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

2^nd May 2026: Sheila enjoying her garden and renewing acquantance with her concertina. Bill:to town to have spectacles adjusted. Dropped in on Nat and grandchildren. Looking at TT and Melnet tunes: Posted Melnet Theme of the Month and a U3A Concert video.

1^st May 2026: Mayday. Costa departure day and day 1 of the 'tui' season. Horrendous! Packed and vacated room. Sheila swam. We played music with Alan and Joan, and Anne in their room p.m.. Collected bags for 5.10pm bus to airport. Relatively smooth journey home. Arrived at 12.30 a.m.

30^th April 2026: Costa Day 5: Sheila on bird walk, we watched ensemble and choir showcases, bill to session. We listened to the pm concert from the pool area, including a short swim. Robbie & friends, Colum Sands, and Thumping Tommies. Evening: The Magpies, ok, then Trackdogs. 20 years this year and excellent as ever with a large following in the crowd, cameo appearances galore and the only band allowed an encore! Tomorrow is continental breakfast, packing, vacating room by 12 then waiting until5.10 for bus to airport and 8.30 flight.

29^th April 2026: Costa Day 4:A longish walk. Track Dogs excellent, Baskery Neil Young set, outstanding. Thumping Tommies. What we saw was good but that was not good enough to follow Baskery. Colum Sands, racontuer, troubadour . Headlining El Pony Pisador, a Catalan novelty folk band. Ireland to north Africa. Phenomenal energy , show and musicianship, but not our thing! Standing ovation....

28^th April 2026: Costa Day 3: Bill to tune session, poor. Grabbed link to tune master list though. Sheila Pilates. Went to Baskery 'meet with' interesting. Michael Vincent band . A good band , not going to set the world alight? The Magpies, roots in old time music so right up our street. Fairport. Better than yesterday, but still a bit dirgy with two repeated song, a bit unnecessary given their back catalogue.

Luke Jackson. Excellent , but is there a market for 70's style rock nowadays. Terrific voice. Kimmy Rhodes sold high but underdelivered, even with Albert Lee, Robert Vincent and a terrific uncredited pianist holding everything together. Then to bed.

27^th April 2026: Happy BirthdayRowan: Costa Day 2:A walk along a river visiting a couple of villages. Sheila tasted the afternoon program, not impressed. Saw some of Aggs Connolly at small stage, not Hank Williams by a long way! Baskery , a fascinating Trio of Swedish sisters. Mostly heavy duty, but angelic capella. Fairport Convention. Almost a parody of themselves. A living archive. More chamber quartet than folk rock. Bill has a very painfully swollen toe.

26^th April 2026: Costa Day1:Swam , pm concert Flossie M, the Carravicks, Luke Jackson Trio. Will Pound and Luke Jackson Trio. Evening Concert, Will Pound and Jen Butterworth  outstanding. Albert Lee. A trawl through a historic back catalogue, but Albert's style throughout rather homogenous. The set was too long and he owned that his fingers failed him by the archetype showstoppers at the end of the show. Still great to see him , amazing for 82!

25^th April 2026: 2am start, foggy drive to Stansted. 7am flight yo Ibiza on a young clubbers flight. Very noisy. Sitting with Shirley  and Andy. Settled in at Seaview Sirenis, had a wander. Looked into the bar packed with day one  social activity. We went to bed. Very tired.

24^th April 2026: Sheila: Sorting, Yoga, Art Class, Bill: Blood test, collected spectacles. Radical! Early night and off to Costa Del Folk.

23^rd April 2026: Happy Birthday Derek: Bill telephone appontment with solicitor, beginning the death clean, Sheila missed Tai Chi, prepping for Costa etc. East Suffolk Morris The Dove Ipswich: St Georges Day: looked a bit thin on the ground for a while, but a full side and an excellent stand, capably led by Kevin.

10.11.25