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 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

3^rd July 2025: Bill seeking playable version of new TT tune and knoodling, swam, . Sheila Tai Chi.

2^nd July 2025:Cool enough for Bill to catch up on the ironing. Watched YT documentaries about Mississippi John Hurt and Larry Campbell. Spent the afternoon replacing the bridge and setting up the'Johnson' front room guitar. Rained a bit, garden pleased.

1^st July 2025:Sheila swam, fitted new oven latch to the cooker, baked brownies, Bill posted TT and Melnet TotM and Theme of the Month.

30^th June 2025: Bill prepped TT and melnet, Sheila home. Bill swam. Watched Rod Stewart's Glastonbury set, outstanding. (Which it neede to be for £300,00 of which he got £120,00 fee.) Still, with a net worth of £300 million, hey ho. Decided to give U3A a miss tommorrow, small room, too hot to be outside.

29t^h June 2025: Sheila in Poole. Anothrer hot day with more to come! Bill knoodled on TT tune. Booked into Lightnin Slim Masterclass at The Duke on 7^th July, Tried to mend stylus attachment on turntable. Popped in on Ashley, Nat and children. Difficult to grandparent never having known one! Digitised a couple of Chrity shop vinyl records. Watched Nile Rogers and Chic at Glasto, showing how to put on a professional show! Genius.

28^th June 2025: Sheila in Poole, Bill knoodled on TT tunes and kept out of the heat. Ipswich Symphony Orchestra: Corn Exchange: Brahms Academic Overture, Rachmaninov Piano Concerto £, (soloist Junyan Chen), Shostakovic Symphony 5 Dminor. Excellent but the auditorium was too hot, and how the musicians managed under the heat of (non led) stage lights.....Came home to Neil Young's Glastonbury set, very disappointing, garage band and dad dancing, with the acoustic songs no better than pub open mic!

27th June 2025: Sheila in Poole, Bill had a wander in Felixstowe, prepping TT tune. Nice reply from IAA to Bill's e-mail. Binging on TV, very hot. The ironing can wait!

26^th June 2025: Bill swam. Sheila had a long morning walk before heading for Poole. Some confusion over which pub in Laxfield ESMM and Rumburgh are to dance at this evening, resolved as the 'Low House'. Bill decided that an hour each way for a brief dance out already covered within the side is more than his tiredness will bear.

25^th June 2025: Sheila away on her adventure visiting family. Bill posted 'Farewell to Chris Dove' as an 'F' tune in Melnet. Had to change the mouse on the computers. Using PS2 connecter, quite hard to find a replacement! Acoustic Blues Jam at the Duke, Bill stayed the distance again and seems to be settling into being part of that community. A very enjoyable evening. We finally mic'd the dobro effectively. It seems that Pete Y , ex morris and old time, is now playing upright bass in Adrian D's blues band based in Colchester.

24^th June 2025: Sheila prepping for trip to Oxford and Poole, Lunch with friends. Bill to Minster Tuesday Concert, piano/cello, excellent.

23^rd June 2025: Sheila gym , Bill swim. We played some tunes. Bill finished TT prep.

22^nd June 2025: Bill popped in on Nat & the children, prepped a couple of versions of TT tune. Probably all he'll do. Knoodled blues for a bit, (acoustic jam on Wednesday). Finished reading IAA's a/biography. Lots of points of connection, sent a thank you e-mail as the book opened a box of personal reflections and memories.

21^st June 2025: Midsummer: peak of the current heatwave. Sheila gym, Bill sent message to Derek confirming that we would not be going to Madrid in September. Knoodling on TT tune, reading IAA biography. Sheila to Bury Apex concert with Jorja. Bill posted a Don Partridge and Pat Keene vinyl rescue to YT

17.3.25