Roy Clinging

has been involved with folk music since the early seventies and is a full time performer with experience of clubs and festivals across the UK. He has a wide selection of ballads and songs from all over the British Isles to draw on and has recently researched the songs and traditions of his own area (Cheshire). He has also maintained a keen interest in songs of the sea which has seen him regularly booked at specialist maritime events.


101RECCD18

'An Honest Working Man'


December 2001 saw the release of his second CD. This is a more diverse collection of mostly traditional songs and tunes (although a couple of Roy's own compositions have crept in) and he is joined on the album by guitarist Phil Hare, Gina Le Faux on fiddle and his wife Mary Clinging, who provides vocal harmonies.

Roy Clinging - Vocals and Concertina
Phil Hare - Guitar
Gina Le Faux - Fiddle
Mary Clinging- Vocals

free download 'The Manchester Hornpipe' 2.7mb

101RECCD15

'Cheshire Born- Songs and Tunes of old Cheshire'

Roy Clinging - Vocals and Concertina
Phil Hare - Guitar
Sue Jones - Fiddle
Catriona Thompson - Guitar
Mary Clinging -Vocals
Jon Finnan & Dave Jenkins - Chorus vocals

free download 'Chester Races' 2.7mb

Reviews:

. . performed with the skill & confidence of a craftsman." - Pete Coe"

Some of the best traditional music you will ever hear" - Ian Chesterman (Wrexham Folk Club)"

a performer of real stature, good taste and integrity." - David Kidman (Folk Roundabout)"

I know that Roy has really done his homework when preparing for this CD. He has drawn from a wide

range of sources and come up with a CD made up entirely of Cheshire songs and tunes. All the material is

either by or about Cheshire people, events and places. I was glad to hear a version of the Souling song

plus some material that was entirely new to me. My favourite song is the Mobberley May Song collected around 1850. It bears similarities to the more widely known Swinton May Song recorded by the Watersons, but I prefer it to theirs and I am off to listen to it again. "- Duncan Broomhead -Folk BUZZ"

Roy Clinging has put a lot of work into researching these songs and tunes from his home patch, and has produced good results. Some titles are familiar, 'Souling Song' and 'The Miller of Dee', others less so. Own up, have you ever heard 'The Unfortunate Loves of Thomas Clutterbuck and Polly Higginbotham' before? It's an amusing song set to the tune of 'The British Grenadiers' and top marks to Roy for handling the jaw-cracking task of singing it. An album of localised songs such as this might not seem much of a prospect for people outside that area, but there is stuff here worth hearing. 'Young Bucks A-Hunting Go' is a version of 'The Fox Jumps Over The Farmer's Gate' that Peter Bellamy used to sing. 'The Rich Farmer in Cheshire' proves to be a well-known song of a highwayman and a spirited young heroine, familiar but still welcome, and again very well sung. Roy takes the lead singing role, with instrumentalists, Phil Hare, Catriona Thompson (guitar) and Sue Jones (fiddle), all working well. Mary Clinging, John Finnan and Dave Jenkins see to the backing vocals in good style. I see that the Cheshire County Council has had some input into the production of this album. All honour to them then, let others follow. Their county will get some good publicity, and Roy Clinging's fine voice and excellent phrasing will be heard more widely, which is a good thing." - Living Tradition"