Legendary songwriter Yusuf/Cat Stevens speaks to Mark about his new work.
This week, legendary songwriter Yusuf/Cat Stevens speaks to Mark about his new album King of a Land.
Yusuf is also playing this month’s Glastonbury Festival, in the famous ‘legends’ slot on the Sunday afternoon.
Listen at: The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe – Yusuf / Cat Stevens joins Mark – BBC Sounds
Open letter to BBC asks for confirmation of the broadcaster’s commitment to folk music.
Following the cancellation of various folk music radio shows across the BBC in England, CEO of English Folk Expo, Tom Besford, has written an open letter, asking for clarity on the media organisation’s commitment to folk music.
Addressed to James Purnell, BBC’s Director of Radio and Education, the letter calls for the BBC’s support of folk, roots and acoustic music through music programming. During the pandemic, various folk music shows have been cancelled, including BBC Radio Sheffield’s New Traditions with Greg Russell, BBC Radio Shropshire’s Genevieve Tudor’s Sunday Folk, Johnny Coppin on BBC Radio Gloucestershire, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire’s The Folk Show, Kent Folk on BBC Radio Kent, BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Thursday Night Folk, and The Durbervilles on BBC Radio Leeds, among others.
Additionally, The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe on BBC Radio 2, England’s main folk music show on the BBC, was changed from 7pm to 9pm before the pandemic, and since then it has been temporarily changed to a now pre-recorded show airing at 11pm.
The letter from Besford reads:
Folk music relies on the support of the subsidised BBC. Musicians need the air play not just for profile, not just to keep audiences engaged with specialist music, but for the financial return from music licensing. Many also fear that once we come through this crisis back towards normality, there is a risk that much of this valued and loved content may never return.
English Folk Expo calls on the BBC to play their part in supporting specialist music, reinstate the axed shows, return the main national show to a more prominent time slot and make announcements on the annual Folk Awards (or equivalent replacement). It is during a crisis such as this that the licence fee payers expect the BBC to provide cultural leadership, not remove support from an industry already brought to its knees.
To read the full letter, visit https://www.englishfolkexpo.com/folk-on-the-bbc-an-open-letter/
Source: BBC Folk Music Programme Changes Criticised
Read more about British Folk Music on THE HOBBLEDEHOY
Eliza Carthy takes over, talking Mark through her favourite tracks and playing live.
Eliza Carthy takes over the Folk Show from the comfort of her North Yorkshire home.
One of the UK’s great folk voices, she talks Mark through her favourite folk tracks and introduces exclusive session tracks recorded at home.
Eliza’s long career has seen her emerge from the esteemed Waterson-Carthy family and establish herself as one of the most talented and inventive musicians in folk.
Her latest album, a duo project with Fife-based producer Ben Seal, is called Through That Sound (My Secret Was Known).
She co-hosts this week’s Folk Show from Robin Hood’s Bay, where she is locked down with parents Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy.
Listen at BBC: The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe – Eliza Carthy takes Remote Control – BBC Sounds
Click here to listen to the BBC broadcast
Mark Radcliffe hosts Radio 2’s 20th annual celebration of folk and acoustic music, live from the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. Dervish, O’Hooley & Tidow, Edward II, Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita, Wizz Jones and Kate Rusby are among the performers. |Listen online
