Tuesday Folk People - Johnny Campbell

Learn about Yorkshire trad-folk troubadour Johnny Campbell, along with exclusive performances of his folk music in this Tuesday Folk People interview. Another journey into the folk music passions, pastimes, performances and studies from the folk music circuit. Wonderfully diverse music and fascinating lives! Who is he? Since 2015, Johnny has been writing self-penned material and delving deep into Northern English folksong and stories. His most recent full-length album, "From Hull & Halifax & Hell" (released in 2020), took him to The Faroe Islands, where he recorded the album live on the island of Nolsoy. Since musical instruments didn't arrive on the islands until the 19th century, this is perhaps the first time Northern English traditional song has been recorded there. Johnny's album earned him Album of the Week with Blues and Roots radio and positive reviews from the British folk press. FATEA called it “a truly entertaining work. Lose yourself in the true folk experience.” What does he do? A genuine modern-day troubadour, Johnny Campbell doesn’t just pay lip service to trad folk songs; he uses the tradition to drag stories from the earth. He takes history that could so easily be forgotten and forges them into timeless classics. Take his song “Winter Hill Trespass," a song commemorating the 125th anniversary of Britain's largest rights of way dispute. 10,000 working people occupied Winter Hill in Bolton, Lancashire, to liberate an ancient footpath that had been closed off by a local landowner, despite it previously being used for centuries. In Johnny’s hands, the story feels vibrant, recent, urgent. It feels like a song written by someone who witnessed the event, hellbent on documenting it for future generations. It feels as though Johnny is handing down the history, the stories, and their importance, ensuring they are not forgotten. By turning to the past, he is a bright spark in the future of English folksong. What’s his story? Showcasing his three albums and two singles, Johnny has toured relentlessly, earning a formidable reputation in the British Folk and European underground scenes. To date, he has performed over 500 shows, covering the UK, USA, Ireland, Iceland, The Faroe Islands and huge swathes of western and eastern Europe. Johnny has performed at festivals such as Belladrum Festival and Tradfest Edinburgh and has been billed alongside such folk legends as Stick In the Wheel, Martin Carthy, Ye Vagabonds, Lankum, and Daoiri Farrell. Johnny's single “Winter Hill Trespass" received play on Ian Lynch's (Lankum) Fire Draw Near podcast. Johnny has also collaborated with Boff Whalley (Chumbawamba/Commoners Choir) on WOVEN, an English Arts Council-funded project that promotes the textile heritage of West Yorkshire. When he's not performing, Johnny finds time to write reviews for the folk magazine Fatea. “The spirit of the folk clubs in their heyday runs in his veins” —Folking.com This session premiers on the 7th of June at 8pm. Find out more about Johnny, his music, gigs and other projects here: https://johnnycampbell.co.uk/ SUBSCRIBE to discover more new artists!    / @homestage   Check out our website to hear about future events. https://www.home-stage.co.uk/ Follow us on Instagram!   / homestagefolk   Twitter!   / homestage4   Facebook!   / homestagelive   #folkmusic #folk #music #tradfolk #johnnycampbell #winterhilltrespass #kindertrespass #britishfolk #guitar #yorkshire #tuesdayfolkpeople #fatea #yorkshirefolk #faroeislands #homestage #homestagefolk