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 a week or so 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
21st July 2026: Bill swam, sorted some 'R' tunes for next month, posted TT tune and Devils Dyke Morris video from Ely FF. Sheila to friend's for lunch and play reading. Touched base with Rowan. Posted Bill playing for Wolsey Folk Rapper on FB, for fun!
20th July 2026: Sorry to hear that Mike Briggs died a few days ago. A stalwart of the local acoustic music community, together with Kay they ran the Henley folk nights and always presented entertaining and accomplished musical contributions. Posted video from 2011 and shared with the family. Crowfield Fete praised ESM contribution on Saturday and booked the side again for 2017! Sheila swam, Bill had a blues knoodle, (perhaps reflecting his current uncertainties in life, and wondering who will be left to come to his funeral when the time comes! Maudlin...). Endoscopy booked for Thursday pm.
19th July 2026: A day pottering, Bill knoodling on TT tune and 'death pack', Sheila Garden and office. WE had a tune and song refresher hour.
18th July 2026: Bill dropped in on ashley's family, Sheila ditto on Lesley and Leah, East Suffolk Morris:an enjoyable afternoon dancing at Crowfield Fete and Show. Bill posted a compilation video to FB.
17th July 2026: Sheila yoga and gardening. Bill sorted more of Caroline T's videos. Posted an archive post of East Suffolk Morris. Uploaded some Ely dance spots for later publication, and Concert for Lockerbie a gem on one of Caroline's tapes. Started knoodling on the new TT tune. We watched the first prom, and some of the Linda Ronstadt evening to mark her 80th birthday.
16th July 2026: Sheila protesting at SCC Reform Party eco cuts, Bill visited John G then went on to swim. Caroline T has found some old VHS which may be interesting for local musical history, just got to re-learn how to save to disc! Result 1 from yesterday, Bill's pancreas seems to be working properly, (pleased that osmething is). Knoodling on new TT tune, Irish reel, less demanding than it first appears. Took about an hour to re-learn how to digitise VHS , a magnificent bat sadly silent record of a lot of Wolsey Folk and East Suffolk footage,. The tapes are mouldy from being kept in a loft, but given that other tapes in similar condition have working sound, the old one probably didn't. Also some better condition footage from Felixstowe Folk Weekend, which the organisers of Feast conveniently forget was the first Suffolk Folk Festival!
15th July 2026: Windows finished and paid for. Bill gastro consultant, diagnosed a cancer in the duodenum, more tests, another endoscope, referred to dietician. Likely surgery at Addenbrookes at some point. Continuing to sort Ely videos. Listened to 'Classic Folk' including interview with FolkEast John Marshall Potter.
14th July 2026: Sheila playing music with Max. Bill for a wander in town, Minster Concert was Lizzie Gutteridge Consort for 1. Early music on various instruments with a looper. The beginning of a tour of Suffolk and Norfolk on her bamboo bicycle. Listened to the balance of Genevieve Plays Folk, and to some early Country Joe & the Fish. Supper 'n Song: five up, but great fun swapping songs and tunes.
13th July 2026:windows continue, Sheila swam. Bill swam, (the pool is now open again). Gastro CNS rang to book Bill a consultant appointment for Wednesday morning. Bill popped in on Ash & family. Admin tasks unsuccessfully tacked pro tem.
10th - 12th July Ely Folk Festival: meeting friends, musically mixed, being somewhere else. Friday: gerry Colvin, unclassifiable, marmite. Andy's daughter Heather sang at the Folk Club with college friends. Saturday: Sherburn Bartley Saunders Bill's favourite of the booked artists we saw. Anarchic and brilliant. Solomon Smith pretty beige . The Shackleton Trio: familiar and deserve a larger stage. Steve Knightley and the Winter Yards Band a work in progress, the acolytes were happy, a few left. Time will tell. Sunday: The Patrons Concert: perhaps the most enjoyable couple of stage hours: nothing to sell or prove.
3rd June 2026: Sheila off to Northumbria for a friend's funeral. Bill dental appointment.
2nd June 2026:Sheila: music with Max, Bill wandered the wasteland, (Ipswich) then to see Vicky Swann and Johnny Dyer playing at The Minster. Excellent. Posted Tuesday Tunesday sketches.
1st June 2026: Rabbits: Sheila swam, and sorting paperwork, played a bit. Chi Gung and online fiddle group. Bill posted tune and theme of the month to Melnet, shared Thaxted videos with Colchester and Chelmsford Morris. Played some tunes, (exorcising the 'traditional music afternoon', enough said that exorcism was needed.) Bill popped in on Ashley and family, watched Mel Biggs interviewing Anna Pack.
31st May 2026: Sheila and Bill crossed on the A12, she returning from the hand-fasting, and Bill to EATMT afternoon at the Fromus Centre in Saxmundham. Pleasant venue, limited turnout of about 30. Facilitated by Shirley. These events seem not to fit easily into our 'folk' calender.. Bill sorted some video from Thaxted.
30th May 2026: Sheila to Poppy and Nathan's handfasting. Bill to Thaxted morris meeting with four chaps from the side. Thank you Brian for driving. An enjoyable coach tour (L) with Chelmsford, Colchester, Westminster, and Dolphin (ie John and Emma, Ring Squire). John, and Russell and John (Colchester) made up numbers for the dancing. Emma joined Bill playing for East Suffolk. A pleasure and privelige.
Bill touched base with old friends at the first show, including Richard P from the bluegrass world, recommending the new Panfield Festival. We came home after the first show. A two hour wait, (three for the Horn Dance), was not worth the benefit. Home by 9. Lovely to get back to Thaxted after a break of a couple of decades. A changed event, but for the better, (save for some high level politics which had Cliff M usurp the 'presenting' role which would normally fall to Ring Squire.)
29th May 2026: Sheila swam. Stephanie in touch, Bill's friend and colleague Sue B has died after a period of illness, (and pain). Not unexpected but sad. Ash & Nat have agreed to buy a house. More than they initially wanted to spend, but fits the bill as their 'forever' home. Bill completed this week's sketched for TT. We practised our songs for Everyman Folk Club: an excellent evening to close the season. We opened with a floor spot, (miss the Mississippi and Home to Me), Two floor spots each half with John K on good form, (he isn't always).
28th May 2026: Sheila gym, Bill started to prep TT tune for next week. Practised songs.
27th May 2026: Sheila very tired, not sleeping. Practised songs for Friday. Bill had chat with Laurel,
26th May 2026: Sheila gym, and builders appointment at her house. Bill posted TT tune, popped in on Ashley and family. Their house is sold, now looking to buy.
25th May 2026: Bill had a brief wander at the Broke Hall Street Sale, with Sheila practised some songs on the list to choose from for Friday at Everyman. Practised morris tunes for Saturday at Thaxted. A little disappointed that most of the sides in ESMM group at Thaxted are local and easy to see elsewhere. Popped in of Rowan .
24th May 2026: We went to the Constable Rd Street Sale, perhaps our favourite of those taking place this weekend. Came home with a jute carpet, plants,bits and bobs. Ashley let us know about a free concert of Early and Renaissance music at St Peters on the Waterfront at tea time. Excellent if niche, sackbuts, cornets, etc. Polyphonic instrumental and vocal music by the 'Wind and Voice Experience' who workshop for a weekend annually then present the concert. Good to see Edward & Jill, and Clive and Diane. Fantastic acoustics.
23rd May 2026: We went to the Beverly Rd street sale, saw Ash and family there. Fairly sparse. Bill prepped TT tune, (using a couple of recycled clips).We have been asked to sing at Everyman F C on Friday, tried a few songs. Max popped in to see Sheila and nab some clothes from her.
22nd May 2026: Sheila art class, Bill to town, spectacles re-adjusted. Gave Gwendal and Paul at Two Sisters a miss.
21st May 2026: a day in, Bill knoodling on TT tune, sleeping, sheila gardening. Brian is giving Bill a lift to Thaxted on 30th.
20th May 2026: Sheila music with Max, Bill an Anglo social afternoon with Roger, Andrew, and Margerette. Musically very enjoyable, but catching up Bill is not the only one in the local 'Folk' community with health difficultiesat the moment. Maybe an age thing but disconcerting.
19th May 2026:Sheila to the dentist and coffee with Penny. House measured up for some new windows, fitting in July. Sheila meeting surveyor at K's Ave. Cancelled music with Max, weary. Bill posted TT tune
3.6.26