I know of you from Reg Hall and my interest in Scan. Have you continued to play the banjo since then and are you still playing the concertina? Ian.

I ran a small session playing fiddle with Reg every week for about twenty years, at the Queen's Arms (Elsie's), at Cowden on the Ashdown Forrest. It was firmly based on the performance style that you and Reg shared with Scan. Sadly, it came to an end for me with the gradual introduction of a 'folk' element that sapped the energy from the music. Because all sessions, everywhere are like that and my fiddle playing is considered too 'rough' and 'old fashioned', I haven't played out for about five years and probably won't again. Reg and I haven't got together much in the last few years due to personal problems that I've had to attend to. That has now all been resolved and I'm going to spend a day with him next week and knock out a few tunes again. However, I'm moving from East Sussex to Birmingham in the New Year so once again, I won't be seeing him very often. 

I've not been playing the banjo for long, although I have had a number of false starts in the last few years. Now that I'm about to begin a new phase in my life, I can dedicate my time to mastering it.

Do you play the banjo with anyone else or like most of us, for your own entertainment?

Kind regards, Ian.

I've got some of Ken's recordings on cassettes, but can't find them. I'm hoping they will turn up when I start packing for the move. This morning I've been listening to Bill Leader's recordings of you and Scan at The Stone Quarry in 1965. They have given me hours of pleasure as I play along on my chromatic harmonica. I know a few people who would play some of the old song tunes, but then only for a few minutes. The only times I've experienced an entire evening of sing-a-longs were the Monday night sessions at Bampton, but now without Reg's lead those too have faded away. Thank goodness for the field recordings!