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The Willows (English band)

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The Willows are an English, mixed-gender, six-piece, contemporary folk music band who are based in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.[1] According to Neil Spencer of The Observer, their music is "polished Anglo-Americana folk" that owes "a clear debt to Fairport Convention ... but their newgrass leanings make Alison Krauss's Union Station as good a comparison".[1] The Daily Telegraph named the band's second album Amidst Fiery Skies one of the best folk albums of 2014.[2]

The Willows formed in 2010 in Cambridge, and released their debut Extended Play (EP) the following year.[3] The band then consisted of vocalist Jade Rhiannon – also called Jade Ward; her husband Cliff Ward on banjo and guitar; Prue Ward on fiddle; Ben Savage on Dobro, vocals and guitar; and Stephen MacLachlan on piano, vocals and percussion.[3] The Willows' debut album Beneath our Humble Soil was released in 2012.[3] Evan Carson replaced MacLachlin for their second album Amidst Fiery Skies (2014),[2] and by the 2018 release of their third album Through the Wild, Katriona Gilmore had replaced Prue Ward on fiddle and double-bassist John Parker had been added to the lineup.[4]

Members

Current

  • Evan Carson – drums, bodhran and percussion
  • Katriona Gilmore – fiddle
  • John Parker – double bass
  • Jade Rhiannon (also credited as Jade Ward) – vocals, guitar and shruti box
  • Ben Savage – guitar, vocals and dobro
  • Cliff Ward – guitar, banjo, vocals and fiddle/violin[4][5][6]

Former

  • Stephen MacLachlan – percussion, piano and vocals[5]
  • Prue Ward – fiddle/violin and vocals[5]

Discography

Albums

  • Beneath our Humble Soil (2012)[3]
  • Amidst Fiery Skies (2014)[2]
  • Through the Wild (2018)[1]

Extended Play

  • The Willows (2011)[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Spencer, Neil (23 December 2018). "The Willows: Through the Wild review – polished Anglo-Americana folk". The Observer.
  2. ^ a b c Chilton, Martin (24 December 2014). "The best folk albums of 2014". The Daily Telegraph.(subscription required)
  3. ^ a b c d e McFadyen, Neil (22 February 2013). "The Willows – Beneath Our Humble Soil". Folk Radio UK.
  4. ^ a b Blake, Thomas (2 November 2018). "The Willows: Through the Wild". Folk Radio UK.
  5. ^ a b c Beneath our Humble Soil (CD cover). The Willows. Elf Records Ltd. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ Amidst Fiery Skies (CD cover). The Willows. Elf Records Ltd. 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)