JUNE 2021 NEWS

Hope you’re enjoying the summer in spite of the extension of restrictions until mid-July.

The recording of my new album has begun, and is slowly progressing and thanks so much to those who have sponsored so far. The songs are almost all originals – many written over the past year

End of July is the deadline is for sponsorship and credit on the album artwork– so if you would like to help, please email me:johnny@johnnycoppin.co.uk

I can’t believe it’s been so long since I last played any live concerts – it was in early March last year! As you can imagine, I can’t wait to get back singing live again and have concerts booked ahead – but only from September onwards plus the Christmas Tour (see CONCERT DATES below). 

So times are very hard. In the meantime, I do have albums to buy to add to your collection, and perhaps you’d like to organise a concert next year, or suggest a venue, or village hall? Please do get in touch.

*CONCERT DATES 

SEPTEMBER

Thu 2  CHELTENHAM with PAUL BURGESS at Chapel Arts, Knapp Road, Cheltenham GL50 3QQ 7.30pm (doors 7pm)

Box Office: https://www.thechapelarts.com   01242 – 691141

OCTOBER

Fri 1^stPOYNTON – Phoenix Folk Club, Royal British Legion, George’s Rd,  Poynton, SK12 1JY  doors 7.30pm for 8.15pm

                               To reserve Tickets contact Audrey,  either by email at awilson5459@hotmail.com or by phone on 07505 394112. 

Fri 8^th  EXETER – Folk Club, Victoria Park Tennis and Bridge Club 8pm.

                             Tickets andInfo: 01392 210983  exeterfolkclub@outlook.com

Sat 23^rdGLOUCESTER – with PAUL BURGESS – Minsterworth Village Hall, Main Road, GL2 8JH 7.30pm

            Tickets on sale from 1st July and info: Terry Moore-Scott 01452 750160   terrymoorescott@outlook.com

NOV / DECEMBER – All On A Winter’s Night Tour

with Paul Burgess  violin, recorders, stories        

and Dik Cadbury  guitars and vocals

at Cheltenham and Stroud concerts plus extra guests same line-up as on Midwinter – Live album

and images by Martin Fry

Sun 28NOV.  TEDBURN ST. MARY – Methodist Church, Tedburn St Mary, EX6 6AA  7.30pm

                             Tickets 07837 532704 and tsmtickets@btinternet.com 

December

Sat 4^thNOTTINGHAM – Lowdham Village Hall, NG14 7BD Info: Tony Turner 07712 580 802

Fri 10^thTETBURY – Goods Shed Arts Centre, GL7 8EY 7.30pm Tickets 01666 505496   shed-arts.co.uk

Sat 11^thWYCHWOOD Folk Club – Tiddy Hall, Acott-u-Wychwood, Oxon. OX7 6AG – 7.30pm  

tel 01993 831427 / 07870 563299

Ticket link  https://www.wegottickets.com/event/512642

Tues 14^thST. NEOT’S – The Priory Centre, Priory Lane PE19 2BH 8pm  Info: Patti and Roger Pitt Tel 01234 376278

Fri 17^th  CHELTENHAM – The Bacon Theatre, Dean Close School GL51 6EP 7.30pmTICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW

                                    Box Office: 01242 258002  bacontheatre.co.uk   

Sat 18^th  STROUD – Subscription Rooms, GL5 1AE 7.30pm  – TICKETS ARE ON SALE FROM 18 JUNE –

                                    AT LAST THIS VENUE HAS NUMBERED SEATS!

Box Office: 01453 796880    thesubrooms.co.uk 

**I’M NOW BOOKING CONCERTS FOR 2022 – PERHAPS YOU KNOW OF A VENUE, or a VILLAGE HALL, 

OR PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON A CONCERT SOMEWERE. 

PLEASE DO GET IN TOUCH.

Other news:

The Festival Players have Just started their summer tour of England, Scotland, Wales, Belgium, and Netherlands.  It’s a shortened production of Shakespeare’s play Henry V, not known for its songs! – so it includes only one of my songs – but sung twice. 

Directed by Michael Dyer, the show is performed by seven very talented actors, and runs for about 80 minutes with no interval. Most venues are outdoor, so do bring your own seating, food and drink, and warm clothes and so on. For full information and tour date details see http://www.thefestivalplayers.co.uk

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MARCH 2021 NEWS

I do hope you’ve been keeping safe and well during Lockdown no.3. A huge thank you to all the NHS staff, frontline and key workers who continue to work so hard.

Thank you so much for the kind feedback and support for the new Midwinter live album. We are all very pleased that is has been so well received.

“Johnny Coppin at his finest.Midwinter is a lovely example of good songs, good singers, great playing, and a warmly receptive audience coming together to create a flawless masterpieceof its kind. Highly recommended.”– Fatea

“In Midwinter – Live In Concert, the regaling sound of cheer is beautiful, fulfilling and sparkling with insightful meaning into the human condition in dark times.” – Liverpool Sound and Vision

I am still working on more new songs for my next solo album –  

and I continue to introduce my Acoustic Track of the Week – every Monday night (and repeated on Fridays) for Chris Baxter’s Late Show on BBC across the West 10pm to 1am (on Radios Bristol, Glos, Somerset, and Wilts)listen again on BBC Sounds. 

Recent tracks played:

January  –        

When We Meet Again –  Merry Hell ft. The Social Isolation Choir

Friends –  John Smith

You & I –  Skerryvore 

Ae Fond Kiss – Karen Matheson

February –       

Eye To Eye – John Smith with Sarah Jarosz 

Half Wild – Kitty MacFarlane

The Village Bell (2021) – Boo Hewerdine with Kris Drever

Olivia – Into The Ark

March–           

Satisfied– The Staves

We do hope it won’t be too long before live music can return, and we can see you at a concert somewhere.

CHRISMAS MESSAGE 2020

“Keep the flame burning this Christmas 

Let the light shine out so clear

Keep the flame burning this Christmastime  

Keep the flame burning all year……

“Here we are at Midwinter and as the days begin to lengthen, I wish you a very Happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year.

My personal message for all newsletter subscribersIs now on youtube –with a song from the Midwinter live album and images by Martin Fry.

Here’s the link:
https://youtu.be/kMT0gfykujg

The Five Valleys Wassail from the new album is also on youtube with images by Martin Fry:

Here’s the link:https://youtu.be/gd70xZrvRWk

And the original version of Keep The Flame is now up too:

Thank you ever so much for your continued support and your kind words about the new album.

(*a new review of the album is below)

So, from me, Paul, Dik, Geoff, Mick, and Gareth 

Have a very Happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful 2021.

Keep positive and stay safe.
With all good wishes,  
Johnny

johnny@johnnycoppin.co.uk          www.johnnycoppin.co.uk
Facebook page    http://www.facebook.com/johnnycoppin

JUST OUT:

Johnny Coppin, Midwinter- Live In Concert. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

In the bleak midwinter…we can either count our blessings or drown our sorrows to the point where we become numb to the pain we have suffered during the year, or to the thought of what is to come. Even if we don’t look upon the ritual of Christmas as anything other than exploitive, there are moments in which the cold or untrusting heart can be swayed into accepting that the year’s end does not mean finality, but the prelude to new beginnings, to accepting change with a song in your heart and with passion to see you through the darkest days. 

2020 will be a year that undoubtedly nobody forgets, and in a way that is okay, for it might allow us in time to come to be more honest with our love and appreciation, to acknowledge that we have allowed those who seek to make us smile, to be left behind, to sing to themselves quietly. 

In such times the memory of the beautiful song comes to mind, and that of the tenacious drive of the artist to have their voice heard, to move people like never before, and with a tour cancelled there is only one other way to reach the soul of a crowd and that is through the belief of unity in the release of a live album; a concept that singer/songwriter Johnny Coppin has embraced fully, and in Midwinter – Live In Concert, the regaling sound of cheer is beautiful, fulfilling and sparkling with insightful meaning into the human condition in dark times. 

We come together so we can remember what is important, but when we have to be safe, it is the song shared by others that keeps us going, and with Paul Burgess, Dik Cadbury, Geoff March, Mick Candler and Gareth Sampson joining in celebration with Johnny Coppin in a special performance that was captured in the Christmas of 2019, the bleak midwinter is, maybe not banished from the mind, but at least put aside for a while, enough time in which to remember to share health, wealth and happiness with people you may not have been able to contact or be able to see during the year.

In songs of rejoice and Folk carols of pleasure such as Song For Loders, the stunning Gabriel’s Message, The Lighthouse Keeper, When Christmas Day Is Near, Gloucestershire Wassail, Welcome In Another Year, The Eve Of Christmas Day and the heartening, comforting tale of Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake, Johnny Coppin will remind all who listen that Christmas, especially ones in times of apparent darkness can still be illuminating, that the shortest day is but a prelude to the warmth and spring renewal returning. 

Ian D. Hall 

Liverpool Sound and Vision –  Rating 8.5/10

NEW ALBUM – MIDWINTER-Live in Concert

In the absence of any Tour dates this December, I hope you’ll enjoy my new MIDWINTER – Live in concert Christmas album.

Thanks so much to everyone who very kindly helped sponsor this – my very first live album.

“The quality of his singing and the outstanding songwriting surely merit even greater recognition of this master craftsman” – RnR magazine

With my annual Christmas tour cancelled this year, disappointing many fans, I’m releasing this new live album to fill the void, to capture the energy of a live show, and wish good health (“wassail”) to all in these difficult times.

Midwinter – Live in concert, was recorded on the last night of the 2019 All On A Winter’s Night Tour – with eight tracks never recorded before*. 

The band comprises Paul Burgess (Old Swan Band) on fiddle, recorders and vocals, 

Dik Cadbury (ex Steve Hackett, Mike D’Abo) on guitars and vocals, 

Geoff March (ex Decameron) on cello and vocals, 

Mick Candler (Kevin Brown) on drums, and Gareth Sampson on bass guitar.

The album was recorded at the 500 seater Bacon Theatre in Cheltenham and is my first-ever live album. With the concert edited down to 74 minutes, the 21 tracks include music from all four of my Christmas albums.

Included are popular original songs – the menacing  Innocents’ Song (recorded by Show of Hands), the atmospheric Song For Loders and Astrologers’ Journey, plus the timeless final encore Keep The Flame.

There are up-tempo songs like Drive The Cold Winter Away, and Welcome In Another Year by Zoe Mulford (USA), plus traditional material such as The Gloucestershire Wassail, O Holy Night, and Wassail! – a medley of wassail songs from Kent, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall.

*Eight tracks have never been recorded before, including: two of my new originals, Waiting For The Light, and The Five Valleys Wassail written for the annual Stroud Wassail event and wishing good health to everyone that makes Stroud such a lively and creative town.

 Other new songs on the set list are: Ange Hardy’s acapella song When Christmas Day Is Near; two songs from Canada – The Christmas Trilogy a clever and entertaining 3 part song by Shelley Posen (The Finest Kind), and The Eve of Christmas Day by Allison Lupton; plus the classic Irish song Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake, and The Lighthouse Keeper – co-written and sung by Dik Cadbury.

Album cover image is by Martin Fry FRPS.

“I can think of none to surpass the lyrical beauty of Johnny’s voice” – Living Tradition magazine

Price £13 inc P & P (£16 for European mainland / £17.50 for rest of the world)

to order: telephone 01453 885088 please leave a message and your phone number and name;

or email your phone number to johnny@johnnycoppin.co.uk  so I can call you back for card details;

or post a cheque to “Red Sky Records”, P O Box 27, Stroud, GL6 0YQ. UK.

OCTOBER 2020 NEWSLETTER

JOHNNY COPPIN NEWSLETTER – OCTOBER 2020

P O Box 27, Stroud, Glos. GL6 0YQ 
tel no. 01453 885088 
johnny@johnnycoppin.co.uk          www.johnnycoppin.co.uk

Facebook page    http://www.facebook.com/johnnycoppin

What’s in this newsletter?

–  Autumn and Christmas Tour Dates cancelled  

– Sponsorship needed for a live Christmas album and my next solo album in 2021

–  Feedback

–  Live concert recording of Coppin & Silver

–  BBC Acoustic programme suspended! But every Friday choosing    Acoustic Track of the Week for Chris Baxter’s Late Show 

–  Albums for sale 

LATEST NEWSI do hope you are keeping safe and well in these difficult times. We must somehow keep positive and get through all this.
I’m really missing playing any concerts this Autumn and sadly there won’t be a Christmas Tour this year. However the exciting news is –  I’m working on a Live Christmas album, recorded at The Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham last December! –  details are below.

I urgently need some sponsorship for this, so hopefully you may be able to help in some way.
For the past few months, I have been writing new songs for my next solo albumIn 2021 – and also welcome some sponsorship for this. 

I am very sorry to hear about the passing of the talented singer/songwriter Kieran Halpin,And also Marion MIller – singer, radio presenter on Rock Radio UK and Stroud FM, And organiser of The Quarry Festival in Avening, Glos.

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NEW LIVE CHRISTMAS ALBUM In the absence of any Tour dates this December, I hope you’ll enjoy a live Christmas albumtogether with fellow musicians Paul Burgess, Dik Cadbury, Geoff March, Mick Candler, and Gareth Sampson.The album will include many of the songs and tunes from the 2019 Christmas Tour, recorded at The Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham on 19th December last year – perhaps you were there?Please can you help sponsor this live Christmas album?
Eight of the tracks have never been recorded before! – including The Christmas Trilogy, The Five Valleys Wassail,The Eve of Christmas Day, The Lighthouse Keeper ft. Dik Cadbury,Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake, and a new tune Waiting For The Light.
Please do get in touch asap if you are able sponsor in some way.
Also, over the past few months, I’ve been writing some new songs for my next solo album for 2021 – and would welcome some sponsorship for this.

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FEEDBACK:
“Facebook’s memories feature informed me that on this day last year (2 Oct), I purchased tickets for All On A Winter’s Night… How time flies!The album of the same name is one of my favourites of all time. I find myself listening to it even when it isn’t winter. “ – A.R in Cornwall
Re: 30 Songs “Your CDs are absolutely brilliant and I have enjoyed listening very much(especially the electric one)” – K.H in Gloucestershire
“A difficult time but we still have to invent our own futures and believe that creating value through beautiful music is a worthwhile profession. So many people love what you do and we all want to support you”. – M.K in Monmouthshire
“My most sincere greetings to a big artist who followed all my childhood (More than 30 years so far) with his magic and unique voice starting from Decameron’s albums. Thanks for the emotions that you give to us. God bless you Johnny and keep up the great work.” – A.D-C in Italy

“I have been a fan since the Decameron days and saw you live in Swindon and Cheltenham over the past few years .Great evenings” – M.S in Berkshire
“Just finished listening to the recording of your gig with Mike Silver at Hitchin Folk Club, courtesy of the project you posted on Facebook and in April Newsletter.I’m so glad I could get to listen to it, as I can’t get to many gigs. Postcards From Cornwall as the last song was a great treat.” – A.R in Cornwall
“Thank you Johnny for your happy tunes, they are priceless in these challenging times.I suppose you’ve cancelled all your dates. My neighbour says she likes to hear me sing and whistle, and yesterday she said ‘you’re singing new songs’…and that is thanks to Borderland!” – P.D in Australia
“I miss your radio programme so much!” – A.R in Holland
“The Hurricane of ’15 – What a terrific narrative song, with the story unfolding so compellingly and then coming to such a satisfying conclusion.  What a useful and timely reminder about local knowledge and what local people are capable of.  What a catchy tune and great arrangement of instruments.“ – D.H in USA 

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LIVE CONCERT recording of Coppin & Silver

Just to let you know that Hitchin Folk Club are still running a scheme where you can download and listen to 

a recording of last year’s concert by me and Mike Silver.  All money raised goes to the artistes – and every little helps! –

Please go to  Hitchin Folk Club scheme 

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BBC ACOUSTIC SHOW

Thanks to everyone for your support over the loss of my BBC Acoustic radio show -And to all those who have written in to the powers that be – and sent me kind messages. I’m still considering whether or not to put out a regular acoustic radio show.

Since mid-July, I have been introducing my Acoustic Track of the Week every Friday for Chris Baxter’s Late Show on BBC across the West 10pm to 1am
Here are the tracks from new albums chosen so far….
July –  Bristol Slaver by Show of Hands   Where The World Is Thin by Kris Drever
August – I Am The River by Tom Houston   When We Get Through This by Martyn Joseph  Safe Place by Eilidh Patterson  Don’t Get Caught Up by Ziggy Alberts   Hunker Down / That Old Blitz Spirit by Kris Drever
September –  Everglow by Kate Rusby   Hunter’s Moon by Lisa Lambe   All Hearts Break Differently by Mary Chapin Carpenter  Labels by Joshua BurnellOctober – Where The World Is Thin by Kris Drever Half Alive by The Little Unsaid Shadow Across The Sun by Hilary Pavey Sweet October by Aoife Scott.

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ALBUMS FOR SALE

With no concerts or radio show, times are indeed hard – but you can still enjoy my music, and perhaps support me by buying an album or two.

30 Songs – The latest 2 CD compilation album –
“The crystal-clear quality of Johnny’s singing, the outstanding songwriting and the polished productions in evidence on this album surely merit even greater recognition of this master craftsman”– RnR Magazine – a Five star review! (£19 for European mainland / £21 for rest of the world)

All On A Winter’s Night album includes original songs, such as the title track, Counting The Hours To Christmas, and Snow In The Street, a setting of a William Morris poem. There are classic carols like God Rest You Ye Merry Gentlemen, In The Bleak Midwinter, and the much-requested O Holy Night; two songs from the USA – Welcome In Another Year, and The Christmas Star; plus an Irish tune written by the late Mick Dolan.£13 inc P & P(£16 for European mainland / £17.50 for rest of the world)

Borderland  songs included are Homeward, When The Morning’s Here, Joseph Baker,Safe Home, and three songs of the 1st World War – John Condon, Dream of England, and Gloucestershire FromAbroad (words by Gloucestershire poet F W Harvey). The album also includes three traditional songs – The Brazier’s Daughter with new tune by Johnny, Mary from Dungloe – learnt from Christy Moore’s sister Eilish, and the Welsh song Cariad Cyntaf (First Love) with new original words in English.£13 inc P & P(£16 for European mainland / £17.50 for rest of the world)

The Winding Stair comprises material from England, Ireland, Scotland and America, including Donegal Rain, Reunion Hill, Paul Metsers’ Peace Descends, Karine Polwart’s The Sun’s Coming Over the Hill, And two songs co-written with Mike Silver – Survival and We Had it All. Also included is From Severn by the Somme (by Martin Graebe) plus settings of two poems – The Fire Kindled by Ivor Gurney (as seen on HTV’s Between Two Rivers series) and The Lost Orchard by Shropshire writer Mary Webb.  £13 inc P & P(£16 for European mainland / £17.50 for rest of the world)

The Gloucestershire Collection  – Gloucestershire poems set to music – originally released on the albums Forest & Vale & High Blue Hill, and English Morning.The songs include F.W. Harvey`s In Flanders, Song of Gloucestershire, Piper’s Wood, and Warning; Laurie Lee`s Field of Autumn; Ivor Gurney`s Fisherman of Newnham, East Wind, and The High Hills ; Leonard Clark`s This Night the Stars, Have Wandered, English Morning, and The Hill; Frank Mansell`s Cotswold Lad, The Holy Brook, and The Roads Go Down; John Drinkwater`s Legacy, Cotswold Love and The Cotswold  Farmers; Eva Dobell`s Briar Roses, and Tom Long’s Post; plus Edward Berryman`s Cotswold Tiles, and The High Road by John Haines. £13 inc P & P(£16 for European mainland / £17.50 for rest of the world)

Line of Blue

“Highly recommended” – BATH AND WEST EVENING CHRONICLE

An album of own songs written on both sides of the Atlantic. First released in Sept. 1985 after returning from long residency in Bermuda. Songs of love, peace and travel. They include the much requested songs Rydal, Lost in Love with You, Every Roll of  Thunder, and Nils Lofgren`s Shine Silently – plus Keep a Litlle Light, Hallelujah,  Everything To Me and two songs written in Bermuda: The Hurricane of `15,  and Pride of All The Ocean. 

Musicians include Phil Beer, Trevor Foster (ex Albion Band), Matt Clifford,  Paul Metsers, Bill Zorn, Geoff March, and Steve Dolan. Recording engineer – Mick Dolan. Produced by Johnny Coppin.£11 inc P & P(£14 for European mainland / £15 for rest of the world)

Roll On Dreamer

_{“A contemporary folk masterpiece …first class in every department”   – Manchester Evening News}

_{“The album that Decameron should have made and never did”  – Folk Roots Magazine}

My debut solo album after the break-up of Decameron. It includes the songs Angelus, Liberty, Never Lost for Love, The Worm Forgives the Plough, and Roll on Dreamer – guest musicians are Phil Beer (Show of Hands) on fiddle,  Geoff March (ex Decameron) on cello, and Nigel Mazlyn Jones. on 12 string guitar.Produced by John Acock and Johnny Coppin.£11 inc P & P(£14 for European mainland / £15 for rest of the world)

Breaking The Silence – with Mike Silver 15 tracks recorded “as live” by Mick Dolan.  Songs include three that Johnny co-wrote with Mike Silver. Classic songs include Mike’s Not a Matter of Pride, Reaching out for Love and the title track – and my songs include Rydal, Never Lost for Love and the Decameron song Postcards from Cornwall. Also included are two song covers – Bruce Hornsby’s Dreamland and Up on Cripple Creek by The Band – plus the final “hidden track” is a live version of Old Fashioned Saturday Night recorded at Priddy Folk Festival. £13 inc P & P(£16 for European mainland / £17.50 for rest of the world)

OTHER ALBUMS: 

West Country Christmas

A Country Christmas

Edge of Day – with Laurie Lee

The Glorious Glosters for £11 each (inc post and packing)(£14 for European mainland / £15 for rest of the world)

Please order by phoning 01453 885088 –leave a message and do leave your phone number and name -you can also email your phone number for us to call you back  johnny@johnnycoppin.co.uk You can also postan orderwith your phone number toRed Sky Records, P O Box 27, Stroud, GL6 0YQ. UK.

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Thank you so much for all your support. Keep safe and well.

Hoping to see hear from you soon.
With kind regards,  
Johnny
johnny@johnnycoppin.co.uk          www.johnnycoppin.co.uk
Facebook page    http://www.facebook.com/johnnycoppin

APRIL 2020 NEWS

What a difficult time it is for everyone. We just have to keep safe and positive – health is more important than anything.

Very disappointing that the March / April / May concerts in Derby, Poynton, Pershore, Kingswinford, Chesham, and Oxfordshire have been postponed – but in the meantime, you can still enjoy the music, and perhaps support me by buying an album or two for your collection – phone 01453 885088 to order albums like 30 Songs, Borderland, The Winding Stair, and others.

*Also Hitchin Folk Club have kindly started a scheme where you can download and listen to a concert recording by me and Mike Silver – as well as others.  All money raised goes to the artistes – and every little helps –

go to  Hitchin Folk Club scheme

During this coronavirus crisis, all specialist BBC radio programmes have been suspended for the time being – But there are a few of my recent March shows still available to listen again on BBC Sounds. 

Keep safe and well!

Reviews of 30 Songs album *****

REVIEWS of 30 SONGS album

5 STAR***** REVIEW of 30 SONGS ALBUM in RnR (Rock ‘n Reel) magazine January 2020..

It is a mystery to me why the name Johnny Coppin is not more firmly embedded in the public consciousness, and his songs have not equalled the reach of those of, say, Al Stewart, Clifford T. Ward, or Gallagher and Lyle. As a singer-songwriter he first came to my attention in folk-rock band Decameron and has produced albums as a solo artist for over forty years. He’s toured for many years with Phil Beer, and today works in a duo with Mike Silver.

     30 Songs is a retrospective of music from seventeen albums over that time, including many songs not available for years, CD One being a band/electric selection and CD Two an acoustic selection. Phil Beer, of course, features, along with electric guitarist Mick Dolan, Matt Clifford on keyboards, and variously Mick Candler and Trevor Foster on drums. From the radio-played single ‘Believe In You’ to settings of poems by Charles Causley, Ivor Gurney and others, there is not a single ‘filler’ track here.

The crystal-clear quality of Johnny’s singing, the outstanding songwriting and the polished productions in evidence on this album surely merit even greater recognition of this master craftsman. –  Colin Bailey – RnR (Rock ’n Reel) magazine 

REVIEW of 30 SONGS ALBUM  in Living Tradition magazine Feb/March 2020

This is a compilation double album, where Johnny’s selected the best from his many solo albums. With a running time of nearly two hours, it represents value for money. Both of the discs contain 15 songs. The first,  he calls Band/electric selection; the second, his Acoustic selection.

When you consider the quality musicians appearing on Disc 1, then you realise the respected place that Johnny has achieved in folk royalty. I won’t take up space listing the names, but I must mention one. And that is Mick Dolan. Not only was he recording engineer on several of the tracks, but his glorious electric guitar is in evidence on every track but one. And in May Not Be Far Away, we have a magical guitar solo from himSo sad he couldn’t share equal billing; such a loss when he died in Marmaris in 2014.

And Mick is very evident in Disc 2, since he recorded a dozen of the tracks selected, and plays on a couple. This was the disc for me, with several standout tracks. The sweetly lyrical Rydal opens it; Postcards From Cornwall make you kid people you have dust in your eyes; Come Live With Me And Be My Love is a gorgeous setting for a Christopher Marlowe poem; and it all ends with the jewel in the crown, This Night The Stars. It’s a setting of an early Leonard Clark poem celebrating the view across the Severn Vale from the Forest of Dean. Quite sublime.   – Dai Woosnam

TOUR DATES March/ April 2020

2020 TOUR DATES:

February

Sat 29  – Wotton under Edge – Johnny Coppin with Paul Burgess and John Broomhall at Under The Edge Arts, Wotton under Edge, Glos. GL12 7AF doors 7.30pm   utea.org.uk

March

Wed 4  –  Cheltenham Everyman Studio Theatre, GL50 1HQ 8pm   and

Thu 5    –  Cheltenham Everyman Studio Theatre GL50 1HQ  8pm    

Box office: 01242 572573  everymantheatre.org.uk

Sat 21   – Derby  – with Paul Burgess at the Broughton Room, The Grange Banqueting Suite, 457 Burton Road, Littleover.  7 30pm start and any profits will go to Cancer Care. Tickets and info: 01332 516114   07710 202986

April 

Fri 3 –  Poynton – Phoenix Folk Club, at Poynton British Legion Club, George’s Road West, SK12 1JY doors 7.30pm

1st come 1st served – if travelling from a distance do email Stephen  poynton.phoenix.folk@gmail.com  info:  poyntonlegionclub.co.uk

 Sat 18 – Pershore – No.8 Arts Centre, High Street, Pershore WR10 1BG  doors 7.30pm

Tickets: 01386 555488   enquiries@number8.org

Fri 24 –  Kingswinford  – The Woodman Folk Club – Ashwood Marina DY6 0AB doors 8pm   01384 560462   woodmanfolk.co.uk

Coming up:  four concerts with Mike Silver in May and June: 

Mon 18 May at Chesham Folk Club in Buckinghamshire

Sat 23 May at Wychwood Folk Club in Oxfordshire

Sat 13 June at Tedburn St Mary in Devon

Sun 14 June at Hitchin Folk Club, Hertfordshire

Advance notice of 2020 Christmas Tour dates so far:

Sat 5 Dec at Lowdham Village Hall, Notts.

Fri 11 Dec at Tetbury Goods Shed

Sat 12 Dec at Stroud Subscription Rooms

Tues 15 Dec at St Neot’s – Priory Centre

Fri 18  Dec at Grayshott Folk Club, Village Hall, Headley Road, Grayshott, Surrey

Sat 19 Dec at Cheltenham Bacon Theatre – note new date!!

TOUR DATES and Albums for sale – DECEMBER 2019

2019 ALL ON A WINTER’S NIGHT Christmas Tour with Paul Burgess & Dik Cadbury and guests

December

Sun 1    Exeter – Methodist Church, Tedburn St Mary, EX6 6AA  7.30pm 

Tickets 07837 532704 and email tsmtickets@btinternet.com

Fri 6   Lechlade – Memorial Hall  GL7 3QT  7.30pm  tickets 01367 860869 /  07715 207814

Sat 7   Tetbury  – Goods Shed Arts Centre with images by Martin Fry

01666 505496 shed-arts.co.uk

Fri 13   Havant Spring Arts   023 9247 2700  the spring.co.uk   ALMOST SOLD OUT

Sat 14   Stroud Subscription Rooms with Geoff March, images by Martin Fry, and extra guests! 

 Box Office: 01453 769880    thesubrooms.co.uk

Thu 19   Cheltenham Bacon Theatre  with Geoff March, images by Martin Fry, and extra guests! 

Box Office: 01242 258002  bacontheatre.co.uk

2020: next year’s gigs so far include Cheshire, West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Devon, Surrey, Cambridgeshire, and Gloucestershire – more details soon.

ALBUMS on sale now!

My new 2 CD album 30 Songs for £16 inc P&P

 (£19 for European mainland / £20 for rest of the world)

All On A Winter’s Night

Borderland 

The Winding Stair

The Gloucestershire Collection 

Breaking The Silence – with Mike Silver 

for £13 (inc post and packing)

(£16 for European mainland / £17.50 for rest of the world)

West Country Christmas

A Country Christmas

Line of Blue 

Roll On Dreamer 

Edge of Day – with Laurie Lee

The Glorious Glosters 

for £11 each (inc post and packing)

(£14 for European mainland / £15 for rest of the world)

Please order by phoning 01453 885088 – leave a message and do leave your phone number –

you can also email your phone number for us to call you back for card details….

or you can post a cheque with your order to

Red Sky Records, P O Box 27, Stroud, GL6 0YQ. UK.

REUNION CONCERTS in September!

*REUNION CONCERTS!

This month I have two exciting concerts!

First – on Mon 16th September  I’m looking forward to a rare duo gig with PHIL BEER from Show of Handsat the Nettlebed Folk Club near Henley RG9 5DD   doors 7.30pm for8pm. Buy your tickets from 01628 636620. We played there in 2017 – and then last year to a packed marquee at Shrewsbury Folk Festival.

Then later this monthI am so excited about a special reunion concert on Friday 27th September with members of my own band to celebrate my new compilation album.

I’ll be joined by Paul Burgess, Dik Cadbury, John Broomhall, Mick Candler, and Gareth Sampson toperform songs from 4 decades and many I haven’t sung for years! Some songs will be acoustic, and some with then band – selections from both CDs of the 30 Songs collection.

It all happens atThe Bacon Theatre, CheltenhamGL51 6HE  at 7.30pm 

Box Office: 01242 258002 bacontheatre.co.uk

  I REALLY HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US!