Whether accompanying himself on guitar or bowed psaltery or singing unaccompanied, Derek’s enthusiasm becomes contagious. Relaxed and confident, with chorus songs a specialty, his humorous approach will soon have any audience singing along.

Derek developed a love of singing from his early experiences in his school choir.

Derek first discovered the English tradition at the Drover’s Arms Folk Club in Birmingham in the late 1960s. It was here he met some of the people that were to influence his already developing traditional style  such as Pete and Chris Coe, Mick Bramich and Paul Ryan.

Apart from enjoying music in general, Derek’s other great interest is bird-watching (or ‘birding’) and the Early Birders’ walk returns on Sunday morning. He is co-hosting the Neptune Singalongs with Mike Nicholson this year.