West Coast Folk Festival 2025

Please note: Info provided by the Event Organiser

Martin Simpson

Widely acknowledged as one of the finest acoustic and slide guitar players in the world, Martin Simpson's interpretations of traditional songs are masterpieces of storytelling. His solo shows are intense, eclectic, spellbinding and deeply moving. His own song writing has produced some real gems, from the truck-stop epic Love Never Dies, to the profoundly moving Never Any Good. His career includes collaborations on stage and record with June Tabor, Kelly Joe Phelps, Jackson Browne, Danú, Martin Carthy, Cara Dillon and many more. Simpson is a very regular nominee in the BBC Folk Awards and received Musician of the Year in 2002 and 2005.

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Judie Tzuke

After an education in the arts, music and drama, by the age of 15 Judie Tzuke spent most of her time writing poems which she turned into songs and playing folk clubs, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar. In 1975 she met Mike Paxman and together they started to write the songs that were to become her first releases. In 1977 Judie went to see managing director David Croker at Elton John's label Rocket Records as their motto was 'a label for artists'. She played them a few songs, one of which was Stay With Me 'Till Dawn and was immediately signed to the new label. Judie and Mike spent the next six months or so recording her first album 'Welcome To The Cruise' at Air Studios in London, with producer John Punter. The first single was released in the summer of 1978, entitled For You and was greeted with great critical acclaim and substantial airplay.

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Ashley Hutchings

Ashley Hutchings is the moving force behind the 'Morris On' albums and founder member of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and the Albion Band. A bona fide folk legend.

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The Salts

The Salts are made up of seasoned musicians who play a mesmerising mix of full speed, foot-stomping traditional and original shanties. Doing for shanties what the Pogues did for folk, they create one of the most exciting and energetic folk concepts of recent times. Fronted by twice BBC Young Folk Finalist Lee Collinson, they fire a mighty yet respectful broadside at the traditional, with banjo, mandolin, guitars, double bass and percussion to the fore. The Salts album "She Rises" is available from Amazon and i-Tunes.

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Also Appearing

Merry Hell, Gabriel Moreno, The Dunwells, Becky Mills