John Kirkpatrick is that rare phenomenon, a real musical entertainer. Despite freezing temperatures, he was enthralling last year when he visited us for the first Christmas Concert, held outdoors (no, we can't remember why it seemed a good idea at the time, either!) in the Courtyard. This year in the pleasant, WARM, atmosphere of the Courtyard Hall, we are all looking forward to sheer enjoyment without the shivers.

Wyndebagge.

This year he'll be joined by Paul Saunders who, as Wyndebagge, is a firm Sulgrave favourite whose versatility, humour and musical joie-de-vivre delights our visitors throughout the year. The Concert will give him a better chance than usual to show off his musical talents as well, we suspect, as continue to entertain us with his wit.

John Kirkpatrick was born in Chiswick, West London in 1947. A deep love of music was instilled from birth, and family gatherings always included a hearty sing-song. School choirs, the Church choir, playing recorder and piano ensues, until he joined the Hammersmith Morris Men, in their second week, in 1959.

Whilst with the team he took up the melodeon, then the button accordion, then the anglo concertina, and got hooked on the traditional songs that were accompanied with a post-dancing pint.

John Kirkpatrick.

John has gone on to become one of the most prolific figures on the English folk scene, performing solo, in duos, acoustic groups and electric bands, and has established an enviable reputation as an instrumental virtuoso and session musician, as well as a leading interpreter of English folk music. He has been a member of the Albion Country Band, Magic Lantern, The Richard Thompson Band, Umps and Dumps, Steeleye Span, Brass Monkey, Trans-Europe Diatonique, and Band of Hope, as well as numerous ceilidh bands.

He rejoined The Albion Band for The National Theatre productions of "Lark Rise" and "Candleford", and from 1980 has regularly worked on shows at The Victoria Theatre (later The New Victoria Theatre) in North Staffordshire, The Orchard Theatre Touring Company based in Devon, and elsewhere. As songwriter, composer, choreographer, and musical director, he has contributed to over sixty plays in the theatre and on radio. And as featured artiste, band member, or session player, his music can be heard on over 200 different commercial recordings.

John has lived in Shropshire since 1973, where he had four sons by his first marriage. Now happily re-married, he still dances, with all four sons (on a good day), with the Morris team he founded in 1975, The Shropshire Bedlams.

For more information about John, see his website: www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk