The Great Selkie of Sule Skerry and other legendary folk ballads  Starring three amazing and very distinct versions of The Great Selkie of Sule Skerry  song, beginning with Barbara Dickson 's version from 1996, the classic cut by Judy Collins from 1962 and concluding with a mighty June Tabor interpretation from 2011. Selkies are mythological shape shifting half seal - half human hybrids from Norse and Celtic traditions. These selkie folk (Scots) who wear seal skin could be benevolent or vengeful in equal measure but could be tricked into marrying humans by the hiding of their precious seal skins. Such unions were usually deemed to have ended in tragedy. Selection of artful & fiddle-heavy folk numbers. ^^stream & download^^ TAP PLAY ONCE THEN TWICE to play here or tap building icon to enter the internet archives page (and our lives) & stream or d/l^^   Barbara Dickson  made a return to singing traditional material in the mid-90'. Tracks from her 1...

A Planxty Circle Session     Cool as Lough Erne celtic folk selection and a hats off to the legendary Irish folk group Planxty and related artists. Also features some very nice Scottish, Northumbrian and English folk songs. Like much Gaelic art, the music here has a comforting cyclical feel to it over the length of the session.   ^^stream & download^^ TAP PLAY ONCE THEN TWICE to play here or tap building icon to enter the internet archives page (and our lives) & stream or d/l^^   Big spotlight on legendary Irish folk supergroup and multi-instrumentalists  Planxty along with some of its esteemed & luminous members. Four tracks here from their classic 1970's albums with Andy and Christy alternating on lead vocals. Really chilled version of The Lakes of Pontchartrain , I just love Moore's vocal phrasing here.  Andy Irvine name his name in the 60's with folk group Sweeney's Men  , who enjoyed success on the London scene, before hooking up wi...

Both Sides of the Tweed Let the love of our land's sacred rights , to the love of our people succeed Let friendship and honour unite a nd flourish on both sides the Tweed   Folk songs, stories & melodies of Scotland & Northumberland Ballads, airs, reels, hornpipes and touching laments. Stories within the songs relate largely to historical events and movements between the 17th century killing time & the dawn of the 20th, periods of immense economic & demographic change across all northern regions. Anthems and tales of highland & clan pride, great bravery, treachery, tragedy & loss, a potato famine, dispossession, regret and exile. Other tracks re tempered by a sense of hope & trust in a brighter future. Some songs were documented in James Child's 19th century   Scottish & Child Ballads  and the  Roud Folk anthologies while others were composed later. Let the stringsmen strum, the singers sing and the pipers play...     ^^st...

  It's time to ring some changes or else hit the road...   Stomping folk rock selection from across the years that strays into progressive territory here & there with Curved Air & The Deviants. Jeff Mangum's Neutral Milk Hotel push the boundaries with their reverb-heavy take on traditional sounds. Showcasing some good old Geordie music with Kathryn Tickell, Lindisfarne & Jack The Lad. Features some amazing death ballads  later on. Listen to Time To Ring Some Changes by Old Timer in Isan on hearthis.at Continuous mix 2.5hrs Download via the streaming link thanks for passing through    

    Exceptional Northumbrian smallpipes-harmonica combination from two of the great champions of traditional music forms; Kathryn Tickell and Rory McLeod. Taken from the 1987 Compilation LP Square Roots on the Folk Roots label. Traditional arranged by Kathryn Tickell with lyrics by Rory McLeod. I fell in love with this tune on the very first listen! Such fine harmony in this unusual pairing of two instruments from generally disparate traditions. Warm, melodic & atmospheric vocal from Rory.    

 Everyday lives of regular people reflected in their songs and melodies Listen to Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man by Old Timer in Isan on hearthis.at     Continuous mix 2hrs36  Download from the above hearthis stream Thanks for listening

  The Meeting Of The Waters Listen to The Meeting Of The Waters by Old Timer in Isan on hearthis.at A selection of mostly traditional folk from across the Bristish Isles but with a special spotlight on Northumbria's rich musical heritage. Particular focus on Tyneside & Tynedale (where I was born & bred), with several numbers local to Hexhamshire & the locality, a staggeringly beautiful region. There's always been a lively grassroots folk scene in the region, which I was inevitably & indelibly influenced by as a youth. Haweh all you canny lads & lassies...  Stagshaw Bank Fair was a massive, raucous annual event high on the moors above Corbridge, right up there on Hadrian's Wall, until it was discontinued in the 1800's. The Meeting of The Waters (or Watersmeet) refers to the confluence of the North & South Tyne rivers but also to a number of similar spots on rivers throughout the British Isles. Also featuring some great Irish comp...