Greg Stephens

guitar, tenor banjo, accordion, percussion.

From a musical Millom (Cumbria) family, he refused music lessons as a child, thought they were wet. Life changed in 1956 when he heard 'Rock Island Line'. Went out and bought the Lonnie Donegan record, followed quickly by a ten-bob guitar, check shirt and lumberjack boots. School holiday for Princess Margaret's wedding spent in Alexis Korner's flat being shown blues guitar licks and listening to Memphis Jug Band records. Set up a skiffle group at school and taught himself to compose by writing arrangements for the school military band. First paid gig was with Bob Horton's Jazz Band at the British Embassy in Paris in December 1961. Sang 'Jesse James' and 'The Wreck of the Old 97'. Went electric as a student, playing bass-guitar with a group successively called H-Bomb and the Fallouts, the Hoochie Coochie Men and the Crawling Black Spiders. Found that the Rolling Stones had cornered the R'n'B market. Discovered English traditional music in the 60's, ran various folk clubs. Developed lifelong addiction to hanging about in obscure rural pubs looking for old codgers who sang songs and played tunes. From the 70's on worked as musical director with many theatre companies, including Welfare State International, Cat Island and Theatre of Fire, learning a lot about pyrotechnics and street-bands. Recorded mildly influential 'Beggar Boy of the North', Greg Stephens and Crookfinger Jack, 1977. First ever LP devoted to traditional NW English tunes. Did a lot of radio talks on folk-related topics: Thomas Hardy's fiddling, Appalachian banjo styles, Carolan tunes, seasonal celebrations etc. Spent a lot of the 90's lying on the decks of small boats exploring Scottish islands with the Boat Band, and working inland with Potteries based Beavers Arts. Recorded lots of Cajun, Cumbrian and Cheshire tunes. Now in fourth decade of mixing and remixing Latin, Caribbean and African rhythms with tunes from nearer home. There are very few towns between Carlisle and Stoke that he hasn't banged his drum through.
Favourite guitarists: Eddie Lang and Joseph Spence.
Favourite singer: Leadbelly.
Favourite pub: unlikely to share that information with any Tom, Dick or Harry.

Still singing 'Jesse James' and the 'Wreck of the Old 97'