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.
Once again we have managed to arrange the extradition from North of the Border of one of our most-wanted Folk singers. Familiar from many a festival poster, ARCHIE is a legendary song-slinger from the Fisher clan who dispenses his own brand of just desserts with trusty six-string in hand. Folk-lawist, broadcaster & horseman, he has recently been inducted into the Scots Traditional Music Hall of Fame. He will be in our sole custody for the night, at leastaways until he's sung most of those mighty fine songs of his (like The Last Trawl, Bill Hosie, I Wandered by a Brookside, All That You Ask) that we want to hear, with that rich, velvet single malt of a voice - including a few of his that are sung while he ain't here!
...is an acoustic folk-blues duo from the wide n' muddy Thames Delta, featuring DAVE RAPHAEL on harmonica and MIKE CHOWNEY on guitar and main vocals. Back for a return visit, they play a highly-authentic mix of songs from some of the great blues players of the past such as Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Boy Fuller, Muddy Waters, and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, as well as a few originals. Laid-back, affable and rootsy.
Legendary band-leader, multi-talented writer, arranger, producer, broadcaster and bass player, ASHLEY's influence throughout the music world is incalculable. The founder of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band, he continues to lead English folk music from the front, and his latest innovative and youthful band is testament to his vision. RUTH ANGELL, JO HAMILTON & MARK HUTCHINSON are wonderful singers, songwriters & instrumentalists (violin, viola & guitar). The music is original and in the English idiom - melodic, uplifting, emotive and superbly played, and their latest album, "Fortune Never Sleeps", was widely acclaimed. Rarely will you see a band like this in a small Folk club, but they like us!
It's the Year Of The Parrot (again) and what better way to celebrate than by having this fantastic duo back. SIMON is a wonderful musician on guitar, violin and of course the mandolin. He has released to great acclaim an astonishing range of music on this instrument, from folk to classical to bluegrass and beyond, and is recognised as the UK's top mandolinist. HILARY plays a double bass like you've never seen and has a sweet and pure voice that lends itself to any style from folk to jazzy blues. As ever, this will be a musical tour de force, held together by Simon's famed introductions. Expect anything from a Vivaldi concerto, Trad Folk, jazz standards and ragtime - and of course we won't pay them unless they do a one or two of their mad kiddies songs (their CDs for children are all classics of their kind and excellent value as the songs never leave the brain).