4 Artisan aboard SS Shieldhall

Artisan are Hilary Spencer, Jacey Bedford and Brian Bedford. They are three friends who decided to sing together for fun way back in 1984 in deepest darkest Yorkshire. "It was pure luck," says Jacey, "Our voices blended so well, right from the start, that we had lots of encouragement from friends and that prompted us to work really hard. Within a couple of years we were being invited to festivals and events all over Britain. By 1988 we were getting so much work that we either had to give up singing or give up the day-jobs. Finally in 1989 we became full-time vocal harmonists. "

Since they hit the road they've taken their own brand of harmony and humour round Britain, Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia and Hong Kong and Brian Bedford's songs have been sung all over the world by all kinds of singers.

They've played venues both large and small, from folk clubs in upstairs pub rooms to open-air festivals with audiences of thousands. Artisan's special talent is making friends with an audience. Very few at the Fo'c'sle will not have heard them or heard of them before.

Artisan's songs are frequently heard on radio. In England you are as likely to hear them on BBC Radio 4 as Radio 2. They've appeared on Ned Sherrin's Loose Ends, Kaleidoscope, Comparing Notes, The Arts Programme, Folk on 2 and Not Today, a Christmas Day special. They've also done their own "Artisan in Concert" show and "Stuff the Turkey", a networked Christmas show. Jacey has also presented her own short series for the BBC called "Thinking Our Loud". Their latest appearance was with Ian McMillan on a BBC Radio 4 special 'Home for Christmas' for which Brian co-wrote the title song with Ian.

"Dear Brian, Jacey and Hilary,
Just finished a good listen to Our Back Yard, and wanted to tell you while the memory's fresh that it's a super album. Good writing, production, performances--did I forget anything? Anyway, well done that mob! "
Tom Paxton

11 Anything Goes

Play, Sing, read a Poem, tell a Story, listen, fetch the beer, anything

Mick is originator of (and sings in) several Folk Operas including ‘A Day's Work' and ‘The Voyage' (CDs and Songbooks available) and is a greatly admired fine singer of traditional and original material - Folk Roots described him as "definitely the most underrated singer in the country". Pete (voice, guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, mandola, bass guitar, whistle) is well known as a fine solo performer in both folk and blues circles and has worked with the highly successful Bursledon Village Band and The New St. George (among others). They have released 6 albums - ‘Drink up the Sun', ‘Another Place, Another Time', ‘The Widow's Promise' (CD of best of previous two albums), ‘Hard Season', ‘The Long Road' and the most recent ‘Something to Show' all deservedly highly praised.

25 Good Friday Anything Goes

Play, Sing, read a Poem, tell a Story, listen, fetch the beer, anything