Category: news

  • Strung Out On the Line – Jon Wilks, ft Ellie Gowers

    Strung Out On the Line – Jon Wilks, ft Ellie Gowers

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    Some songs take their time, and this one certainly did. I’d had the guitar part and melody for months — something a bit Nick Drake-ish, all hanging chords and uncertainty — and while I liked the atmosphere, it never quite became a song. A few lines floated through, but nothing that stuck. Still, it kept…

  • Could You Be the One?

    Could You Be the One?

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    Jon
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    “Could You Be the One?” is the first single from acclaimed folk artist Jon Wilks’ forthcoming fifth solo album, set for release in October 2025. Best known for his work in the traditional folk world, this new track marks a shift towards his own songwriting, embracing a full-band sound with rich harmonies, layered instrumentation, and…

  • The Cruel Mother [Roud 9] – Jon Wilks

    The Cruel Mother [Roud 9] – Jon Wilks

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    I released my version of ‘The Cruel Mother’ [Roud 9] as a digital single on August 8th. You can download or stream it on the following links, as well as in the usual places. Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple | Amazon I first heard ‘The Cruel Mother’ [Roud 9] when Emily Portman performed it live…

  • The Cruel Mother [Roud 9]

    The Cruel Mother [Roud 9]

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    Jon
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    ‘The Cruel Mother’ came out as a standalone single for digital streaming and download on August 8th, 2022. You can hear it/purchase it on: Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | Amazon Music The Cruel Mother by Jon Wilks I first heard ‘The Cruel Mother’ [Roud 9] when Emily Portman performed it live and unaccompanied…

  • The Fowler [Roud 166]

    The Fowler [Roud 166]

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    Ahead of my tour, kicking off next week, I’m today releasing a new arrangement of the traditional song ‘The Fowler’ [Roud 166]. The recording features my good friend, Jackie Oates, on 5-string viola and backing vocals, and my favourite bass player, Lukas Drinkwater, on the double bass. I’m singing, playing guitar, and bothering the percussion…

  • Henry Martin / Lofty Tall Ship (Roud 104)

    Henry Martin / Lofty Tall Ship (Roud 104)

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    I first heard ‘Henry Martin’, or ‘Lofty Tall Ship’, on Sam Larner’s album, A Garland for Sam. Shortly afterwards I was lucky enough to spend a day with Martin Carthy, in which he talked about ‘Lofty Tall Ship’ as his favourite traditional folk song. It was also the subject of the first episode of The…

  • Nick Drake – Fly – Katherine Priddy, Jon Wilks, Lukas Drinkwater, Jon Nice

    Nick Drake – Fly – Katherine Priddy, Jon Wilks, Lukas Drinkwater, Jon Nice

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    Listen to the new track on… Spotify: https://bit.ly/SlowFlySP Apple: https://bit.ly/SlowFlyApp Deezer: https://bit.ly/SlowFlyDe Amazon: https://bit.ly/SlowFlyAm In early lockdown, 2021, four of us got together and started sharing bits of recordings we’d made of Nick Drake covers. This mini project, featuring Katherine Priddy on vocals, Lukas Drinkwater on double bass, Jon Nice on keyboards and backing vocals,…

  • Greek Street – by Jon Wilks

    Greek Street – by Jon Wilks

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    Jon
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    Today is release day for my new single, “Greek Street”, backed by the guitar instrumental, “Scatterbrain”. I recorded this with my friends Lukas Drinkwater and Jon Nice shortly after we worked with Katherine Priddy on our Nick Drake project at the beginning of lockdown. These two tracks sat on my computer hard drive for over…

  • John Riley [Roud 270] – The Stories Behind the Song

    John Riley [Roud 270] – The Stories Behind the Song

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    ‘John Riley’ is a common title, and an even more common character, in the canon of traditional English songs. He’s so ubiquitous, in fact, one might assume he’s a single character of great renown. However, as this article finds, he appears to be many men caught up in multiple stories, each belonging to a song…

  • Up The Cut – Jon Wilks

    Up The Cut – Jon Wilks

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    NOW AVAILABLE ON CD VIA BANDCAMP. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE “Jon Wilks’s Up the Cut explores the fascinating history of Birmingham street balladry, a thriving 19th-century industry, through simple, deeply affecting voice-and-guitar settings. The Lover’s Ghost and Stowaway are especially beautiful, delicate with love and loss.” – Jude Rogers, The Guardian review “Up The Cut is…