Farm News
The Singing
Farmers:
Farewell Tour
Tickets now available for last-ever Concert Tour in May
»»This really is the end! That’s the
message from The Singing Farmers who
have just released ticket details for their
Farewell Tour dates in May. For the past three
years there has been talk of the always sellout concerts coming to an end, but this time,
sadly it is a definite decision.
“We know the demand is still there,” says
multi-talented singer/guitarist organiser (and
FM features editor!) Chris Berry. “But the
time has come for us to go out on a high.
The Farewell Tour will feature five dates right
across Yorkshire and into Durham and this
will hopefully give everyone the opportunity
to see The Singing Farmers for the last time.
There has been much speculation about
whether we would call it a day with the
concerts since our 10th anniversary in 2013
and some might think this is just typical show
hype, but all I can say is that if you haven’t
seen us all together yet, then this date will be
your last opportunity.”
The Singing Farmers Concerts first took
place in 2004 when Chris pulled together
the troupe that has remained the same
throughout. The concerts were set up to
raise much-needed funds for the RABI (Royal
Agricultural Benevolent Institution) but have
become much more than that with more than
1,000 fans attending every year.
“It turned out far bigger than any of us ever
envisaged,” Chris explained. “When I first
came up with the idea and mentioned it to
6 Dec/Jan 2016 www.farmers-mart.co.uk
the then regional organiser of RABI, Christine
Andrews, it was only meant to be for four
concerts. We’ve now played four concerts a
year for more than a decade except for last
year when we performed just three - and
with five dates this year we will have played
52 concerts in all - and will have raised
what we understand to be well in excess of
£100,000.”
The Singing Farmers troupe is made up of
six performers: Tony Richards of Egton Banks
Farm, Glaisdale; Ken Jackson of Forlorn Hope
Farm, Stubbs Walden; Charles Marwood
of Foulrice, Whenby; Lloyd Lockwood of
Whenby; Phillip Holden of Spennithorne; and
Chris Berry of Scholes, near Leeds. The mix
of music includes country, folk, songs from
the shows and popular music largely from the
50s, 60s and 70s.
Sally Conner, the regional organiser for the
RABI for much of the time the Singing Farmers
concerts have been performed, believes that
the concerts will be sadly missed but feels
that the pleasure they have given will last for a
long time in the rural community.
“They are all such wonderful people and
they have given so much - not just for the
charity’s work but also to everyone who has
come along to see them. Their enthusiasm
and dedication to raising funds and also
the profile of the charity, while also giving
everyone a good time is a real joy. All I can
say is that everyone should make that extraspecial effort to come along and see the
Singing Farmers for the very last time.”
You’ll have to move quickly though.
Letters have already been sent to all of those
addresses on the Singing Farmers mailing list
and ticket sales are well under way. You can
check on availability using the Hotline 07855
992834. Below are all the details you need
to order:
Tickets are available priced at £14. You
should make it clear which concert you wish
to attend and please enclose a stamped
addressed envelope for your tickets.
Cheques should be made payable to RABI
and sent to: SINGING FARMERS FAREWELL
TOUR TICKETS, 2 Elmete Croft, Scholes,
Leeds LS15 4BE.
THE SINGING FARMERS FAREWELL TOUR DATES
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Friday 6 May
Sunday 8 May
Sunday 15 May
Friday 20 May
Sunday 22 May
TEESDALE SCHOOL
THE MART THEATRE
THE MILTON ROOMS
THE FORUM
RILEY SMITH HALL
Barnard Castle
Skipton
Malton
Northallerton
Tadcaster
(7.30pm)
(2.30pm)
(2.30pm)
(7.30pm) (