David Hughes is an acoustic guitarist, songwriter, playwright and author. His five albums include ACTIVE IN THE PARISH which, in 1997 was named by Q magazine as one of their albums of the year. His three published books include a diary of a UK tour supporting Fairport Convention in 1998. His plays, with a determinedly local focus, regularly sell out in Maldon, Essex.
He has recorded and performed with some of the finest musicians in the UK including Gerry Conway, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson, Bert Jansch, Eddi Reader, Dave Mattacks, Dave Pegg, Spencer Cozens, Chris While, Julie Matthews, Chris Leslie and Alan Thomson.
His latest album I CAN EXPLAIN was released on the Folk Corporation label in June 2004. A compilation album, RECOGNISED, an ideal introduction to his work featuring selections from his first four albums, was released in November 2002 and is available with his other Folk Corporation releases on-line from http://www.folkshop.net.
His sharp, half-spoken delivery and rhythmically-percussive fingerstyle guitar earned him regular slots on BBC Radio Four's Loose Ends with Ned Sherrin.
His acoustic pedigree is impeccable. He has toured the UK and Europe with Bert Jansch, Pentangle and Fairport Convention. His Internet tour diary, The Fairport Tour, published by the Folk Corporation in 1998, sold worldwide.
His previous album, THIS OTHER EDEN, released in the October 1999, featured long-time collaborators, Gerry Conway on drums and percussion and Jacqui McShee, vocals; augmented by Spencer Cozens, keyboards; Eddi Reader, vocals; Dave Mattacks, drums; Dave Pegg, bass; and Danny Thompson, double bass.
In 2001, David was the founder member of the St Agnes Fountain project. Together with Chris Leslie, Chris While and Julie Matthews, the band recorded an album of Christmas music and enjoyed a sell-out December tour that has already established itself as a "seasonal tradition", the band touring with great success each December since with three further albums including a second live album released in December 2005. Their 2006 national tour is already booked. Details will appear soon on the St Agnes Fountain website.
Hughes's published books are: THE MALDONIANS, hardback, 1996; THE FAIRPORT TOUR, paperback, 1998, both published by The Folk Corporation, and, most recently, MALDON, published by Black Horse Books.
His plays:
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, 2000.
TROUBLED WATERS, 2005.
TABLO'S TOP TWENTY, 2006.
David's albums are:
CURTAINS
(1992 Hypertension HYCD 200 126)
ACTIVE IN THE PARISH
(1995 The Folk Corporation TFCCD 999)
FIFTY YARDS OF DAVID HUGHES
(1997 The Folk Corporation TFCCD 1099)
THIS OTHER EDEN
(1999 The Folk Corporation TFCCD 2003)
RECOGNISED 19 track compilation
(2002 The Folk Corporation TFCCD 2007)
I CAN EXPLAIN
(2004 The Folk Corporation TFCCD 2010).
Other Albums include:
ST AGNES FOUNTAIN,
ST AGNES FOUNTAIN - COMFORT AND JOY
ST AGNES FOUNTAIN - THE SHOW (Live)
ST AGNES FOUNTAIN - 3 SHIPS (Live)
