BBC Radio 2 will be broadcasting live from Sidmouth Folk Festival for the first time.
Jeremy Vine, who is a frequent visitor to Sidmouth, will be presenting his lunchtime show from Sidmouth on Friday, August 2, the first day of the festival, from 12 noon until 2pm.
His colleague Mark Radcliffe, who hosts the Radio 2 Folk Show, will also be staying in Sidmouth over the festival’s first weekend and will feature a selection of the performers on his programme on Wednesday, August 7.
It’s part of the BBC’s 21st Century Folk initiative, now in its second year, which pairs five Radio 2 listeners with folk musicians to write original songs based on their experiences.
Jeremy said: “I’ve had many wonderful times at the folk festival. It's been absolutely brilliant. I love the folk festival vibe. The joy of actually doing stories in a real place rather than a studio is wonderful. I'm going to be introducing both Sidmouth and 21st Century Folk to my lovely team on Radio 2, plus we'll be getting a chance to take the temperature and maybe some sea breezes.”
Mark said: “Sidmouth Folk Festival reaching its 70th anniversary is amazing. I think it has always been regarded as very much the holder of the cherished tradition as a sort of faithful voice of it, and music spreads through the whole town. Over the weekend we are going to be recording lots of stuff that will go out on the Radio 2 Folk Show.”
The theme of this year's 21st Century Folk reflects the 200th anniversary of the RNLI and focuses on people whose lives are intertwined with the sea in different ways. Several of the songwriters and individuals featured have strong links to the Westcountry.
Cornwall’s Fisherman’s Friends and Devon singer-songwriter Seth Lakeman have teamed up to co-write a song for Al Kassim, who volunteers for the London lifeboat after being rescued from the water himself. They will perform their brand new shanty, Brave Volunteers, on Jeremy Vine's show as it is broadcast live from Sidmouth Folk Festival on Friday, August 2.
A spokesperson for The Fisherman’s Friends said: “We have loved the opportunity to write with Seth about Al, who has the most amazing story of being rescued on the water then paying that forward through becoming a volunteer himself on the London lifeboats.”
Seth Lakeman said: “The whole thing has been a wonderful journey since Radio 2 asked me to be involved. I loved writing about Al’s story and combining it with Fisherman’s Friends’ voices. When Al heard the song for the first time we could see the emotion of the moment on his face.”
Sidmouth Folk Festival runs from Friday, August 2 until Friday 9.
Concert headliners in the Ham Marquee include McGoldrick McCusker Doyle, Blazin’ Fiddles, Kate Rusby, Ralph McTell, Karine Polwart, Oysterband, Spiers & Boden, Chris Wood and Andy Cutting, Martin Simpson, O’Hooley & Tidow and the Spooky Men’s Chorale, plus festival patron Steve Knightley and Friends.
Pre-festival shows include Steeleye Span, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and the Fisherman’s Friends (sold out), and big nights out at the Bulverton up the hill will be kicking up a storm with acts like Blowzabella, Kinnaris Quintet, Mad Dog Mcrea and the Sea Song Sessions.
For more information visit www.sidmouthfolkfestival.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here