The Raw family have been performing as a group since the early 70's. With notable early performances at Whitby Folk Festival in 1975 & Durham Folk Festival in 1976 where Arthur Raw also played button accordion for The Clog Dance Championships.
The family music tradition goes back a long way, especially on Chrissie's side of the family. Chrissie is from Limerick, granddaughter of an Irish drum maker and band leader, who received silver drumsticks from Queen Mary for his military drumming, Chrissie's great grandmother was Annie Furey and Chrissie is now a Great Grandmother herself. She is best known under her maiden name of Chrissie Cullen. Chrissie was in The Green Ginger Band as a singer and bodhran player, but decided to act as ceilidh dance caller in 1989 and so the band name was changed to The Chrissie Cullen Ceilidh Band. Chrissie has only ever entered four music competitions and won a medal at each of them. She released an album in the early 90's and has recently found a passion for writing autobiographical stories of her live in Ireland during the 1940's and 1950's.
Chrissie's current musical project is performing her Irish travellers songs unaccompanied, and having just returned from singing in Ireland, she has been invited as a featured artist at The Fleadh Nua in Ennis 2009.
Chrissie's husband Arthur Raw from Yorkshire played accordion in the original Green Ginger Band from 74 - 79 and lead the new Green Ginger Band 79 - 89. He also played for Yorkshire Garland for a while in the early eighties and played for Irish Step Dancers, Yorkshire Garland Dancers, Green Ginger Clog Dancers & North West Morris. He performed with Chrissie at many folk clubs and festivals, often joined on stage by their children. Since 89 he has lead the family ceilidh band focusing mainly Irish music, performing at Irish centers and music festivals with occasional appearances at Yorkshire folk events.
Alan Raw = Drums & World Percussion/Button Accordion/Irish Whistle and Flute. Presenter of award winning music show BBC Raw Talent. Alan played in the family band from a very early age. Starting with bodhran and building up his collection of instruments and skills from there. Alan was a founder member of The New Green Ginger Band in 1979 and played in the family band. Alan left in 1993 to try other musical styles, and made an album with dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah. Alan was profiled on Channel 4 by the late great John Peel who championed Alan's band Back To Base. Mr Peel said "Back To Base are the only band to get me dancing". Alan has played at hundreds of venues and festivals from Gambia to Slovenia / The Jazz Cafe to Glastonbury Festival. He's been a session musician for many years, playing various instruments on stage with many bands like Celt Arabia & The Glen Williams Band (The Ullbillies), and on numerous albums including new artists like Emma Rugg & Hayokee. He has featured on tracks that have topped the UK Roots Music Chart and the American Real Country Chart. He facilitates music workshops, is a Regional Adviser for New Deal for Musicians, chairs music conferences and demo panels and moderates the Folk Forum on www.on2nite.com . He has directed and shot videos shown on MTV, VH1, BBC1,2 & 3.
Alan works through his agent PEDESTAL MUSIC ltd (Yorkshire Based Social Enterprise). Alan Raw is father of Harrison Raw age 4 who plays anything he can get his hands on.
Julie Raw (now Julie Taylor living in Spancilhill Ireland) = Irish Flute/Tin whistle/BC Button Accordion. Julie first joined The Green Ginger Band as a 14 year old self taught musician, and later played with it's sister band Yorkshire Garland who made a successful album in the early nineties. A long time member of the family band, she left to concentrate on her individual playing and won an All Irish Music Medal. Julie played with the folk group Witch Elm, who were nominated for folk group of the year in Edinburgh. Julie now lives and plays in County Clare.
Angela Raw (now Angela Brown) = Flute/Irish whistle. Plays currently most weekends in the family band. Angie is mother of Tim = Fiddle/Singer/Piano, Hannah = Fiddle, and Jessica = Piano
Jim Raw = Guitarist and father of Imogen and Caitlin
Linda Raw = Mother of Rachel & Danny...
Danny = Singer/song writer/guitarist. Performs solo acoustic under the name Danny Landau. He has played major tours around Europe, and played to huge crowds at The Carling Festival in 2006, Danny can be booked through Pedestal Music Ltd (see top friends).
This Profile is managed by Pedestal Music Ltd, but all messages are read by members of the Raw Family. Thank you for your interest.
