FLICKY HARRISON previews multi-instrumentalists’ return

The former Women of Albion, Chris While and Julie Matthews, release their 10th studio album as a duo this month.

The musicians will be singing songs from Shoulder to Shoulder when they return to Marlborough on September 24.

Chris joined the Albion Band in 1993 replacing Julie as their lead singer and guitarist, but the following year Julie returned to the fold. Together, along with founder member Ashley Hutchings and Simon Nicol from Fairport Convention, they formed the new Albion heart of the famous folk rock outfit.

Chris was born in Barrow-in Furness and Julie was the daughter of a steel worker from Sheffield, but both have a tinge of Americana mixed with their gritty English folk roots.

They left the Albion Band in 1997 to perform both as a duo, and individually. Keeping it in the family, Chris' daughter Kellie While took over as lead singer in the Albion Band.

Julie plays guitar, piano, ukulele, bouzouki, mandolin, harmonica and accordion while Chris plays guitar, bodhran, banjo, dulcimer and percussion.

The first album Chris and Julie recorded together was Piecework. The combination was such a success that more followed, including Quest with Kwame Yeboah of E2K and Craig David fame contributing his multi-instrumentalist skills.

Along with recording albums and touring both the UK and abroad, the duo have also collaborated on several music projects for the BBC, including Tales of the Towpath in 2005, a radio documentary about the building of the Manchester Ship Canal.

It has been 22 years standing shoulder to shoulder as a musical duo, but the new album is as fresh and feisty as ever, bridging genres and covering subjects such as immigration in Are We Human. The track touches on the ignorance and intolerance facing refugees fleeing to Europe. Pride is a song that was written in support of LGBT, and there are three tracks co-written with songwriter Charlie Dore. Shoulder to Shoulder is released on Fat Cat Records on September 16.

The duo made the BBC Radio 2 play list with their single If This Were Your Last Day and a live performance on BBC Radio 2’s ‘Weekend Wogan’ moved the late Terry Wogan to tears. They also played a live session on Radio 2’s Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe .

They are no strangers to Wiltshire returning regularly for the biennial festival Party on the Lawn at Bishopstone.

This autumn it is St Mary's Church Hall in Marlborough that welcomes the folk stars on Saturday, Marlborough 24 from 8pm. For more details or tickets at £15 call 01672 512465 or visit www.marlboroughfolk-roots.co.uk - Flicky Harrison