All you need to know about Henwen

The members of the band got together in 1992, originally for their own entertainment, but now, obviously, aiming for world domination. Music-making is very much in the spirit of the Whitby area- there is hardly a hill-side that does not resound to steel guitar, squeeze-box or throaty yodel some night of the week. It`s either something in the water or competition with the seagulls.

Henwen (the group not the pig) have performed at arts events, concerts, folk festivals, all over the country, and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on many occcasions. They have been featured on"Women`s Hour, on Radio 2, 3 and Radio 4 Arts Programmes, and on Tyne Tees Television.

They sing old folk, new country, big ballads, sizzling swing and songs they write themselves. The arrangements of all these songs are unique to Henwen, and the originals are chosen for their strong lyrical and melodic qualities. Whoever chooses or writes a song usually leads it, giving Henwen the variety of sound which is one of their greatest strengths. The band practices every Thursday, generally around Wendy`s dining table, attempting to do meticulous justice to these fine arrangements and striving womanfully to ignore bottles of wine, fruit cake and local gossip.

We are:

Gillian Edwards

Gillian lives in Fylingthorpe and teaches at the Village School. Started singing with Henwen on the back seat of a bus at the time of the group`s conception. Plays fiddle in a Ceilidh Band and dances French Bourees with Nigel when she gets the chance. Has a musical cat and tolerant neighbours, and has a tendancy to stay up all night working on Henwen arrangements. Has the reputation of being a Mrs Hitler, but is in reality the mildest and most amenable member of Henwen.

Fay Gillanders

Fay is the member of Henwen who appears to enjoy cooked food, as she hails from Great Fryup, deep in the North Yorks Moors, where they have mushrooms with everything. When asked she`ll tell you she is employed in a special delivery service-this brings in the crust which enables her to travel far and wide with Henwen, to travel globally without Henwen, and to travel to Fryup Bottoms with her dogs. Her hobbies are trimming the edge of the lawn, cleaning up kitten pooh, and meaning to get on with that work.

Magda Phillips

Fryup - pah! Raw, that’s where I live, looking out over Robin Hoods Bay and beyond across the sea to who knows where. Our garden provides us with lots of raw goodies in the summer. Our barn is well used by various bands and some nights the whole hillside is really cooking... (thank you, kind neighbours!).

Besides adding to the melifluous sounds of Henwen, I play on sax and fiddle in another band and write songs for both. I am also a wordsmith in foreign languages (French and Spanish mainly) though am still struggling with Local.

Jill Sampson

"She`s got a great voice - very bluesy" - more soon we hope!!

Rowena Sommerville

Besides writing for and singing with Henwen, Rowena works as Director of Programmes at Tees Valley Arts, an arts organisation which makes good things happen all over the Tees Valley – as the name suggests….. TVA’s activities cover all art forms and take place in a huge range of community and education settings. As part of her job, Rowena runs the WorldFest, an annual celebration of world music and local diversity, in Middlesbrough and Stockton.

Rowena originally trained as an illustrator and also writes poetry; she has had several children’s books published, and freelanced for many years.

Rowena lives in a house on a cliff top, looking out to sea, which may account for the faraway look in her eye (or it might just be the gin)…. She likes to walk and talk with friends, and has a weakness for internet shopping.