1967/68/69 was when it all began. A young talented musician called Dave Kershaw who went to the same school at Wyke in West Yorkshire first got me hooked on folk music. Then in 1969 and still a young teenager of 16 years I joined the White Rose Potholing Club who had a following resident semi professional folk group.  Besides the actual caving and potholing, singing rousing Irish songs on a Saturday night with songs from the likes of the Dubliners, Clancy Bros & Tommy Makem was the order of the day.  Returning home after a weekend meet again involved singing on the journey home with popular songs of the time like the Holy Ground,  Home Boys Home, Whiskey in the Jar and Leaving of Liverpool to mention just a few.

From then it was a progression of learning, listening, watching in folk clubs and practising.  My first instrument was the harmonica (with which I drove my parents crackers with) and then I purchased a cheapy guitar and learnt as many chords as I could.  However, I had no style and it wasn't until I joined older friends at the Sportsmans Inn, Swalesmoor, West Yorkshire that I began to strum better.  Listening to the likes of Bob Dylan and Donovan and remembering the style demonstrated by the folk group in the White Rose Potholing club I 'picked' up the same style of playing.

From then on I played floor spots in all the local folk clubs but for the main for quite a few years it was at the Topic Folk Club in Bradford.  That was besides the regular folk sessions during the week singing and playing with friends.  Leaving the Topic Folk Club late at night after the pub had closed, going for a curry and then more often than not travelling up to the Dales or the Lakes arriving in the early hours and singing and playing the following night in the local pubs until turned midnight.

I then sang at regular sessions at different pubs up and down the area until settling for more years than I can remember at The Lamb, Oxenhope on a Thursday night and saw landlords come and go.  Friends galore frequented the Lamb and it was always a good night.  However, eventually for myself it was time to move on.  The Lamb's still going although I understand hardly any singing these days but lots of music still!