Ranagri are Jordan Murray, Eleanor Dunsdon, Eliza Marshall, Dónal Rogers and they have forged a new and contemporary sound on the folk scene, winning audiences at home and internationally, an energetic festival band yet equally at home with their more intimate writing and thought provoking lyrics. They are as happy to make you dance as they are to make you smile or shed a tear, passionately delving into current world topics, playing with politics, and creating uplifting music to lyrics with great depth.
Their recent release – ‘Tradition II’ – is the sequel to their acclaimed album ‘Tradition’ – exploring traditional folk songs – deconstructing and reconstructing – trying to eek out alternative meaning whilst adding the unique Ranagri flavours; harp, flutes, guitars, dulcimer, percussion all woven together with lead vocals and harmonies.
Festival performances include Cambridge, Towersey and Montelago, venues as diverse as Birmingham Symphony Hall to Topic Folk Club, all of which are loved in equal measure. Recent headline slots include Lyme Folk Weekend and Baafest and this Autumn they tour throughout Germany, followed by a new collaboration with pop legend Tony Christie.
“Voices and instruments combine to astound the listener with some of the most attention-grabbing music I’ve heard in a long time” FRUK 2022
She was THE star on Jools Holland’s New Year’s Eve Hootenanny. Now 17-year-old Irish country blues sensation Muireann Bradley is coming to Wickham on Friday 2nd August. This debut appearance on the BBC has been already been watched nearly 500K times on YouTube!
With only 4 UK dates announced, 2 of which are UK Festivals (Green Man being the other), we’re dead chuffed to have Muireann coming to Wickham. With so many other festivals trying to book, her we are delighted she has chosen Wickham and can not wait to welcome her to the our stage this summer!
Muireann Bradley is a 17 year old finger picking guitarist & singer who grew up in the hills overlooking the Finn Valley outside the town of Ballybofey in County Donegal, Ireland. Muireann performs primarily Country, Ragtime & Piedmont style blues from the 1920s & 1930s.
Her influences include Rev Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Elizabeth Cotten, and Memphis Minnie to name just a few. She delights in interpreting & performing the music of these early blues masters, always putting her own unique stamp on the tunes.
Muireann grew up surrounded by guitars & old blues & began playing at the age of nine when she convinced her father to buy her first guitar and teach her. She worked hard and learned to finger pick in various old blues styles. However as she got older she began to invest more time in the sports of boxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which she trained and competed in successfully from a young age. This led to the guitar and music beginning to take something of a back seat. Then in March 2020 when the first COVID lock downs happened all contact sports were shut down. Muireann felt lost for a while but she soon rediscovered her love for the guitar and the old Blues that she had grown up with. She was now listening and practicing with a new intensity and focus. She decided to start posting videos on You Tube, the first of which was her rendition of Blind Blake’s “Police Dog Blues”. It received a lot of attention, and has now had 80,000+ views. She was then contacted by Josh Rosenthal of Tompkins Square Records in San Francisco who suggested she record an album. Muireann was very keen to hear herself on record but as it turned out the recording of the album would be delayed and interrupted numerous times by the ongoing pandemic, allergies, orthodontics and just generally growing up! The songs and instrumentals were all recorded live in the studio in one or two takes in an attempt to make the process as similar as possible to that of the original classic country blues artists of the 1920s and 30s. These recordings would become the album “I kept these old blues” which is due for release in early December on vinyl, CD and cassette as well as being available on all the digital platforms.
Muireann recently went down a storm performing on the Marquee stage at the 46th Ballyshannon folk & traditional festival as the 2023 solo showcase winner.
The great Arlen Roth has described her as “a natural!”, Jorma Kaukonen said that kid is really good and I don’t mean really good for a kid, I mean REALLY GOOD, while Stefan Grossman said “ A wonderful player, I can now retire, the torch has been passed”.
She released her first album, I Kept These Old Blues, in December. Head over to Amazon or Apple to purchase this great release before seeing her live this August! She can also be found on Spotify here.
The iconic rock trailblazer Suzi Quatro will be headlining Wickham Festival on Friday 2nd August 2023. She paved the way for a new generation of female rock stars in the 70s. We really are over the moon to welcome Suzi and her fantastic band to the Wickham stage. There’s no doubt that as far as live rock performances go, Suzi is up there with the all-time greats. We’re sure this will be a night to remember! To date she has sold over 55 million records. Her hits include, Can the Can, 48 Crash, Too Big, Devil Gate Drive, Daytona Demon, The Wild One, She’s in Love With You, Mama’s Boy, If You Can’t Give Me Love, Rock Hard, and a million seller in the USA, Stumblin In a duet with Chris Norman .
She was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in a musical family with three sisters and one brother, who all played various instruments. Suzi herself made her debut on stage playing bongo’s in her fathers jazz band, The Art Quatro trio.
From an early age she studied classical piano and percussion, then aged 14, began an all-girl band with elder sister Patti called The Pleasure Seekers. Suzi was ‘told’ she would be playing bass guitar, which was as tall as her! She quickly became the lead singer and front person.
The band toured successfully for 7 years releasing a few singles along the way. They changed their name to Cradle in 1969. It was in this band, a couple of years later, that Mickie Most (a producer behind scores of hit singles for acts such as the Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Donovan, and many others) came to a Cradle concert one night and offered Suzi a solo contract. Since then she never looked back and flew to England in 1971 to begin her journey to fame. When Mickie asked her what she’d like to wear to promote Can the Can she said “leather” which he thought was old-fashioned. But she stuck to her guns and THE look was born …
Throughout the 1970s Suzi’s iconic look & glam rock style *broke the Internet* decades before it was invented! This renowned photograph by Gered Mankowitz in an unzipped leather jumpsuit was taken at a photoshoot in London, 1973.
Prints of this iconic picture signed and numbered by the photographer, Gered Mankowitz, sell for over £2K!
Soon after Suzi began working with now legendary songwriters Chinn and Chapman (Mike Chapman also produced). This resulted in the huge hit, Can the Can, which topped the charts in May 1973, and went on to sell two and a half million copies worldwide.
Between 1973 and 1980 Suzi featured in the British charts for no less than 101 weeks. She has sold to date over 55 million records, and still counting.
As the 1970s drew to a close, Suzi spread her wings and landed a part on the worldwide hit TV show, ‘Happy Days’, playing Leather Tuscadero opposite Henry Winkler and Ron Howard.
She continued to act in other shows including Minder, Dempsey and Makepeace, Absolutely Fabulous, and Midsomer Murders. In 1986 Suzi made her West End debut playing the leading role of Annie Oakley in Irving Berlin’s ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ for which she received great critical acclaim. 1988 saw Suzi spread her wings again as she hosted her own talk show called ‘Gas Street’ which ran for a year.
In 1989 Suzi was one of the first rock and roll acts to go to Russia where she performed for over half a million people in just six weeks. In 1991 Suzi was triumphant again when realised a lifelong ambition by co-writing the music and lyrics to ‘Talullah Who?’, a musical about notorious actress Tallulah Bankhead. She also starred in this production.
1999 saw Suzi start her radio career with BBC Radio 2, which is ongoing today. Suzi has done her own weekly programs, and many special documentaries including Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Patsy Cline, and a recent special on her home town of Detroit. Suzi has met, interviewed or played on stage with most of her hero’s. She was nominated for music broadcaster of the year at the Sony radio awards in 2006. 1999 also saw Suzi honoured in ‘This Is Your Life’, with Michael Aspel and the famous red book.
In 2006 Suzi released the autobiographical album, “Back to the Drive”… which has become a fans favourite worldwide. Suzi also made an appearance alongside Charles Dance in the theatre in a play called “Exonerated at this time”. Unzipped, Suzi’s Autobiograpy was released in 2007 and has done extremely well worldwide.
In 2014, to celebrate her 50 years in the business, BBC Radio 2 featured this show as part of their Christmas schedule taped at the BBC Radio Theatre. It was prime time 2 hours long, unzipped, turning into a mini concert at the end, and was attended by such luminaries as Bruce Welch (The Shadows) and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Suzi did a 23 date sell out tour of Australia in 2015, her 32th tour of this country. It was to be her *final* tour of the Australia. But this decision was turned around about a year later when she realised she was nowhere near retiring and promised her audience to NEVER use the f-word again.. (final)
“I will retire when I go on stage , shake my ass, and there is silence” – Suzi Quatro
In may 2017, she headlined a ‘Legends’ Arena tour in the UK, along with Hot Chocolate , The Osmonds and David Essex. In 2019 her documentary, “Suzi Q” was released. It has been featured on CNN, Entertainment Tonight, Golden Globes Page, Billboard, Rolling Stone and Variety just to name a few.
It is a warts and all, raw and real film, and because of the attention it has received she has now signed to do a movie of her life. The script is nearing completion and a list of names has been drawn up to play Suzi.
In 2021 she released a second album, with her son, ‘The Devil in Me’, which also charted around the world. In 2022 she released ‘Uncovered’ on the Sun Record label. This release has six of her favorite cover songs including James Brown’s “The Boss”, Carole King’s “I Feel The Earth Move”, and Rufus Thomas’s “Walking The Dog”. There will soon be a live stream of this which will be a one time only chance to see her play these track live.
Last year she released her duet album ‘Face to Face’ with Wickham Festival favourite, singer/songwriter and guitarist Kt Tunstall.’ This has charted in numerous terriorities around the world, even getting in to the top 10. It was album of the week on BBC Radio 2, and picked up the ‘Album of the Year’ award, presented by Jools Holland. It has impressed critics with tracks like Shine A Light and Overload …
As Suzi said in one of her interviews , “people aren’t liking this album, they are loving it“. Track samples and links to purchase Face to Face can be found here.
2023 marked the 50th anniversay of Can the Can being number one. Throughout this time Suzi is never idle … she must entertain, she must create, and she must communicate. Her famous quote says it all…
“I will retire when I go on stage , shake my ass, and there is silence” Suzi Quatro
Canadian singer/songwriter Tara MacLean has been an internationally renowned and award winning recording and touring artist for over 25 years. She released her first album with the Nettwerk Music Group in 1996 and Sony Music Publishing Canada. Since then has been signed with Capitol Records, and EMI Canada with her JUNO nominated band Shaye. She has written and recorded six solo albums and two with Shaye.
Tara has recently received the Senate of Canada Medal for her activist work in her community. She finished a run of three summer seasons with her hit theater show that she wrote, produced, and directed called, “Atlantic Blue-The Stories of Atlantic Canada’s Iconic Songwriters” in Charlottetown. The summer of 2019 saw Atlantic Blue produced and directed by the world famous Charlottetown Festival playing three nights a week to sold out crowds.
Tara received the SOCAN Songwriter of the Year award as well as Solo Recording of the Year for her latest album, Deeper at the PEI Music Awards. Deeper was nominated for Pop Album of the Year at ECMA 2020. Her duet with Catherine MacLellan, “This Storm”, received the award for Song of the Year. She performed “Songs from Atlantic Blue” in Concert with the PEI Symphony Orchestra. Last year, Tara received the Stompin’ Tom award by the East Coast Music Association, marking an outstanding contribution to music in the region.
Tara MacLean is an environmental and social justice activist, a zen student, a poet, author and a playwright. She resides primarily in her home province of Prince Edward Island, and also lives part time on Salt Spring Island, BC. She considers herself bi-coastal. Her greatest joy is being a mother to her three beautiful girls.
Her first book, Song of the Sparrow, hit the Best Seller List the week it was released and Tara quickly followed up with “Sparrow” – the soundtrack for the book.
Brooklyn based The Annie Keating Band will be touring the UK this summer and we can’t wait to give them a Wickham welcome on Friday 2nd August 2024.
Featuring (first ever) new Vinyl albums only available at UK shows, The Annie Keating Band features Keating on acoustic guitar and vocals, rising star Joe Coombs on electric/slide guitars, Scott Warman on bass and Jamie Dawson on drums. This band believes that live show clips capture the magic better than words can; for a taste of what the band delivers live, please visit their YouTube Channel.
“A MUST SEE” Bob Harris, BBC Radio
“Tremendous… Razor sharp rockabilly, sweet country and swampy blues, the band at full tilt.” Americana UK
“Keating is building the reputation her talent deserves.” The Telegraph
Talent spotted by BBC Radio‘s Bob Harris with the release of her breakthrough album, “Belmont” in 2008, Keating has been growing in stature and reputation, having released 11 critically acclaimed studio albums drawing formidable comparisons to artists including Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt and John Prine along the way. A staple of the contemporary Americana scene, Annie Keating writes and sings like a woman who knows deep down that heartache is the price of hope, and she can make us believe — in that way that only the best artists can — that all of it is worth the cost.
Championed by Matt Spracklen on Absolute Radio Country “A brilliant mix of amazing, rootsy, Americana, country goodness!” and Tom Robinson on BBC 6Music “They play like they mean it!” Fine Lines is a six piece British band that plays exquisite roots-infused Americana. Started by singer-songwriter David Boardman in 2016, the band has build a deserved reputation with fans of authentic live music up and down the country. The debut album ‘Hour Of Need’ and follow up, ‘Gaslight Roses’, both received universally glowing reviews upon release in 2017 and 2019 respectively and they have been performing to increasingly more appreciative audiences ever since including festival appearances at The British Country Music Festival, Carfest, Beardy Folk Festival and Pub in the Park. The band also recently toured the UK as special guests of Kiefer Sutherland.
Their sound has echoes of Dylan & the Band, Gram Parsons and Bruce Springsteen whilst maintaining a unique quality that is singularly their own. Centred around the twin vocals of Boardman and Zoe Blythe, the band is perfectly complimented by the fine playing of musicians Gary O’Brien (piano & Hammond organ), Emily Doggett (fiddle), Jim Broughton (bass) and BBC radio & TV presenter Mark Radcliffe (drums).
The band’s 3rd album ‘Deadbeat Lullabies’ and accompanying single and video ‘The Island’, were released in October 2021 on Parade Recordings. The eleven tracks were written by the band’s songwriting partnership of Boardman and Radcliffe; David’s yearning melodies perfectly complimenting Mark’s nuanced, observational lyrics.
“A brilliant mix of amazing, rootsy, Americana, country goodness …I absolutely love that!” Matt Spracklen – Absolute Radio Country
“They play like they mean it!” Tom Robinson BBC 6Music
Wilswood Buoys, formed in the summer of 2017, initially started as two friends simply jamming together. However, their passion quickly evolved into creating their own unique music. With distinct musical backgrounds, Josh and Joe blended various genres to craft a raw and fresh alt/folk island sound. Expect catchy riffs and soaring choruses that will keep you hooked throughout the night.
In 2021, Wilswood Buoys had an incredible year, with highlights including supporting the legendary Frank Turner in Colchester and gracing the stage at Lost Evenings IV on the Nick Alexander Stage at The Roundhouse in London. Their journey continued into 2023, where they supported Frank Turner on his UK tour and joined The Levellers for several dates.
Phil ‘Swill’ Odgers (The Men They Couldn’t Hang) & John Kettle (Merry Hell) will perform a special set on Thursday 1st August at this year’s Wickham Festival. Music is from their upcoming album ‘Far Rockaway (The songs of Phil Ochs)’.
Martin Stephenson began his career as a busker aged 15. He then spent three years plying his trade as the guitar player in various bands in the North East of England . But Martin wanted more, he wanted to tell stories of his own and he was quickly developing ways of doing just that.
He developed his song-writing technique by firstly learning a few licks from a Spanish guitar book and repeated the process with Jazz, Blues, Country, SkifFle, Reggae etc. Eventually, this glorious collision of styles would become the trademark which Martin has carried through his career of almost 40 years.
Martin formed his band The Daintees, who became busking sensations and were signed by Kitchenware at around the same time as Prefab Sprout and Hurrah! The band, and indeed Martin, have always been known for their incredible range of styles, each album covering a multitude of genres, tempos and moods. The Daintees went on to release four critically acclaimed albums between 1986 & 1992; Boat To Bolivia, Gladsome Humour and Blue, Salutation Road, and The Boys Heart.
His must-see live performances are an exuberant tour-de-force combining heart-in-your-mouth intimacy with playful humour and warm self-deprecation.
The earliest mention of The Copper Family is in the village of Rottingdean when in 1593, a male Copper was married in the parish church. There is a very good chance that the family were resident in or around Rottingdean long before this date. Always working in the agrarian community, most were farm labourers or shepherds, although James ‘Brasser’ Copper (b.1845) and his son Jim Copper (b.1882) were farm baliffs or managers.
Singing seems to have run in the blood and we know that the Coppers were particularly renowned. In 1896, ‘Brasser’ Copper and his brother Tom were ‘collected’ by a musicologist Mrs Kate Lee, who noted some fifty songs from them which in many ways became the foundation stone upon which the Folk Song Society (later the English Folk Dance and Song Society) was formed in 1898. The songs were kept alive in the village through the lean years of disinterest in the 1920s and ‘30s by Jim Copper and his bother John. Post-war, Jim’s son Bob Copper and his cousin Ron took on the mantle and, largely through Bob’s diligence and writings, they survive into the modern era.
Today the family is represented by Bob’s son and daughter John and Jill, his son-in-law Jon Dudley and their respective children, Mark, Andy Sean, Ben, Lucy and Tom. Recently Bob’s great grandson Flinn has joined the line-up thus making it the eighth consecutive known generation of The Copper Family to sing.
This is one not to be missed, with several Wickham favourites who have formed a new folk roots supergroup! Dream in Colors will be performing on Saturday 3rd August 2023.
Celebrated singer-songwriter and former Show of Hands frontman, Steve Knightley, known for his soul-stirring melodies and evocative storytelling, is thrilled to announce the formation of a new festival band, Dream in Colors. This extraordinary ensemble of musical talents promises a unique and captivating festival journey that transcends boundaries of race, age, and background, to deliver some of the most exciting and uplifting global roots music of the decade.
Dream in Colors unites the song writing prowess of Steve Knightley, the mesmerizing percussion skills of Johnny Kalsi, the virtuosic violin performances by Bennett Cerven, and the renowned flute melodies of Eliza Marshall. Their enchanting fusion encompasses dance rhythms, anthemic songs, trance grooves, and world music heartbeats. Stay tuned for updates on live performances, festival appearances, and the release of their highly anticipated debut album.
“I am incredibly excited to introduce Dream in Colors to music lovers worldwide,” shared Knightley. “Our fusion of trance, rhythmic beats, and world music grooves creates a sonic tapestry that invites audiences to let loose, embrace the rhythms, and celebrate together. With the exceptional talents of Bennett, Eliza, and Johnny, we aim to transport listeners on a rhythmic journey that sparks joy and connection.”
One of his most memorable songs, (Is This The Way To) Amarillo, was famously brought to a new generation by comedian Peter Kay. Since then, Tony has enjoyed somewhat of a revival, sparking renewed interest in his extensive career as one of the most popular UK singers around. Tony enjoyed his first taste of commercial success back in 1971 when his track Las Vegas took the British charts by storm. Written by famous songwriters Peter Callander and Mitch Murray, the song was instantly recognised for its great songwriting. This success was followed up with the songs I Did What I Did For Maria and Is This The Way to Amarillo, which brought him further attention.
In 1972, Tony’s performance of Avenues and Alleyways was included as the soundtrack to the British action thriller The Protectors, marking Tony’s first feature in the world of television. His most famous song of this era, Is This The Way To Amarillo, would go on to become his most notable commercial success. By 1972, the record had sold over a million copies, earning itself a gold certification in the process.
Not long after, Tony began to enjoy popularity as a talented performer on the international stage. As a result, Tony came to make an appearance at The Golden Orpheus, a music festival held in Bulgaria. The success of his performance there saw the live show released as a full-length record, further increasing Tony’s popularity. Over the next several decades, Tony enjoyed a rewarding career on the European mainland, recording several notable albums in Germany alone.
Tony’s musical output came to enjoy somewhat of a resurgence when his song Is This The Way to Amarillo was featured on Peter Kay’s comedy series Phoenix Nights. As a result of this renewed appreciation for his work, the song was re-released in aid of Comic Relief. The song stormed the British charts yet again, reaching the very top of the UK charts. When Tony re-recorded the song several years later, he was eventually awarded the freedom of Amarillo, Texas, proving the success of his song with the city’s population. Always eager to further hone his craft, Tony continues to build upon his status as one of the most famous British singers around.
Over the course of his career, Tony has performed a vast array of memorable songs – many of which remain popular to this day. He has sold over 10 million albums worldwide, continually finding new audiences through his thrilling performances. In doing so, he continues to enjoy vast popularity as an ideal choice for corporate events and music venues alike.
Fleetwood Collective is a collaboration between some of Southampton’s finest musicians who have taken on the joyous task of meticulously recreating the Fleetwood Mac live shows, from their glorious peak in the 1970s and 80s.
Songs featured in the set include all the classic fan favourites such as Rhiannon, The Chain and Go Your Own Way, as well as hidden gems, solo hits and album tracks, along with one or two surprises from the early years.
The band really put their focus on the music. The guitar tones, the intriguing song structures and the 3-part harmonies that helped elevate Fleetwood Mac to worldwide adoration are lovingly and painstakingly recreated here.
Fleetwood Collective’s mission is to deliver the music of Fleetwood Mac with the same passion and dedication to performance that the real band did in their heyday.
Virginia’s vocals have been a key element of Merry Hell’s sound since the band’s inception a decade ago. Before joining her husband John, brothers-in-law Bob and Andrew, and sundry others in the eight-piece folk-rock outfit, she’d already established herself as a singer-songwriter in her own right. As “Virginia Barrett”, she released two solo albums: ‘The Quiet Bridge’ and ‘Sense of Human’ prior to joining the band.
Since Merry Hell began she released her first album, No Place Like Tomorrow. It’s a more intimate affair than a typical Merry Hell album, both in terms of personnel and in terms of subject matter. The songs have far less of an obvious political tone than many Merry Hell songs and here Kettle tends to touch on more personal matters: love, relationships, family life. ‘Union Jack House’ is the most political song on the album but is structured and delivered in a way that has surprising echoes of Victoria Wood (with a little bit of Are You Being Served thrown in!)
Chris Walker presented a weekly Jazz Programme broadcast by radio stations all over the world for over 30 years. However he is also a very fine musician and was a founder member of the famous Real Ale and Thunder Band, who’s many T.V appearances, included a “Songs of Praise” for the BBC.
A while ago he decided to get back to his roots and recreate the hit tunes of the British “Trad Jazz” boom of the 50’s and 60’s. To do this he formed The Pedigree Jazz Band. In their show “SALUTE TO TRAD JAZZ they play the most popular tunes of the era, such as ‘Midnight in Moscow’, ‘Petite Fleur’, ‘Green Leaves Of Summer’ and many others. The band has proved to be a resounding success, with rave reviews and repeat bookings from nearly everywhere they perform.
Hence they now tour extensively, and if you miss them when they are in your area, you will miss out on a great show. The success of this venture is greatly helped with continuing sponsorship from Marston’s Brewery.
Just one week to go! Both our main Big Tops are up as is our security fencing. Our site team will be busy today as cabins, toilets and other infrastructure starts to arrive. It's going to be a great Festival on our lovely new arena field. Have you got your tickets yet? www.wickhamfestival.co.uk... See MoreSee Less
Yes, as others have said, a site plan would be good even if things have to change at the last minute. So the Big Tops are on the west of the Wickham to Waltham Chase road this year. Where is the camping in relation to the Big Top field? Is it the other side of the main road? Surely not.
Does excited happy dance 🕺, wanders off to pack, sun cream, waterproofs, sun dress, thermals, sandals, wellies... having done Wickham in all weather's I just know the music and site will be AMAZING whatever the british weather throws at us. Thank you. Xx
It’s not long until @festivalwickham, and we will be firing up the grill once again to serve delicious breakfasts for the happy campers in our field 🥓🍳
Breakfast will be served daily, from Thursday to Monday, from 7am! 😋
