Ashley Hutchings, Blair Dunlop and friends play in aid of RNLI on Chatsworth estate

British folk rock legend Ashley Hutchings is working with some close musical friends to create a special concert in Derbyshire to support the work of the RNLI.
By Gay Bolton
Published 28th Oct 2023, 05:30 BST
Updated 29th Oct 2023, 21:48 BST
Ashley Hutchings and Becky Mills will be performing in the fundraising concert for the RNLI at the Cavendish Hall, Chatsworth estate on November 18, 2023.Ashley Hutchings and Becky Mills will be performing in the fundraising concert for the RNLI at the Cavendish Hall, Chatsworth estate on November 18, 2023.
Ashley Hutchings and Becky Mills will be performing in the fundraising concert for the RNLI at the Cavendish Hall, Chatsworth estate on November 18, 2023.

Ashley, his son Blair Dunlop, songstress Becky Mills, melodeon maestro Simon Care and singer Judy Dunlop will be performing at the Cavendish Hall on the Chatsworth estate on Saturday, November 18, 2023.

The set list will include a number of songs with a suitably nautical theme. Ashley said: “Shanties are an obvious choice. Some of those tunes date back several hunded years before the RNLI was set up. But we hope to surprise people with some new songs as well.”

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The original idea for the concert came from a chance meeting between Ashley and Rod Shiers, chairman of Matlock and Bakewell RNLI. Rod said: “I have known about Ashley and always enjoyed his musical achievements but I didn’t know he lived nearby. I took a chance suggesting he could maybe do a concert at Chatsworth and he immediately rose to the invitation.

"Lots of traditional music tells of stories of the sea - one wonders how many of those who lost their lives might have been saved had the RNLI been in existence when they were written! This concert will certainly help the RNLI to reach another audience to raise awareness of our work – particularly for inshore stations such as Matlock and Bakewell. Everyone associates the RNLI with saving lives at sea – but of equal importance are the crews stationed around the country on our rivers and inland waterways.”

Ashley Hutchings, a founding member of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band, has been described by Bob Dylan as “The single most important figure in English folk rock”. He released his 100th album, More Songs From The Shows, in 2022.

Tickets for this special concert cost £20. Email: [email protected] or call 07919 888951

Related topics:RNLIChatsworthDerbyshire