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 Where are they now? Part 8 <15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1>
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If you have any comments about these people, please drop us a line.
Bob Denton Photos 1970s. These are some of Bob Denton's photos from those daze!

Bob writes from Florida, USA - I scanned these a couple of years ago for the folk club in Cape Town. It was a unique and special time when you were recording folks.
I am still in touch with Volker and Gesine, who are living in China, and also Jim McFarland from Sage, who went on to be all Ireland and makes Kit Kats for a living.
I was in Johannesburg in April and ended up playing in an Irish pub in Randburg. One of the musicians was a friend of Ian Sampson. I asked if you were still around but no one knew for sure.
I just started a company making industrial products from soy. Since I last saw you I've been a lecturer at UCT, a computer exporter, IT director, scuba manufacturer, and made and lost two fortunes! I have continued in music with a couple of Irish CDs. I played solid body mandolin (with a Roland guitar synth) in a Celtic rock band in Ft. Lauderdale for a while. We were called the Big Shillelaghs, and were well known in South Florida. I was the only non Irish in the band. Our CD was called "Live and Legless". The next CD was with Eamonn Dillon, the piper and called "Keep 'er Lit"....hmmmm never made the connection before.

Bob-Dave-Volker-StephBob-Dave-Volker-Steph - Bob Denton with one of his bands in Capetown - Mid 70's. Who are the others and where are they now? (That's Volker - ex Shinnery 3rd from the right. Any more bright ideas?) We have some wonderful Shinnery and Bob Denton tapes in the archives. Hope to clean them up soon. One memorable Natal Folk Festival where Bob plays a day-glow orange and green plastic children's whistle between Cane sips, to a packed YMCA.
Paul-Steph-Bob-VolkerPaul-Steph-Bob-Volker - One of those early Garage bands that had to play and practice outside because of all the VW Micro bus parts cluttering up the rehearsal space.
click photos to enlarge
Julie BlundellJulie Blundell - She of the Blundell music dynasty - is singing and teaching in Capetown, where all the Blundell's have now relocated; Keith, Pam, Jonny, Caroline and Tepa - among their amazing extended musical families; almost everyone of the Blundells plays in some or other band, studio, stage or school. Wouldn't it be good to have a few radio episodes of their history on the SABC?
Keith BlundellKeith Blundell - (read his story) - Before Keith and Pam moved from 16 Rhodes Avenue, Johannesburg, they donated a whole load of recorded folk music tapes and sessions from Keith's studio, live recordings and SABC programmes, to the Hidden Years archive; from unique sessions with Syd & Pete Kitchen's first studio ventures to John Oakley-Smith & Knuckles; some gems are embedded within those magnetic particles that we hope to issue one day soon.
John Oakley-SmithJohn Oakley-Smith - From Mutare, Zimbabwe. This is Bob shot at an early 70's festival. We are still in touch with John and have been busy - over the last few years - with cataloguing and cleaning (digitizing) the many analogue recordings that we will re-issue soon. There have been countless requests for Matinees on Saturdays, and some concert performances.
John Wederphol John Wederphol - Johannesburg Singer Songwriter of the early 70's taken at the 1974 Wits Free Peoples Concert. John was a regular at Mangles in Braamfontein and still spanking the plank, we believe. We here that he still composes - for advertising agencies, TV and Radio and has a state-of-the-art studio in eGoli. Please confirm or deny.
click photos to enlarge
SaoirseSaoirse - Florida USA - Paraic Keane, Eamonn Dillon and Bob Denton -still have my Martin, but here in Florida, I use an Adamis for gigs.
Volker & BobVolker & Bob - At the Capetown Barleycorn Folk Club mid 90's.
Gavin Weeks
Gavin Weeks and Shawn PhilipsDear Dave,
This is a sad farewell to the performing music genre, my Parkinson's Disease has finally decided to start spreading, and it has now become extremely difficult to play even bass guitar, and strumming an acoustic is totally out of the question these days. So I have decided to embrace the disease and get on with doing something else ( what; I don't know yet).
Thus it is with a deep sense of sorrow that I announce my retirement, for a while now I have been carrying my guitar round like a faithful old stuffed dog that I am loathe to get rid of because it has been such a close and intimate friend.
Thanks for your support through the many years that I was on the Don Quixote mission of charging at windmills of our society, I will pop in and see you soon.
All my love
Gavin
Jannie HofmeyrDr. Jan Hofmeyr (Ph.D.) - an informal CV
So Far So Good!
That is Jan & Sheila Hofmeyr's Mantra. What has happened to Jannie Hofmeyr? we get asked frequently. Herewith then is a partial and updated biog - it doesn't say much about his words and music - but the forthcoming Hidden Years CDR will speak for itself: Jan is semi-retired, working on a part-time basis as a consultant Jan has four children - oldest 26, youngest 16...and he's still together with Sheila - with whom he often recorded and performed. After 34 years they are still together and going strong and they live in the fairest Cape.  Jan travels a lot - around the world five to six times a year, but every time he returns home, he becomes more convinced that there is no better country in the world in which to live. Jan & Sheila have two grandchildren.
... read more about Dr. Jan Hofmeyr >>
Len ChandlerLen Chandler - Just found your page. I see a photo of a performer from my youth: Len Chandler. I've tried to find him on the "Net" with absolutely no luck at all. Does anyone know what happened to him?
Steven M. Begley

Newport 1969 Photo of Len by David Marks - singing his Moon Men song - the night of the first Moon landing 20th July 1969 - Moon Men sailing the black sky's silent ocean. Say that in Peace you came, and that in Peace you will remain, and our Horizons will expand 10 light years more.

Eric BurdonSent to us by Colin Luus in the USA. Eric Burdon after show at Gulfstream Park - not bad at 61.
Roy MalanRoy Malan - Violinist & Musician supreme who turned Pretoria onto Rock & Roll in 1956
...read more >>
Audrey Lamarque with Husband TerryAudrey Lamarque with Husband Terry - Audrey was a founder of 3rd Ear Music back in the mid 60's - looking as lovely as ever, she is still involved with music.
click photos to enlarge

Maureen England - Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

Maureen England who has just celebrated her 60thin June 2002, was one of the most unique & influential lady singers in Johannesburg throughout the 60's. Those who heard her perform at The Nite Beat, The Troubadour or at any of the many National Folk Festivals, would agree. Robert Kirby discovered her individualistic style in 1967 - not only as a wonderful singer & interpreter of his controversial revue tunes & sketches - but as an actor who had the white SAfrican condition sussed down to a tee. She played many a cameo role for Kirby, starting in Finger Trouble in 1968 at the Back Stage in Joubert Park; featuring in a number of controversial & often banned or government restricted Robert Kirby revues including a series of Dot-Dash Shows in the early 70's.

Maureen was a typical Hidden Years music talent. No question that she was one-of-a-kind - and for that reason it would be difficult, if not impossible (& unjustifiable) to try & pigeon-hole or explain her unique singing style. It's important to try because like so many of the Hidden Years artists, that thousands of ordinary people heard, she remained commercially unrecorded & therefore would be relatively unknown today.

For those who never heard Mo England - what can we say? Sorry? For a start, Maureen never needed a microphone or a PA system to be heard for miles around. Folk 'n Jazz and Rock singers & crooners would all get in close & tight to the Mics at the festivals or the clubs but Mo would push the electronics & technology aside & belt out those traditional Negro spirituals or Appalachian Mountain blues like nobody else could - or dared!

But for the want of a better description, I'd venture to say that her powerful vibrato voice was a sort-of-a cross between Buffy Saint Marie (at her Red Indian best), Joni Mitchell (who followed Maureen by a good 6 years) mixed in with a shade of Mahalia Jackson's spirit & Big Mama Thornton's deep throat. That may be as close as I can think, other than to say that some 20 years later the likes of Joan Armatrading, KD Lang & Tanita Takarim came onto the scene; mix them all together into one voice in the 90's & you may get a better idea of just what unique - especially for the 60's. (The 90's were the 60's on its head anyway!)

Mo wasn't writing her own tunes in the 60's but she did want to record SAfrican songs; originals written by Clem Tholet, Rusty Gough, Colin Shamley & myself. But that's not what mainstream Bog Brother wanted. Mo could fill concert halls & coffee bars, but she was too individualistic & sometimes a pain-in-the-ass for the dotted line mainstream; a promoter & managers' nightmare; a creative talent with integrity who refused to cover a Cilla Black hit & sign a recording contract that insisted she do such & such & sound like so & so. So she continued to please a small circle of very privileged people with her singing & personality; something which she still does to this day.

Will The Circle Be Unbroken? The title of one of her classic traditional songs. It doesn't seem like it will...it's just got a lot smaller; it now seems to be a close knit family circle. What goes 'round comes 'round they say!

As Fran says - many a rose is born to blush unseen - but unheard? Hopefully not. We aim to use the digital technology (that Mo didn't need) to restore some of those classic Ben Segal club & lounge sessions & the many 3rd Ear Music live club, concert & festival recordings.
(David Marks - The HYMAProject, July 2002)

Mo on guitar
Mo on guitar and grandson Griffin on pot-lids doing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
"There
Granpa Malcolm, Granny Jean, Granny Mo and Griffin doing "There's a band in my kitchen"
Christmas 2001
Christmas 2001 - family group From L to R......Francois [Wendi's husband], Wendi, Mo, Lynda [Kev's fiancée], Kevin and in front Griffin and Layla.
Carina and Wendi
Carina [staff member} and Wendi
Mosie in her "office"
Mosie in her "office"
click photos to enlarge
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