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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 cupboard. 

Buy ‘The Fowlerfrom the Jon Wilks Bandcamp page.

‘The Fowler’ is a differently-titled version of ‘Polly Vaughan’, which I learned from a recording of the source singer, Harry Cox, singing it at the Windmill pub in Norfolk during the 1940s. I’m currently enamoured by tunes that don’t go where you expect them to. On my last album, a song called ‘John Riley’ bewitched me in a similar way. As a musician, these melodies press a button in my brain marked, “WARNING: obsession lies within”, and then they amongst the strings and frets beneath my fingers for months at a time before I finally decide something has to be done with them. I’m currently on a quest to find similarly unusual and haunting tunes deep down in the traditional canon. 

In tour news, tickets are starting to sell very nicely indeed – it’s great to see people venturing out to live gigs again. Kenilworth has only 1 ticket left, and Bishop’s Castle only about 6, so be quick if you want to come along. Looking forward to seeing you all out there. 

Feb 12th, Whitchurch Folk Club, Hampshire
Feb 13th, Bristol Folk House
Feb 15th, Live To Your Living Room, Online
Feb 16th, Cecil Sharp House, Camden
Feb 17th, Birmingham MAC
Feb 18th, Treehouse Bookshop, Kenilworth
Feb 19th, Bishop’s Castle Town Hall, Shropshire


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