> Folk Music > Records > The 2006 Radio Ballads
The 2006 Radio Ballads
In the late 1950s Ewan MacColl and Charles Parker produced a series of groundbreaking documentaries called the BBC Radio Ballads, broadcast on the BBC Home Service. They were masterpieces of radio, weaving the voices of rarely-heard communities with songs written from and about the recorded experiences of the interviewees.
In 2006 a second series was recorded, written and produced by John Leonard and John Tams and was broadcast on BBC Radio 2. This new series featured specially composed songs and interviews with those affected by a variety of current social and political issues.
- BBC Radio 2: The Radio Ballads
Radio announcer:
Alan Dedicoat;
Series interviews editor:
Annie Grundy;
Series music producer/engineer:
Andy Seward;
Series musical director:
John Tams;
Series executive producer:
John Leonard;
Music and archive research:
Dorrene Ashcroft and Peter Hardy at the BBC Manchester record library,
Melanie Peacock at BBC Sound Archive, London
> Folk Music > Records > The Song of Steel
The Song of Steel
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The Song of Steel BBC Radio 2, first broadcast 27 February 2006 |
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Interviewees:
Professor Mel Jones, Brian Dempsey, Barbara Dempsey, Eddie Grimes, John Heaps, Alan Senior, Bill Senior, Margaret Barraclough, Fred Parr, Dave Moffatt, Thelma Dransfield, Simon Pickvance, Ian Steel, Judith Parker, Jack Illingworth, Roger Stone, Bob Rae, Joyce Dodsworth, Norman Hanlon, Dave Fletcher, Ian Hanley, Bryan McMillan, Fred Roper, Graham Honeyman, Keith Cane, Alan Hopkins;
Interviewer:
Vince Hunt;
Songwriters:
John Tams, Ray Hearne, Julie Matthews;
Associate Musical Director:
Graeme Taylor;
Brass arrangement:
Goff Richards;
Singers:
John Tams, Kate Rusby, Barry Coope, Julie Matthews, Lester Simpson, Chris While, Jim Boyes;
Musicians:
John McCusker, cittern, fiddle;
Andy Cutting, accordion;
Graeme Taylor, guitar;
Barry Coope, keyboards;
John Tams, guitar, mouth organ;
Andy Seward, bass
Tracks
- Vince Hunt: Introduction (0.21)
- John Tams: Valley of the Kings (1.58)
- Andy Cutting: The Rainbow Hornpipe (2.06)
- John Tams, Barry Coope: Steelos (5.31)
- Kate Rusby: It’s Curtains (3.21)
- John Tams: Mucky River (5.31)
- Barry Coope: The Price (5.21)
- Julie Matthews: Crane Driver (5.16)
- John Tams, Barry Coope: Fireland (6.36)
- Lester Simpson: Beer Notes (6.45)
- Don Valley Steelworkers: The Big Forge (2.10)
- Barry Coope: Vulcan and Lucifer (5.28)
- John Tams: Valley of the Kings Part II (3.58)
- John Tams, Julie Matthews, Coope Boyes & Simpson: Unity (2.31)
Tracks 2-4, 6-7, 9-10, 13, 14 John Tams; >
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The Enemy That Lives Within
The Enemy That Lives Within BBC Radio 2, first broadcast 6 March 2006 Interviewees:
Ann Marie, Betty, Cecelia, Lynn, Maxwell, Sophie;
Tracks 1, 10-11 Jez Lowe; >
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The Horn of the Hunter
The Horn of the Hunter BBC Radio 2, first broadcast 13 March 2006 Interviewees:
Members of:
the Pennine Foxhounds; the Colne Valley Beagles; the Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn’s Foxhounds, Cheshire; the Forest & District Beagles, Macclesfield; the Holcombe Hunt; The Vale of Aylesbury with Garth and South Berks Hunt; the Hunt Saboteurs Association (North West);
Tracks 2, 4, 15 John Tams; >
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Swings and Roundabouts
Swings and Roundabouts BBC Radio 2, first broadcast 20 March 2006 Interviewees:
Kevin Whittle, Carol Whittle, Charlotte Whittle, Serena Whittle, Craig Freeman, James Mellors, Susan Peak, John Wesseldine, Rae Wilson, Jay Wilson, John Hatwell;
Tracks 2, 6, 12 John Tams; >
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Thirty Years of Conflict
Thirty Years of Conflict BBC Radio 2, first broadcast 27 March 2006 Interviewees:
Tommy Sands, Gerry Anderson, Steve Travers, members of Different Drums of Ireland, men and women of the Protestant and Catholic communities of Northern Ireland;
Track 1 Karine Polwart; >
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The Ballad of the Big Ships
The Ballad of the Big Ships BBC Radio 2, first broadcast 3 April 2006 Interviewees on the Tyne:
Micky Blench, Bill Cockcroft, Edith Corby, Eddie Darke, Mel Davis, Jackie Green, Les Hodgson, John Hunter, Eddie Jackson, Jaap Kroese, Alan Mather, John Mitchell, Billy Palmer, Ian Rae, Ken Smith, Terry Telford, Billy Temple, Alan Tweed, Ged Wilson, Eddie Young; Margaret and June at the Coronation Club, Wallsend;
Tracks 1, 5, 10, 14 John Tams; >
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The Ballad of the Miners’ Strike
The Ballad of the Miners’ Strike BBC Radio 2, first broadcast 2 March 2010 Produced by Andy Seward; >
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The Songs of the Radio Ballads
The Songs of the Radio Ballads Gott Disks GOTTCD053 (CD, UK, 22 January 2007) A compilation of songs from the above CDs
Tracks 1, 4, 12, 20 John Tams;
Track 5 Ray Hearne;
Track 8 Julie Matthews;
Track 12 John Tams / trad. arr. G. Richards;
The Enemy That Lives Within

Stories of people living with HIV / AIDS
Volume 2 of the BBC Radio 2 2006 Radio Ballads documentary series
Gott Disks GOTTCD048 (CD, UK, 2006)
Delphonic Music DELPH002 (CD, UK, 1 March 2010)album details
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Interviewer:
Sara Parker;
Songwriters:
John Tams, Karine Polwart, Jez Lowe, Julie Matthews;
Associate Musical Director:
Graeme Taylor;
Singers and musicians:
Karine Polwart, Julie Matthews, John Tams, Jez Lowe, Chris While, Bob Fox, John McCusker, Andy CuttingTracks
Tracks 2, 4, 6, 8 Julie Matthews;
Tracks 3, 7, 9 Karine Polwart;
Track 5 John TamsThe Horn of the Hunter

The end of hunting with hounds
Volume 3 of the BBC Radio 2 2006 Radio Ballads documentary series
Gott Disks GOTTCD049 (CD, UK, 2006)
Delphonic Music DELPH003 (CD, UK, 1 March 2010)album details
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Interviewer:
Vince Hunt;
Additional interviews:
Carmela di Clemente;
Songwriters:
John Tams, Jez Lowe, Ian McMillan, Dave Burland;
Traditional songs:
Dido, Bendigo,
Hounds of the Meynall;
Associate Musical Director:
Graeme Taylor;
Singers and musicians:
John Tams, Jez Lowe, Bob Fox, Andy Seward, Graeme Taylor, John McCusker, Andy Cutting, Keith Kendrick, Chris While, Kellie While, Lester Simpson, Martin Simpson, Fi Fraser, Barry Coope, John Cocking, Ken Green;
Tracks
Tracks 3, 8 Bob Fox;
Tracks 5, 10 trad. arr. Keith Kendrick;
Tracks 6, 11-13 Jez Lowe;
Track 7 Dave Burland;
Track 14 trad. arr. Martin SimpsonSwings and Roundabouts

Stories of the showmen and women who run Britain’s fairgrounds
Volume 4 of the BBC Radio 2 2006 Radio Ballads documentary series
Gott Disks GOTTCD050 (CD, UK, 2006)
Delphonic Music DELPH004 (CD, UK, 1 March 2010)album details
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Interviewer:
Sara Parker;
Songwriters:
Jez Lowe, Julie Matthews, Karine Polwart, John Tams;
Associate Musical Director:
Graeme Taylor;
Singers and musicians:
Barry Coope, Andy Cutting, Bob Fox, Jez Lowe, Julie Matthews, John McCusker, Karine Polwart, Andy Seward, Lester Simpson, John Tams, Chris WhileTracks
Tracks 3, 8, 10 Jez Lowe;
Tracks 4, 7, 9, 11 Julie Matthews;
Track 5 Karine PolwartThirty Years of Conflict

Stories from three decades of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland
Volume 5 of the BBC Radio 2 2006 Radio Ballads documentary series
Gott Disks GOTTCD051 (CD, UK, 2006)
Delphonic Music DELPH005 (CD, UK, 1 March 2010)album details
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Interviewers:
Vince Hunt and Sara Parker;
Additional interviews:
Tommy Sands;
Songwriters:
Tommy Sands, Karine Polwart, Jez Lowe, Julie Matthews;
Associate Musical Director:
Graeme Taylor;
Singers and musicians:
Karine Polwart, Tommy Sands, Cara Dillon, Sam Lakeman, Colum Sands, Ben Sands, Chris While, John McCusker, Andy Seward, Mike McGoldrick, Andy Cutting;
Carry On finale:
Radio Ballads choir:
Aimie, Caoimhe, David, Gavin, Lauren and Paddy from Holy Cross Primary School and Kilbroney Integrated School
Lambeg drummer:
Richard Campbell from ’Different Drums’, Londonderry,
arranged by Roy Arbuckle;
Choir arrangement:
Robbie Dinsmore, John Leonard
Location recording:
Mike Thornton
Location producers:
John Leonard and Vince HuntTracks
Tracks 2-4, 7, 9-10 Tommy Sands;
Tracks 5, 8 Jez Lowe;
Tracks 6 Julie MatthewsThe Ballad of the Big Ships

Stories from the shipbuilders of the Tyne and the Clyde
Volume 6 of the BBC Radio 2 2006 Radio Ballads documentary series
Gott Disks GOTTCD052 (CD, UK, 2006)
Delphonic Music DELPH006 (CD, UK, 1 March 2010)album details
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Interviewees on the Clyde:
Bill Brotherton, Jimmy Cloughley, Davie Cooper, Roy Fitzsimmons, Tommy Gorman, Rab Griffin, Kenny Little, Jimmy Reid, Brian Whittingham;
Interviewer:
Vince Hunt;
Songwriters:
Jez Lowe, Karine Polwart, John Tams;
Associate Musical Director:
Graeme Taylor;
Singers and musicians:
Andy Cutting, Barry Coope, Bob Fox, Jez Lowe, John McCusker, Karine Polwart, Graeme TaylorTracks
Tracks 2-3, 7, 9, 11-13 Jez Lowe;
Tracks 4, 8 Brian Whittingham;
Track 6 Karine Polwart;
The Ballad of the Miners’ Strike

True stories from the picket lines of 1985-85
Delphonic Music DELPH007 (DL, UK, 28 August 2010)album details
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Songwriters:
John Tams, Ray Hearne, Jez Lowe, Julie Matthews, Kay Sutcliffe;
Tracks
The Songs of the Radio Ballads

Various Artistsalbum details
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Tracks
Tracks 2 Ray Hearne;
Tracks 3, 7, 11, 14 Julie Matthews;
Tracks 5, 19 Karine Polwart;
Tracks 6, 9-10, 13, 17-18 Jez Lowe;
Track 8 words Dave Burland, music trad.;
Tracks 15-16 Tommy Sands
