Music Ministry

My Christian music ministry started back in 1977 when I joined Holtwood Mission Band (HMB), as singer/guitarist. Since then a great variety of musical opportunities have come my way - exploring this website will give you a flavour of the last 30 odd years!   My solo engagements are listed on the HMB bookings page - just click on the link in the top banner.

The photo to the right was taken from Holtwood in Dorset, looking towards Horton Tower. 

Songwriting

Milestones came in late 2003 when my 'Name in the Sand' album was released, followed in May 2010 with "We can all be free ..." 

In the Worldwide Unisong 2005 competition my song 'Horton Tower' made it to the finals, following which I was interviewed by the International Songwriters Association for the 'Songwriter' magazine.
You can read Part 1 by opening the Songwriter Profile PDF (240kb).
You can read Part 2 by opening the Songwriter Profile Pt2 PDF (419Kb). 

The photo below was taken one wet and misty afternoon at Creech Arch in Dorset. 

LATEST NEWS 2012

February - on the 19th HMB will be at Holtwood with David Joy playing guitar (thank you Dave!) because at 6.00 on that day I'll be leading a second service at Three Legged Cross United Reformed Church.  On the 17th I'm looking forward to seeing Johnny Coppin, one of favourite artistes, in concert at Wessex Acoustic folk club (link here) in Blandford, although the highlight of the month has to be pancakes with my good friends at Horton Heath on the 21st!.

March - On Saturday 3rd the legendary Christian singer/songwriter Graham Kendrick (click here) will be in concert at Alderholt Chapel and I'll be there - tickets from events@alderholtchapel.org.uk   Also I'm looking forward to seeing Seth Lakeman (link here) at Bournemouth Old Fire Station on the 20th.  I've also got some gigs with Dotty Crotchets and HMB will be at Crowe Hill Methodist Church on the 25th which is when British summertime (!) begins.

April - on Friday 27th Cottage Industry, with other bands and singers, will be appearing at the St. George's Day Ceilidh at Corfe Mullen Village which is an annual charitable tribute to our good friend, and greatly missed, actor & musician Ray Sargent.  Watch this space for ticket details.

July - Holtwood Summer Fete will be held between 12.00 & 4.00 on Saturday 7th - watch this space for more details.

EARLIER IN 2012 

January - a few days in London and then a trip to the glorious Malvern Hills (home of Elgar) on the Herefordshire & Worcestershire border plus a Burns Night with Cottage Industry on the 27th and HMB appearances at Woodlands and Crowe Hill Methodist Churches. In 'Forest Folk' on 2nd January I reviewed some of my favourite tracks of 2011. On the 18th I was at the Elm Tree in Ringwood to see a great concert with Jackie Oates (BBC Folk Wards nominee 2012 - click here) and Karen Tweed (accordianist extraordinaire! click here) On the 29th I led the service at Three Legged Cross United Reformed Church where I was made very welcome - thank you!

2011 HIGHLIGHTS 

January - a bit of a landmark month for me as I reached a significant birthday and arranged to retire from the day job in May!  There were also gigs with Cottage Industry & Dotty Crotchets and HMB presented a (belated) candle-lit carol service at Woodlands Methodist Church.  It was a lovely, atmospheric evening as we played the part of a carol singing quire from Thomas Hardy's days.

February - international country & gospel star George Hamilton IV returned to Holtwood Community Hall for a concert on Saturday 12th after a few traumatic few days when it was far from certain that he would be granted a UK work visa.  Becky Shears and I were pleased to support George again.  On Saturday 19th I appeared at the New Christian Music (NCM) Awards Ceremony in the Vandyke Theatre, Leighton Buzzard which took place over the whole of the weekend .  Other NCM artistes in the contemporary Christian music field also appeared, including George Hamilton IV who led the 'gather round' singing at the end of each of the 5 concerts and also presented the NCM awards.  You can find out more about the truly inspirational weekend here.  On Saturday 26th our son Rob married Alice at Holtwood which was a lovely occasion with our own families and extended church family.  Rob and Alice are both musicians with the Holtwood worship band and have set up home together in Ringwood.  So all in all quite an eventful month!

March - Our Alpha course continued and was a great opportunity to study and discuss our faith openly with our Anglican friends - and with those who presently have no faith at all which has been very challenging for us.  On Shrove Tuesday 8th March I sang for my pancakes to an enthusiastic audience at Crowe Hill Methodist Church near Ringwood in Hampshire.  Earlier that evening we enjoyed pancakes with our good friends at Horton Heath Methodist Church but just couldn't fit in Colehill as well - maybe we should have called it the Pancakes Mini-Tour!  HMB led services at Verwood Bethel Church and at Holtwood Methodist Church.  We also started to plan for the Holtwood Summer Fete which will be held on Saturday 2nd July.

April - Cottage Industry returned to gigging this month for a series of weddings and HMB led services locally. Our Alpha course concluded in Holy Week and at Holtwood we had a number of special services including a wonderful time of celebraton on Easter morning.

May - another busy month including engagements with Cottage Industry and Holtwood Mission Band plus helping to lead worship with the band at Holtwood - not to mention the small matter of retiring from the day job and the lifestyle changes that this will bring for Pauline and me. 

June - there were several engagements for Cottage Industry and for HMB. At home the youngsters have fledged so wee prepared to move to a smaller house. After 24 years in this house it's meant a major de-clutter so we're currently surrounded by boxes and several hundred books to 'pass on'. I've also decommissioned the recording studio so that's meant getting rid of 20+ years of inaccessible dust behind the various bits of equipment and racks - not to mention the garage and shed and our three lofts! Ah well, onwards and upwards!  It was good to meet up again with George Hamilton IV for an interview on Hope FM in Bournemouth.

July - the Holtwood Summer Fete was on the 2nd and something new this year was a scarecrows display - and what a brilliant display it was! So the fete had been subtitled 'Sausages, Strawberries and Scarecrows!' and it was opened by Revd Ralph and Adele Ward. Ralph has been our minister at Holtwood for the past 10 years and will be moving on to Ivybridge in Devon in August. As well as all the usual stalls and games, there were a sizzling Holtwood barbecue, cream teas with strawberries from Holt Forest plus musical entertainment from Pete & Sarah Emberley with Sharon Pearcey, the Dotty Crotchets ceilidh band, Christian rock band Route 66 - and I also sang a variety of songs as well, accompanied by Nick Hoar on bass. On the 6th it was great to present "The Bible - in 45 minutes!" in song for the Holtwood Sisterhood. On the 7th we really enjoyed "The Great Rinsing" presentation by Wimborne Community Theatre in the Wimborne Pump House. I was sorry not to be involved in this production because of other time demands although I do hope to play a part in future WCT productions. Some of you might also have seen this production - thank you for your support! On the 9th I played with Dotty Crotchets at the Horton & Chalbury Fete and then on the 10th I was with HMB on Holt Village Green for the annual open air songs of praise - and the sun shone! On the 24th HMB were with the good folk of Crowe Hill Methodist Church and then on the 30th I was with Cottage Industry at Verwood Hub. Whoever said that retirement meant putting your feet up?

August - after a few weeks of stressful uncertainties and a week of being homeless(!) we thankfully completed our move to our new home in Verwood and are busy settling in, unpacking boxes and trying hard not to lose the cat! In some ways I'm grateful that this month will be fairly quiet on the music front other than playing in the worship band at Holtwood. We were sad to say farewell to Revd Ralph & Adele Ward this month as they moved to a new appointment at Ivybridge in Devon. Whilst sorry to be losing Ralph we're looking forward to welcoming Revd Nigel Deller to Holtwood.

September - a number of bookings with Cottage Industry, Dotty Crotchets and HMB plus my return to presenting a radio programme (see home page) with Forest FM so it's was certainly a full month!  A highlight was a trip to Bath aboard the Bath Spa Steam Express hauled by the locomotive 70000 "Brittania". 

October - on the 6th I enjoyed a delightful afternoon chatting with, and singing for, the Women's Fellowship Network at Broadstone Methodist Church in Poole where I presented "Musical Memoirs & Milestones". On the 15th I took my music to Three Legged Cross URC during an enjoyable evening (and supper!) to celebrate the dedicated work of local preachers. There are also bookings with Cottage Industry, Dotty Crotchets & HMB and I have a recording session with ragtime guitarist NIck Hoar. So another hectic month! I've been made very welcome by the team at Forest FM92.3 and am enjoying presenting "Forest Folk" on Monday evenings. Thank you to those of you who have sent me messages of encouragement and for musicians who have sent in CDs. A highlight of the programme on 17th October was an interview with multi-instrumentalist & singer/songwriter Louise Jordan who launched her new CD "Tempus" this month and then goes on tour in November. Louise lives near Salisbury and is fast gaining a national reputation for the excellence of her writing and performance. You can find out more by clicking here

November - Plenty on this month with HMB and Dotty Crotchets and I started preparing for my new duties as steward at Holtwood Methodist Church. A highlight for HMB was playing for the Throop Torch Fellowship in Bournemouth on 5th November. I really enjoyed seeing (and certainly hearing!) Bellowhead at Portsmouth on the 24th and, particularly, their support act Ahab whom I've been featuring in Forest Folk recently. More about Ahab here Just to fill up the remaining gaps this month I've started to write songs for my next album and am busy pulling together two Christmas programmes for HMB.

December - a busy month during Advent and then, all being well, a restful family Christmas. There are Cottage Industry gigs in Dorchester and Bournemouth so not too much travelling! HMB were honoured to sing at the East Dorset Civic Carol Service on the 11th in Wimborne Methodist Church. On Tuesday 13th I was made very welcome by the good folk at Crowe Hill Methodist Church where we enjoyed 'Carols around the Christmas Tree' followed by my 'Folkie Christmas' concert. On Thursday 15th a small group of Holtwood folk sang carols to the dementia group of residents at Streets Meadow in Wimborne who accompanied the carols with jingle bells, whilst a larger group of the 1st Gaunts Guides sang to a separate group at Streets Meadow. So thank you and well done all! On Friday 16th between 12.00 & 3.00 l appeared for Hope FM on the open air Christmas Market stage in Bournemouth Square - notwithstanding the rain & hail showers it was great to witness to passing shoppers and town centre workers. Thank you to Revd Chris Brockway from West Cliff Baptist Church and to Sheena Dayman from Hope FM 90.1 for looking after me! On the 18th HMB had 'double-header' candlelit carol services - 3.00 at Broomhill and 6.00 at Holtwood. It was good to make new friends and meet up again with old friends at these special services. My 'Forest Folk' (click here to listen live) Christmas Special was broadcast on Monday 19th December and featured lots of seasonal music plus 'Christmas in the Trenches' from John McCutcheon. On Boxing Day 'Forest Folk' looked at some more traditional festive celebrations & music and I'm indebted to Johnny Coppin (click here) for his engrossing compendium of British winter traditions 'A Country Christmas'. Johnny also presents his own folk music programme on BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

2010 HIGHLIGHTS 

January - a bit of a catching-up month in the studio and preparing for a busy February, including promotional radio and press work for the visit to Holtwood of George Hamilton IV in February.  HMB led a couple of services locally and with Cottage Industry I called the dances for a Burns' Night Ceilidh for the SBS - an interesting evening! 

February - this month a track from the album called "Because of You" was  released by New Christian Music (NCM) on the NCM#70 compilation CD.  It was distributed to hundreds of radio stations and is being played on air in Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa,  the UK and Australia.  The positive feedback received from radio producers and presenters is amazing - thank you to Paul Davis and his team at NCM.  On the 13th flautist Becky Shears and I were made really welcome at the NCM Weekend in Leighton Buzzard where it was good to catch up with others in the Christian contemporary music field.   The weekend included the Radio Mic Awards Ceremony 2010 when the awards were presented by George Hamilton IV.  You can find out more about the weekend by clicking on http://www.newchristianmusic.co.uk   George then be returned to present "Easter in the Country" at Holtwood on the 20th as part of his short tour of the UK.  It was a tremendously blessed evening and Becky and I were delighted to play for the first half of the concert.  Once again, thank you George for your kindness and generosity and we wish many more blessings on your ministry - and stamina!

March - the new CD "We Can All Be Free" had some last minute percussion added to a couple of tracks - so we're almost there!   On Saturday 6th with Wimborne Community Theatre I helped to take forward the music side of the forthcoming production 'Go with the Flow'.  If you would like to be involved as a musician or singer please contact me.  On the 20th I was with Dotty Crotchets for a charity ceilidh at Blandford Corn Exchange in Dorset.  On 28th I was with HMB at Witchampton Methodist Church.  My song "Because of You" on NCM#70 continued to receive worldwide radio plays with many encouraging reaction sheets from near and far.

April - The new album is now at the CD factory in readiness for release in May.   Becky Shears has done a really great job with the artwork and packaging - thank you Becky.  Part of the packaging includes a photo at Creech Arch on top of the Purbeck Hills in Dorset.  I was hoping for an atmospheric photo for the rear of the CD cover - the mist and the rain at Creech Arch certainly ensured plenty of atmosphere - and very wet trousers!   "Life by your side" was included on NCM#72 and has been well-received around the world.  One of the feedback comments was "Very 1960s - Herman without the Hermits!"  Not sure if that's a compliment or not!  On 23rd April I played with Cottage Industry for Ray Sargent's St. George's Day memorial ceilidh at Corfe Mullen.  It was a really memorable evening, even more so because Clive from the band somehow managed to fall through the stage on the last chord of our final tune - what timing! 

May - my new album "We can all be free ...." was released in May - please click on the home page for details of availability.  The album was launched at the Christian Resources Exhibition at Sandown Park in Surrey where I appeared on the NCM stage.  Other NCM artistes appearing during the week included George Hamilton IV.  More details of the CRE here.  Then on Saturday 15th at 7.00 I was in concert for a really enthusiastic audience at Wimblington Methodist Church in Cambridgeshire.  It was my first visit to the Fens and I was made to feel very welcome by the people that I met from Wimblington and nearby March.  It was also good to lead some of the music for the Sunday morning service before heading back to Dorset - after a tasty 'Wimblington lunch".  Special thanks to Peter Whatley for organising the weekend.  I hope to return to the Fens on a future occasion.  Add to all of this a couple of ceilidhs and playing with HMB and it all adds up to another pretty busy month.

June - a busy month as "We can all be free ..." was promoted around the world.  The feedback from radio stations has been encouraging and the album is selling well.  But it's not just about selling CDs - it's getting the Good News out there to people who maybe don't know Jesus yet.  I always think at concerts and when I'm helping to lead worship that if just one person takes something away that they didn't arrive with, then it's a really worthwhile use of my time!  The month was hectic including a number of ceilidhs plus services with HMB - not to mention an intensive songwriting and rehearsal schedule with Wimborne Community Theatre. 

July - whew what a scorcher!  On the 4th Becky Shears and I played some songs from the new CD at the Holtwood Fete which also featured a wonderful array of talent - singer/songwriter Rebecca Walker Jones, Bournemouth Christian rock band Route 66, Pete & Sarah Emberley and Sharon Pearcey, the Dotty Crotchets ceilidh band and Wimborne Community Theatre.  There was lots more going on at the fete and more than £1,430 was raised, 10% of which will be donated to WaterAid.  Special thanks to Marilyn Barber of the Stour & Avon Community Magazine for officially opening the fete which was enjoyed by several hundred people.  If you were one of them - well, thank you for your support!  On Sunday 4th I was with Becky, Paul Woodward and Holtwood Mission Band leading the music for the annual 'Songs of Praise' service with our Anglican friends.  It was too blustery to play on Holt Village Green as planned so we all adjourned to Holt St. James' Church where we had a really great evening.  During the morning of Sunday 11th I had an unusual gig - providing the PA system for a ceremony in Wareham to award the Freedom of Purbeck to the Armour Centre and the Old Boys Association of the Junior Leaders Regiment.  My brief was simple - the speeches needed to be heard throughout the town centre!  On the evening of the 11th I was with Holtwood Mission Band - unusually at our home church in Holtwood.  The month ended with a diamond anniversary ceilidh for Austin & Margaret from the Church of the Good Shepherd in Poole.  It was a great evening in a marquee adjoining the Swanage Steam Railway at Harmans Cross station - so we just had to dance the Flying Scotsman!

August - on 29th August I appeared with Wimborne Community Theatre at the Victorian Wimborne Pumphouse in "Source - Tales from the Pumphouse", a water-themed production as part of the Sting in the Tail Festival.  I played "Old Willum" and also sang with Steamheat some songs which had been commissioned for the production.  The month had been very busy as we finalised and rehearsed the production.  There were also gigs with Cottage Industry and with Dotty Crotchets, so not too much time for relaxation!

September - on Saturday 11th September Wimborne Community Theatre presented two further performances of "Source - Tales from the Pumphouse" in Wimborne - this time as part of Architectural Heritage Week.  Details are here.  Both performances were sold out and, following this taster, plans are now going ahead for the full production at Wimborne Pumphouse in 2011.  More details will appear here when I know them.  During September there were also several ceilidhs with Cottage Industry and Dotty Crotchets and services led by Holtwood Mission Band.

October - this month there were ceilidhs with Dotty Crotchets, HMB led some services and we started to put together the songs, carols and readings for the Holtwood Candlelit Carol Service on 19th December.  A date for your diary!  

November - mainly Dotty Crotchets and HMB engagements and we continued to prepare for Advent & Christmas.  I also started writing new material for the next album. 

December - the early snow and ice affected some planned events although on the afternoon of Monday 6th I was delighted to give a seasonal concert for the Holt Monday Club.  Later that evening Becky Shears and I appeared on the Hope FM outdoor stage as part of the Bournemouth Christmas Market celebrations.  Also appearing that evening were Christian rock band Route 66 and worship band The Bigger Picture from Cranleigh Community Church.  It was a cold, frosty night so thank you to those who turned out to hear us - and special thanks to Sheena Dayman of Hope FM for pulling together the whole evening.  I also appeared on the Hope FM stage during the afternoon of Thursday 9th December which was a bit warmer!  On Monday 20th a group from Holtwood sang carols and seasonal songs for the residents at Streets Meadow in Wimborne.   On Sunday 19th our candlelit carol service at Holtwood was led by HMB around the theme of a traditional Dorset Advent and Christmas - including a Hardy rustic quire!  It was a great evening for those who managed to brave the snow and ice to get there!  On Boxing Day morning I chatted with Sheena & Derek Dayman on Hope FM about some of my songs and also about the Bournemouth Christmas market - and about what will be happening in 2011. 

SOME PAST HIGHLIGHTS

Over the past few years, Flautist Becky Shears and I have played live and chatted on Hope FM (Bournemouth) and Forest FM 92.3 (Verwood) and I've made several solo appearances on Hope FM, on Premier Christian Radio (London) and on BBC Radio Solent (Southampton).   The great thing about radio broadcasting these days is that the programmes are also streamed live on the internet so can be heard anywhere in the world.  We've also played at Wimborne Folk Festival and at a whole variety of concerts, churches and social occasions in Dorset.