With Martyn Wyndham– Read, Iris Bishop, Doug Jenner, Cathy Barclay and
Peter Barclay
Recommended donation – £10:00
From the mid-19th century up to the 1970s, Australia’s economy rode high on wealth from its primary exports – and wool in particular came to be seen as synonymous with the Australian way of life.
Australian prosperity had been built on the wool industry and it was often said that Australia was ‘riding on the sheep’s back’.
‘I Don’t Go Shearing Now’ – Martyn Wyndham-Read’s presentation of songs, poems and stories – takes us into the lives of the men and women who were the backbone of Australia’s great wool industry.
As the UK’s foremost interpreter of Australian folk songs and with more than 40 albums to his credit, Martyn Wyndham-Read needs no introduction to folk audiences. It was when he moved to Australia to work on Emu Springs sheep station that he heard and became captivated by the old songs sung by station hands.
Iris Bishop is widely recognised for her skill and originality on that uniquely English invention – the Duet Concertina. Associated mostly with her subtle and expressive approach to song accompaniment, her solo repertoire includes styles not usually associated with those instruments. She has toured and recorded extensively with Martyn and worked on theatre productions ‘Maypoles to Mistletoe’ and ‘Down the Lawson Track’.
Doug Jenner has been presenting Australian traditional material since the early 1980s. Judge for several years at the Australian Bush Band Championships at Glen Innes, Doug manages and performs with UK-based Aussie band Buckley’s Chance.Cathy Barclay has been singing and playing traditional music since the early 70’s with various bands and singing groups. Initially in York with Bryony, then further south with Beggers Velvet, she now plays in bluegrass band Rawbones, straying into other genres with local musicians. She has just finished recording an album with her youngest daughter. As well as appearing locally in pubs and clubs she runs a community choir.
Although not a singer himself Peter Barclay is an excellent narrator. He has been interested in folk music since his schooldays in Australia when he first heard an early recording by Martyn. Peter is more likely to be found backstage helping with sound and organising their local music festival. His daughter and grandson live in Sydney and so, he and Cathy visit Australia frequently.
