As we enter the final few days before Christmas, it’s time to think back over the great year that it’s been for Barnbuskers ceilidh barn dance band and remember all the wonderful people we’ve shared special times with making music and dance as a band and at family birthday party ceilidh barn dances and weddings throughout Somerset and Devon in 2024.
It’s been an eventful year with three new band members joining us at Barnbuskers. Rocky is now our resident accordion player whose rich musical accordion chords match the tastiness of the apples he uses in his artisan apple pressing business Herby4.
Antony has joined us as our resident bass guitar player. Antony (AM Guitars) makes and mends guitars in West Somerset when he’s not providing the steady rhythms that keeps people returning to the dance floor at Barnbuskers ceilidh barn dances
Rob, Judy’s brother who lives in Barnstaple, is a magical fiddler and is particularly welcome for ceilidhs and barn dances locally where he lives in Devon but has also been essential at ceilidhs and barn dances playing with us all over Somerset.
We must, of course, not forget bandleader Judy’s two (not so young these days) children. Although they have moved away from the Somerset area to advance their careers in engineering and clean energy, they make an effort to return to boost band numbers when they are most needed. Both multi-instrumentalists, Laura plays fiddle, bass guitar and occasionally piano. Ryan plays guitar, mandolin and violin.
Of course, no ceilidh or barndance is possible without the caller who walks through the dances with the dancers and ensures everyone has a great time. Our special thanks not only to Simon Maplesden and Bridget Flett but to all the other wonderful dance callers who have worked with us over the 2024 year too many to mention.
Next to last but not least, our band leader Judy who works relentlessly behind the scenes. She liaises with people who want us to do their birthday parties and weddings, juggles dates, organises band members, chooses the tunes we play, backs up on button accordion when needed and, of course, leads the band from the front with her fantastic energising fiddling.
Which only leaves myself. Humble band blogger, clarinettist and other half to Judy (seen above on the right).
And that’s it for now! Happy Christmas to all our families and friends and we look forward to sharing a wonderful ceilidh and barn dancing musical 2025 with you.
Barnbuskers 