I have been involved in playing music live for over twenty five years. I have played in many different kind of bands from Rock and Roll and alternative cabaret to a traditional English Country dance Band. After playing a lot of bluegrass and country music for a few years my tastes became predominantly concentrated on traditional Irish and Scottish music. I have met a great many  talented musicians who have been happy to collaborate with me in the Canny Band The Canny Band has been going for over twenty years. We were top of the bill at the Barcelona Folk Festival in 1989 and now play an eclectic mix of music based around Irish traditional music

I play a number of instruments.  I started with guitar and moved to mandolin, tenor banjo and fiddle, learning a bit of double bass,tin whistle and bodrhan (Irish drum) along the way. Learning to call dances was a natural progression from developing an understanding of the traditional dance music as the two go naturally together. Dance favourites like Strip the Willow and Dashing White Sergeant are mixed with new dances and New England Contra Dances. I also sing a wide repertoire of songs.

In the early days I played a lot of bluegrass music with Yon Canny Band our performances in th Bath area were a formative influence on Leon Hunt now recognised as the top 5-string banjo player in the UK Check out www.leonhunt.com for more info.

For a while I was attracted by the lurid glitz and glamour of the world of showbiz and was seduced into being in the backing band of local showbiz legend Bill Smarme go to www.billsmarme.com for wot it's all about