Best Tru woods Podcasts (2024)

1
Jackie Oates with John Spiers on the Thames Path at Wallingford 59:01

8d ago59:01

59:01

The singer and fiddle player Jackie Oates is joined by the squeezebox maestro John Spiers for a walk along the mighty River Thames in Oxfordshire. Between a song or two from the lace making industry, and a gorgeous “Lament To The Moon” Jackie talks about her passion for folk song and her recent training as a music therapist which took her into a ho…

1
Official Folk Albums Chart Show—9th April 2024 1:06:25

17d ago1:06:25

1:06:25

Matthew Bannister’s guests on this month’s Official Folk Albums Chart Show are Grace Petrie talking about the inspiration behind her album “Build Something Better” and Sam Lee on how his passion for the natural world has shaped “songdreaming”. There’s also music from Joe Solo, Serious Sam Barrett, Martin Carthy, Cara Dillon, Amelia Coburn and John …

1
Bonus Episode: The Outdoors Fix with Matthew Bannister 37:36

1M ago37:36

37:36

A chance to hear one of our favourite podcasts: The Outdoors Fix, presented by hiker and journalist Liv Bolton and featuring an interview with Matthew Bannister. Liv’s aim is to inspire you to get outside and make the outdoors a bigger part of your life. An idea which – as you know – we’re very much in favour of. Normally the Outdoors Fix is record…

1
Malin Lewis on Eilean Shona 1:05:37

1M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

The trans pipe and fiddle player Malin Lewis grew up on a magical island off the West coast of Scotland. There were no roads or cars and their family were the only permanent residents. Home schooled till the age of seven, Malin had an idyllic childhood roaming the forests, building dens and splashing in the shallows on the white sand beaches. In th…

1
Bonus Episode: Joe Boyd and John Wood in conversation at Cecil Sharp House 53:16

2M ago53:16

53:16

Joe Boyd and John Wood were the producer and sound engineer behind some of the greatest folk rock albums of the 1960s and 70s. They worked with Pink Floyd on their first single Arnold Layne, with Fairport Convention on Unhalfbricking and Liege and Lief and with Nick Drake on Five Leaves Left, Bryter Later and Pink Moon. John produced John Martyn’s …

1
TRÚ on the Mountains of Mourne 50:58

2M ago50:58

50:58

Come with us to the glorious Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland to meet the band TRÚ. Taking their name from a mythological trio of poet-musicians from ancient Ulster, Zach Trouton, Dónal Kearney and Michael Mormecha combine Irish nationalist, Ulster-Scots and British-Ukrainian heritages, crossing boundaries which have often divided Northern I…

1
Sandra Kerr (and Nancy Kerr) in Warkworth 59:36

3M ago59:36

59:36

The beloved baggy cloth cat Bagpuss is fifty years old in 2024. We celebrate his birthday by visiting Sandra Kerr at her home in the Northumberland village of Warkworth. Sandra co-wrote and arranged the music for the series and provided some of the voices. In her cosy music room she shows us her Bagpuss souvenirs, reflects on the show’s enduring ap…

1
The Plygain Carols with Gwilym Bowen Rhys, Owen Shiers and the singers of Mallwyd 50:34

4M ago50:34

50:34

This year’s seasonal episode takes us to the village of Mallwyd in mid Wales to join the ancient tradition of the plygain carols. On a dark, cold night, local people gather in the warm and welcoming St Tydecho’s Church to sing Welsh language carols which have been handed down through successive generations of their families. They’re joined by Gwily…

1
Katie Spencer at Spurn Point 45:51

5M ago45:51

45:51

Come to “The Edge of the Land” with the wonderful singer, songwriter and guitarist Katie Spencer. She was born and brought up in East Yorkshire. In this episode she takes us to one of her favourite places: Spurn Point, a narrow spit of land that stretches three miles out into the sea. As we head for the lighthouse at the end, she sings some of her …

1
Jon Wilks in Birmingham 57:21

7M ago57:21

57:21

Jon Wilks is singlehandedly bringing folk music to a wider audience, through his excellent TradFolk website and Old Songs Podcast and of course by singing and playing the music itself. In this episode, he takes us for a walk around the stomping grounds of his youth in the centre of Birmingham, sharing his fascinating insights into the history of mu…

1
Fiona Soe Paing in Aberdeenshire 52:50

8M ago52:50

52:50

When the Scottish Burmese sound artist Fiona Soe Paing discovered that one of her ancestors was a traditional singer, she resolved to make a contemporary electronic album reflecting the music and folk tales of her home county of Aberdeenshire. On this walk up Bennachie and then along the coast, she sings some of the songs on the very spot where the…

1
The Music of the Big Walk 1:28:31

8M ago1:28:31

1:28:31

On August 4th 2023, Folk on Foot host Matthew Bannister set off on his biggest walk yet. Over two weeks, he covered 186 miles from Wickham Festival in Hampshire to Folk East in Suffolk, raising thousands of pounds for the charity Help Musicians. Every evening he was met (in a pub, of course), by some of the folk world’s finest musicians. This bonus…

1
The Story of The Big Walk 1:14:05

8M ago1:14:05

1:14:05

On 4th August 2023, Folk on Foot host Matthew Bannister set off on his biggest walk yet: from Wickham Festival in Hampshire to Folk East in Suffolk. Over two weeks, he covered 186 miles, took 465,137 steps and raised thousands of pounds for the charity Help Musicians. Each evening, he was joined in the pub by some of the folk world’s finest musicia…

1
Johnny Campbell & Mikey Kenney on Whernside 46:54

10M ago46:54

46:54

This is our highest ever episode. We climbed to the top of Yorkshire’s tallest peak - Whernside - with the singer/songwriter Johnny Campbell and the fiddle player Mikey Kenney to help Johnny record a track for his forthcoming album “True North”. He’s recording each track at the summit of one of the highest peaks in the North of England. Along the w…

1
Angeline Morrison in North Cornwall 1:00:06

11M ago1:00:06

1:00:06

Angeline Morrison’s “The Sorrow Songs - Folk Songs of Black British Experience” was one of the most significant albums of recent times. On this walk near her home in North Cornwall, Angeline talks about her deep love for traditional music and her determination to chronicle in song the experiences of black Britons through history. By the grave of th…

1
James Yorkston and Nina Persson in Tentsmuir Forest 56:04

11M ago56:04

56:04

The Fife based singer/songwriter James Yorkston and the Cardigans lead singer Nina Persson teamed up with the Swedish Second Hand Orchestra to make the gorgeous album “The Great White Sea Eagle”. On this atmospheric walk through Tentsmuir Forest on the Scottish coast just north of St Andrews, James explains why he comes to the forest to find calm a…

1
Katherine Priddy at Alvechurch & Tanworth in Arden 51:06

1y ago51:06

51:06

Katherine Priddy grew up in the village of Alvechurch in the West Midlands, writing songs as a teenager which eventually ended up on her beautiful debut album “The Eternal Rocks Beneath”. On a walk in the nearby countryside, she sings two of them before we move on to Tanworth in Arden where Nick Drake is buried. Katherine is part of a stellar line …

1
Amy-Jane Beer and Cynefin along the River Clettwr 59:33

1y ago59:33

59:33

Why do rivers play such a vital role in our lives, culture and folklore? In this glorious episode, the nature writer Amy-Jane Beer, author of “The Flow”, joins the Welsh singer and songwriter Owen Shiers (also known as Cynefin) on a walk up the beautiful River Clettwr in Ceredigion. There are songs and stories aplenty and even a game of Pooh sticks…

1
Freedom To Roam in the Malvern Hills 56:44

1y ago56:44

56:44

Freedom To Roam is a music and multi-media project dreamed up by the flautist Eliza Marshall as a response to many of the pressing issues facing us right now. On this walk climbing the glorious Malvern Hills she is joined by Catrin Finch (harp), Andrew Morgan (percussion) Donal Rogers (piano, guitar and more) and Jackie Shave (violin) to share the …

1
Maddy Prior and Rose-Ellen Kemp at Stones Barn in Cumbria 42:52

1+ y ago42:52

42:52

“The snow it is lying on Bewcastle Fell And the wind strips the skin from my face. The bare bones of a tree give some shelter to me But still it’s a draughty old place.” Come to “the least populated area of the least populated county in England” and take shelter from the elements in the warm welcome of Stones Barn where Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span…

1
The Wexford Carols with Caitriona O’Leary 58:04

1+ y ago58:04

58:04

A festive episode featuring the Wexford Carols sung by the beautiful voice of Caitriona O’Leary. The carols came out of the persecution of Catholics in Wexford in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and were written by Bishop Luke Waddinge and Father William Devereux. Caitriona takes Matthew Bannister to the Franciscan church where Bishop Wadd…

1
Gwilym Bowen Rhys in Aberdaron 53:30

1+ y ago53:30

53:30

Come for a wild, wet and windy walk on the beach at Aberdaron on the Llyn peninsula in Wales with the singer and songwriter Gwilym Bowen Rhys. Then join us in the local church where Gwilym demonstrates his musical versatility, accompanying himself on the guitar, fiddle, harmonica and organ and throwing in a whistling solo for good measure. He sings…

1
Folk on Foot Trailer 29:31

1+ y ago29:31

29:31

What is the multi-award-winning Folk on Foot all about? The Telegraph calls it “a restorative breathing space in sound”. In this sampler, host Matthew Bannister shares beautiful extracts from episodes featuring Karine Polwart on Fala Moor, Eliza Carthy and family at Robin Hood’s Bay, Jenny Sturgeon in Shetland, Richard Thompson in Muswell Hill, Dun…

1
The Dance of the Commons at the Englefield Estate 52:11

1+ y ago52:11

52:11

On a hot August day, scores of walkers in weird, wacky and wonderful costumes inspired by old English traditions, accompanied by morris dancers and musicians, set off to stage a peaceful and joyful mass trespass. Led by Herne the Hunter (Book of Trespass author Nick Hayes) and singer Sam Lee, they targeted the Englefield Estate near Reading, thousa…

1
Bonus Episode: Maddy Prior and Peter Knight in conversation at Cecil Sharp House 48:57

1+ y ago48:57

48:57

Singer Maddy Prior and violinist Peter Knight were at the heart of the success of folk rock pioneers Steeleye Span. In this candid interview with Matthew Bannister on stage at the Indoor Festival of Folk at Cecil Sharp House, they recall the heady days of rock n roll excess during the 1970s and movingly describe the role of music in their lives. Pe…

1
Fay Hield at the Soundpost Weekend in Dungworth 1:07:23

1+ y ago1:07:23

1:07:23

The singer, songwriter and academic Fay Hield invites us to a Soundpost Singing Weekend in the village of Dungworth on the outskirts of Sheffield. Guests include Sean Cooney of the Young’uns and Rowan Rheingans who wrote special songs for the event. But mostly we walk in the surrounding countryside with Fay and her dog, hearing her sing, learning a…

1
The Musical Village of Pathhead, Midlothian 1:30:46

2y ago1:30:46

1:30:46

Join us on a walk around the unassuming village of Pathhead, Midlothian, just south of Edinburgh, which is home to a whole galaxy of Scottish musicians. We start with singer songwriter Karine Polwart, who takes us to meet pianist Dave Milligan and his partner the harpist Corrina Hewat. Then it’s round the corner to see singer and multi-instrumental…

1
Series 1 Wrap Up 11:13

2y ago11:13

11:13

And it's a wrap for Tru North’s first series of podcasts! Mark Davis and Frank Griffin look back on the past episodes as they have fulfilled their vision of sharing their life lessons and experiences to guide you to finding your path forward. Listen as they sum up the key points and valuable lessons in each episode. No doubt, life and success are l…

1
Vision 31:38

2y ago31:38

31:38

A vision with action makes a powerful reality. Your vision is the manifestation of what's in your mind, and when it is clear, the strategy and execution come next. Mark Davis and Frank Griffin discuss the game plan on how to turn a vision into reality with their real-life experiences. Listen as they talk more about how powerful having a vision is a…

1
Effort (aka Why the Rich get Richer) 30:54

2y ago30:54

30:54

Indeed, only those willing to take the risk of going too far can possibly discover how far one can go. Mark Davis and Frank Griffin talk about how significant it is to allow yourself to grow and develop your character to make an impact. Listen as they share their life experiences and advice about creating visions, responsibilities, and discovering …

1
Mamba Mentality 22:45

2y ago22:45

22:45

We all have God-given talents that we need to discover, and when we find them, that is where success will come from. Mark Davis and Frank Griffin discuss finding purpose in life and the necessity of effort and hard work to be the greatest. Find out how having the right mindset and getting the tools you need can help you be better, create gaps, and …

1
Started From The Bottom, Now We’re Here (AKA Power of Education) 34:13

2y ago34:13

34:13

No matter where you are today and how far you get, looking back at where you came from definitely gives you a better appreciation of the progress you've made. It is indeed a proud moment, which will motivate you to keep moving forward. Mark Davis and Frank Griffin share their journey and the life lessons they've learned to give back and help you le…

1
Intro to Tru North 15:58

2y ago15:58

15:58

Mark Davis and Frank Griffin will take you on a journey in education, finance, parenting, marriage, and all the essentials to help you find your own path and success in life. In this podcast, we welcome you to real conversations where we help you find your Tru North. Highlights 04:30 We’ve been blessed enough to add some success in our lives and na…

1
Jamie Webster in Liverpool 54:20

2y ago54:20

54:20

“My city, my people, my heart” – Jamie Webster loves his home city of Liverpool – and Liverpool loves Jamie Webster. The young singer and songwriter started out performing chants for fans of Liverpool FC, which led to a gig in front of 60,000 at the Champions League Final and a meeting with manager Jurgen Klopp. Now his songs of working-class life …

1
Introducing Tru North Podcast 0:45

2y ago0:45

0:45

Tru North is self-help podcast featuring 2 African American men, born and raised in the inner city, with a wide range of life experiences. They take you on a journey in education, finance, parenting, marriage, and most importantly they are here to help you navigate your world.By Whittney Wood-Gaines

1
Raynor Winn and the Gigspanner Big Band on the South West Coast Path 1:06:00

2y ago1:06:00

1:06:00

Raynor Winn’s best-selling book “The Salt Path” tells how she and her husband Moth became homeless just as he was diagnosed with a terminal neuro-degenerative disease. Despite this, they set off to walk the 630 challenging miles of the South West Coast Path. The redemptive story of their dogged determination, loving relationship and close connectio…

1
Grace Petrie in Leicester 56:30

2y ago56:30

56:30

Grace Petrie sometimes introduces herself on stage as “a socialist, feminist, lesbian protest singer”. Her acutely observed songs range from political and passionate to personal and profound. She’s also been known to turn her hand to comedy. In this walk through her home city of Leicester she tells Matthew Bannister about her childhood and musical …

1
Johnny Kalsi in Southall 54:03

2y ago54:03

54:03

The drummer Johnny Kalsi (The Dhol Foundation, Transglobal Underground, Afro Celt Sound System, Imagined Village) takes us for a walk round Southall - an area of West London known as “Little India”. We visit a Sikh temple, marvel at the sumptuous fabrics and glittering jewellery in the bridal shops on the High Street and drop in to his favourite re…

1
Maurice Henderson & Ewen Thomson on Shetland 55:37

2y ago55:37

55:37

We’re back on the glorious Shetland Isles for this episode and who better to show us around than the renowned local fiddle player Maurice Henderson (of Fiddlers Bid) and his friend the luthier and guitarist from Fair Isle Ewen Thomson? After Ewen demonstrates how to make a great violin, they take us to the beach where they tell folk tales, play tra…

1
Official Folk Albums Chart of the Year Show 2021 1:34:29

2y ago1:34:29

1:34:29

Join us for a very special show streamed live from Cecil Sharp House. The show looks back at the highlights of 2021, the very first full year of The Official Folk Albums Chart. Hosted by Matthew Bannister with guest co-host Kitty Macfarlane, the show features live performances and interviews with artists that have featured in the chart over the pas…

1
Kathryn Tickell & her Dad by the River Rede 52:36

2+ y ago52:36

52:36

“He said you could pluck songs out of the air - pluck them out of the air - and sing them bonny”. The great Northumbrian pipe player Kathryn Tickell describes the River Rede near her home as the backdrop and soundscape to her life. On its bank, she is joined by her Dad Mike to perform music, songs and stories inspired by the beautiful county where …

1
Declan O‘Rourke in Kinvara 59:32

2+ y ago59:32

59:32

The acclaimed singer and songwriter Declan O’Rourke takes us for a scenic walk near his home in the beautiful fishing village of Kinvara on the west coast of Ireland, singing songs inspired by the area as he goes. Declan’s grandfather, an artist, was born and brought up in Kinvara. On our walk, Declan reflects on his first performance at an open mi…

1
The Ciderhouse Rebellion & Jessie Summerhayes in the Rosedale Valley 58:43

2+ y ago58:43

58:43

In the shadow of the disused ironstone kilns of the Rosedale Valley in North Yorkshire, Ciderhouse Rebellion - fiddle player Adam Summerhayes and accordionist Murray Grainger - conjure up a soundscape of rare beauty - improvised on the spot. Then they add evocative poetry from Adam’s daughter Jessie to create, in words and music, a picture of the h…

1
Edgelarks at Scorhill Stone Circle 57:26

2+ y ago57:26

57:26

A Bronze Age site on Dartmoor, six musical instruments, a feather, harmonica-enhanced beatboxing, a stone that is said to increase fertility, a fast flowing river, a baby and a caring grandmother - all ingredients of a wonderful walk with the award-winning duo Edgelarks (Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin). --- Access exclusive films of Edgelarks perf…

1
Olivia Chaney at the House on Hawnby Moor 44:59

2+ y ago44:59

44:59

Olivia Chaney wrote many of the songs for her critically acclaimed second solo album whilst living alone without electricity or mains water at her family’s remote and crumbling farmhouse on Hawnby Moor in North Yorkshire. On a hot summer’s day, she takes Matthew Bannister back across the Moor, singing and playing along the way, circled by curlews a…

1
Robert Macfarlane & Johnny Flynn at Wandlebury 1:09:28

2+ y ago1:09:28

1:09:28

Question: What do you get when you go walking with the nature writer Robert Macfarlane and the actor and musician Johnny Flynn on a scorching hot summer's day in Wandlebury? Answer: A Neolithic track, an Iron Age fort, a Roman road, a holm oak, cow pats, a mighty avenue of sun-dappled beech, a buzzard, a grasshopper orchestra, a dragonfly, the stor…

1
Jenny Sturgeon in Shetland 55:33

3y ago55:33

55:33

The singer, songwriter and artist Jenny Sturgeon has made her home on Shetland, a group of wild and wonderful islands in the North Atlantic. Her latest album “The Living Mountain” was inspired by the classic book about the Cairngorms by Nan Shepherd. On our atmospheric walk, with seabirds calling and waves crashing, Jenny reflects on finding inspir…

1
Sam Sweeney at Swift's Hill 53:23

3y ago53:23

53:23

The wonderful English fiddle player Sam Sweeney has been a key member of Bellowhead, Leveret, Eliza Carthy’s Wayward Band and many other collaborations. He’s also made two acclaimed solo albums. He takes us up to the top of Swift’s Hill, where he plays the tune of the same name. Along the way he tells stories of his hero Dave Swarbrick, his unfinis…

1
Jim Ghedi (and Friends) in Crookes and the Moss Valley 54:06

3y ago54:06

54:06

A finger style guitarist with a uniquely impassioned vocal style, Jim Ghedi was born and brought up in the Crookes area of Sheffield. He takes Matthew Bannister to his Nan and Grandad’s terraced house where he heard a lot of Irish music as a child. Jim rejected folk music at first, but found his way back to it as a teenager. Now he’s steeped in the…

1
Germa Adan in the Sandwell Valley 50:36

3y ago50:36

50:36

The singer, fiddle, guitar and ukulele player Germa Adan was born in Haiti, grew up in Florida and now lives in the UK. She says the RSPB reserve in the Sandwell Valley has been her place of calm during the lockdowns – where she goes to contemplate and recharge. Germa is a rising star on the folk scene with a beguiling and original style. --- Acces…

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