|
||||||||
Ray has been involved in folk music for over 40 years. He remembers his first, nervously delivered song he ever did at a Nottingham folk club as an 18 year old student, was Blowing in the Wind. He lived for 5 years in Northampton where he sang regularly at The Black Lion Folk Club. When he moved back to his native Cumbria from teaching in Turkey, he opened the Egremont Folk Club which he ran with his Australian wife, Susan, for many years at the time when Jasper Carrot and Mike Harding could be booked for 12 pounds. These were the days when you had to be in the club by 7.30pm. or you wouldn't get in. He sang every week with the popular resident group, "Knotted Cord". He moved to Australia where he was active in the Perth folk scene and organised the first ever Australian tour for Vin Garbutt. Ray ran the Governor Broome Folk Club and played in the trio, Blackthorn. After 5 years he moved back to the Lake District in England where he started the Whitehaven Folk Club and reformed with Knotted Cord. From Cumbria he and his family moved to Nottingham so that his wife could attend medical school, there he joined up with 3 other blokes to form the group, "Bedlam" who sang mainly Australian material. He returned to Australia in 1993 to live in Fremantle where, since arriving he has organised tours for British acts and put on concerts for other agents. Ray returns to the UK every northern summer where he always attends several folk festivals.
Latest - In 2011 Ray returned to touring International Artists. He was so impressed by the duo Keith Donnelly and Flossie Malavialle when he caught their act on a recent visit to England, that he decided to tour them in 2011. Now the tour is over Keith, Flossie and Ray would like to say a huge thank you to all in Australia who turned out and enjoyed their concerts. They were thrilled with the reception they received. Links R2
- ROCKnREEL Magazine Jason
Downes' Flickr This
page was updated 18th July 2011 |
||||||||
©This
site and all images within this site are the property of Ray Downes,
Jason Downes or the Artists shown |
||||||||
Ray
is returning to England to live in NW Cumbria and will no longer be
an Australian folk agent or concert promoter. He presented his last
concert on March 17th in Australia by featuring England's Jez Lowe
and Kate Bramley. He would like to say thank you to Australian audiences
for appreciating all the acts he has brought on tour from Britain.
Vin Garbutt, Jez Lowe (solo and with Kate Bramley and with The Bad
Pennies) Colum Sands, Steve Tilston, The House Band, Chris While &
Julie Matthews, Keith Donnelly and Flossie Malavialle