Mick O'Hara
The MC of all MCs, Mick O'Hara is singer, songwriter, guitarist and mandolinist extrordinaire. Look out for Buttermere Waltz on You Tube. You Tube now has it's own song - called "You Tube"!!! As for his jokes........yes well.......hmmmm!
Micky Mac
Micky specialises in unaccompanied folk songs, anything from The Derby Ram to One Starry Night. He helps run First Sunday FC in Hemingbrough and does stalwart work behind the scenes. He has had his own tune written for him, "Micky Mac's Lament (c. J.Firminger 2004)
Jack Firminger and Susie Fox
Regulars of both the First Sunday FC and Folk at the Ferry, Jack plays flute to accompany Susie's singing, guitar, recorders and bodhran. Jack has also ventured into singing and made his debut solo in 2008 with John Barleycorn. Songs range from the traditional & unaccompanied by Susie, to traditional with flute harmonies, guitar or recorder accompaniments. Susie writes her own songs and poetry, whilst Jack writes his own flute melodies.
Tulip (Paul)
The ubiquteous Tulip, sings, guitars, harmonica-izes and is a famous interpreter of Steve Earle's songs. He plays along with Brian, Susie & Jack...everyone...So he does!
Ric
Ric plays guitar and sings. His favourite artists are Bert Jansch, Chris Smither (No Love Today), Joni Mitchell and Larry Norman. He also writes his own songs.
John Zarfus
John sings traditional English, Irish & Scottish songs specialising also in international songs. We have heard many languages and styles including Russian and Spanish among his repetoire. He has a great interest in railway songs, the 1930s and the songs of Tom Lehrer.
Brian Worrell
Brian sings and plays guitar. Listen out for a range of songs from The Beetles, through to Dougie Maclean. Brian plays at Folk at the Ferry, and is often accompanied by Ubiquiteous Tulip on harmonica.
Gill Vance
Gil is a wonderful singer, songwriter and guitarist. Her songs are poignant, gentle and lyrical and speak to the heart. She seems to know the words of every popular song, and can sing her way through the folk repertoire as well. She can pull out a bit of Joni Mitchell, or Eva Cassidy too, and sound remarkably authentic. She plays and sings in PMG
Alan
Alan plays the D whistle, and gives various renditions of Scottish and Irish tunes, including Spancil Hill.
Pauline King
Pauline has played in Beirut and the Middle East, before landing back in East Yorkshire to sing her self penned songs, and lovely versions of songs such as Summertime. She is a dab hand at encouraging the audience (successfully) to sing.
Alan Collier
Alan is well known around the Yorkshire folk scene for hs singing in the shanty band, Monkey's Fist, a four-some that perform at shanty festivals around the Yorkshire region. He has also "served time" as a club organiser.
Carole Sherwell
Carole travels from Leeds to First Sunday FC, and plays the English Button Accordian (diatonic). Jigs, reels and ceildh tunes gets toes tapping and everyone wanting to have a dance. (However, WE are English! and therefore behave ourselves!!! [Why?]) She plays with the Ceildh band Greensleeveless, and is a dancer herself.
Alan Nelson
Bringing us great Country music with a Scottish Accent!
Rob, plays with Two Bob
Watch out, Rob's about, sometimes known as the lead singer in Half Cut, also half of Two Bob. Watch out for the bands at Thorganby beer festival, and around the North Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire areas, and the Black Swan Folk Club Festival in May.
Dave Shaw
Primarily a guitarist, Dave also plays mandolin, and sings. He is renowned for his rendition of Buttermere Waltz, played with Mick O'Hara on You Tube. He plays finger picking style, with plenty of tunes among his repetoire with only a few groans, aahhs! and oops! seasoning the melodies. He collaborates with Jack & Susie on unique renditions of "Bouree" (similar to that of Jethro Tull fame) and "Red Haired Boy".
Phil Williamson
Phil, landlord of the Ferryboat Inn, plays delicate and intricate guitar finger picking style and sings songs from various sources including Chris Wood, Nick Jones and Joni Mitchell. He pulls off John Barleycorn (Trad) and The Chip Shop song (Chris Wood) perfectly.
M P G
Mary, Phil and Gill formed the band MPG to bring an eclectic mix of songs old and new, from folk to pop and rock. Gill and Phil take turns to lead sing, and play guitars, Mary sings harmonies and plays the Bodhran and percussion.
Mary Mattheson
Mary is part of MPG and plays the bodhran, percussion and sings.
Colin
Folk music would not exist without Colin. Unaccompanied he presents us with Waltzing Matilda, then out come banjos, ukeleles, squeezy boxes, the biggest harmonica ever, followed by the smallest harmonica ever that he nearly swallows whole. Best of all are the "outfits" - tartan was never mixed 'n' matched with such unique creativeness as when Colin dresses the part for his "Scottish Set".
Below he is playing with Chris Barnes, of the Open Mic night at the Yorkshire Hussar, York, Wednesday evenings.
Keith
Keith plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, and presents his versions of songs by Bob Dylan, Tom Russell, Townes van Zant, and Eric Vogle.
Phil Matheson
Phil's speciality is the Uillean Pipes, but he is also a singer, songwriter and guitarist. He plays with PMG as the lead guitarist, and also with Dave Shaw. With Mary he brought out the CD "IonaXXXX" He has written two books focussing on DADGAD tunings, one being "The Dead Good DADGAD Book".
Vic
Vic is a guitarist and singer, who has written songs and who also performs songs written by others. Vic gives us a wide variety and is a regular at the First Sunday FC Heminbrough and The Ferryboat. He hails from Castleford.
Matt
Matt plays guitar, harmonica and sings a varied repetoire of music. He colours the evening with a hint of Irish, and the relaxed mood of the blues.
Colin Devey
Colin is a shanty singer with the band Monkey's Fist, well known for their shanty singing all over Yorkshire, from The Grove in Leeds, Black Swan FC in York to Robin Hood's Bay FC on the East Yorkshire coast.
Denzil Vallance
Denzil owns half a brewery (GREAT!) and reckons he is a poor tribute band look-a-like to George Formby and Jonny Cash. He has formed (he sez) the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Heck.
Ian
Ian sings and plays guitar. He went to park his guitar in the kitchen at The Ferryboat, in the dark, all alone...when...suddenly his big toe was attacked by random little teeth. The teeth hung on for dear life, and our intrepid hero thrashed and kicked, lunged and hopped, out of the door into the light of the folk club. Hanging on the end of his tootsies was Phil Williamson's little dog. The dog eventually let go, gave Ian a look, and walked off as if nothing had happened. Ian continued having his heart attack.
Diad
Damian Fynes & Frank Pallister are long standing folk musicians, based in York and working together as Diad. See them at the Black Swan FC as well. Damian's roots are Irish, and this comes across in his music, while Frank plays guitar, banjo, violin - all expertly. He also renovates stringed instruments for a living.
Kieran & Sophie
Kieran & Sophie play separately, and frequent both clubs regularly. Kieran plays guitar and banjo and Sophie the guitar. Both sing a variety of songs to entertain us.
Pete Nic
So we have Mick, Mick, Vic, Rick and Pete Nic as well. Pete plays guitar and sings. He has a wry sense of humour too.
