Martin Simpson

Named after a Sheffield landmark, Richard Hawley’s eighth studio album, Hollow Meadows, finds one of Britain’s greatest songwriters in good company, including Martin Simpson, Jarvis Cocker and Nancy Kerr for one of his finest albums yet.

Our Song of the Day is Richard Hawley’s Heart Of Oak, a heartfelt tribute to those that have nurtured and influenced him including Norma Waterson who is directly referenced in the lyrics. It’s taken from his new album Hollow Meadows which features Martin Simpson, Nancy Kerr and Jarvis Cocker.

Underneath the Stars Festival which is co-run by Kate Rusby and situated near Barnsley have put together a great line up. The festival is running for three full days this year and artists include Mary Chapin Carpenter, Eddi Reader, Martin Simpson, Bruce Molsky, Bob Fox, The Young’uns, Damien O’Kane, Keston Cobblers Club, Siobhan Miller, Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston, Luke Daniels and Jim Causley. Watch our video preview.

We have an exclusive live video premiere from Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting and Nancy Kerr performing ‘Seven Years’ from their forthcoming new album, plus an exclusive giveaway of 10 signed deluxe sets of Murmurs. Don’t miss out.

We’re not even halfway through the year but we’ve already seen a number of astonishingly high quality records from many quarters; even so, Murmurs stands head and shoulders against much of this extraordinarily stiff competition. By anybody’s standards it’s a top-notch album by three of our best musicians and, if there’s any justice in this world, will soon find its way into the collections of all self-respecting fans of folk …

All good things must come to an end and so The Full English collective featuring some of the biggest stars on the English Folk music scene will head out on their final tour in May. But what a great job they’ve done of promoting the digital archive. Watch a new documentary about the project and a TEDx talk by Fay Hield: Why aren’t we all folk singers?

Our Song of the Day is from Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting and Nancy Kerr with ‘Ruben’ which will be released by Topic Records as a special 7″ double-A sided vinyl single along with the track Dark Honey from their forthcoming album Murmurs.

In the final video interview series for the new album ‘Murmurs’ from Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting and Nancy Kerr, Martin introduces his 1935/36 Gibson L-OO, a 1960’s De Armond pickup and a 1958 Magnatone amplifier. The combination is a sound unlike any other as he demonstrates on The Boston Smuggler.

In the latest video interview series for the new album ‘Murmurs’ from Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting and Nancy Kerr, Andy introduces the diatonic accordion he made in France with Emmanuel Pariselle. He can tell a great story and he plays a fine tune as well…

With the excitement already mounting for the release of Murmurs, the new album from Martin Simpson – Andy Cutting – Nancy Kerr. Topic Records reveal a new video interview with Nancy in which she talks about one of the fiddles that she uses on the new album. One she bought when she was just 18.

With the great success of The Elizabethan Session those all-star sessions are revived and brought north to Celtic Connections for a final performance at The Mitchell Theatre.

FRUK head to the Red Lion Folk Club in Birmingham to talk to Martin Simpson who discusses his music, his plans and how Sheffield became his home.