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

18^th February 2025: Sheila: fitted with bp monitor for 24 hours, Bill blood test. Tried to sort out prescription mix-up in person but the 'phone in' firewall prevents direct communication and those present couldn't help! Sheila fiddles with Liz and Sue pm. Bill listened to classic folk, skimmed the feed from Sweffling White Horse open mic last night, a curate's egg, and example of a format which is unappealing. Driven by ego and aspiration. Blood test results: about evens between normal and abnormal reasons but a couple of fundamentals moving in the right direction. Prescription muddle hopefully sorted....

17^th February 2026: Bill posted TT tune. Brief music session with Sheila. Interesting post by Liz W on 'How many Morris Dancers' FB page, generated a lot of heat!

16^th February 2026:Bill late start, feeling rough but better after a sleep. Had a wander in town.Topped and tailed TT tune. Supportive message from Steph, (work colleague). Sheila: Max around to play music and returned pm for a quiet space to work. Chi Gung and Fiddle class (online).

15^th February 2026: Bill visited Nat, Jasmine and Harry, Joe dropped in for a chat and catch up with Sheila.

14^th February 2026: Happy Valentine's Day: Leah and Jorja popped round for tea with Sheila.Bill dropped in on Rowan for a catch up. A slow day. TT tune coming along.

13^th February 2026: Sheila swam, online meeting,Yoga, Art Class, booking onto Burwell Bash. Bill, Holly came round, played some tunes .

12^th February 2026: Bill started thinking about the new TT tune. The hospital sent his prescription to his GP who can only do a part of it so now trying to sort that out, (there is apparently a 'red' list). Sheila to Tai Chi, will try and avoid the car park nightmare! Angel session: 9 up and at times sounded like a cohesive session, at others...

11^th February 2026: Sorry to hear about the death of David C. Not a surprise, he has been in hospital for a while. Bill blood test, the numbers are gradually moving in the right direction, still a long way to go. Sheila started a new knitting project, doesn't know what it will be yet!

10^th February 2026: Sheila out to lunch with friends, Bill had a wander in Woodbridge, (where almost all parking payment points, new and now reduced in number) ,don't work. Beware! Replenished the book pile, picked up a couple of bargains. Posted TT tune. Song and Supper:only four up but a very enjoyable evening.

9^th February 2026: Bill had been awake during the night worrying about the vulnerability of his medical records. Max came to play music with Sheila. Seemingly 'MyChart' lost a large number of blood test records from view over the weekend! Other discrepencies ….the Specialist Nurse simply referred bill to the willing but generally unhelpful helpdesk. Too many programs and apps in play.......Bill received a 'feel better soon' card from ESM. The records are restored to a degree.

8^th February 2026: we popped round to Ash & Nat's, saw Holly there. Went on to see Jaqui and Martin who had offered lunch, (a Burns Supper menu without the speeches. Good catch up session. Bill looked online for his records only to find that they seem to have been corrupted, probably by the Pathology department linking two accounts which should have been one!.

7^th February 2026: Bill working on the wrong tune for TT unless it was surreptitiously changed. Nonetheless seems up for music again. Posted 'M' tunes to YT. Trying to balance the heath news with just getting on with life (meanwhile). It doesn't need to be an issue pro tem, serious though it be.

6^th February 2026: Sheila swam, and went to Life Drawing class Rob serviced the van, Bill looked at next week's TT tune, caught up with some emails that couldn't be dealt with on a shared server. Some supportive messages, and spoke to Sue B on the phone. Played some guitar and concertina.

5^th February 2026: Day 1. Bill posted Melnet TotM, recorded last week. Sorting out appointments for the next month, Updated family, Holly popped round. Sheila: early appointment, very caring.

4^th February 2026:Bill discharged from hospital 7pm ish. Thank you for the best wishes of those aware he was in. Diagnosis CML which will entail treatment and review for an indefinite (but hopefully undiminished) future.

29^th January 2026: Sheila (finally) persuaded Bill to contact his doctor about continuing malaise'since pre Christmas Viral infection. Saw James, an SNP who gave an mot and took samples, so no outcome at present, but pending. Sheila Yoga and Life Drawing, Bill listened to 'Classic Folk', knoodled on TT and Melnet tunes. Bruce Springsteen https://youtu.be/GDaPdpwA4Iw?si=tQ9w1WI6ZnMf967U ,it needed to be said. Around 6pm Bill contacted by GP and told to report to Heath Road Hospital where admitted and remained subject to tests until discharge on 4th February with a diagnosis and treatment plan.

10.11.25