We welcome back a favourite of the club, Benny, who has just finished a very successful tour with “The Pitman Poets”. He has been coming to us for quite a while we enjoy his songs from the North East and his gentle humour. A stalwart of the folk scene, with a vast repertoire of material from mining disasters through to music hall ditties. Chuck is a well known fiddler and mandolin player and has been working with Benny for about a year, so let’s give him a warm Black Diamond welcome.

Jimmy Crowley is doing a short tour and it will be great to have him at the club again. When Jimmy sings you are transported to his beloved Cork City and its unique accent and songs which he has been collecting for many a long year and printing in the local paper. This in turn has prompted many more people to contribute songs from their childhood so that Jimmy has been able to produce a wonderful volume entitled “Songs from the Beautiful City”.

Jimmy now hails from Newburgh but is originally from South Uist - his mother was a Gaelic speaker, his father from Glasgow. This is his first visit to the Diamond, though many of you will know him from the wonderful Whitby Festival. He has been singing traditional songs for many years and in the 1960s he was involved in the St Andrews folk club. Look out for his solo CD Corachree on the Living Tradition label.

When Bob sings a song about his beloved North East he imbues it with a magic that makes it his alone. Expect songs of love, joy, work and humour, sometimes all four in one song, all accompanied by a wonderful guitar style that can both drive or embellish a number. This man has served his time at his craft and it shows. Get your tickets early as I am polishing the house full sign.