Born in Hull, Carrie is an acoustic guitarist and singer/songwriter.

She fronted bands in the 90s before casting her music aside in order to raise her children, her guitar went untouched for some two decades until a chance meeting with guitar virtuoso Gordon Giltrap changed her life.

Close mentoring from Gordon saw her take a huge leap forward, attracting endorsements from Vintage Guitars, G7th Capos, Martin Strings and most recently she has become and artist for Faith Guitars.

Her last two albums Seductive Sky and Entity included guests Elliott Randall, Gordon Giltrap, Oliver Wakeman, Daniel Cassidy (brother of late Eva Cassidy) and ex Bad Company guitarist Dave Colwell.

Carrie has performed in Canada on tour and has represented Vintage Guitars three times at the Namm Show In California. She also guests at various guitar shows around the UK to demo her use of open tunings.

May 2023 saw her take to the stage at The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, alongside Gordon Giltrap MBE , Oliver Wakeman and the mighty Rick Wakeman CBE.

Her new album Evergreen featuring Oliver Wakeman, Heart’s guitarist Roger Fisher, John Verity and Dan Karl Cassidy is out now on vinyl,cd and download from Bandcamp.

Quotes

“Phenomenal” Rick Wakeman CBE

“Martin is equally skilled on guitar, on vocals and as writer. The voice is distinctive- the crystalline purity and range of a Kate Bush, the depth and delicacy of a Sandy Denny. And the songs to which she applies them stand up with any of her peers. The chord sequence of the title track evokes Joni Micthell’s Hejira album.”

Trevor Raggatt, RnR Magazine.

“It’s pretty obvious from the moment you hear Carrie Martin sing that she is an outstanding vocalist with passion in each breath. Don’t be too sidetracked by that voice and stage persona and well-crafted songs, because you might just miss the fact that she is a fine guitar player as well!”

Gordon Giltrap

Join Katie Spencer & Alan Thomson (fretless bass) for a special one-of-a-kind evening, celebrating the music of John Martyn. Spencer & Thomson will play a variety of John Martyn songs, including those from ‘Hurt In Your Heart’ – an EP released in 2021 featuring both musicians. They will also play a selection of Katie Spencer’s original songs.

As a bass player, Alan Thomson was another long-term member of John Martyn’s Band and an accomplished song-writer. His touring and writing credits include Robert Palmer, Rick Wakeman, Andy Summers, Bo Diddley, Denny Laine and Long John Baldry.

Raised in the East Yorkshire flatlands on the fringes of Hull, Katie Spencer’s landscape has always been that of open skies and widening rivers. Industry still shapes the city here. The people, as with the land, are moulded by tides and stark horizons. Stand in the same place for long enough and you can watch the sun rise over the North Sea and then sink into crop fields, glowing auburn in late-summer sun. It is this sense of space and movement that flows through Katie Spencer’s music.

The songwriting, and most notably her guitar playing stems from a time when the steel-stringed instrument was truly finding its voice. Artists like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and perhaps most evidently Michael Chapman, flow into her sound, carrying with them the warmth and idealism of the early 70’s folk and songwriter movements.

Katie Spencer’s widely celebrated new album, The Edge of the Land (2022), follows her debut release, Weather Beaten (2019) which was praised for its unique song-craft, spell-binding musicianship and crystal sonic clarity, as she brought together fans of music from all backgrounds and walks of life. Delicate and un-rushed, the ten songs on The Edge of the Land drift by like ships on the horizon, yet intimacy and introspection still remain.

The inclusivity found in her recorded works is most apparent when on stage, with a personal connection and humour that allows the listener time to appreciate the emotion of the music. Her historical gig list is extensive, taking in the world-renowned Celtic Connections and Cambridge Folk Festival, whilst performances with Danny Thompson and Alan Thomson have left audiences in awe of her confidence and craftsmanship.

As live music has returned to our world, we can expect to see Katie Spencer where she belongs once more, eyes closed, in the moment, performing.

THE REDHILLS

The Redhills are based in Warwickshire and have been playing traditional music in their current line up since 2015

Playing “louder and prouder” than your average folk rockers, the overall effect is of a lively & tight rock band, but there can be almost anything from the traditional music canon of the British Islands folded into their arrangements – a song of the sea, lively jigs and reels, a broadsheet tale of ‘orrible infamy and murder, a street cry or a hornpipe. Often several of the above in one number! They occasionally drop in the odd original song, a folky cover, a Zappa number or a dub arrangement of a trad piece when the mood takes them..

The band have played at both mainstream folk and “non folky” festivals and clubs, bars, pubs and other events all over the midlands and further afield. Redhills’ performances are always lively, energetic and fun. Several reviewers have described their music as “infectious” (in a nice way!) and it is not uncommon to see audiences get up and spontaneously start to dance.

The Redhills are: Maria Barham (vocals, acoustic guitar and whistles), Jim Black (guitars and vocals), Nick Ellison (Fiddle, Mandolin and vocals), Nick Mew (bass, guitars, vocals) and Nate Walker (Percussion).

Hawksley Workman is a JUNO Award-winning and Gold Record certified singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Since his ground-breaking self-produced indie debut For Him and The Girls (1999) through to chart-topping singles of 2020, Hawksley has careened between major label international smash hits to Canadiana soaked indie releases.

Boasting a catalogue of 17 solo records, Hawksley’s genre defying style strings together folk, chart pop and irrepressible cabaret. His show-stopping vocals on songs about weather, love, heart break and tales of end-times have garnered him a league of devoted fans.

Performing over a thousand shows worldwide, Hawksley has headlined prestigious venues like Massey Hall and The Olympia in Paris. For a uniquely Canadian artist Hawksley has built loyal fan bases in the UK, France, Norway and Australia launching many successful tours, demystifying and delighting fans while drawing on an enviable catalogue of mischievous favourites, glammy stompers and heartfelt hymns to small town Canada.

Evocative and distinctive, folk duo Suthering (Julu Irvine & Heg Brignall) transport audiences with their exquisite vocal harmonies and their message of hope during hard times. Soaring above the cascading piano and delicate, fingerstyle guitar, it’s the duo’s beautifully matched voices and their fresh approach to folk which make their traditional and self-penned songs stand out.

Known for their chemistry and humour on stage, they effortlessly intertwine their important messages about the state of our climate, social conscience, and the importance of community and connecting with nature. They champion female characters, creating new narratives for women and unearthing the female heroines of folk.

Suthering have toured extensively with their debut album If We Turn Away (Feb 2022 – co-produced with Lukas Drinkwater) and are currently working on a second studio album, produced and recorded by Sean Lakeman, which will be released in late 2024.

Suthering found their duo name in a book called Landmarks by Robert MacFarlane. The word, meaning “the sound of the wind through the trees” comes from a John Clare poem and it perfectly captures the duo’s love of nature, a theme which can be found woven into their music. They moved from Bristol to Devon in 2019, just before the pandemic hit, in a bid to create a more connected life on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. The wild expanse and history of Dartmoor, influences and inspires their music, which is rooted in the landscape that surrounds them. Their debut album explores themes of community, connection, environment, and conscience is very much a reflection of the times we are living in and has been influenced by the duo’s experiences during the pandemic. The album received radio play across the country and glowing press reviews.

Suthering have received recognition and features from the BBC, R&R magazine, FATEA Magazine, Folk Wales, Folk Expo, folking.com and more. They were featured as artists at the EFDSS concert series at Sidmouth Folk Festival in 2022 as well as appearing at many festivals across the country in 2023. They have previously appeared at Costa Del Folk, Priddy Folk Festival, Beardy Folk Festival, Fire in the Mountain, Green Man Festival and many more. In August 2022 the duo took part in the next Songs of Separation project called All Sing! on the Isle of Lismore, recording a cappella versions of the original 2015 Songs of Separation album.

They have also been selected for the Rural Touring and Applause schemes, taking gigs to rural locations across the country. Alongside their duo, they delight in bringing communities together; they run two community choirs (Wheelhouse Folk Choir and The Great Sea Choir) and also run their company Suthering Singing Retreats which offers singing workshops for adults.

Man The Lifeboats began life in a shanty-punk folk moshpit in 2016. Skinny Lister and Holy Moly & the Crackers were the two bands that lit the fire and blew the roof of the Garage that night.

Fast forward 6 years and 100 gigs and counting and Man The Lifeboats are an established band ploughing their furrow on the festival circuit, winning over audiences at Warwick, Swanage, Beardy Folk, Folk in a Field, Bearded Theory, Deepdale, Ragged Bear and more, drawing comparisons to Bellowhead, Waterboys, Oysterband, the Levellers, and those folk-punk heroes the Pogues.

The second album Soul Of Albion hit no27 in the Official Folk Charts in 2022. Recorded at Rockfield Studios, it sounds like Led Zeppelin arm-wrestling Shane McGowan in a Birmingham brewery, like Jimbob and Fruitbat fronting Fairport Convention, like The Albion Band turned up to 11 with their fiddles on fire. Tonic for these troubled times.

“His music takes on chameleon dimensions with alt-folk, glam rock, & classical influences – musics of the past which he skilfully brings to the present.” – Irish Music Magazine

Joshua Burnell makes retro pop-rock for the modern world. His latest album, Glass Knight – which according to the Financial Times, “plays like a lost out-take from Spiders-From-Mars-era Bowie” – won over a lot of new fans upon its release in 2023. Expect hooky melodies drenched in warm, retro-synth textures, reverbing guitars, lush harmonies and words that make you think. Imagine The War On Drugs meets Genesis with “lashings of Peter Gabriel stylings,” – The Guardian.

Joshua and his band love what they do and it is infectious; they left the stage at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention to a standing ovation, and similarly won the hearts of audiences at Towersey, Folkeast, Wickham and Moonbeams festivals last summer. They are now taking the show on a tour of major UK cities including Glasgow, Cambridge, London, Sheffield, Bristol and Birmingham.

Always leaving his fans and critics guessing, Glass Knight has yet again defied expectations: “coloured with glam, psychedelia and 70s folk/pop, Glass Knight is a redefining album in much the same way as Ziggy Stardust” (Folking.com). Through his intricately crafted lyrics, Joshua creates a multiverse of settings, from apocalyptic love songs to reimagined fairy tales, and introduces otherworldly characters – the Glass Knight being resurrected from an old English folk tale to reflect the foibles of the modern-day world.

This one’s for fans of Stranger Things, 70s art rock and everything in between.

It is Joshua’s original songwriting, however, that has won the hearts of listeners and industry professionals alike. His previous album, Flowers Where The Horses Sleep (2020) earned him the Folking Magazine Rising Star Award and – following a brief hiatus for a global pandemic – was toured in the UK, including dates at Cambridge Folk Festival, Manchester Folk Festival, Costa Del Folk Festival as well as headline shows in Sheffield, Glasgow, York, Bridlington, London, Brighton, Milton Keynes and Bristol.

Things are moving quickly for this ambitious and hard-working “genre-dodging genius” (Spiral Earth). Whatever your take on this genre-hopping songwriter’s music, he has proven he can connect with an audience and keep them hanging on for more. In Joshua’s own words, “it is about telling a compelling story while discovering what it means to be human.”

This is Gordon’s third Temperance appearance this year. The first two sold out in no time. And at the time this is being uploaded, tickets are already selling like the proverbial hot cakes.

Recently awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year’s Honour List for services to Music and Charity, legendary British Guitarist Gordon Giltrap will be performing a select series of shows across the UK.

Over five decades, Gordon Giltrap has graced the music business with his dedication to his craft and his affection for his audience. As one of the UK’s most respected guitarists, he has consistently proved the adage that respect cannot be bought. It must be earned.

This innovative guitarist is back out on the road performing many of his incredible songs with incredible arrangements in what promises to be an electrifying solo acoustic show. Expect to hear classics such as Heartsong and Lucifer’s Cage alongside new material from his latest album ‘Scattered Chapters’.

A show guaranteed to enthrall guitar aficionados, acoustic enthusiasts and music lovers in general, don’t miss the chance to see one of the UK’s most important and influential guitarists in action.

Anna Pancaldi, an enchanting and noteworthy London-based singer-songwriter influenced by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Carole King and proves a rare talent and an artist to remember through her wondrous vocals and thought-provoking songbook. Anna’s exquisite latest musical offerings are effortlessly honest, touchingly relatable and is a performer known for her deeply affecting live performances.

After a sold-out London headline show at Folklore in May 2023 after the release of her rousing new single, Where Do I Lay All the Love I Have Left, Anna then released her anthemic single, Stay This Way, in September with more songs to follow shortly. Anna embarks on a full headline UK tour,including another sold-out headline show at London’s The Waiting Room on October 20th.

2023 marks a poignant new epoch for Anna having musically remerged from her chrysalis with her most inspired music yet and a pivotal turning point in her career.

With an impressive catalogue of music placements in film and TV including the globally acclaimed Grey’s Anatomy trailer, Focus Feature film, Every Body, Pretty Little Liars, Famous in Love, Paramount film, The In Between, Nancy Drew, Love Is Blind (Netflix) and has featured in and soundtracked an adrenaline filled Levi’s campaign.

With three Top Ten’s in the singer-songwriter iTunes charts, Anna has gone on to captivate audiences headlining across the UK, Europe and the US. Headlining shows in NYC, LA, Chicago, and Nashville. Anna has captured audiences with TV appearances on CBS LA and London Live and toured the world opening for heavyweight artists such as David Ryan Harris (John Mayer’s guitarist), Jake Isaac and Fatai.

Simply Dylan is as straightforward as the title suggests: no frills, no gimmicks and no pretence. Led by front man John O’Connell, the band delivers a tribute to Bob Dylan celebrating the rich and diverse work of the award-winning artist. It is their interpretations, precise playing and high energy renditions of some of Dylan’s back catalogue that has caught the attention of many Bobcats.

What started as a modest project in 2011, recognizing Dylan’s 70th Birthday, the success of the band has been nothing short of remarkable from selling out the Cavern Club 6 times, to receiving fantastic reviews from audiences across the UK, to opening up the Isle of Wight Festival on the Big Top Stage.