Past Guests

We were delighted when our friend & International  super model, Shelly Radley gave up some of her valuable time to chat with us about the good and bad points of modelling as a career.

Shelley gave us her views in a no nonsense way that put the modelling world into perspective for any wannabe models.   Now she is continuing her career from the other side of the lens, as a very successful photographer.

 

Two friends, who feature  regularly on the show are the Anglo-Celtic duo, Tinkerscuss.   Bryony is the one who supplies the vocals to sister Erin's musical talent.  Their style of music is a joy to listen to and just when you think you've heard the best, they come up with something new & entirely different and refreshing.

Regularly seen at folk gatherings in the southern counties, but not, unfortunatley as regular visitors to the northern folk scene, their albums are immensely popular amongst the more discerning listeners

A regular visitor to the city of Durham is a popular lady on the musical circuit.

Rebecca Newman who is "The People's Soprano" features in our vocal choices for both selections from the operas and modern musicals.   Rebecca has recently released her latest album which features a selection of new and popular songs backed by the City of Prague Orchestra.  A beautiful lady with a beautiful voice.

Prior to the release of his latest album, Silver Muse, Britain's own Hurdy Gurdy man, Jake Walton was kind enough to talk to us and tell us about some of the tracks on the CD.   Jake has been around somewhat longer than many of the new folk artistes and along with some hilarious anecdotes about his time touring with several other solo artistes and bands kept us highly entertained throughout the show.  His latest album features several guests and we would say it is his best release yet.

There can't be many people with as unusual a  career as Agent Green.

She is a dragon whisperer and along with her dragon, Fuse, she paid a visit to the studio with only a slight reduction in the local population of humans and sheep.   An interview that had me in fear for my life and which, I am informed terrified some of our younger listeners.   Who is this lady?    Of course it is Chloe of the Midnight Story Tellers.

Shelley Rainey called in to see us last year when up in the area to visit some other friends.   She is one third of a vocal group who are neither sisters nor do they drink Baileys.  However the blend of three voices has meant the Bailey Sisters are in frequent demand around the Manchester area,   We did audition Shelley as a presenter, but like most of the midlanders who refer to themseves as being  'Northern', she found it difficult to master the broad Geordie and Mackem dialects.   Shelley is a regular co-host on a Manchester radio station every Sunday and can be guaranteed to come up with interesting choices.

Junior Turner is a local singer who is just as much at ease recording in New York on  Tyneside as he is in New York in the good ole U.S. of A.    His work over last Christmas in aid of Children in Need, saw him release a seasonal CD and a single to help raise funds for this worthwhile charity.   His popularity in the area is due to the fact  that he has always held on to his roots.   As he explained to us when we caught up with him, the local people are the ones who helped me to get where I am today, I am not going to forget them nor the help they gave me when I was starting out.

Who could mistake the very distinctive hooped sweater of folk hero Jez Lowe?   Apparently the ones who like his striped jerseys!

We caught up with Jez at the Foklworks Summer Gathering in Durham and managed to prevent him from having a well earned coffee break whilst he gave us his own thoughts on the future of folk and about the youngters who attend these summer schools to keep the traditions alive.

It was a pleasure to meet Jez and include some of his tracks in the show.

 

Having featured tracks by these two gentlemen on the show, it was a pleasure to finally meet Ian and Phil of The Huers at the Newcastle Guitar Show.   This duo from the Northwest of the country performed a wide range of numbers throughout the day and have a style that is very easy to listen to.

A great day was spent with the guys and a chance to have them back on the show to find out how things are going is certainly on the cards.

Proving what an old smoothie I am was one way to meet up with Canadian born Kyla Lingley, a crossover soprano.

Kyla was appearing at an open air event in Durham to support Breakthrough on Breast Cancer when I first heard her perform.   A  classically trained soprano, she is equally at home with Puccini or the works of Lloyd-Weber.

It was a pleasure to meet Kyla and hear her views on current musical trends and tastes in today's market.

Shaun Hutch from downtown Sheffield.

Shaun gave up a little of his valuable time to tell us about his debut EP,

Introducing Shaun Hutch, and tell us how some of his original tracks were inspired and set to music.

We're hoping to meet up with Sean at some point in 2014 when he comes 'oop north' with his wife to visit her family and hopefully catch him at a local gig or three.   We're certainly lookng forward to meeting the man and the Ranger is looking forward to sharing a measure of Scotch with an aficionado.

Michelle Birbeck is a local author who we've known for several years thanks to the International NaNoWriMo held each November for budding writers.   Michelle has at least five books (novels and short stories) on release at present although how many will be added to that list before we next meet is anyone's guess.    She is a prolific writer and her output is comparable to the "Plot Bunny" who always accompanies her to events around the area.

ETTD - for short, we featured the band Emile's Telegraphic Transmission Device on one of our early shows when we introduced their own particular style of synth and live music/vocals.

 

We are hoping to catch up with them again soon to find out what the past few months has meant to them after a small line-up change and the release of their second CD.