Special Guest Night with Karin Grindal and Rosie Cleg.

Wendy was just finishing a Georgette Jones number when I arrived, Just in time for my favourite Edwina Hayes song  Run,

Really looking forward to seeing Edwina Hayes next year,but as I have been listening to Wendy singing the songs for so long, I will probably prefer Wends versions!

Next we had The Singing Degneys, (Tom and Linda) to entertain us with anew song, (I forgot the title!) and an old favourite Four Wheel drives blue Ridge mountain Girl.

Richard, who was comparing this evening then told a joke (Neil Style!!!) about a friend of his called Paddy who went to buy a pizza, ( A true story) . When the laughter eventually died down he introduced  Tom Goodall, Who started of with a really good Bruce Springsteen cover.

He carried on with one of his best self  written songs Brittney The Bedroom Star,

To complete an excellent set.

The maestro was next, (Kevin to his friends),

who first gave us a Gill Landry song, followed be Steve Earls Christmas in Washington, (Our First Xmas song of the year!!!)

(left click with your mouse on the pictures to see a really nice picture of kevins guitar, or Kevin if you prefer,)

Tony Grant had a hard act to follow…

but amply rose to the challenge, by borrowing one of Geoff Hollis  favourites, All the Answers, and one I haven’t heard him sing  before, You,l  never be the Sun.

It was time to crank up  the microphone to its highest height, and welcome Rhyl,s own BFG on stage.

Mr Geoff  Hollis

I really must get a panoramic camera, or move further back!

Goeff started with the poignant Bryn Phillips song about the true story of an  ex Bridge End miner, For those of you interested….This is by Bryn.

John Gates was a miner in South Wales, near Bridge End, before he was made redundant at the age of 50 when the pit in his local town closed down. There was virtually no chance of getting a job in the area and so he turned to a hobby which he had for years – embroidery. He is now a successful teacher and lectures on the subject all over the place.

I first heard his story on Woman’s Hour, whilst travelling back from Bridgnorth Folk festival. Immediately I arrived home I started to write the song. After I had written it I managed to trace John and sent him a recording of the song to make sure he was happy about my performing it. Thankfully he was, and what’s more he sent me some photographs of the wedding dress which features in the song and also an embroidered badge, which I treasure. If you click on the image (top right) you can see this fine example of his detailed work in, of course, silver and gold.

And for those of you wondering, he hasn’t got a halo, it’s the light bulb about 4″ from his head!!!

Next he sang for us a song he has been working on for the last 9 weeks, his first performance of the Stan Rogers song about the Mary Ellen Carter. this could well turn into a favourite.

We only had to wind the mike down a little bit for our next guest, Terry is quite long too!!

he started of with a Mel haggard song, and finished with the classic Hank Williams, Willy nelson song Old Flames.

accompanied of course by Tom on slide guitar.

We then had the raffle, then most artists did another song.

Tom Degney did  South Bound Freight. Then Richard sang The Games people play, with Tom accompanying on the mandolin.

Tom Goodall came back, and gave us a very good version of Creedance Clear Water Revivals Proud Mary, (Even Hotter than Tina Turners)Richard  and Wendy were Next, I missed Richard first time round.

They sang Welcome to my world as a duet.

Near  the end now…

Geoff Hollis sang windy Harbour, Linda gave us a sing-a-long, or more accurately a howl a-long, The Northern Plains. Tery Mealey gave us the John Prine favourite Put Another Log on the Fire, always a favourite educational song  for the girls. To Finish Richard, Tom Terry and Wendy all sang The Speed of the Sound of loneliness, then finished with  Hank Williams Wedding Bells.

DONT FORGET 4TH NOVEMBER GUEST NIGHT, MEMBERS £1.50 AS NORMAL, GUESTS £3.00. THE BEST VALUE NIGHT IN RHYL.

See you all next week.

Nine artists tonight, (excluding the ones that drink too much!) a 50% improvement over last week.

Everybody seems to go on holiday in September, when the kids go back to school, (cheapskates!).  Things should start getting back to normal this week.

As Neil was poorly, Richard was comparing, get well and come back soon Neil, we are all missing the jokes…

When I arrived, Mike Whitaker  was part way through his first turn, in which he sang three of his own songs.

He was followed by Tom, Who,s first song was dedicated to his friend and fellow musician, Graham Fossil, who died last week. Graham had played in Rhyl a time back. Tom sang I Wonder Where you are Tonight, as it was one Graham particularly liked. He finished with The Green Rolling Hills Of Virginia.

Gentleman Jim was next up to fiddle for us, as well as explaining the difference between a fiddle and a violin, he gave us Ashakan Farewell, Some Scottish tunes, and Twilight over Shetland.

Tom and Linda were next, Linda started with the Cox Brothers, Everyone is reaching out for Someone.  She then dedicated the next song to Neil, as it was one of his favourites, we all howled our way through The Northern Plains, and Neil texted a howl too!. Linda finished with Four Wheel Drives Blue Ridge Mountain Girl.

Tom Goodall was on next.

He started with lets Get Married, Followed on with Station of Stillness, and finished with the excellent Mothers Hug. Tom writes  good songs. He also does the odd cover, one of his best being When Doves Cry, by Prince He,s only done it once at Rhyl , so If you haven’t seen it, here it is, and he,s accompanied by his cat!

Next up was The Magnificent Tony Grant!

Not a lot more you can say about Tony, he always gives us a five star performance.

Tony,s first song was a Niel Diamond, Girl you,l Br A Woman Soon,  Followed by Kiran Halpin,s / Geoff Hollis,s  All the Answers, And for Vera, Willie Nelson’s Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.

Terry was next, to give us our weekly John Prine, and other old cowboy songs, this week we had Welfare Line, Teenage Fathers, and Bury Me.

After the raffle it was one song each, Starting with Richard, who did Me and Bobby McGee.

Colin then did a Bob Dylan song, Working  Men,s  Blues.

Followed again by mike, Who gave us a lovely self penned song called She was Only 17

Tom did a Jimmy Rogers song, from when he was 14 or 15, Hobo Bills Last Ride

Tom Goodall did his second turn, showcasing a brand new song written for the austerity (We Shall Overcome) event which is all this week.

It was called Austerity, and, as usual a really good song, If You Missed it, I will take pity on you!!!  And you get a good video,

Tony  Grant Did Red Rose Caffe

The night was closed by Richard, Terry, and Tom singing John Prines The Speed Of The Sound Of loneliness. (Terry is the shy one with his back to the camera)

AND DONT FORGET….

Bye for now.

A lot of first class entertainment this week,

As well as our regular players and singers that come most weeks, Ann, Bob, Vin and Andy came to visit. Also making a welcome appearance from Ruthin club, were Chris and Jayne Birchall, from the Ruthin Club. Anyone who has not visited Ruthin club should give it a try, a lot of the singers and members at Rhyl also go to Ruthin, on a Thursday night, supporting both clubs. Its hosted by Chris and Jayne at the Feathers, and like at Rhyl, you will always be made welcome.

When we arrived, a little late as usual, we had sadly  missed the first half of Vins  spot, and next on was Terry, who started with a John Gorka song about getting old, and finished with the  Graeme  Nash song Teach Your Children Well.

Now for something completely different….as we used to say in the 70s. Andy, a brilliant pianist, who in the past we have heard accompanying Vin, has been doing some Jaz type numbers with Wendy, and we got to see them perform Almost Blue, and the Ella Fitzgerald song To be saying Goodbye. Wendy was dressed for the part, as you can see in the pictures.

Following on from Andy and Wendy,

Anne and Bob did a couple of songs, Starting with the Neil Young classic, Old Laughing Lady, and finishing their first set with Lucinda Williams song Can,t Let Go.

Brandon came next, we hadn’t seen him for a couple of months as he had been putting the finishing touches to his first cd, which he sang us a couple of tracks of. alright in the end, and My feet want to touch the ground.

following Brandon was Chris Birchall, who after telling a Farmer Jones joke, gave us another Neil Young song, Harvest Moon, from the 1992 album of the same name, followed by Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower.

Tom Goodall was in fine form,

He started with a 60s song Nothings going to Change My World, then, (the antidote to Linda,s Irish Rain),  Sunshine Out Of The Rain.

It was then raffle time,

And time to sing happy birthday to Tom, we seem to be having a lot of 21st birthdays this year.

The bottle of wine went to a very good home in Ruthin!

Richard and tom started the second half with Lonnie Donnigan,s Putting on the Style,

Richard and Wendy Then took the stage, and Richard sang, Jim Reeves  He,l Have to Go, (He should have worn his Tux)

Well, it was Toms Birthday,

So When he requested Vin to do his monologue, about a mid-European plumber, named Fred,  Frank, or Fritz, (can’t quite remember which) , everyone was in stitches laughing. It was even funnier than Niels Jokes!

Not only was it funny, the timing and delivery were spot on, bet he has to do it again next time he comes!

Lots still left, so will have to speed up.

Terry came back and did Someone I used to Know.

Andy and Wendy did a Ray Charles number, Followed by Andy doing an instrumental of pink Floyd, Echoes.

Anne and Bob finished of with Jesse Fullers San-fransisco  Bay Blues, Brandon with Tell me a Lie.

Chris Birchall finished with a Christy Moore  Scottish folksong, Black is the colour of my true loves hair.

Martin, will you still love me tomorrow.

Tom Goodall sang How do you kill a man, (who wants to die)

Linda And Tom then did Linda’s famous  rain song Walk in the Irish Rain.

To close the night, Andy,Wendy and Tom on Mandolin, did an awesome version of Who Knows What love will bring.

That’s it folks, see you all there on Friday, as they say, Be there or Be square.

Well, by the time we got there, late as usual,,,

(Can somebody tell Mike that the club starts at 7 o clock???)  Wendy was just finishing her turn with a song, probably called Lets Swing, we must have missed Richard,

Geoff Hollis then took the stage, and started with an  a capella  Kieran Halpin song, then, picking up his guitar and thumb pick, gave us My Eldorado, a song by Graeme Miles, (you learn a lot doing this job!)

Linda was comparing.

But I don,t  think Neil had remembered to leave his Christmas Cracker joke book with her, shame really…

Tom and Linda then did a couple of songs, I carry the torch for you, and the Crosby, Sills and Nash, Teach the Children Well.

We then had a break, and the raffle, which was won by the last person in….Mike!

Don’t suppose that will make him any earlier.

We then had a treat, as Dave had paid us a visit. Dave organizes the Folk at the Oak club, which meets at the Royal Oak every second and fourth Mondays (if that’s too complicated, it’s usually second and last Monday in the month, though myself and mike managed to go in a month with 5 Mondays!)   Easier still, it’s on this Monday coming! You will be made very welcome. (Mines a pint of Fosters Dave!)    While we are advertising, Monday is also the last time to see our regular members Wendy and Richard performing with the Harmony singers, at St Johns Church in Llandudno. If you like music and  have never seen one of these shows, then you are really missing a good night out, its been on throughout the summer, (Monday Night is Music Night), But finishes 19th September. It’s so good a lot of people go more than once to see it, and all profits go to local charity

dave came on and Tom accompanied him with his mandolin for the first song, I,m a Rolling Stone, (no, it’s not Mick Jagger or keith Richards)    Tom then Swapped to acoustic  guitar, when Dave did the weary Hobo song.

Peter did two songs with Tom accompanying him on guitar, finishing with The Furries love Light in your Eye.

Tony Grant then came on, (must have missed him first time) and got are feet tapping by giving us a couple of rock and roll medellys,

We then had a Duo from Conway,

Mike and Steve, who gave us two songs by America, and one by the Searchers, Horse with No Name, Don,t Throw your Love Away, and Ventura Highway

Wendy and Richard came back, and sang a song about Who,s going to water my Plants, Richard then doing a Double Jim Reeves tribute with Put Your Sweet Lips…Etc. and He,l have to Go.

Wendy sang a Welsh song, something sounding like Doc Thor Harry add….(can’t speak Welsh) followed by Rosanne Cashes Heartache by the Numbers,

Geoff then trundled back on and gave us a Jack Temkin (Eagles) song with Tom on Mandolin, Peaceful easy Feeling.

Followed by Robin Laigs Black Clothes.

We had a visitor from North Germany,

Catarina, who gave us a 200  year old sad German folk song, about a woman,  married to a sailor, who went away and didn’t come back. She sent her sons to look for him, and they didn’t come back ether, it was beautifully sung, acapella.  the type of song our own Geoff Hollis would sing….  She said she had a lovely evening, and hoped to visit us again.

The Evening was closed by Dave from  Hendre  (every second and fourth Monday) with Tom accompanying him singing Your Cheating Heart and Aborline.

SEE YOU ALL NEXT FRIDAY.