Rachael McShane & The Cartographers

Best known as an original member of folk big band Bellowhead, Rachael joins us with her new solo project Rachael McShane & The Cartographers, reworking traditional songs with a brand new band.

Rachael McShane is a singer, cellist, fiddle and viola player based in the North East of England. An original member of folk big band Bellowhead, Rachael toured internationally with them as well as making several TV appearances. Bellowhead recorded 5 studio albums, and won a total of 8 BBC Folk Awards in their 12 years together. Rachael has more recently been singing the role of Susannah Holmes in The Transports alongside The Young’uns, Faustus, Nancy Kerr, Greg Russell and Matthew Crampton.
Rachael is now working on a new solo project of traditional songs and is playing with a brand new band, featuring guitarist Matthew Ord (Assembly Lane) and melodeon player Julian Sutton (Kathryn Tickell, Sting).
‘A classy musician and a singer of striking elegance’ – Mike Wilson’s Music Blog ‘You’re in the presence of something very special…what a voice’ – Sid Smith, BBC Music