SWINDON Folk Singers Club is marking its 58th anniversary with special guests Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman, who sing songs written by Dave in the traditional folk vein, mixed with specialist folk songs from the North East of England, Anni’s home.

The duo began singing together in 1985 in a band called Beggars Velvet with friends Charley Yarwood and his wife Cathy. Their acapella sound soon saw them in demand in the folk clubs and festivals of the UK, and led to the recording of their album called Lady of Autumn.

News of their music spread across the pond and Beggars Velvet toured the USA in 1990 and 1991. They split in 1993 and Dave and Anni went on as a duo making their debut as a twosome at the Eisteddford Festival in Dartmouth Massachusetts. This road led to five albums under their belts and invitations to both act and sing in musical theatre including The Widows Uniform, a dramatised version of Rudyard Kipling’s Barrack Room Ballads and Peter Bellamy’s Ballad opera, The Transports, in America.

The duo are also in demand as radio recording artists both here and in the US including a live concert with a studio audience of Radio WGBH in Boston.

The duo will sing at the anniversary party on January 12 in the Ashford Road Club, Old Town, from 8.15pm. For more details of the club or the anniversary gig www.swindonfolk.org - Flicky Harrison