I really enjoy working with traditional British repertoire. My current album, Constant Companion, is largely traditional songs.

I first heard Lovely Joan in the bar at Cecil Sharp house sung by Alison Frosdick

Some of my repertoire comes from hearing songs at singarounds & events, some from albums or YouTube & some from song collector’s books. I looked in my ‘Penguin Book Of English Folk Songs’ & there it was. It’s performed by many folk so I thought I would have a go too.

Many traditional folk songs have an overt male gaze to them & as value systems have changed (for the better) so repertoires have changed too. Songs which would have been performed widely even 20 years ago need careful treatment. Not so much this one as it has a resourceful & decisive heroine who wins against an arrogant & predatory protagonist.

All the songs on this album were performed live and are single takes. It’s fun to fly by the seat of your pants sometimes!

If you want to hear more of the album this link will take you there…