Nicolas Paul "Nic" Jones (born 9 January 1947 in Orpington, Kent) is an Eng… Read Full Bio ↴Nicolas Paul "Nic" Jones (born 9 January 1947 in Orpington, Kent) is an English folk singer, fingerstyle guitarist and fiddle player. He career was cut short in 1982 when he seriously injured in car accident while driving home after a gig at Glossop Folk Club. In 2001, his 1980 album Penguin Eggs was voted the 2nd best folk album of all time. On 5 August 2010, after an absence of 28 years, Jones made a return to the stage. He appeared at an event dedicated to his music at Sidmouth Folk Week and sang three songs with one of his former bands Bandoggs.
Jones is widely recognised as one of the most enduring artists to come out of the 70s English folk revival. Although he originally styled himself as a folk singer, his fame rests largely on his skill as a guitarist and in composing memorable arrangements for traditional songs.
His early musical interests included acts like Ray Charles and The Shadows. He first learned to play guitar while at school. His interest in folk music was aroused in 1964 by some old school friends who had formed into a folk band called the Halliard. When the members of the Halliard decided to turn professional, one of them left to pursue a different career and Nic was invited to take his place. Whilst playing with the Halliard, Nic learned how to play the fiddle, and also how to research and arrange traditional material.
The Halliard split up in 1968 as the members decided to pursue individual interests. For Nic, after a period at home with his family, this meant forging a career as a solo artist. At first finding work as a session musician, his solo career eventually took off and he recorded five solo albums, plus contributions to another album with the folk act Bandoggs.
In February of 1982, he was involved in a serious car accident while driving home after perfoming at Glossop Folk Club. He broke a large number of bones and suffered some brain damage and was hospitalised for eight months. Although he survived, he still suffers co-ordination problems and feels he is unable to play the guitar well enough to perform and record. He can no longer play the fiddle at all.
Nic now lives in York and continues to play guitar and write songs for his own pleasure. He has also developed a passion for chess. His wife, Julia, set up the record label Mollie Music which has issued two albums of re-mastered live recordings from Nic's early career. In 2006 Topic released a third compilation of live recordings, Game Set Match.
Nic's guitar style was unique in its day and has often been imitated since. He played with a plastic thumb pick but not his fingernails. Instead he opted to grasp and pluck the strings of the guitar which led to the slapping down onto the fingerboard with no small force, a technique similar to that employed when plucking the lute. This created the percussive effect which became his signature sound.
Nic's first four albums were originally released on vinyl and have never been reissued, making them rather sought after. The label that now owns them, Celtic Music, has stated it will not release CD versions until all the existing vinyl versions are sold. However, in spite of repeated enquiries by fans, no-one has yet managed to buy one of the 'existing' vinyl copies.
With the Halliard:
* It's The Irish In Me - The Halliard (1967)
* The Halliard and Jon Raven (1967)
As a member of Bandoggs (Pete and Chris Coe and Tony Rose)
* Bandoggs (1978)
As a session musician with Maddy Prior and June Tabor
* Silly Sisters (1976)
Solo, now Unavailable:
* Ballads and Songs (1970)
* Nic Jones (1971)
* The Noah's Ark Trap (1977)
* From the Devil to a Stranger (1978)
Solo, still available:
* Penguin Eggs (1980)
* In Search of Nic Jones (1998) (remastered live material)
* Unearthed (2001) (remastered live material)
* Game Set Match (2006) (remastered live material)
In 1999, John Wesley Harding released a tribute album entitled Trad Arr Jones.
In 2001, Penguin Eggs was voted the 2nd best folk album of all time by listeners of the Mike Harding show on BBC Radio 2. The opening track on this album, Canadee-I-O, besides being an excellent example of Nic's guitar style is notable because it was recorded by Bob Dylan and included on his 1992 album Good as I Been to You. Whilst Canadee-I-O is a traditional folk song, some critics have accused Dylan of stealing Nic's arrangements for this song without credit or the offer of royalties. Others disagree, and believe the arrangements to be different. Another school of thought is that the arranger's copyright on recordings of traditional songs is little more than a legal fiction, allowing artists to receive "mechanical royalty payments" that would otherwise be kept by their recording labels. See the links below for further discussion on this issue.
Not having sung in public since the car crash some 28 years ago, Jones made a surprise appearance at the Sidmouth Folk Festival in August 2010. During a programme dedicated to performances of his work, he took to the stage to perform three songs with one of his past line ups, Bandoggs. It was an emotional event for audience and performers alike and Jones, having been rehearsing for the show at his home in north Devon, has now declared that he is considering performing again.
In 2012 Nic was a featured vocalist on the Kate Rusby album, 20, singing compelling yet tasteful harmonies with Kate on her self-penned song "The Lark". If this teaser is anything to go by we may be in for another treat from Nic Jones.
Jones is widely recognised as one of the most enduring artists to come out of the 70s English folk revival. Although he originally styled himself as a folk singer, his fame rests largely on his skill as a guitarist and in composing memorable arrangements for traditional songs.
His early musical interests included acts like Ray Charles and The Shadows. He first learned to play guitar while at school. His interest in folk music was aroused in 1964 by some old school friends who had formed into a folk band called the Halliard. When the members of the Halliard decided to turn professional, one of them left to pursue a different career and Nic was invited to take his place. Whilst playing with the Halliard, Nic learned how to play the fiddle, and also how to research and arrange traditional material.
The Halliard split up in 1968 as the members decided to pursue individual interests. For Nic, after a period at home with his family, this meant forging a career as a solo artist. At first finding work as a session musician, his solo career eventually took off and he recorded five solo albums, plus contributions to another album with the folk act Bandoggs.
In February of 1982, he was involved in a serious car accident while driving home after perfoming at Glossop Folk Club. He broke a large number of bones and suffered some brain damage and was hospitalised for eight months. Although he survived, he still suffers co-ordination problems and feels he is unable to play the guitar well enough to perform and record. He can no longer play the fiddle at all.
Nic now lives in York and continues to play guitar and write songs for his own pleasure. He has also developed a passion for chess. His wife, Julia, set up the record label Mollie Music which has issued two albums of re-mastered live recordings from Nic's early career. In 2006 Topic released a third compilation of live recordings, Game Set Match.
Nic's guitar style was unique in its day and has often been imitated since. He played with a plastic thumb pick but not his fingernails. Instead he opted to grasp and pluck the strings of the guitar which led to the slapping down onto the fingerboard with no small force, a technique similar to that employed when plucking the lute. This created the percussive effect which became his signature sound.
Nic's first four albums were originally released on vinyl and have never been reissued, making them rather sought after. The label that now owns them, Celtic Music, has stated it will not release CD versions until all the existing vinyl versions are sold. However, in spite of repeated enquiries by fans, no-one has yet managed to buy one of the 'existing' vinyl copies.
With the Halliard:
* It's The Irish In Me - The Halliard (1967)
* The Halliard and Jon Raven (1967)
As a member of Bandoggs (Pete and Chris Coe and Tony Rose)
* Bandoggs (1978)
As a session musician with Maddy Prior and June Tabor
* Silly Sisters (1976)
Solo, now Unavailable:
* Ballads and Songs (1970)
* Nic Jones (1971)
* The Noah's Ark Trap (1977)
* From the Devil to a Stranger (1978)
Solo, still available:
* Penguin Eggs (1980)
* In Search of Nic Jones (1998) (remastered live material)
* Unearthed (2001) (remastered live material)
* Game Set Match (2006) (remastered live material)
In 1999, John Wesley Harding released a tribute album entitled Trad Arr Jones.
In 2001, Penguin Eggs was voted the 2nd best folk album of all time by listeners of the Mike Harding show on BBC Radio 2. The opening track on this album, Canadee-I-O, besides being an excellent example of Nic's guitar style is notable because it was recorded by Bob Dylan and included on his 1992 album Good as I Been to You. Whilst Canadee-I-O is a traditional folk song, some critics have accused Dylan of stealing Nic's arrangements for this song without credit or the offer of royalties. Others disagree, and believe the arrangements to be different. Another school of thought is that the arranger's copyright on recordings of traditional songs is little more than a legal fiction, allowing artists to receive "mechanical royalty payments" that would otherwise be kept by their recording labels. See the links below for further discussion on this issue.
Not having sung in public since the car crash some 28 years ago, Jones made a surprise appearance at the Sidmouth Folk Festival in August 2010. During a programme dedicated to performances of his work, he took to the stage to perform three songs with one of his past line ups, Bandoggs. It was an emotional event for audience and performers alike and Jones, having been rehearsing for the show at his home in north Devon, has now declared that he is considering performing again.
In 2012 Nic was a featured vocalist on the Kate Rusby album, 20, singing compelling yet tasteful harmonies with Kate on her self-penned song "The Lark". If this teaser is anything to go by we may be in for another treat from Nic Jones.
Don't You be Foolish Pray
Nic Jones Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Nic Jones:
Annachie Gordon Buchan, it's bonny, oh and there lives my love My heart…
Annan Water Oh Annan Water's wondrous deep, And my love Annie ist wondro…
Banks Of Fordie Oh there were two sisters lived in a bower Oh I…
Barrack Street All sailors all come lend an ear, come listen to…
Billy Don't You Weep For Me "Sally where are you going? that you do look so…
Bonnie George Campbell High upon Highlands and low upon Tay Bonny George Campbell h…
Bonny Light Horseman You maidens and widows I pray give attention To these…
Boots of Spanish Leather Oh, I'm sailin' away my own true love I'm sailin' away…
Canadee It's of a fair and handsome girl, she's all in…
Clyde Water Willie sits in his stable door And he's combing his coal-bl…
Courting Is A Pleasure Courting is a pleasure Between my love and I; And it's dow…
Crockery Ware In our town there lived a man And he courted a…
Dance to Your Daddy Dance to your daddy, my little laddie, Dance to your daddy,…
Demon Lover Where have you been my long lost love These seven long…
Dives And Lazarus As it fell out all on the day rich Divers…
Don't You Be Foolish, Pray Now Hodge met Molly the miller's maid, who long his…
Edward "What's that blood all on your shirt? Son, come tell to…
Fare Thee Well My Dearest Dear Fare thee well my dearest dear fare thee well adieu For…
Farewell To The Gold Shotover river, your gold it is waning It's weeks since…
Flanders Shore I went unto my love's chamber window Where I often had…
Green to Grey All around the country They're changing green to grey. Wha…
Humpback Whale Fifty-six I sailed on board A ship called Byron One She's ca…
Icarus Well she never wanted to fly high She was too fond…
Isle Of France Oh the sky was dark and the night advanced When a…
Jolly Bold Robber Come all you young fellows that go out a-tippling I'd have…
Lakes Of Shillin Well it's early one morning Billy Henry arose And straight …
Lord Bateman Lord Bateman was a noble lord, A noble lord of high…
Lord Franklin It was homeward bound one night on the deep, Swinging in…
Master Kilby In the heat of the day when the sun shines…
Napoleon's Lamentation Attend, you sons of high renown To these few lines which…
On a Monday Morning Too soon to be out of my bed Too soon to…
On Board the Kangaroo First I was a waiting man that lived at home…
Ploughman Lads Down yonder glen there's a ploughman lad And some summer da…
Prickly Bush O hangman, stay your hand And won't you it for a…
Rose of Allendale Oh the morn was fair, the sky was clear, no…
Rufford Park Poachers Oh buck or doe believe it so A pheasant or a…
Ruins by the Shore Sometime between ice ages was that they first appeared, Fel…
Seven Yellow Gypsies There were seven gypsies all of a row And they sang…
Sir Patrick Spens Oh the king he sits in Dunfermline town A-drinking the blood…
Swimming Song This summer I went swimming, This summer I might have drown…
Taoist Tale Now there once was a farmer who sent his son Out…
Ten Thousand Miles Fare you well, my own true love, Farewell for a while; I'm…
Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father Here I stand lost in the wind, Round in circles sailing Li…
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving and terror of loss Make all but my love of…
The Bonny Bunch of Roses By the margin of the ocean, One pleasant evening in the…
The Butcher and the Tailor's Wife Oh it's of a wealthy tailor, in London town did…
The Drowned Lovers Willie sits in his stable door And he's combing his coal-bla…
The Duke of Marlborough You generals all and champions bold who take delight in…
The Flandyke Shore I went unto my love's chamber window Where I often had…
The Golden Glove Oh it's of a young squire in Tamworth we hear And…
The Humpback Whale Fifty-six I sailed on board A ship called Byron One She's ca…
The Indian Lass As I was a-walking on a far distant shore, I called…
The Jukebox as She Turned Now all the boys down at Smokey's Bar they could…
The Lass of London City Well as I was a-walking up White Copper Alley, As I…
The Little Pot Stove Where the winter blizzards blow And the whaling fleet's at r…
The Noble Lord Hawkins As noble Lord Hawkins a-hunting did ride His horse and his…
The Outlandish Knight An Outlandish Knight came from the North lands And he's cou…
The Two Brothers Well it's of two brothers a-going to school, A-going to the…
The Wanton Seed Oh, as I walked out one morning fair To view the…
Wanton Seed As I walked out one morning fair To view the fields…
Warlike Lads of Russia When Bonaparte from Poland into Muscovy went, With all his …
William of Winesbury As I looked over the castle wall For to see what…
Yarmouth Town In Yarmouth Town there lived a man He had a tavern…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@Maddie-ci7ur
beautiful
@knockdrive1
1.35secs of pure bliss
@knockdrive1
What an incredible musician !
@knockdrive1
what a sound .
@knockdrive1
many many thanks for posting this is a pure gem
@allpartsracing1
dont you be foolish pray
@NeilGowsApprentice
@allpartsracing1 Thank you!