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).

We are happy to be called upon to play music, for listening or for dance. We do not self promote. This web-page succeeds a page which was active for more than twenty years before the host discontinued operations, which prompted a review of our online presence, and what we want it to represent moving forwards in time.

A feature of the previous web page which received mainly positive feedback were Bill's Diary Notes which he maintained between 2003/4 and 2024, ceasing contemporaneous publication with the demise of the website. They can be found here: Diary Notes

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

22^nd March 2026: We went to the 'Brighten the Corners' Concert featuring 'Book of Voices, and 'The Shovel Collective' at 'The Shurch' in St Stephens Lane . The venue is standing only, (with a few seats and benches) The hour long delay between 'doors' and music was unwelcome and uncomfortable. Book of Voices are Oliver Muco who played a Burundian zither and sang in middle and early English. The sound indistinguishable from middle period Donavon. Monochrome and faux ethereal. The Shovel Collective are a nine piece band with a hardcore approach to folk and politics. They went down well with the mixed age audience, (few of whom will have seen the inside of a folk club). Art for Art's sake. Interesting but..... We didn't stay the course, (along with quite a few others). Not a promoter or venue that we will readily revisit. Doubtless a brick in the road towards 'City of Culture' status for Ipswich.

21^st March 2026: Sheila: gym, Bill: completed TT sketches of William Taylor's. Outing to Glemsford with Jackui and Martin to see band, 'Moscow Drug Club'. (Named after a jazz song). An outstanding quintet playing standards, show tunes, modern material, (leonard Cohen,Tom Waits). Each an outstanding musician, (heavy duty jazzers.) An excellent evening, certainly more deeply rooted than most folk acts at the moment! Well worth the drive to Glemsford.

20^th March 2026: Sheila swam, Yoga, art class. Bill sorted a few TT sketches.

19^th March 2026: Sheila Tai Chi, Bill knoodling on TT tune, working out how to play it in key , (as Dave Shepherd prescribed, and with his complete B part, usually bastardised for faux morris). We managed a run through of songs for concert next Tuesday.

18^th March: Sheila gym and chiropracter, also completed the annual 'plastic' count. Pm to fiddle group with Liz and Sue. Bill a slow day, knoodling etc.. new TT tune is William Taylor's by Dave Shepherd, qlong with his rant about playong on Gm and cursing morris sides for making it lumpen!

17^th March 2026:Farewell Dolores Keane, Country Joe McDonald, Len Deighton. Sheila & Max played music. Bill had a wander in Woodbridge and braved the pool for the first time since January, a start with fairly heavy duty impact (long afternoon sleep). Bill's attempts to repair his turntable, part and not effective, capacitors on the board probably need changing. On order, if that doesn't work, replace the deck. Posted TT tune. Thoughts are with Eileen M and George .

16^th March 2026: Sheila swam, popped to wish Lesley a Happy Birthday, Chi Gung and Fiddle class (online). Holly came to lunch. Bill listened to 'Genevieve Plays Folk', topped and tailed TT tune for tomorrow. East Suffolk Morris practice: a good evening and turnout. Working on a core set of dances for dancing out. Two more practices until the new season.

15^th March 2026: Sorry to hear that Dave Shepherd died yesterday. Joe and Leslie popped in on Sheila (Mothering Sunday) who went on to King's Ave with Isaac. Bill dropped in on Ashley Nat and family. This afternoon we went to a Spring Concert by Suffolk Community Strings and the Musicology Vocal Group. Very enjoyable.

14^th March 2026: Sheila gym and to Kings Ave, Bill went to see Rowan for a coffee and chat. Started working on TT sketches.

13^th March 2026: Sheila swam, Yoga, Art class, Bill knoodled on TT, U3A Folk Music Group, Friston: Mick and Sue's first time, another of 'our' songs has been adopted.An interesting afternoon.

10.11.25