3tynespodcast

Today, 3tynespodcast pays tribute to the Tynedale songwriter and singer, Terry Conway. Terry died of mesothelioma in 2013 and he is sorely missed by his fellow musicians in the North East, who regard him as a writer of great warmth and wit with a distinctive vocal style. The episode is introduced by Vic Gammon, who reflects on Terry’s reputation amongst his peers. I then chat to the musician Liz C...

This is the first of an occasional series of short bonus episodes in which I invite people who’ve been guests on the podcast to tell us about their newly-released music and play a few tracks. Today, I’m talking to Marshall Nattrass, whose album Vatican City Serenades celebrates his youth during the 1980s in his distinctive Americana style. Please have a listen to Marshall’s album and, if you can,...

My guest today is Steve Sherris, an artist whose journey from the Scilly Isles to Alston brought flamenco guitar to the upper South Tyne valley. Steve is an accomplished guitarist who has spent a lifetime in bands and playing solo in bars. He is currently a member of recent podcast guests the Hilltop Hoolies and he sometimes performs flamenco guitar, accompanying his wife Alison as she dances. In...

The Death of Parcy Reed is an epic ballad which, in its fullest version, has 41 verses. Set in upper Redesdale, it tells of the brutal murder of a Borders official following his betrayal by those he thought friends, to a feuding clan from across the border in Liddesdale. To help me understand its importance and the wider context of Border ballads is Tynedale folk singer and poet Peter Armstrong. W...

In this short bonus episode, I talk to Tynedale singer and poet Peter Armstrong about his journey to become a singer of traditional songs and the challenges he and his colleagues have faced in managing the famous Bridge Folk Club in Newcastle. We reflect on the emerging generation of younger folk artists, styles of singing and the different ways in which poetry and song lyrics emerge from who know...

Today I’m dropping in on the Hilltop Hoolies at one of their regular rehearsals in Alston, where I took the opportunity to record them live as they ran through some of their repertoire. The Hoolies were formed about 18 months ago by five musicians who were already familiar faces at local music venues. And they have all appeared on the podcast at some time: Fred Sheriff, Norm Emerson and Steve Sher...

Today’s episode takes a look at the harmonium in the setting where we are probably most likely to hear it: the parish church. The harmonium is the largest instrument of its type – essentially, a keyboard mounted in a wooden box that contains the movements and reeds. It may be a plain, portable box the size of a suitcase or a large and elaborate organ-like structure that you could imagine in a Vict...

Today my guests are SKX Funkanauts, a band of sonic kilohertz explorers from Aldermaran 4 who have chosen Northumberland as a base from which to transmit cosmic funky dance music back to their home planet. Our county has many admirable qualities but even its most ardent fans would struggle with the idea that it is the home of funk. So I met two band members, F2 and F3, at a secret location and, wi...

Pete Ward is a musician, theologian and author of a new book on the meaning of religion in bluegrass music to everyone who plays it, regardless of their faith or lack of one. In the book, Pete analyses the lyrics of bluegrass standards from the 1940s and 50s and interviews musicians about their response to the sentiments of the gospel bluegrass songs they enjoy playing. We talk about the history o...

Today, I’m the guest of Music in Allendale, a small and warmly welcoming group of enthusiasts who arrange concerts of classical music in Allendale. Music in Allendale aims to bring classical music to the intimate setting of St Cuthbert’s Church to perform a varied repertoire by familiar and less well known composers. In September, I went to a concert by the Silja Trio – I hope I pronounced that co...

The Hive in Nenthead is a community centre and arts venue in a restored Methodist chapel. In this episode, I talk to Katja and Mandy, two of the venue's directors, about its history and its present roles, and to hear its pipe organ played by Brian Cottle in just one of the many contrasting events on offer here. Nenthead is a former mining village in the valley of the River Nent, a tributary of the...

Based in Bellingham, Jason Arnup and his band are much in demand for shows, events and gigs where his lively blend of country, rock and roll and popular songs make many an evening a great success. But it’s country music that runs in his veins and that is guiding his development as a songwriter. In this episode, Jason talks about what shaped his music, the joy of playing live and the importance of...

We featured an interview with the band Central Arcade on the 26th of August but there was much more conversation than was included in that episode. So today we have the interview in full, including more about the dynamics of the band and the experience of being in a band as it begins to establish its reputation. I talk to Connall, Ben and Joe from the band Central Arcade about life in an upcoming...

Today, my guest is Hannah Fumoleau, a singing teacher who offers lessons at Hexham’s Core Music, in Newcastle and occasionally elsewhere. Growing up in a household full of music, Hannah’s first paid performance was at the age of twelve and, following a career in arts administration, she became a full-time singer and teacher in 2024. Hannah performs classical music but she is an enthusiastic teache...

Today’s guest is a sociologist who has spent many years studying popular music. Simon Frith is Emeritus Professor of Music at Edinburgh University, the culmination of an illustrious academic career, and he has written several books on popular music culture. He was the Chair of the Mercury Prize for 14 years from its inception in 1992. I first came across Simon’s work when he was a rock critic for...

Today, I’m talking to Connall, Ben and Joe from the band Central Arcade about life in an upcoming band, writing songs, gigging, marketing and balancing artistic ambition against income. It’s a hard, competitive environment and one that requires a complete commitment to the band and a realistic long term view of what constitutes success. Central Arcade have had rave reviews for their energetic live...

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Today my guest is the singer songwriter Chris Kelly. Based in Hexham, Chris started playing music and writing songs in a school band that achieved significant local success. Sadly, as so often happens, the band split when the members left school and went their separate ways. Throughout his time studying music at university, Chris’s writing and style evolved in line with his solo performances and h...

This is a special episode devoted entirely to a performance on the ten bells of St Augustine’s Church in Alston, played on the carillon by Josephine Dickinson. The performance took place on the Saturday morning of the 2025 Alston Live Festival and was free to all who could hear it in and around Alston. It included over 20 classical, traditional and popular tunes chosen by Josephine. The performanc...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 3tynespodcast.substack.com

Stephen Fry is a musician born in Tynemouth who now lives in Tynedale, and who can trace his roots in folk music back several generations. He is a familiar face in Northumberland music circles through his solo performances, appearance at folk sessions and his membership of Hexham band The Cherrypickers. I asked Stephen to talk about the family of instruments known as squeezeboxes – the most famili...

Today’s episode is all about the open mic session – an opportunity for anyone to turn up and play the music of their choice to a supportive, if sometimes noisy, audience. Open mics could fairly be described as the roots of grass roots music: it is here that developing musicians and poets take their first steps as performers, with the opportunity to learn from their own experience and from watching...

Today’s guest is multi-instrumentalist Caroline Guirr, a musician from the Tyne Valley whose work encompasses songwriting, performing, composing, arranging and producing both for her solo career, her duo with Tom Cantwell, various bands and for the Tyne Valley Big Band and the Prudhoe Community Band. Caroline is not one to shy away from challenging subjects in her music, which draws on her interes...

Today, I’m talking to David Francis, Lead Officer at Music Partnership North in Northumberland. Music Partnership North is the regional agency through which the Government’s plan for music education is delivered. David is an enthusiastic advocate for music education. He works with schools and outside formal education structures to support and facilitate music learning for young people. Many smalle...

Music can be found everywhere in our lives and it is often so prevalent that we may not notice it. But one musical form can be heard in most villages and towns and it is worth a momentary pause to listen – because then you will hear the sound of church bells. Today’s episode is devoted to the carillon – an instrument for playing church bells that is an alternative to bell ringing by pulling ropes....