I’m not a big career planner, I have just consistently done whatever I wanted and had fingers in various pies. It wasn’t until recently that I realised that these all interconnect into something which could be described as a career. I have always loved folk music and singing has always played quite a large
part in my life. From my first teenage job as a nanny for musicians Maggie Boyle and Steve Tilston most things I have done have involved the folk scene, either as a singer, listener, organiser or studier. From Steve and Maggie I progressed to playing nanny to a couple of Irish musicians, Tommy Keane and Jackie McCarthy in County Galway. Tese two jobs introduced me to the behind the scenes world of what it meant to be a musician, as well as having free reign on their intriguing CD collections and regular visiting-musician house-guests. Singing didn’t come into it as a gigging option until I was in my mid 20s. I had been taken to Bacca Pipes Folk Club as a child and eagerly dragged around folk festivals
and dance weekends with Oakworth ladies Morris so I knew I loved to sing, but aspiration wise, that I could lead the life of a professional singer never really dawned on me. Maggie and various others from Bacca Pipes helped me along in this direction – encouraging me to do floor spots – singing duets with me to get me into the process. It didn’t take long before I realised I loved it and wanted to sing my song at every opportunity. Nerves were huge, but the sensation of finishing a song well sung was worth it. Te journey to professional was gradual and sneaky.
Other part time work has included an admin job at Yorkshire Dales Workshops, a folk arts organisation running workshops and festivals, and publishing obscure collections.
Later on I became a director
of the organisation at a time when it had secured a large funding bid
for a prolonged series of projects.
“
It didn’t take long before I realised I loved it
song at every opportunity!
and wanted to sing my
“
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