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We’re thrilled to reveal that for 2025, we’ve secured an incredible lineup of the finest contemporary and traditional folk artists from the UK and beyond.

Get ready for an unforgettable year of top-tier folk music!
Feb

Thursday 6th February  2025 
 

Tomorrow Bird 

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Tomorrow Bird are a multi-award-winning acoustic music duo based in Reading, UK. Each of their heartfelt songs is a passionate ode to the human experience.

 

They sing of hope, love, loss, courage and empowerment; creating stories and melodies rendered all the more poignant by the duo’s rich vocals and seamless harmonies. Following the release of their debut single, Tomorrow Bird was named Best Duo at the 2017 and 2018 GSMC Awards.

 

They followed this up with their award-nominated, self-titled debut album and 2019 LGBTQ+ charity single, 'Love is Love. Their 2020 NHS charity single 'Not All Heroes Wear Capes' and album title track 'What Comes Next' took home the GSMC award for Best Single 2021 and 2022 respectively. The pair have also just received the coveted award for Album of the Year 2023.

 

Jen Bird A former theatre actress, Jen performed lead roles in 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'The King & I' before being bitten by the song writing bug. As a solo artist, she has released two albums and multiple singles - including 'Shout at the Dark' - a powerful anthem to raise funds for the mental health charity, SANE UK. Jen also performed three songs for Nintendo's critically acclaimed Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

 

Simon Driscoll  began his musical journey as a classical pianist before becoming the frontman of the folk-rock band, Burnt Tomorrow. Following the release of the band's first two albums, he returned to his classical roots with two stunning piano albums, Hope Shines Through and (the chart-topping!) Broken Can Still Be Beautiful. Simon also hosts a musical instrument and equipment review channel on YouTube - the (modestly titled!) Average Reviews from an Average Guy.

 

Together the pair have also written and produced five original musicals.

Carrie Martin 

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“I have watched Carrie Martin’s musical gifts grow with each consecutive album. Her new album Evergreen is in my opinion the pinnacle of her songwriting and creative abilities.” - Gordon Giltrap MBE

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‘Phenomenal’ - Rick Wakeman CBE

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Carrie is a true born and bred Yorkshire lass, born in Hull. She first picked up a guitar at the age of four and made her first public performance at the tender age of nine, playing at a school concert.

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She later played clubs alongside her father, who worked the circuit as a guitarist and vocalist.

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In her teens she made a name for herself locally, with her songs played on local radio and performing live. By the end of her teens she changed tack, inspired by the Bangles, Transvision Vamp and Ann Wilson from Heart, dropping the guitar in favour of a ‘rock chick’ makeover and fronting bands as a singer.

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Her first band was named Foreign Affair, which may well be one of the most ‘eighties’ names for a band ever conceived!

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After marrying she had twin boys and abandoned the guitar to the loft, where it gathered dust for two decades.

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In 2011 came the real turning point when she attended a Gordon Giltrap concert only to be invited to step in as support act when the opening act backed out. Encouraged enormously by Gordon, she played and sang a short set of cover versions, and even accompanied him at one point. From this, and with Gordon’s support, she began to rebuild her musical career.

 

She quite soon put out her first release, a seven-track EP entitled Luna, which gathered some favourable attention. When she sent a copy to Gordon, he responded with amazement at the quality of her songwriting, saying that he had no idea she was such a strong writer as well as performer.It was at this point that he really stepped in to become her chief mentor and an extremely close friend, and she puts a great deal of the success she has had down to his friendship and unflagging support.

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Three years later, in 2014, she finally put out her first full album ‘proper’, entitled “What If”, on which she was joined as guest musicians by not only Gordon but also Oliver Wakeman (son of Rick) and Ric Sanders from Fairport Convention.

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Carrie was also picking up attention from her endorsement connections with Vintage / JHS guitars, her instrument of choice for some years and a source of constant support. She has also become the proud owner of a beautiful Fylde guitar, crafted by the great guitar-maker Roger Bucknall.

 

Thursday 6th March 2025 

True Foxes 

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True Foxes, an acclaimed  folk/americana family duo, are quickly gaining popularity in the South West and beyond. 

 

Amie, with her soulful vocals and earworm song writing, has been compared to artists such as Brandi Carlile, Karen Carpenter, and Dolly Parton, accompanied by guitar, ukulele, banjo, and piano. Chloë complements Amie's vocals with ethereal harmonies and melodic bass lines. The duo's sisterly banter adds an emotional dimension to their performances. 

 

If you're a fan of First Aid Kit and The Secret Sisters but with a touch of British influence, you'll definitely enjoy True Foxes.

 

Referred to as the "Hardest working female duo in the South West" by BBC Introducing, the self-managed True Foxes performed an impressive 140 shows in 2022 and more than doubled that in 2023 with 250 shows.

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Traveling in their little white van, the duo has taken their music from the South West to major cities across England, Scotland, and Wales. They have graced the mainstages at major UK festivals, sold out shows, completed their debut headline tour, and shared the stage with renowned folk bands and acts such as Sound of the Sirens, Steve Knightly,  Flats and Sharps, Daisy Chute, Willie and the Bandits, The Magpies, and Alex Hart. 

 

Their performances have received rave reviews from prestigious venues like the Liverpool Philharmonic, The Royal Glasgow Concert Hall, and The Water Rats in London. 

Emma Baldwin

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Emma has previously written and sung in other original musical acts, of both folk and rock genres, but never before has managed to be involved in the musical process. Emma describes song writing as her therapy, her way to clear her mind and air her thoughts.

Thursday 3rd April 2025 

Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne

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Described in The Living Tradition as ‘captivating, bold and striking’, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne is at the forefront of his generation of English folk musicians as both a powerful and commanding singer and a masterful player of the Anglo concertina and melodeon.

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Cohen burst onto the folk scene in his teens with the energetic and much-loved trio Granny’s Attic, along with schoolmates George Sansome and Lewis Wood, and in recent years has embarked on a solo career alongside this.

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Cohen’s solo repertoire is rooted in the English folk tradition, celebrating the age-old musical heritage of this broad and diverse land, with a particular interest in the music of the West Midlands, where Cohen spent many of his formative years. Traditional ballads, songs and tunes form the basis of Cohen’s material, but with a smattering of baroque, renaissance, ragtime, and music hall thrown in for good measure.

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Cohen has released two critically acclaimed solo albums, Outway Songster (2017) and Rakes & Misfits (2021), with the former leading to a nomination for the Horizon Award for best newcomer at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2018.

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Alongside, performing solo and with Granny’s Attic, Cohen has been involved in several other collaborations working with musicians such as John Spiers, Damien Barber, Rosie Hood and Stick in the Wheel. Short term projects with the likes of Marks & Spencer, Gobbledegook Theatre and EFDSS have also featured in recent years.

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Cohen’s passion for the English folk tradition has also led to work in research, publishing, and teaching. So far Cohen has been involved in publishing two books of English folk songs, has given several talks on the subject, and has worked with hundreds of students across the globe from school children to pensioners.

Dave Burn

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Dave Burn is a London-based performer of rootsy folk and ambient Americana, distinguished by his memorable melodies and shrewd lyricism.

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The singer-songwriter was a founder member of Folk/Americana band ahab and co wrote with many other highly regarded artists in the genre including Danny and The Champs, Blair Dunlop, Danni Nicholls, Benjamin Folke Thomas and Katzenjammer.

Currently he performs alongside singer-songwriter Kirsten Adamson in harmony laden duo The Marriage and is a member of the band Orphan Colours.

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He follows up his 2017 debut solo album “Arizona”with an EP, “Medium Dave”, a spacious celebration of melancholia, with an ambient acoustic beauty built on stripped-down instrumentation and warm vocal harmonies.

Thursday 1st May 2025 

Milton Hide

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Milton Hide, Jim Tipler and Jo Church from East Sussex, weave eloquent, well-crafted story-based songs. Jim’s guitar and Jo’s clarinet blend perfectly with the duo’s pure vocal harmonies. Their music has been described by critics as “reminiscent of the Moody Blues” (Living Tradition), “a touch of Fleetwood Mac” and “vintage Steeleye” (Spiral Earth).
 

Their debut album, ‘Temperature’s Rising’ was recorded during lockdown in 2020 and released in Spring 2021. The Holloway was released in 2023 and both albums have received great reviews.
 

 Building on Jim’s experience of many years playing in folk and roots bands, they joined forces as Milton Hide in 2017 and have entertained audiences at such diverse venues as the The Oasthouse Theatre, Rainham, the Telescope Dome at the Observatory Science Centre in Herstmonceux and the Golden Hinde in London. Folk club and Festival appearances include Irvine Folk Club, Croydon Folk Club, Rochester Sweeps, Fishguard Folk Festival and Wimbourne Festival.
 

A must see, Milton Hide will transport you into a fascinating, sometimes hilarious world of stories in song, introducing a host of intriguing and memorable characters on the way. At the end of the evening you will be humming their music all the way home.

Thursday 5th June 2025 

The Gillies 

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The Gillies are an Americana influenced acoustic alternative folk duo, writing haunting songs of love, loss and twists of fate, the complications of tangled relationships.

Susan Turner (vocals, tenor guitar), and Mark (Gilly) Evans (guitar, dobro) live in South East London.  Their songs have influences of English,Celtic and American folk traditions.  “Our songs seem to have a lull of sadness attached to them, the darkness of lonely bedsits and street lit nights, these memories haunt our songwriting, always going back to our Norfolk roots.”

They capture the sounds of bleak landscapes. Their guitars create intricate picking patterns that fall, conflict and harmonize.  “We have really worked on how the two guitars work together acoustically” This is a crucial element of the sound that they create, the cold brightness and lonesome feel of Susan’s Harmony tenor guitar, a kind of sadness in the strings contrasting with the dark, sweet-sound of Gilly’s Gibson. Susan’s Emmylou-tinged vocals lay above the intertwining picked guitars, creating understated melodies which pull you into the songs.

In 2016 they finished a new album ‘Worries Fold Up Their Wings’ and played on Doug Welch BBC Radio Kent and West Norfolk Radio. In March 2016 they took part in a song challenge for Eltham Arts festival and their ‘Winter Song’ was included on their CD which was recorded by Phil Saatchi [http://www.philsaatchi.com/music.html].  

In March 2017 they are recording a new EP and have been selected again to take part in this year Eltham Arts Festival and CD. They can be found playing throughout London, Kent and East Anglia

“What I love about the Gillies is the poetry in the songs they write.”

“Melodies are all original, but with a hint of musical ancestry, some of which may come from the past of a dark and weird America.”

“The accompaniment is so good and understated – it really supports the songs. There's a quality in Susan’s singing that keeps the meaning of the song to the fore, which is all the more powerful for not being overdone.”

Thursday 3rd July 2025 

Artists - TBC

Thursday 7th August 2025

Linda Moylan

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Linda Moylan is a London based, Irish born singer songwriter.Originally hailing from Waterford, Ireland, Linda’s family immigrated in to London’s East End in the 1980s. A natural singer, songwriter and storyteller, her lyrical narrative is comparable to that of authors, poets and playwrights with a strong visual essence, stimulating the listener’s own imagination.

 

Her music explores a wide array of themes from forgotten fateful stories and uncelebrated heroines of the past to her own personal and family experiences.Linda first started singing blues and rock ’n’ roll in pubs and clubs in her early twenties before meeting Chris Wyatt, with whom she wrote and recorded her first album ‘Shadow Lands’ in 2015.

 

Her sound has grown to adopt strong elements of Americana and folk noir with an ominous and atmospheric Celtic undercurrent to it and splashes of gospel and soul.Linda draws an ethereal energy flow from her inspirations, citing numerous artists as influences, including Leonard Cohen, Edith Piaf, Nina Simone, Portishead, Hank Williams, Ennio Morricone and the poetry of Ted Hughes.Linda Moylan produces music in an extraordinary mix of influences and genres, blending folk (revisited from a current London / Irish cultural perspective), a bit of rock, Celtic melody and American blues.

 

Her music is timeless, filtering new compositions through the prism of her musical heritage to produce an overall modern day eclectic feel.

Thursday 4th September 2025 

The Kimberleys

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The Kimberleys are Isobel and Jim Kimberley. Yorkshire born Isobel, as a singer songwriter, met Essex boy Jim while seeking instrumentalists to collaborate on her original material. Isobel’s folk influences were gathered from an early age, initially in the folk clubs of Yorkshire, at university (where she opened for Dick Gaughan) and subsequently during time living in the USA. Jim became a session drummer on moving to London and he numbered several folk musicians among his connections, one of which lead to him depping on drums with The Albion Band.

 

Whilst recording and touring Isobel’s original songs, the pair had always enjoyed making folk music just between themselves so, once the original project had run its course, it seemed an obvious step to take folk music more seriously. As a plan, this could not have got off to a better start. At a friend's birthday party they met, and sang with, Cathy Lesurf (Fairport Convention, Fiddlers Dram). This fortuitous meeting led to the recording of an album (Turn The Glass) and the happy opportunity of working with some real folk big beasts: Gordon Giltrap, Andy Cutting and even Dave Swarbrick. The album featured in the Daily Telegraph’s Top Folk Albums of 2015 and a short run of live shows brought that era to a close.

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By now Isobel and Jim had become The Kimberleys (him by birth, her by marriage) and they had the material and the experience to go it alone. The result was their eponymous debut album, partially recorded at their home studio in Blackheath and completed at Tiny Studios in Leicester. Their ability to create daringly creative arrangements of well loved ballads, whilst remaining completely respectful to the origins of the song, immediately attracted attention and appreciation. The video Isobel made with an independent animator for The Kimberleys' interpretation of Tam Lin won the “People's Choice” award from Sky Arts in 2018.

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In the intervening time Isobel and Jim have continued running their Roving Folk Club in Greenwich and Bromley, they have programmed a one day folk festival at repurposed convent Mycenae House, London. Live gigs have taken them to France, Belgium, the US and all over the British Isles, from the Isle of Skye to Sidmouth, in folk clubs and concert venues. Live appearances have been widely recognised as on a par with their recordings and their relaxed onstage personae contribute to stunning shows.

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The Kimberleys second album, The Shape of a Year, is now ready for release. Many of the songs may be familiar but the arrangements are daring and the atmospheres positively cinematic. A worthy follow up to a tremendous beginning.

Thursday 9th October 2025

The Lost Trades

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The Lost Trades are a Folk/Americana trio, based in the West Country, with a cool Laurel Canyon vibe. With a sound that is reminiscent of the California folk scene of the late 60s/early 70s, their three-part harmonies have been described as "flawless", "spine tingling" and "magical".

 

After a global pandemic cut short their first tour after just a single sold out gig, the band retreated to their song writing rooms to work on their debut album, "The Bird, The Book & The Barrel". The album was released in June 2021 and was well received, spending 8 months in the Official UK Folk Albums Chart. The follow up, "Petrichor" was released in March 2023, and immediately followed suit, entering the chart at #31.A live performance involves easy interchanging of instruments, with each of the three playing guitar, bass and percussion at different points.

 

There's always a fun intimacy to the show, with the three engaging in comfortable repartee with each other and the audience like a group of old friends.

Thursday 6th November 2025

Plumhall

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Plumhall (Michelle Plum and Nick B Hall) are critically-acclaimed songwriters from the UK, using a mesmerising combination of acoustic and electric instruments (occasionally with electronica) to create breathtaking soundscapes to their powerful original songs.

 

They are renowned for their exquisite vocal harmonies and scintillating live guitar playing. Plumhall's first two studio albums, 'Thundercloud' and 'The Ghost of Noise', earned the duo many plaudits including a “Hidden Gem” award from The Guardian/Observer. From the alt-country sound of the debut to the electronica and found sounds of the follow up, the duo have proved that they can fuse classic song writing with genre-hopping studio experimentation.

 

Their eagerly awaited third album “One Star Awake” is due for international release on 7 June 2024, but pre-release CD copies are available now at live shows only.​2024 kicked off spectacularly for the duo as they have just completed a triumphant 30-date tour with the legendary Fairport Convention as special guests on Fairport's Winter Tour, which saw Fairport join Plumhall onstage every night to perform the title song “One Star Awake” from their new album. Fairport's own Ric Sanders features on the album track.​Plumhall have been invited to sing onstage with Al Stewart on several occasions, including unforgettable appearances at London’s Palladium and Cadogan Hall. They have also performed alongside other such luminaries as Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan guitarist/Levon Helm producer/instrumentalist), Phil Beer (Show of Hands) and many more.​

 

In 2018 Nick and Michelle caught the attention of film-maker Richard Heap, who asked them to write an original song for, arrange live acoustic music for, and appear in the 2020 international feature film The Runaways. The song “Closing Down” is now a much loved staple in Plumhall's repertoire.​

 

The duo's livestream shows built a global online community during lockdowns, inspiring a stunning video for their song "A Darkness That Won't Leave The House," which was recognized by Janice Long on BBC radio.​ Michelle Plum was formerly a member of Chumbawamba, replacing Lou Watts for 4 years, a touring session musician with The Chris Norman Band for 4 years, and a founder member of Waking The Witch. Nick Hall has been a touring member of Ian Prowse & Amsterdam, Magna Carta, and The Hall Brothers. ​Plumhall are constantly evolving, and now also perform as a three-piece with their producer David P Crickmore (of Fiat Lux) on bass, vocals and electronica. The trio has the power of a rock band and can fully recreate the sound of their studio albums live.​

Laura Dannan 

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We are thrilled to announce that Laura Dannan will be gracing the Runnymede Folk Club stage once again in November 2025 for her third appearance! Laura, a talented singer-songwriter from St Albans, first captivated our audience during our opening night on May 4th, 2023, with her heartfelt storytelling and unique musical style.

 

Since then, Laura has continued to evolve as an artist, drawing inspiration from her personal experiences and exploring themes that resonate deeply with listeners. Her songs, filled with quirky insights and relatable narratives, make for an entertaining and memorable performance.

 

Her previous singles, like “Midlife Crisis” and “Little Grey,” have received praise for their emotional depth and melodic charm​.

 

In addition to her captivating performances, Laura is known for her engaging YouTube series, "Drum Quest," where she interviews top drummers, showcasing her diverse talents beyond singing and song writing.

 

As the founder of The Flying Squirrels Club, she passionately supports local musicians and original artists, further solidifying her commitment to the folk music community​

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