I joined my first Morris Team, Wessex Morris Men, in the early 60s. Shortly after that I started Scottish Country Dancing at school and performed rapper sword dancing with the school team.
In the 70s I moved to London and started English Country Dancing. I joined the Beaux of London City Morris Men and took up playing the piano accordion at folk clubs and for folk dances.
A few years later I collaborated with David and Kathryn Wright to produce two booklets - Wright's Humours and Wright's Humours Volume 2. Dave and Kathryn selected and edited the dances which were taken from 18th Century printed collections and I arranged the music. You can buy these booklets at several outlets (for example, CDSS in the USA and D. & A. Appleing at The Folk Shop, 55 Arle Road, Cheltenham, Gloucester (Tel : 01242 692 243) in the UK).
Later my job moved to the United States where I struck up a strong relationship with the English and Scottish Country Dance groups and I began to play for them. I joined the Strathspey and Reel Society of New Hampshire shortly after it was formed and made my first CD with Barbara McOwen as part of The Carfuffle Ceilidh Band and appeared several times at Pinewoods, a camp site on Cape Cod dedicated to traditional dance and music.
Now based in the Midlands north of Birmingham, I am a member of Green Man's Morris and Sword Club. Over the past couple of years I have played at many dances and appeared at festivals at Lichfield, Whitby, Purbeck and Southam. Some of my future bookings are listed on the Events page. During 2010, I played as part of a small ensemble for Corryvrechan, a Scottish Dance Display Team, at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddford where we achieved 3rd place in the Choreographed Folk Dance competition.
More about my band is available on the Stradivarious website where you can also buy CDs.