Hi Folks

Happy New Year.

Hope you have enjoyed/are still enjoying a good break.

Firstly I have to pass on the sad news that Johnny Silvo passed away after a short illness on December 19th.  He had recently celebrated his 75th birthday.  Maureen has written some of her thoughts about her 48 years of Johnny’s friendship, which I will add to the Hitchin Folkus page on our website, below.

We start our 2012 on Jan 8th with a sell out, triple celebration evening with Show of Hands. We will be celebrating 45 years of Maureen running the club, 25 years of Show of Hands existence (their first booking was on 1st Feb 1987 – at Hitchin Folk Club!) and, most importantly, Maureen’s return to full health.  Monies raised in the evening will go to the Liver Unit at the Royal Free Hospital , and we hope there will be some guests from the unit to receive a cheque at the end of the evening.  S O H management have promised to send some “goodies” and the charity CD box will be replenished so do bring along a little spare cash if you have any left after Christmas!!

Sunday January 15th sees our, now traditional, informal evening with Life & Times and friends.  Graeme and Barry’s friends this year are Debbie Chalmers & Tom Fairbairn and Bill Reed & Pete Webster.

Sid Kipper has another new show to bring us on Sunday 22nd.  This one is called “Two faced and Gutless”.  Tracing his origins all the way back to that scourge of the Romans, Boadikippa, history is littered with Sid's namesakes.  There was Florence Kipper (the Lady with the limp), 'Keelhaul' Kipper (who died at Trafalgar, impersonating Nelson), and Bruce Kipper (the only person to be transported to Australia , and then transported back by the Australians).  There was Sir Frederick Kipper, who made a fortune in the Crab Boom of the 18th century, leading directly to the North Sea Bubble.  And least, but not last, his uncle George, 'Man of Convictions', currently on the run in South America for what he definitely did not do.   In 'Two-faced and Gutless' we meet a host of them, hear their stories and songs, and realise that Sid knows exactly who he thinks he is.

Bully Wee Band join us again on the 29^th.  Since their reformation in 2004, the Bully Wee Band have had no trouble proving that they are still a force to be reckoned with as one of Britain’s foremost exponents of acoustic folk/rock music. Originally formed in the early 70s by brothers Jim and John Yardley, the Bully Wee Band successfully toured Britain , Europe and America through several line-ups until the last one of Ian Cutler, Fergus Feely, Colin Reece and Maartin Allcock finally called it a day in 1983. 20 years later a chance meeting between Messrs Cutler, Feely and Reece resulted in a very spirited jam session at Faversham Folk Club in Kent, and a subsequent decision to put a three piece Bully Wee Band back on the road in January 2004 “if only for the craic”. So successful was the 2004 tour that Colin, Ian and Fergus decided to repeat the experience the following January, only this time with the addition of Bully Wee founder member Jim Yardley. Thus the current line up of Ian Cutler, Fergus Feely, Colin Reece and Jim Yardley was complete and reunited. They have toured every January since.

 Emily Slade has released a new live EP call “Me and G”, available mail order or download from her website or at the club.

 A new series of folk concerts featuring top local performers, plus young musicians from St Albans’ annual New Roots event, will get under way with a concert  on Friday January 6, at 8pm  at the Maltings Arts Theatre, The Maltings, St Albans AL1 3HL. Duo, na-mara, will be heading the bill, with support from New Roots 2011 finalist, Owen Woods.  For further information see www.stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk

JOHNNY SILVO 1936-2011

Keiron and I were devastated to hear the very sad news about Johnny Silvo’s passing on the 19^th December.  He had been a close friend of us both for so many years. 

            I first met Johnny in 1963 when I was just 15 years old.  He was one of the first people I remember seeing at my first outing to a folk club at the Hermitage Ballroom in Hitchin.  Alex Campbell was the ‘resident’ singer and as usual, Alex had brought a few singer friends with him from London (Les Bridger, Johnny Orange and Sonny).  The main act was probably the Ian Campbell Folk Group with a young Dave Swarbrick , and Johnny had cycled to Hitchin from Hoddesdon wearing the shortest shorts I had ever seen!  I am not sure if he knew Alex at that stage, but he did a floor spot and wowed everyone with a powerful performance.  Little did I know at that time we would become such firm friends for the next 48 years! 

            It was the Hermitage Club that influenced the start of the Hitchin Folk Club. Johnny, along with Martin Carthy were the only performers who played at the club in the very early months in 1964 and were still being booked regularly all these years later.  When I took over the running of the club in 1967, I booked Johnny two, sometimes three times a year - he was enormously popular with our audience.    He played many times with the great Dave Moses, but one evening I particularly remember was Johnny bringing a young lady along with him and asking if she could do a floor spot.  This was my first meeting with the wonderful Sandy Denny.  We spent so many happy times with Johnny and have lots of silly memories like the time he chased our big soppy Bearded Collie, Sophie, around our house in Letchworth, with a sheepskin rug over his back and frustrated her so much, she wet herself! Sophie was very well known for being completely over the top herself, thinking all visitors had come just to see her!  For well over 30 years, most of the singers we booked at the club came and stayed with us after the gig and, of course, Johnny did after he moved to Norway .  He would stay for the weekend and before he started driving again over here, we would collect him from Bedford Station Saturday lunchtime. He played at various local venues like Haynes Village Hall, Standalone Farm and St Thomas ’s Church in Letchworth, where they were raising money to build a new Youth Hall. Johnny played in the old church hall and a number of times in the new hall.  In fact, he last played there in November 2010 to a full house, and everyone there said they thought it was the very best night ever!   Keiron, who did the sound that night and had seen Johnny so many times, came home saying how brilliant the night had been and that he didn’t think he had seen him perform better!.  I unfortunately could not go due to my illness! 

            When we moved to Pirton in the early 90’s, Johnny played many Saturday concerts in the Village Hall before his Sunday night at Hitchin.  He also played during the service one Sunday morning at St Mary’s Church in the village!  On many occasions, on the Sunday afternoon, he came with me to the Nursing Home where I worked and sang for the Residents, who absolutely adored him.  He would joke and tease and flirt with the ladies – it was the highlight of their year!  A number of them would come and see him in the Village Hall as well, and Johnny being Johnny would make such a fuss of them, and sing their favourite songs – they just loved him!  I don’t think I have ever met a performer with such a repertoire!  It was a surprise when Johnny first announced he was moving to Norway – I can remember the night very well.  He said he had met a wonderful girl and was, at last, getting married.  I have never met Berit but Johnny always spoke of her and his precious son, Patrick, so we felt as if we knew them.  He showed us many photos of Patrick growing up – he was a very proud dad!  I can’t begin to count how many times Johnny stayed with us but we knew each other so well, it was like a dear member of the family returning.  Everything about Johnny was so comfortable!  The only thing he objected to was rudeness and bad manners!  He had a very strict upbringing during his days at Barnardos.  A few years ago, I had a call from an old friend of his from his Barnardos days who wanted to come and see Johnny at Hitchin and bring a crowd of old mates with him.  It was a lovely surprise for Johnny, who enjoyed a great evening with them laughing and joking (and a bit of drinking as well!)

             Now I am back to good health myself, I can again make long term plans for the club, but it will never be the same without Johnny!  As the only singer to have played the club every year since its concept, Johnny was the natural choice to celebrate the club’s Anniversary every year for the past 20 years.  God Bless you dear Johnnny, you can never be replaced.  We are privileged to have been a small part of his incredible life, with that big smile, enormous personality, and more charm and charisma than an army of men.  I pray we will meet again, and with some of our wonderful friends, like Diz Disley and Tony Capstick – life would never be dull up there, or wherever we go!  Johnny was the most peaceful of men and was fortunate to have lived (and loved) the most interesting of lives. A rare gift, but so was he!  

Maureen