New Victory Band, UK folk artists on stage, Towersey, 1980

Muckram Wakes was an English

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...

band, from the north-east

Midlands The Midlands (also referred to as Central England) are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England and Southern England. The Midlands were important in the Ind ...

of England. The original line up of Muckram Wakes was Roger and Helen Watson plus

John Tams John Tams (born 16 February 1949) is an English actor, singer, songwriter, composer and musician born in Holbrook, Derbyshire, the son of a publican. He first worked as a reporter for the '' Ripley & Heanor News'' later working for BBC Radio De ...

. Their album ''Map of Derbyshire'', on Trailer Records, contributed greatly to the promotion of folk music from that county. The name Muckram Wakes derived from a small township in the region of

Somercotes Somercotes is a village and civil parish in the district of Amber Valley in the English county of Derbyshire, close to the border with Nottinghamshire. It is a former mining village and was once surrounded by more than five pits. The village has ...

where Tams originated and Wakes, the local and northern word for a fair or holiday. When John Tams left the band, he was replaced by John and Suzie Adams. The exact date of the invitation to join was 14 November 1973, when all four went into the Derbyshire hills on a day out to escape the

Royal Wedding ''Royal Wedding'' is a 1951 American musical comedy film directed by Stanley Donen, and starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Set in 1947 London at the time of the wedding of Princess ...

on that day. Within two years, Muckram Wakes were a full-time professional outfit, touring

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

and Europe, appearing at folk clubs, concerts and festivals plus radio and television. This line up of Muckram Wakes also constituted half of The

New Victory Band {{Unreferenced, date=June 2019 The New Victory Band was an English Country Dance band during the late 1970s/early 1980s. The original line-up consisted of the members of Muckram Wakes (Roger Watson, Helen WatsonJohn Adamsand Suzie Adams), Pete a ...

, a seminal English folk concert and dance band. In the early 1980s, following the departure of Roger and Helen Watson, the band continued for a short while with John and Suzie Adams joined by Keith Kendrick,

Barry Coope Coope Boyes and Simpson was an English vocal Folk music, folk trio, formed around 1990. Their sound was rich and often had unusual vocal harmonies. The group comprised singers Barry Coope, Jim Boyes (formerly of Swan Arcade) and Lester Simpson, a ...

and ultimately Ian Carter, all members of the Ram's Bottom Band. Barry Coope eventually joined the circle by working in duo with John Tams.

Discography

* ''Map of Derbyshire'' (Trailer) (1973) * ''Muckram Wakes'' (Trailer) (1976) * ''Warbles, Jangles & Reeds'' (Highway) (1980) * ''The Pick & the Maltshovel'' (contributed to the Roger Watson album) (Traditional Sound Recordings)

References

{{Reflist

External links

Muckram Wakes albums
English folk musical groups