Andrew

It's hard to believe that Andrew only began playing folk music in his forties, largely due to the fact that his children had both taken up the hobbie and never one to be left behind, he fancied some of the action! He has certainly worked hard at it, and it hasn't always come easy… however, that may be down to the type of instruments he has chosen - not content with the good ol' acoustic guitar, Andrew tackled the celtic bouzouki, didgeridoo, bodhrán, Scottish small pipes and those renound Scottish beasties, the great highland bagpipes!

Always a music fan, the majority of Andrew's teenage years were spent listening to contemporary American folk from the likes of Dylan, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell - that was, when he wasn't pogo-ing to the Jam and The Blockheads, or swooning over Blondie and Kate Bush.

In later life, however, a fascination for Celtic folk music took over, soon becoming his passion as he worked to try to emulate his favorites: Great Big Sea, Solas, Planxty, Peatbog Faeries, Danu and Dervish, to name but a few!

Andrew has become an important player in the local music scene, and is responsible for running some of Bedford's best traditional sessions - not to mention the founder of highly successful local folk band, Muckle. Andrew is still incredibly proud to be playing music with his children, Chrissie and Robby.

If that wasn't enough, now he's taken up Morris Dancing!

 Andrew plays Freshwater and Paul Hathaway bouzoukis, Simon Hope (Hopepipes) small pipes, R G Hardies great highland bagpipes and Beat bodhrans.