RICHARD GRAINGER & CHRIS PARKINSON / BETH BURROWS

Richard Grainger is an internationally recognised song writer and good Boro lad. He is a real Teesside treasure. His songs are delivered in a warm, gravelly voice that feels like a fireside chat. Albums like “Blood of the Land” and “Stormy Seas” showcase his knack for blending traditional folk melodies with gritty, modern narratives. Richard’s work is a love letter to the North Sea Coast and the communities that thrive and survive along its shores.

When Richard played for us in 2024 with Chris Parkinson it was one of those wonderful nights when no-one in the audience could resist joining in with the choruses (even me!). Chris was a co-founder of the British folk band The House Band (1984-2001), playing accordion, harmonica, melodeon and keyboards.

Beth Burrows came and supported our “We Shall Overcome” fundraiser night in December 2024. She is an amazing acapella singer and interpreter of traditional and contemporary songs and is well known and much respected in the North Yorkshire folk scene.