User talk:Philhare

Phil Hare, English acoustic guitarist and songwriter born Donegal, Eire 14/11/58. Adopted and raised in Liverpool and Wirral UK. Part of 'church hall' pop/rock scene in Wirral in late 1970's where contemporaries went on to form Teardrop Explodes, OMD, Deaf School etc. ('Merseybeat 2003'). Started in folk music through an interest in the acoustic guitar and first appeared at the Punch Bowl Folk Club in Hoylake in 1978. Met singer Kim Farrell and became one of the resident acts at Liverpools' Brooke House Folk Club in 1981. Fellow residents included the celebrated Northumbrian piper Chris Ormston, folk journalist Jack Coutts, Lenny Cruikshank OBE and Shay Black, brother of Mary Black the Irish singer. Started to do sessions for Radio Merseysides' 'Folkscene' and played in band Seasoned Selection with KIm Farrell and Martin Sumpton. Later instigated evenings at the Birkenhead Folk Club in 1986 and began to play professionally around the North West with popular Dance band The Fiddle Band. Started relationship and musical partnership with fiddler Mary-Ann Wise and began to tour the folk clubs of the UK. Landed record deal with Fellside Records in Cumbria following a cassette album made with producer Mike Johnson and a session with Fellside artist Bram Taylor. First album 'Living On Credit' was a huge critical success, marrying topical, political themes with trad folk song and stylish fingerstyle guitar. (Married Helen Carlen 1989 two daughters: Siobhan born 1990 and Caitlin born 1993. Divorced 1995). Toured UK and Europe folk scene and started ceilidh band Three Point Turn which still performs to this day. After winning plaudits for 'Living On Credit', Phil hooked up with MIke Johnson and made 'Common Ground', a stunning political tour de force on the slow, ugly decline of the (then) Conservative Government. Phil has since made two more albums: 'Broken Timing' and 'Tears From The Tracks', and continues to be in demand as a session guitarist and folk club/acoustic performer across the UK and some of Europe. Now based in Cambridgeshire, Hare stills records and performs and also teaches guitar. 'Living On Credit' was the last ever vinyl album made by Fellside (before migration to CD), and as such is fairly sought after. Phil has worked with Tom McConville, The Spinners, Isla St Clair and the late Jake Thackeray and is highly regarded by his peers. (Married Stephanie Mackevicius 2006) 'If folksong is history from underneath then Phil's songs are todays broadsides'. (Ian Wells, Daily Telegraph 1990) 'A guitarist of dazzling ability' (Broadbeat 1991)