Pete has been singing & playing folk songs & dance tunes for 60 years, starting as a folk club organiser in ‘65 whilst at college in Cheltenham. Moving to Birmingham in ‘67 he met up with Chris & turning professional recorded their first LP for Bill Leader in ’71 which included traditional songs plus Pete’s ‘Wizard Of Alderley Edge’, ‘Joseph Baker’ & ‘Marching Down Through Rochester’. Joining the Leader Label introduced Pete & Chris to Nic Jones & Tony Rose combining to form super-group ‘Bandoggs’. Then came the mighty ‘New Victory Band’, Pete & Chris with ‘Muckram Wakes’ headlining festivals home & abroad.
By ’85 Pete was back playing solo, one of the earliest folk musicians to form his own independent label ‘Backshift Music’ releasing ‘It’s A Mean Old Scene’ a collection of traditional & original songs. Out of this came ‘Red Shift’ concert & dance band with Gina le Faux, Dave Shaw, Chris Coe & Johnny Adams, which included ‘The Waves Of Tory’, ‘Sold Down The River Again.’
Pete was touring the UK, Europe & USA throughout the ‘80s & ‘90s adding more solo recordings to his own label plus collaborations with ‘The Search for Five Finger Frank’ (Alice Jones) & ‘The Road To Peterloo’ (Brian Peters & Laura Smyth). He initiated the community folk organisation ‘Ryburn 3 Step’ to include folk dance, song & drama projects along with local musicians. In 2016 he was awarded A Gold Badge by English Folk Dance & Song Society for his services to folk music which included his educational work in schools & university in addition to performance, collection & organisation. Throughout his career Pete has maintained his independence whether recording & negotiating direct with club & festival organisers.
He celebrates his 80th Birthday on March 28th calling northern & new dances with The Bismarcks, Nina Hansell, fiddle, Ed Rennie, melodeon & Gareth Kiddier, piano, one of the great English country dance bands. Waring Green Community Centre, Brighouse HD6 2BJ 7pm -10pm Adults £12 Students £9 Under 12s free. Cash/Cheques to Ryburn 3 Step Bring your own refreshments.
On March 29th Pete presents The Stories So Far, a celebration of folk songs, ballads & broadsides he’s learned from the old songcarriers & songsmiths he’s met over a lifetime on the road accompanied on bouzouki, guitar, banjo, dulcimer & melodeon.
Hollins Mill, Sowerby Bridge HX6 4EB at 7pm. Free entry, donations to Parkinson’s UK. Reservations requested to info@ryburn3step.org.uk
Artist’s website: http://petecoe.co.uk
‘The Pennine Way’ – live:
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