Traditional folk singer Maggie Boyle took to the road in April to visit great songwriters in their homes, to talk to them about their work and to record some of their music. This is all part of her wonderful new Kitchen Songs Project, an idea that she has had for some years which originally was going to feature her visiting friends and relations to chat and record songs with, culminating in a CD based around those experiences.
Maggie herself is from a rich family history of music and storytelling, rasied in the London-Irish community of the 60’s and 70’s. According to her biography her father was Paddy Boyle, a native speaker from the Donegal Gaeltacht townland of Derryloughan , Nr Glenties. Her other main tutor was Oliver Mulligan, a great singer from Co. Monaghan, resident in London.
She found that she had a natural inclination towards songwriters and the project gravitated towards what is now a web based production with the catchy tag line of ‘music from the hearth and the heart’. It is no surprise that the ‘kitchen’ should take on such an iconic meaning to her as this was where she heard many people entertain with their songs and stories.
Both the name ‘Kitchen Songs’ and the website have an endearing quality and warmth about them which draws you in as she travels from one artist kitchen to another to chat, record songs and sing with them. During the course of her travels she is being joined by David Crickmore of BBC Radio Leeds (and co-presenter/producer of The Durbervilles Folk & Roots Show) who will feature a travelogue of her venture on BBC radio. Most long-time followers of the British Folk and tradtional music scene will be familar with those she has featured so far:
Pete Morton
Kevin Boyle
Nick Burbridge
Ray Hearne
Mike Silver
Steve Tilston
Mick Ryan
Pete Coe
Linda Kelly
Jez Lowe
A few of our favourites so far:
There is plenty more on Maggie Boyle’s Kitchen Songs Project website along with interviews.
Visit it here: http://kitchensongs.org.uk
2012 has been a busy year for Maggie as she also released a new CD titled ‘Won’t You Come Away‘ featuring great guest musicians including: Paul Downes, Jon Boden, Dave McKeown, Steve Tilston and Dave Wood. It is released on the English Folk Label ‘Wild Goose Records‘ (song sample below).
[audio:http://www.maggieboyle.co.uk/Resources/The%20Trees.mp3|titles=The Trees|artists=Maggie Boyles]You can also follow Maggie on Twitter & Facebook