The Hotwells Howlers -

When I was a child we had Topic 78 rpm No 1 at home; fast forward a few years and I now have the Topic 70^th birthday collection and the complete set of Voice of the People!    I started singing- literally in the street- on CND marches and found a natural home in London and Hertfordshire folk clubs in the early 1960s.   I helped run a club, including booking guests and  I sang in an acapella group.  Arriving in Bristol in the mid 1970s, I soon found myself at the Nova Scotia Folk Club and tentatively sang a bit – then discovered the melodeon and joined The Last Resort band which included Howlers Chris Legge and the late Andy Rennie, as well as Barrie Morgan and Bob Green, who have also passed on  I rediscovered singing with the pre-Howlers Xmas Carol pub crawls in the 1990s and have been a Howler since the early days.  In 2001 I wrote the booklet accompanying the Musical Traditions CD MTCD314 about the life and music of Bristol banjo player Ray Andrews. (www.mustrad.org.uk.)  In  2007 I edited William Winter’s Quantocks Tune Book, a successful effort helped by other Howlers including Harry Langston and John Shaw. (Published by Halsway Manor Societywww.halswaymanor.org.uk).  I am also a member of Bristol Shantymen.  My all time heroes include 3 Bobs: Bob Cann,  Bob Roberts and Bob Davenport!  Oh – there’s a 4^th--  Bob Copper!