The radical and smoke filled folk clubs of the 1940s and 1950s on both sides of the Atlantic spawned a host of artists, such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Shirley Collins, Bert Jansch and Ewan MacColl, who influenced a second wave that broke through to the musical mainstream in the 1960s.
 
When the Dylans and Donovans arrived at the top table, they didn't stand still; their orthodox folk influences merely provided the foundations for decades of rich musical innovation and cross-pollination for them, their contemporaries and the generations that followed.
 
With special emphasis on the British and Irish contributions to Folk we present a selection of original tunes alongside the best of what has come after – every Thursday from 8-10pm.

Song requests and requests to appear on the programme can be sent to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it