- Barry Dransfield
Barry Dransfield is an English
folk singer ,fiddler ,cellist andguitarist . He has appeared as asession musician on numerous albums by other artists, and has released his own albums as well. "Lord of All I Behold" (1971) was voted Melody Maker folk album of the year. His 1972 album for Polydor, called simply "Barry Dransfield" was voted the rarest folk album in "Record Hunter", worth approximately £400. Unlike most fiddlers (but like some Appalachian players) he is comfortable playing in the "off the chest" position, instead of under the chin.Together with his brother Robin, he was a member of a bluegrass/old-time band while still in his teens. He generally avoids electric instruments, but is innovative nevertheless. The instrumental "Blacksmith" on "Fiddler's Dream" is a complex set of variations in Romantic Paganini style,with no obvious relation to the song "
Blacksmith (song) " but ending with a double-tracked voice of Barry singing the opening line "Oh, A Blacksmith Courted Me". As a singer his voice is very relaxed. The album "Fiddler's Dream" far transcends his other work. It has been re-issued on "Castle" with many bonus tracks.Barry in films
Barry has composed music for several films for TV and the wide screen: "S.O.S. Titanic", "Adelaide Harris", "Play Away", "Samson an Delilah" (1985), "Ballymena Opera House" and "The Wreck of the Julie Plante" (1985). He acted the part of the blind fiddler in "The Saga of HMS Bounty" (1984) (with Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins). In 1986 he changed career to become a so-called "Fiddle Doctor", repairing violins and cellos. In 1994 he joined the Steeleye Span UK tour.
Discography
*- Rout of the Blues (1970) (with Robin Dransfield)
*- Lord of All I Behold (1971) (with Robin Dransfield)
*-Morris On (1972) (with Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson, John Kirkpatrick et al)
*- Barry Dransfield (1972)
*-The Fiddler's Dream (1976) as a member of the band "Dransfield"
*- Popular to Contrary Belief (1977) (with Robin Dransfield)
*- Bowin' and Scrapin' (1984)
*- Be Your Own Man (1994)
*- Troubadours of British Folk Vol 1 (1995) (anthology)
*- Wings of a Sphinx (1996)
*- Up To Now (1999) (compilation with rarities and unreleased tracks)
*- Unruly (2005)
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