THE WILLBEES

John Blake and Humph Bennett

We are a harmony duo, performing regularly around the Bristol and Somerset folk/roots scene. We are both singers and acoustic guitarists, but we have recently developed an interest in playing ukuleles, which has added a new and surprisingly popular feature to the act.

Our repertoire does not fall into one particular category. We include folk, country, ballads, comedy, and just about any other style, selecting our songs chiefly on the basis of strong harmonies. We cover lots of well-known songs, always giving them a little stamp of our own, and we usually try to make room for one or two of our own songs in each performance.

 

We have been inspired over the years by the strong harmonies of the Everly Brothers, Lennon and McCartney, Simon and Garfunkel, and many more artists. Our taste is pretty varied, and we include in our repertoire well-known songs from throughout the twentieth century, from a whole host of popular artistes, including the Everly Brothers, Jimmy Rogers, the Inkspots and even Flanagan & Allen. The overall theme is generally light-hearted.

Highlights of our musical career so far are feature spots at the very popular Albert Hole and Nova Scotia in Bristol, the Ring-o-Bells in Nailsea, the Old Down Club in Litton, the Athenaeum Theatre in Warminster, the Folk at the Oak Club in Corsham, the Waldegrave Arms in East Harptree, and Plantations Lake Club, Kingston Seymour.

 

We played the main stage at Priddy Folk Fayre 2006, providing what the organisers described as the ‘alternative’ set.

 

We have turned out at Wookey Hole Festival in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and also at the 2004 Didmarton Bluegrass Festival in Gloucestershire.

 

We have also enjoyed performing at several private garden parties.

 

We have featured live several times on Wiltshire Community Radio, and supported charity concerts in Shepton Mallet, Wincanton and Portishead..

 

In addition to this, we turn up quite frequently on club nights at a number of venues in our area – The Inn at Freshford; The Nova Scotia, Hotwells, Bristol; The Old Down Club, Litton; The Grove, Nailsea; The Blueflame, Nailsea.

 

The Willbees’ first CD ‘TOO LATE?’ is now available. It features a typical selection of our songs:

Rosie O’Day

Rick rack

C’n I canoe you up the river

Song of Wyoming

Java jive

Trail of the lonesome pine

Love hurts

Shine son

The umbrella man

Too late

Today

Winter warm delight

Valerie Wilkins

I’ll see you in my dreams

 

Reviews

 

“Favourites and regulars John Blake and Humph Bennett (The Willbees), had the audience roaring with laughter by not only singing the song ‘Relax’ but also, with the use of simple props, performing an entire comedy sketch. We have come to expect nothing less from this dynamic duo! Both John and Humph are excellent solo artists, but over the last few years they have developed a ‘double act’ which is musically perfect, creating beautiful harmonies and on occasions delivering comedy songs like a couple of pro's."

                  Review by Johnny Francis, Old Down Acoustic Club, Litton

1 December 2004

 

“A Real Performance, including songs by the Everly Brothers, cowboy songs & Laurel & Hardy songs, all done in their wonderfully individual way and in perfectly matched harmony"

Review by Jim Tigwell, The Nova Scotia Folk Club, Bristol 

31 January 2005

 

“The Willbees sang my kind of song, Not too short, Not too long.They made my corset steaming hot, A feeling I had long forgot...”

 ‘Auntie Ethel’, Plantations Lake Club, Kingston Seymour

14 July 2006