Boston Folk Orchestra to celebrate 50 years of folk music
The Boston Folk Orchestra, a group that dominated the local folk scene in the 1970s, are holding a 50th anniversary reunion celebration in the town with musicians who have contributed to the band through the years.
Formed in 1975, the original band was established and started playing at the Blackfriars Folk Club in Boston - appropriately the location where the reunion will be held - after guitarist Stephen ‘Spud’ Murphy introduced vocalist Richard Birbeck to his collection of folk songs.
The pair, who had played together as a duo, then recruited other musicians from local bands and BFO, renowned mainly for their chorus driven traditional folk songs, was born.
The other members of the original band were Will Vaughan (guitar), Mark Addison (bass) and Graham Neish (accordion) and, with Richard and Spud, they regularly performed to full houses in Boston Folk Club as well as pubs, theatres and festivals across the East Midlands. In 1976 they made their one and only recording in a local studio.
The anniversary gig, which will include solo performances from, among others, Dave Fletcher, Kate Abbot and Dave Parkinson, as well as BFO, is to be held at the Blackfriars Theatre, Boston on the evening of Saturday, April 5.
The compere for the evening will be Boston born Keith Day, who recently retired as a compere for the Cambridge Folk Festival after half a century, and who has played in local bands in the city for as many years.
Talent competitions were also on BFO’s busy agenda in the seventies and in 1978 they reached the regional final of the Mann’s Brewery competition. Success led to appearances at bigger venues including with comedian ‘Blaster’ Bates and British Country star Pete Sayers.
“Sadly, Spud Murphy passed away in 2010 and Graham Neish in 2015, so although this is a celebration of 50 years of BFO’s special brand of folk music, it’s also a tribute to Spud and Graham and we’ll all be thinking about them on the night,” says Mark Addison.
Richard Birbeck adds: “It’s hard to believe that 50 years have passed since, after checking out Spud’s song collection, we put BFO together. The 1970s were our peak period but we’re so pleased we’ve been able to keep traditional folk songs on the radar. As ever, audience participation is key, and we like to think we can still get a crowd going.”
BFO were joined occasionally by stand in members Dave Parkinson and Pete Benzie on guitars until the band broke up for the first time after six years in November 1979 due to work and family commitments. In 1996, the band reformed to play at Revesby Folk Festival where Radio Lincolnshire recorded the event. The occasional appearance followed, including, spots at the Boston Party in the Park, the Angler’s Retreat music festival in Hertfordshire and The Reedham Folk Festival in Norfolk.
By now, BFO had expanded to include Richard Peel on drums and Thea Bell on mandolin and saxophone. When Thea departed, Mel Stopper (flageolet and banjo) joined.
The current band makes annual appearances at the ‘Music under the Stars’ Festival held in Buckland Village, Buckinghamshire and the line-up has been bolstered by Kim Biggs (accordion), Phil Biggs (guitar and mandolin) and Jim Morley (guitar).
Tickets for the big night are available from Blackfriars Theatre here: https://m.blackfriarsartscentre.co.uk/mobile_viewshow.php?show=672#content.
Proceeds from sales will be shared between the theatre and the Boston based Butterfly Hospice, which provides free 24-hour patient care for those 18 and over, referred by a healthcare professional. All the performers are contributing for free.