Scalby Folk Weekend

David Swann

“David Swann is a folk singer and songwriter from Pickering in North Yorkshire. He writes story and comic songs about the people and places of North Yorkshire as well as songs about love lost & found. David accompanies himself on guitar and Ukelele and he always likes to get his audiences involved by getting them to sing the catchy choruses he writes. David runs the Ryedale Songwriters Circle which aims to encourage and promote songwriting in the area through workshops and concerts. During his career David has won the BBC Radio York 'Song For Yorkshire' competition, the anthem writing competition for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the inaugural songwriting competition for the Harvey Blogg Cup at Bedale Acoustic Music Festival.”

Beth Burrows

Beth has a love of music which embraces many genres, but her main love is discovering old "not so well known" traditional poems and folk songs which tell a story or present a message, researching their origins and bringing them into the limelight. She enjoys songs about local people and places by local songwriters both old and new, but also likes to include well loved favourites such as Dylan ,Fairport Convention, Mary Black...loads more, too many to mention here. Having spent many years in Suffolk as a regular performer at various venues and weekly singarounds she moved back “home” to the North York Moors a few years ago. She has become a member of several local folk clubs and is establishing herself in the North East. Beth is keeping very busy with appearances at The Great North Folk Festival. Whitby SeaFestival. Eye of The Wind (Richard Graingers Folk Opera). Saltburn Folk Festival. Yorkshire Day, and many more local venues, with others such as Whitby Pirate Festival and other venues further afield still to come. Quote from the lady herself "My love of music and singing comes not from instruction or formal teaching, but from a place of pure emotion and a love of words and notes. Gathered from life experiences and observations I sing what touches my heart. The world is full of wonderful music and there is not enough time to listen to or sing it all!!!” Beth has her own unique style, singing a capello, relying solely on her voice alone to captivate the audience with various musical folklore tales both traditional and contemporary. This quote from a fellow artiste sums it up nicely, “ Beth sings unaccompanied in a voice which, if it were a wine, could be described as full bodied with a hint of ginger, lemon and honey” Another compliment was “I'm glad I made the effort to come last night. A superb, well thought out, well crafted set. Delivered with aplomb and professional skill. You keep getting better. Was a total pleasure to listen. Thanks, Alan.” And finally “It takes great skill to sing unaccompanied and hold the attention of an audience. Some can do it. Many can't. Beth Burrows can, and how!” (Tony Haynes, FAB Folk and Blues Radio Show. Tempofm.com).