTell. Bob has a really relaxed style but in his singing and playing, and is a fine songwriter. Be sure to track down a copy of his latest album of self penned material “Self Penned” - “His lyrics, often poetic… his accompaniment, which is never flashy is a great compliment to the songs” - Folk on Tap (October 2002)

Brian Peters
Brian makes his third visit to Bedworth. What can we add to such accolades as these! "No singer outside Nic Jones and Martin Carthy has embraced the tradition and used its wellsprings in as vivid and ingenious a way" Rock'n'Reel "Varied and excellent.... Considerable and undoubted talent" Folk Roots "His playing is inventive and without fault, his vocals are strong and evocative, and his stage patter holds your interest while you are holding your sides. This guy is bloody good" Enda Kenny, Folk in Victoria (Australia) "Boy, can this chap play well - bags of rhythm, plenty of feeling for the music" Folkwrite

Brian Rogers
Brian is a stalwart of the local folkscene, and a regular at festival singarounds the length and breadth of the country. Over recent years he has emerged as a popular member of the voices concert line-up, additionally this year he will be hosting a singaround.
Coventry Worldsong
A first-time visit for this locally based choir. They will be bringing their internationally flavored song selection to a couple of shows on the stage in the craft fair, and you’ll have a chance to join them early evening in the Arts Centre Coffee Bar, and have your chance to join in with them!

Daniel & Vaughan
Two of our local lads will be bringing their circus skills expertise to the Cool Dudes Club during the Saturday session. (I’m sure they’d be happy to teach the mums and dads too if they want a go!)

Dave Bennett
Local guitar maestro Dave has started re-establishing himself as a solo performer after a considerable number of years as part of duo Spirit Measure. Dave’s guitar playing will leave you stunned – just how many fingers has he got? Want to see/hear something really special – go along to his “Meet” with Steve Tilson!

Dave James
After he worked me hard at Alcester Festival, it’s my chance to get my revenge - although if course I’ll be much kinder! Dave will only be found MCing for us from dawn to dusk.

David Kidman
A respected writer in the music press, David is now also well-regarded on the circuit for his compering, which has been described as "infectiously combining fun with informed and genuine enthusiasm". He also sings (if you let him!) anything from shanties to traditional and contemporary song, leavened with a few of his own closely-observed parodies! David will be MCing the Saturday evening Acoustic Concert.

Derek Gifford
Derek Gifford, who has been singing folk songs for over 30 years and, since retirement from the 'day job', is now occupied as a full time folk performer. Apart from his many club and festival engagements Derek also gives talks and workshops on the music to a variety of audiences. He is a member of the committee of Folkus, the new north- west folk arts group, and is co-producer of the Lancashire Voices project dedicated to recording and archiving less well known Lancashire singers. Derek is a Bedworth regular, and it was as a result of his suggestion that the “Songs of the sea” opening session was first introduced to the festival – it’s now a pert of the Bedworth tradition!

Eddie Murphy
Eddie first came to prominence as a member of the well-respected group “Salmontails” in the early eighties. He subsequently achieved wider recognition as a singer in his ten-year partnership with John Morris. Eddie is currently concentrating on developing his career as a solo artist. His performances give audiences the opportunity to experience for themselves the full flavor of his rich tenor voice. He has appeared at clubs, concerts and numerous festivals including Alcester, Bedworth, Bromyard, Sidmouth, Warwick & Whitby. At these and other clubs and festivals he has deservedly earned a reputation for putting his heart into his performances demonstrating his versatility as an artist in ballad sessions, voice concerts, shanty sessions, wall of sound, gospel, singarounds and his workshops.

Emily Weygang and Ben Harker
I came across this duo in a singaround in Alcester and really liked their material and their fresh approach, and thought they’d be well worth a spot or two at Bedworth, be sure to go along and see them, I’m sure you’ll be impressed.

Four ‘n’ Aft
Although “Four ‘n’ Aft” are a new group on the Maritime scene the components of the group have been around for a long time. Chris Lock & Ian Tupling have been known to our festival-goers for many years as LocTup Together. The other half of this new quartet are Steve Dawes and Helen Pitt, from Stockton-on-Tees, who have also been around the folk and maritime scene for a long time. Both couples have worked as separate duos at festivals for some years now and in May this year they decided to merge in order to further explore the songs that they all love to sing. Already this year they have worked at maritime festivals at Liverpool, Hull and Scarborough. The four voices are blended together to create a deep, rich and powerful sound that they weave into the fabric of sea songs and shanties.

Geoff Higginbottom
Geoff has been a popular, and key, part of Bedworth Festival for many years – working almost continuously from the minute of his arrival to the minute of his departure! It has become a Bedworth tradition for him to take part in the welcome sing, and he is the backbone to the children’s events. This year we’ve also made sure you get a chance to see him in a solo song spot.

George Simmons
George is one of the large group of excellent up-and-coming youngsters currently involved in the folkscene, yet despite her young years she is almost a veteran as I first heard her sing well over 10 years ago in the “Rose & Crown” in her home town of Chippenham. A great voice and an ever growing repertoire of songs are sure to see her establishing herself as a name for the future.

Gilly Kemp
Gilly is one of our really talented locals. A truly wonderful singer with a nice varied range of material, she makes her first guest appearance at the festival – another one not to miss!

Graeme Knights
Graeme’s involvement in folk music goes back over seventeen years and apart from his singing, he has been involved in running several clubs and was Director of the Doncaster Folk Festival for six years. Although Graeme enjoyed a high profile, singing Shanties and Sea songs with the respected group ‘LANDLOCKED’ for five years, his singing is not limited to just this type of song. His repertoire is wide ranging and he can apply his rich baritone voice to encompass Traditional Love Songs, Mining Songs, Gospel songs, Drinking and Music Hall Songs and some more recently written contemporary songs – many with good enjoyable and singable choruses. As well as frequent appearances at Folk Clubs and Festivals around Britain, Graeme is also a regular guest at Clubs and Festivals in the Netherlands, and over the past five or so years has become an essential ingredient in the Bedworth programme!

Heather Innes & Ciaran Dorris
Ciaran Dorris and Heather Innes are both powerful solo singers in their own right so working together as a duo you'd expect something special. But it's not just their ability to interpret and deliver good songs that set them apart but the unpredictability and fun of their banter with the audience. Heather's gentler approach on stage is a perfect foil for Ciaran's zany Irish sense of humor and together they create a hilarious atmosphere one minute then move into a powerful emotive ballad the next. Ciaran was born in Belfast and met Heather singing in the Belfast folk scene in the eighties. Moving to Glasgow, Ciaran received acclaim for his songwriting ability from Billy Connolly and he was a regional finalist in the TDK

Ian Bruce
I just couldn’t resist copying this from Ian’s web site – we all know he is an excellent singer/songwriter and musician, but how about this! – “Ian Bruce is not an uncommon name. Someone else is using it in the U.S. of A. He's a scientist or something clever. There's a bass player, somewhere in Scotland, using it. A large Glasgow insurance company bears the name; as does a Dorset M.P. He was not allowed "Ian 'dot' Bruce" in his e-mail address, someone else already had it. His mother always said he would never make it with this quite unremarkable name and that he should change it. Well, he hasn't been quite as drastic as Gerry Dorsey changing to Englebert Humperdinck (which seemed to work quite well) but, he has used his middle initial "M" in his pen name. Ian M. Bruce seems to have a bit more of a ring to it, don't you think? Also, if he ever has to do any acting, it would be a Mr. Ted Morris who would be credited. That was his grandfather's name. He was a miner in South Wales. Can't be easy being the grandson of a "Morris Miner". Equity would not allow him to use his own name. Someone else already had it! It's unbelievable. There must be millions of them! Anyway, this is the Web Site of the Scottish folk singing, songwriting Ian Bruce” – yes, he’s mad too!

Jez Lowe (Friday Only)
By the time Jez Lowe recorded his first solo album in 1980, he'd already spent almost a decade playing and absorbing the traditional music of his native North East England, an area rich in working-class values, with a wealth of songs and music unique to that windswept corner of the British Isles. This was to be the substance from which he would create a body of work that would make him one of the hardest working, most popular and enduring of the many singer songwriters to emerge from Britain in the last twenty years. Born in 1955 into an Irish family, in the coal-mining community of Easington in County Durham, Jez's early interest in pop music steered him into a fascination with blues and folk, especially Bob Dylan, John Mayall, Big Bill Broonzy and Woody Guthrie. A chance visit to a local folk club in 1973 to hear Martin Carthy led him down another path, and by the mid-70's Jez had begun to play a mixture of Dylan, traditional, contemporary and original material, in partnership with school friend Ged Foley, later of Patrick Street and The House Band. It was all those years back that Jez first visited the area, to the Corner House Folk club, and there has rarely been a year since that he hasn’t paid us a visit. We are delighted that he is able to headline our Friday evening concert.

Jill Gilsenan
Jill has helped with the festival for many years, and has now taken on a role of marketing and sponsorship promotion, so any local (or non-local!) businesses interested in helping to support the festival – have a word with Jill over the week-end. Aside from this new role Jill is a well established singer on the local folkscene, both as a solo performer and in various duos, and she will be hosting and singing in a number of events and assures us she has the stamina to last right through to the Sunday evening folk club (the festival’s final event!)

John Kearney
John grew up with a variety of musical influences, being the fourth of five children he was exposed to tastes ranging from Cliff Richard, Smokey Robinson and the Beatles, to Jim Croce, James Taylor. As a teenager he joined a punk group called “Romeos Butcher”, but, (thankfully!) through his brothers influence gradually learned to appreciate folk music to the extent of helping to run a Folk Club of Cork in Heaphys Bar (now The Lobby) on Union Quay. On his travels, John has met Steve Earle, and Christy Moore and proudly boasts having lived down the road from Bryan Adams, and having had guitar lessons from Declan Sinnot (although he says you’d never tell!). He performs an eclectic mix of songs, some self composed some written via telephone and Internet with his good friends and former colleagues in Romeos Butcher Joe Tracey and Edward Connolly. He also does many songs from his hometown in Cork and has been known to do an occasional song which may be a little unexpected at a folk club (He thinks Petula Clark’s Downtown IS a folk song!). A regular at the local folk sessions for five years, and now not only a featured guest at the festival, but also a key part of the festival task force! Hopefully John’s first album will be ready in time for the festival.

John Prentice
John has been on the Folk circuit for over 30 years and in that time has played in bands, solo at clubs and at ceildhs and would you believe also won a story telling competition down in Sidmouth. This is one seriously good entertainer, and we are really pleased to welcome him to his very first Bedworth.

Johnny Collins
Always the first name on our guest list, he has attended all but two of Bedworth's folk festivals, and we certainly don’t intend to let him miss any in the future! Johnny Collins, a native of the county of Norfolk but now based in London, England, is a well traveled performer with a vast and varied repertoire. An internationally acclaimed performer and recording artist, Johnny has organised Folk clubs and topped the bill in concerts around the world since the mid-fifties: his vigorous style and his supreme ability to persuade audiences to join in choruses is unrivalled. Johnny is a familiar and welcome figure at many of the world's foremost maritime venues and festivals, and has guested regularly in the U.S.A. and was resident shantyman at Expo '88 in Brisbane, Australia. Regular forays into Europe continue to be part of Johnny's yearly itinerary. He has been a main guest at the annual Liereliet at the Strontrace in Workum, Netherlands for the past 21 years. He also sings regularly in Belgium, Brittany, Germany, Holland, Poland and France.

John "Mitch" Mitchell
John is a Worksop-based singer, poet and writer, and, of course, writer of the Bedduth song! He has become a Bedworth regular over the past few years, and in addition to his witty stories and ditties is also a fine singer who is always sure to keep you amused with his vast selection of highly entertaining material.

Jon Harvison
"All in all he seriously entertains" - Jon Harvison has a huge talent as a singer, guitarist and writer of beautifully crafted songs - skills, which have seen him achieve acclaim and a loyal following throughout the British Isles. With other performers taking up songs such as "Heavy Horses" and "Dance with me", his songs may well arrive at your club before he does. He has built a strong reputation as a skillful entertainer, a powerful performer of his own material and a fine interpreter of traditional song both accompanied and unaccompanied

Katherine Fear/Katherine Fear Band
Katherine is one of our local up and coming stars. Her song writing has brought accolades from the likes of Huw Williams, who actually said if it wasn’t for the fact that Huw & Tony Williams used their own material exclusively they would have used some of Katherine's songs - what better recommendation could you get? A couple of years ago Katherine put together a CD of some of her material, with the backing of a studio band consisting of local singers and musicians to illustrate how her songs can be developed. That group of friends/performers have been in great demand locally as the Katherine Fear Band. This year has seen a further development of Katherine’s songwriting talents and on Friday evening the band will, in addition to some of the old favorites, be performing some of Katherine’s newer material, soon to figure on a new album.

Keith Donnelly
Keith Donnelly was born in South Shields in 1955 and has the accent to prove it. His father, a second generation Irishman who married a second generation Scotswoman, was a foyboatman, a harbour worker who ties up ships docking at the port of Newcastle. "You could say that he was into maritime bondage," Keith quips. At the age of 13 he was attracted to the guitar after seeing Cliff Richard playing one in a film. His first instrument was acquired by his father, who bartered it from a Norwegian seaman, and for two years he had classical guitar lessons. At the age of 14 he was introduced to the works of Leonard Cohen and at about the same time was enticed to visit his local folk club, the South Tyne Folk and Blues, where Barbara Dixon was the guest on his first visit. Thus was he set on the slippery slope of folk entertainer. Three years at Warwick University, where he studied Psychology and Education, could not save him. Indeed, the fates conspired most wickedly and arranged that his room mate was a fiddler, one Martyn Oram. Academic work was fitted in between writing songs and visiting folk clubs under the duo name of Waterfall – and later with Gilly Derby becoming a trio. Eventually Martin left the band and Gilly and Keith carried on as a duo, having some great gigs and doing dozens of support shows for artistes like Van Morrison and Phil Cool. It was during these tours that Keith’s sense of humour came to the fore. Eventually the ‘in between bits’ were becoming longer than the songs themselves. Gilly suggested that Keith do his own shows, and in 1997 they went their separate ways

Les Barker
Les Barker writes strange poems and comes from Manchester. He was an accountant before he became a professional idiot. He's written 65 books, which sell in large numbers at his gigs because people don't quite believe what they've just heard. His poems have spawned a number of folk heroes: Jason and the Arguments, Cosmo the Fairly Accurate Knife Thrower, Captain Indecisive and Spot of the Antarctic, to name but two. Les began his career as assistant to Mrs. Ackroyd, a small hairy mongrel who lay around in folk clubs, bit people and became famous. Mrs. Ackroyd was the only dog ever to own her own record label. Since her sad demise, Les is mainly a solo performer, though he has taken to working with humans from time to time. Les has several solo albums to his credit: 'Dogologues', An Infinite Number of Occasional Tables', 'A Cardi and Bloke', 'Up the creek without a poodle' and, 'Arovertherapy'. He has traveled the length, breadth and height of Great Britain, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. “...he may be the best writer of parodies and wordplays that the English-speaking world has ever heard.” Tom Nelligan, Dirty Linen

Malc Gurnham
In between organising the festival, still manages to find time to do a song spot, and a bit of MCing!

Martin Banks
Martin sings a mixture of self-penned and traditional songs and tunes, using guitar, bouzouki and, when feeling brave, melodeon. He has a penchant for work-related songs, though the `relationship' can sometimes be of an unusually wry nature. He has appeared at Bedworth Festival many times both as half of the duo Ragged Robin, but more recently solo. He also ventures out on the performance poetry scene, reading the poems of Cyril Wibblethorpe, Luton's answer to that great Scottish poet, William McGonagall, also, he sometimes becomes a writer of fables and faery tales, such as The China Doll, the Giant Curse, and The Mirrors. An example of his work, The China Doll, is already up on the Web

Martin Bushnell
Local singer, organiser of local The Denbigh Arms Folk Club in Monks Kirby, and with wife Margaret co-coordinating the Stewards at the Festival – we felt he just didn’t have enough to do so we’ve invited him to come along as a singaround host!

Mic Spenceley (Saturday Ceilidh)
Mic was a regular at the old Bedworth Folk Day where he called and looked after the PA at the dancer’s events. This year we are really pleased to welcome him back calling with Peeping Tom in the Grand Ceilidh. Mic has vast experience as a caller at festivals, and ceilidhs throughout the country, and is also a musician in a Ceilidh band himself – there are no better credentials for looking after the festivals biggest event!

Newbold
Now back as a threesome, this local band play a fine mix of well arranged songs and tunes, mainly with a traditional flavor. Clive, Bob and Maggie all figure extensively in the Coventry & Warwickshire folkscene, both collectively and as individual performers – it’s great to have them back.

Ninepenny Marle
Originally formed in the 70's and proving that traditional music is not dead, Ninepenny Marl have been encouraged to throw caution and Arran sweaters to the wind. The foursome has emerged from their solo careers to reincarnate the solid sound of vocal harmony through some well-loved songs and some more unusual arrangements. The four-part group, working mainly in unaccompanied traditional harmony, concentrates on songs of the British Isles and sometimes from further afield. The ensemble consists of Dave Roberts, fine singer and member of Romany Pie, Gareth and Barbara Wyatt, longstanding traditional singers and collectors of folklore, and Linda Dickson, traditional singer of more than thirty years and former member of "Out of Hand". The name "Ninepenny Marl" is the Warwickshire equivalent of the name for the game of Nine Man's Morris, played by shepherds using stones.

Parker & Watts
Yet another of the local talents - if there was still commercial Music Hall, this duo would be big! Having started in the local folk scene as part of the harmony group Country Life, Neil (Parker) and Paul (Watts) are now a very popular part of all of the areas folk ventures. Their material is drawn from all sources, including a fair amount of their own entertaining comedy song, plus traditional and contemporary folk, but all is put over in the old music hall style - they enjoy themselves so much it becomes infectious; I’ll challenge you not to have a good time when they are performing!

Peeping Tom
Probably only Johnny Collins has appeared at Bedworth more times than Peeping Tom. Their Saturday evening Ceilidh is not only a key part of the festival; it is also a key part of every dancer’s year-long diary! The band needs no introduction to dancers throughout the country’s Ceilidh scene where they are clearly viewed as one of the top Ceilidh bands in the UK. Such is the band’s popularity that we have already booked them for next year in the format of “The Peeping Tom ‘extra’ Big Band” when Gordon Potts will be calling with the lads as part of their 30th anniversary, so there’s a very special date for your 2003 diary. (Did I say “lads” – must have been a slip of the keyboard!)

Pete Burnham & Sheila Moseley
Sheila and Pete met in Leicester and started singing together in 1997. Sheila‘s background was in the contemporary folk music scene around Hastings whilst Pete’s was in the traditional singing of the North East of England. Their repertoire and style is varied, reflecting their collective musical interests from traditional to more recent material. Guitars, mando-cello, cittern and concertina are used for accompaniment where appropriate, or are set aside for two-part harmony singing. Both are now based in Leicester and they have performed in various clubs and festivals in the Midlands and beyond. They also have a fine album of songs – dig deep you’ll find it’s a great investment!

Pete Grassby
In addition to calling at the Friday Ceilidh, and managing the craft fair on Saturday, this year you will also be treated to a couple of song spots from this multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist and singer! Check out Pete’s solo album “Malvern Hills” recommended listening!

Rod Felton
A musical legend locally, we are really pleased to bring “Roddy” back to the festival. His performances are always something special and never short in entertainment content! He has a vast range of self-penned material based on many themes, and often personal experience, ranging from hilarious to the quite heart rendering.

Salt Town Poets
The basic ingredient is dialogue; original poems and the stories behind them, along with traditional monologues, comedy favorites, novelties and storytelling to present the audience with a unique form of entertainment. The Poets deliver their message in a comical, yet sometimes poignant way, occasionally straying into the serious and giving audiences’ experiences ranging from a simple trip down Memory Lane to a thought-provoking journey into the uncharted territories of their own minds. A Salt Town Poet’s performance is very much geared to its audience and, whenever possible, includes a 'participative' spot to bring out the hidden performer in everyone.

SpinDwyers
Please support two of our friends Andy & Sheila in their big fundraiser project CD released for Children In Need
“The song "Don’t Give Up" was inspired by a comment made by a young person in care. It made us realise that there are many children who suffer from a lack of empathy. This is a two way process; many of these children lack empathy for others, but at the same time much of society has no empathy for them. We cannot begin to imagine what some of them have lived through in their short lives. However, we can try to help them work through it and overcome their difficulties to live full and fulfilling lives. The song was written with this in mind and we hope that it makes people think for a moment about what it might feel like to be "in care". They are ordinary children who have had extraordinary experiences. Those who are singing with us on the CD are all residents in Solutions care homes, around Herefordshire, and wanted to "give something back" for those worse off than them. We thank them for their efforts, and also thank their carers who brought them along for the recording sessions, which were held at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford.”

Steve Tilston
We extend a real welcome to Steve on his first visit to Bedworth festival. Steve is a mature and gifted songwriter who uses words carefully and with precision - nothing wasted, nothing left to chance, and that same thoughtful attention to detail is present in his music. He is an accomplished guitarist who never takes the easy option, working hard to get the right sound, and selecting from a broad palette of musical influences. The end result is a folk-based fusion with elements of traditional or flamenco or classical structures. Often the distinctive lyrics and music, work together to reflect his fascination with history, and combine to create a period setting. Singer-songwriter is a much abused term, but in Steve we find that rare combination, a first class writer and a superb tunesmith - a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who excels in each area!

Sue Simmons
Sue is an excellent writer of poetry, some of wit, some of passion, some just plain weird! We have known Sue for many years having first met her at Chippenham Festival - held in her own hometown. Sue has become our “Poet in residence” in recent years, and again heads this part of the festival. This years we have expanded the poetry and storytelling elements of the festival to help meet the needs of this ever-growing art form

Sally-Ann Veasey
Sally-Ann is another of our talented locals, she will be playing her part (well keyboards and accordion actually!) in the Katherine Fear Band and be the leader of the Children's events on Saturday. (See “Cool Dudes Club” details). She is one of the key players in the local folk scene as, apart from playing accordion for the local dance side, The Ladies of Green Willow, she is also a fine singer, an excellent Ceilidh band accordionist, and a composer of tunes.
She features strongly on Katherine Fears recent album, and you'll often catch Glorishears Ceilidh Band playing a tune or two of hers at their gigs.

Synchronicity
"Synchronicity" are John Eaves and Debbie Osborne who have been singing together for nearly three years and individually for much longer. Besides singing, John plays English Concertina and Debbie dabbles with the baby djembi. John is a Lancastrian despite having lived in Leicestershire for the last 22 years. He has been involved in the running of folk clubs in Wigan, Cambridge and more recently in Dunton Bassett. His high spot as a performer was being asked to be the Shantyman in the memorial production of "The Transports" at Whitby Festival for the late Peter Bellamy and Keith Marsden. Debbie has been involved in the Leicestershire folk scene for a number of years, more recently at Swan Folk in Loughborough where she looks after club publicity and is a member of the resident group "All Change". She has worked as a steward at many Festivals and discovered she had a voice when persuaded to sing in a singaround at Warwick Festival about six years ago. John and Debbie found their voices went together whilst travelling to Worcester to see Roy Bailey and Tony Benn and, despite a change of car and numerous venues since, the sound remains the same harmonious blend of voices. Between them, they have an interesting and diverse repertoire with many influences, traditional and contemporary. They sing separately and together, in unison and in harmony - but be careful who you follow because they share the harmonies between them. It wouldn't be the first time that Debbie's distinctive harmony had been mistaken for the tune!

Tim Ellis
Tim was originally introduced to Folk music some years ago when he lived in Nuneaton, where he became a regular at the Etone Folk Club, and his witty poems, and his fun approach to everything, soon became his trademark. Following his marriage he moved to Wales and we lost touch with him for a few years. Now that he is Burton based we have managed to get him to make an annual pilgrimage back to his old stamping grounds for the festival, and the inevitable "boozy" reunion with his old mates!

Toni Bunnell
This is Toni's first guest appearance for some years at Bedworth. She is a York-based singer who performs mostly her own material - finely melodic songs which show compassion and concern for her fellow human beings and embrace a positive philosophy. Her vocal style is attractive and appealing, and she accompanies herself on guitar and bouzouki and occasionally Appalachian dulcimer. She is also a noted exponent of the hurdy-gurdy, with a wide repertoire of tunes of varying origin (she has another string to her bow - plays the fiddle too!). Her latest CD, Nothing More To Be Said, was released two years ago to uniformly favourable reviews, but she sparkles even more live!

Vicki & Trefor Williams
Vikki & Trefor Williams are a duo from North Wales performing everything from mediaeval songs sung in acapella harmony, through to contemporary material (some self-penned) accompanied by acoustic guitars. They have appeared at festivals, folk clubs and concert venues across the UK over the past five years and have been featured on several radio folk programmes. “You expect beautiful voices from the Welsh and that is what you get from Trefor and Vicki Williams who gave a relaxed performance in front of a large and appreciative audience...” Folk North-West. Their latest album - “TIMELESS LAND” - includes five original songs (one co-written with guitar supremo Phil Hare) as well as traditional material, including an old Welsh lullaby. “Every so often, a recording will come along that encapsulates a whole genre...dripping with zeitgeist...The use of rising star Jon Brindley (on fiddle and guitar) and Hare - the North’s’ fave folkie guitarist - is often inspired, but nothing should detract from the judicious choice of material and the dignified performance(s) of the instigators...I can imagine a whole field of kids singing ‘Feel I could Live Forever’...this is a bloody good folk album and one hopes it will prove as timeless as the land from whence it came.” ‘Sticks’