I started playing in folk clubs in the mid-1960’s and for the next few years regularly played at some of the London clubs including The Troubadour, The Half Moon at Putney, Les Cousins, Steve Benbow's club at Norbury and Cliff Aungier's Dungeon Club at Tower Bridge. During that period I tried to do the"hitching and busking my way across Europe" thing, in the footsteps - so I thought - of Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Derroll Adams, Alex Campbell, Wizz Jones etc. I had been planning to get to Italy but didn't get beyond Munich! In 1970 I met Bryan Chalker and with Mic Jones, we formed Bryan Chalker's New Frontier. We played gigs at various folk clubs and country music venues and recorded an album called The Hanging Of Samuel Hall. Although it was released on a cheap label (Avenue) and was sold in supermarkets, 30,000 copies were sold and it was twice BBC Radio 2's record of the week. We made four or five appearances on BBC Radio 1 and 2's Country Meets Folk, were regular 'studio guests' on Terry Wogan's radio show and Night Ride. We did some television stuff too including Pebble Mill at One and a very forgettable appearance on the UK tv talent show, Opportunity Knocks!!!! This embarrassment resulted in us being 'signed up' (as they used to say) by Les Reed (the guy who wrote and arranged most of Tom Jones' hits). I left the band in 1973 and more or less stopped playing or singing until around 1990. Throughout the 1990's I made some half-hearted attempts to perform again, with very occasional visits to folk clubs and music sessions. Later on I helped form The Old Porch Band and enjoyed five great years of musical hilarity with them! Then, after a few years of performing as a solo singer and guitarist, Ian Gardner - a superb ragtime blues guitarist - invited me to join him and washboard player and great all round percussionist, Jane Gardner in their new band, Nine Pound Catfish. We delivered a mix of high-octane, upbeat ragtime, blues and hokum - sprinkled with a bit of old time country. After about four exciting years I decided it was time for me to move on.
I'm now performing solo again, having a good time trying some very varied styles of music; my own original songs, unaccompanied traditional ballads, contemporary songs, London music hall songs, American country music, and anything else I fancy having a go at.
