Suntou Susso, the griot and kora player from Gambia, now lives in Devon. On a glorious sunny day he takes Matthew for a walk through the beautiful gardens at Dartington Hall, explaining that this place often inspires him to compose new music. Suntou talks about the griot tradition handed down from generation to generation of his family, demonstrates how to play the West African harp - the kora - and sings his uplifting songs against the backdrop of flowers, trees, birds and insects. We also hear about the extraordinary history of Dartington Hall - set up as an experimental arts and crafts centre by one of the world’s richest women.

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We’re going back to Neolithic times with the award winning author Rob Cowen (“Common Ground” and “North Road”) and his friend the actor and singer Johnny Flynn. For two thousand years the Thornborough Henges in what is now Yorkshire were used as ceremonial spaces and later became Bronze Age burial grounds. As we walk through these enormous circular monuments, Rob explains why he’s fascinated by their history and Johnny sings songs of burial and deep time. The pair reflect on their approach to creativity and shared passion for music.

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We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...

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Find out more about Rob at https://robcowen.net/

Find out more about Johnny at https://johnny-flynn.com/

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Folk Album of the Year nominee Joshua Burnside takes us for a walk near his home in East Belfast, singing songs from his latest album “It’s Not Going To Be OK” along the way. He talks movingly about his friend Dean Jendoubi’s death from a drugs overdose - which inspired the album - and also about growing up in a divided city. We end up admiring the dramatic statues of characters from Narnia in C.S. Lewis Square and walking down the Bloomfield Road, as Joshua sings his song “Ghost of the Bloomfield Road” - which captures his reaction to becoming a Dad.

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We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...

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Find out more about Joshua at https://joshuaburnside.bandcamp.com/

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This month’s show features music from Spell Songs, The Mary Wallopers, Elanor Moss, Rusty Shackle, Gilroy Mere, Colin Stetson and Brighde Chaimbeul, Andy Irvine and Blind Yeo. Lucy Shields previews forthcoming album releases and live music and Matthew Bannister reveals the next episode of Folk on Foot.

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Enjoy this classic episode from October 2019.

For twelve years, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nancy Kerr lived on a narrow boat, travelling the length and breadth of England’s inland waterways. As she walks on the towpath with Matthew Bannister, she tells how the experience inspired many of her songs – and performs two of them: “Queen of Waters” and “Tiller Song”. Nancy explains that folk music was part of her upbringing, with her mother Sandra Kerr a well-known performer and her father a Northumbrian pipe player. Did she ever fall in to the canal? “Yes, about once a month!”

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Join us on a spectacular walk with the band Stornoway in the glorious Gower Peninsula. Lead singer Brian Briggs is an ornithologist who - when he’s not touring with the band - works in a nature reserve in this beautiful area of South Wales. He guides us through woodland rich in bird life to a salt marsh and then on to the beach. Along the way, Brian, Jon and Oli’s voices blend seamlessly as they perform unique acoustic versions of their nature-inspired songs.

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Find out more about Stornoway at https://www.stornowayband.com/

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Come for a wild and windy walk in the Scottish borders with the brilliant guitarist Jenn Butterworth. We visit the remote farmhouse where she grew up, the pub where she worked as a teenager, the otter statue commemorating Gavin Maxwell and the ancient archaeological site which dates back to 397 AD and the founding of Scotland’s earliest Christian community. There’s time for plenty of music - both traditional and original.

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We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...

Become a member and get great rewards: https://www.patreon.com/folkonfoot

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Find out more about Jenn at https://www.jennbutterworth.co.uk/

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We’re in Sherwood Forest on the trail of Robin Hood in the company of Guy Hayward, founder of the British Pilgrimage Trust and former Cambridge choral scholar. As we head to the Major Oak and beyond, Guy shares many theories about the Robin Hood legends, sings ballads about his adventures and extols the joys of pilgrimage. He even dives into a river in search of Robin Hood’s cave.

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We rely on support from our listeners to keep this show on the road. If you like what we do please either...

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Find out more about Guy at https://guyhayward.com/

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