For our 30th birthday on 21st October 2013 we updated our 'Compleat History of the Ram Club' booklet (PDF format, 10Mb). Click to view or download - it's a 'must read', with a list of all the guests we have ever had plus some stories and pictures!
Below is a list of the past guests from September 2006.
Telephone Bill and the Smooth Operators were formed in the mid-seventies from members of Cambridge's 'singing dole queue' and various bluegrassy/country/swingy outfits. Their early career included UK and half-world tours, a TV series on BBC 2, numerous BBC radio sessions, singles, three albums and near-stardom. Then they split up in 1981, over musical differences, girls and a lost bicycle. The band re-formed to play at the 2001 Cambridge Folk Festival, with original members NICK BARRACLOUGH, ROBB APPLETON & CHRIS COX joined by STEVE REYNOLDS. They all sing, harmonise beautifully and between them play guitar, mandolin, double bass, accordion, dobro & banjo. It was noted, though, that they lacked wind instruments, very high voices and dresses, so when they spotted PAULA WELHAM in her band The Floozies they asked her to help them out and wouldn't let her go! TBATSO dispense their own original brand of country/blues/acoustic rock, light-hearted feel-good good-time & soulful serenading, with a sprinkling of choice covers. No need to suffer the Call Centre Blues to hear their dulcet tones - just cough up and come in!
http://www.telephonebillandthesmoothoperators.co.uk£9 members/£11 non-members
Martha is a captivating performer, an enchanting young singer-songwriter blessed with a gloriously clear and seductive voice. Music is in her DNA and she grew up in a very musical environment - with Steve Tilston and stepmum Maggie Boyle it would be! Martha played the Ram in the duo Mouse a few years ago and has since taken her music to bigger stages and festivals on the Folk & Alternative scenes and even Glastonbury, both as a solo performer and with 'The Woods'. She released her third solo album 'Lucy and the Wolves' in 2010 as well as a live album 'Real' recorded at the Union Chapel in London. Once again the songs are exquisitely melodic and beautifully sung, rooted in environmental, human & social issues as well as celebrating love, inner peace and the natural world. Tonight, accompanied by TIM COTTERELL (fiddle, mandolin) from the 'Woods', Martha will light up the room - like the gentle glow of a campfire!
http://www.marthatilston.co.uk£9 members/£10 non-members
Legendary multi-talented band-leader, bass player, singer, writer, arranger, actor, producer & broadcaster, Ashley was founder of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band and continues to be at the forefront of English music in a variety of settings. BLAIR is his son, and although only 19 years old he has already fitted a lot into his young life. Musically nurtured from an early age, he began playing guitar at the age of six and has now blossomed into a greatly admired singer, guitarist and actor. Immersed in and surrounded by the music of the Albion Band (guitarist Ken Nicol remains a major influence) his career highlights include playing Little Willy Wonka in the block buster movie of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (Johnny Depp starred as the grown-up Willy), touring in a new production of 'Lark Rise' and appearing at festivals such as Big Session, Towersey and Cropredy. Together they conjure up a warm, intimate atmosphere, like being in the front room of their cosy cottage on a winter's night, which perfectly suits the stories and the music
http://www.folkicons.co.uk/ashley.htm£9 members/£10 non-members
It is a great pleasure to welcome once again this legendary band back to our humble croft. Truly the Led Zeppelin of Folk, the TANNAHILLS have an unerring ability to switch seamlessly between beautiful, evocative slow airs, ballads and topical songs with rich vocal harmonies, to out-and-out hell-for-leather tune sets led by Highland pipes, fiddle, whistles & flute with a rock-solid rhythm underneath. One of the all time great Scottish bands, they have a pedigree as long as a caber and toss the whole caboodle of the Scots folk canon into a simmering pot of musical broth. Mists will swirl and babes won't sleep, but this lot are AWESOME!
http://www.tannahillweavers.com£9 members/£11 non-members