Folkbluesnbeyond
Bill Johnston and Sheila Darling have enjoyed a low profile presence in the East Anglian Acoustic Music world for more decades than they may admit to. We are active members of local folk clubs and dance sides, and have performed in public solo, as a duo and in bands. Our musical lives are mainly recreational at this time, (2025).
Bill is maintaining the Diary Notes, updating about a week at a time, see below.
Bill also maintains a separate musical web presence on Facebook, the only space at present where his Tuesday Tunesday sketched tunes initially appear, along with other musical bits and bobs. https://www.facebook.com/folkbluesnbeyond/ If you are not FB phobic have a look...Linked FB sites relate to the U3A Folk Music Group, Facebook , and Bill's most recent band, '3 Men in a Shed Suffolk' Facebook and earlier barn dance band 'Instep, Facebook.
Bill was also a member of John Goodluck's 'Bards of the Heath' : Facebook
There is a 'Folkbluesnbeyond' Youtube channel with more than a thousand videos, music or folk related. folkbluesnbeyond - YouTube
Also on Bandcamp. One upload at present, a blues tape from a time when Bill was hungry to perform. Bandcamp. Bill's 1990's Blues Archive
Always willing, even now.
These are windows into our world.....
Weekly Diary Notes
7th April 2025: Sheila gym, Covid jab, online fiddle session, Bill swam, sorted some more video from Saturday, East Suffolk Morris practice: six musicians, ten dancers. Bill dropping back as not available for next few outings.
6th April 2025: Bill began to process video from yesterday, Leah popped in to see Sheila. Bill went to see a concert by classical guitarist James Woodrow at Rushmere Church Centre. Excellent , but intense and challenging to focus for some members of the audience who woke up in time for tea and cake. Bill's YT channel has 1100 subscribers as at today! Woolpack Session: another miss.
5th April 2025: Sheila tired and pottering, Bill to Halesworth Day of Dance mainly catching up with friends and videoing a few selected sides. Oxblood Molly are said to be disbanding and ceasing to rune this day, Barley Brigg may have turned down the opportunity, (a local side absent today), and Rumburgh Morris are said to be considering it. All rumour, so this may be the last HDoD. Some will miss it if so. The Market Square massed dance was the usual chaotic and out of time spectacle as usual, followed by the procession. Bill wandered filming sides who usually put on a good show, skipping those who don't or for whom he has an antipathy, (justified or not). Gave up about 2.30.
4th April 2025: A day of not doing, Yoga (Sheila), swimming, (Bill), Hadleigh FAC a non starter (again), Bill tidied up next week's TT tunefiles.
3rd April 2025: Bill renewed his entry on the solicitor's roll,began to think about next week's TT tune. Sheila feeling drained after her weekend away. Bakes, dopped off Boggy' s birthday card.
2nd April 2025: Bill & Sheila each to chiropracter, Sheila, Fiddle group meet up (with Liz and Sue). Bill posted Melnet Tune of the Month, and Theme of the Month and swam.
1st April 2025:Sheila returned from Wales. Bill posted TT tunes, booked Chiropracter and delayed skin biopsy. Wandered town.
31st March 2025 Sheila in Wales, Bill swam, received a strange, (phishing) mail from Dave D's email, and a response to cautious reply, which was also dodgy. Will check tonight whether experience shared. ESMM practice. Interesting, 10+dancers, five musicians.
30th March 2025: Sheila in Wales, Bill to Stonham Car Boot, mowed lawn, prepped TT tunes. Suffering badly with arthritic thumb joint, (similar to Dick T), RSI.
29th March 2025:Bill dropped Sheila at the station, (she arrived safely in Wales.) he popped in on the car boot sale at Needham, (saw Holly), swam in Woodbridge, and continued with TT tunes.
28th March 2025: Sheila yoga, Bill knoodling on TT tune, missed swimming as impracticable on Fridays nowadays. Everyman Folk Club: an enjoyable evening, good to see Colin and Karen C, and John and Sue C, Dave T brought his fiddle out, excellent. Our spot seemed to go well, ('April Morning' and 'Living with the Blues'. Mat Green & Andy Turner are excellent musicians, not sure if the tune/song balance worked for the room.
27th March 2025: Sheila swam, to Boggy's, Tai Chi, online lecture, packing for weekend away. Bill wandered Ipswich, picked up an old Michael McGoldrick CD in a charity shop. This week (again) TT is two tunes. The first is prepped.
26th March 2025: Bill swam, Sheila baked and getting ready for a (solo) weekend away visiting distant relatives, (a great aunt in Wales) . Bill processing video and looking at the new TT tune. Chickened out of the 'acoustic blues jam' again. From the videos, probably not a good fit, but harmonica Steve was there, and would have been.
25th March 2025: Sheila swam. We had a run through for this afternoon's U3A Concert. U3A Folk Music Group: Concert & Cakes:Lyn Heraud & Pat Turner were the booked act, funny, filthy and brilliant. A varied selection of floor spots. An excellent afternoon. Lovely to see Katie H joining the house band. Bill has begun the edits.
24th March 2025: Sheila gym, gardened, Chi Gung and fiddle tune session online. We had a musical interlude this morning in preparation for tomorrow's U3A Concert. Bill missed notice of a couple of cancellation appointments, swam, ESMM practice. Listened to Genevieve plays folk, excellent and eccentric as ever. (IMHO more engaging and personable than Mike N's Classic Folk ). Reviewing YT set up, (Folkbluesnbeyond), there are apparently 1720 uploads, (1708 are public, have to check out the rogue dozen which aren't!)
17.3.25