St Andrews Folk Club with Pete & Chris Coe 10-06-73 (full concert)

Pete Coe, singer, songwriter, melodeon, banjo, dulcimer and bouzouki player, born in Cheshire, started performing at the Songwainers Club while at Cheltenham College and early on was drawn to the more obscure traditional folk songs. At Birmingham’s Black Diamond Folk Club he met Chris Richards, a talented blues and jazz singer and the two started working together as Richards & Coe. Married, they turned professional in 1971 as Pete & Chris Coe and toured the country for many years until ending their partnership in the early ‘80's, whilst remaining close friends. During their performing years together their interpretations of traditional songs, Chris Coe’s stirring harmonies and inventive arrangements quickly established them at the forefront of the folk club scene. The duo went on to make several fine albums throughout the '70's, notably Out Of Season Out Of Rhyme (also featuring Dave Burland, Tony Rose and Janet Kerr) and Game Of All Fours and by the end of the '70's the Coes were an integral part of the scene. Both consummate professionals - with Pete doing the lead singing, Chris would provide complicated backings using hammered dulcimer, duet concertina, Appalachian dulcimer & percussion and with Chris as vocalist, Pete would provide equally complicated backing on melodeon, bouzouki and other instruments. After parting company both artistes continued to write and perform solo and with many of the stalwarts of the Folk Music world - groups such as Bandoggs, New Victory Band, Magic Lantern, English Country Blues Band, Tiger Moth and Red Shift. Chris with a degree in Fine Art also worked as an artist on many community art projects. Pete, who has been a key member of numerous significant outfits across several decades is probably best known for his richly varied solo work, across a whole range of the ‘folk’ - ranging from English traditional song to folk dance and to his own original songs. Together with his new partner, teacher Sue, whom he met in the mid ‘80's in South Wales Pete settled in Yorkshires Ryburn Valley an area which attracted many musicians due to its proximity to ‘Topic’ record producer, the legendary Bill Leader, and to affordable housing for struggling professional musicians. There, in Ripponden, Pete and Sue started what was initially called The Ryburn Valley Community Music Project later to be called Ryburn 3 Step, reflecting areas of music, song and traditional dance. Pete still performs and runs many events. Chris sadly passed away in December of 2023. e&oe