WELCOME TO SOHO FOLK
AND BLUES

Steve Ashley has long been regarded as one of British folk’s finest singer-songwriters. His reputation for writing contemporary songs inspired by the English Tradition was established in 1974 with his innovative debut album, Stroll On. Since then his songs have been recorded by many leading folk artists including Fairport Convention, Anne Briggs, Ralph McTell and Wizz Jones, Show of Hands, O’Hooley & Tidow, Dave Pegg and PJ Wright, The Arizona Smoke Review, Martin and Jessica Simpson, Grace Notes, Phil Beer, Maggie Boyle, The Bushwackers, The Owl Service, Sproatly Smith and Hannah Sanders and Liz Simmons.  He has also played a significant role in the development of British folk-rock, performing as a lead singer with the first Albion Country Band, then with his own Ragged Robin and various line-ups of The Steve Ashley Band. He has also performed occasionally with members of Fairport Convention.

Ross and the Hailstones are a South East London based trio playing a blend of original and traditional material, steeped in the folk tradition but with their own signature twist. They consist of fiddle, cello and guitar with plenty of three-part vocal harmonies and foot-stomping tune sets.

Rebecca Holweg’s music has folk, country, jazz and pop influences and she is an accomplished singer working with a band of exceptionally good musicians. She accompanies herself on acoustic guitar, and works with her husband Andy Hamill, a highly respected bass player who has worked and recorded with many big musical names (including Laura Mvula, Rumer, Eska, Natacha Atlas, Mark Murphy, Nitin Sawhney, Omar, 4Hero and Kylie Minogue).  Her albums have been played on BBC Radio 2 by Janice Long, Jamie Cullum, Jeremy Vine, Aled Jones, Eamon Holmes and Alex Lester, and she has played sessions for BBC Radio 2, BBC 6Music (Tom Robinson), and played live on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Woman’s Hour’ and ‘Loose Ends’ as well as Broadcasting House, BBC London (Robert Elms and Simon Lederman) and World Update with Dan Damon on the BBC World Service.