The Medlars

#keepingittrad #themedlarsfolktrio

The Medlars are a folk trio from North East Essex, performing classic English folk songs and tunes originated and rooted in the tradition. With a reputation for thoughtful arrangements and engaging performances, The Medlars have built up a strong following, taking their music to festivals and folk clubs across East Anglia and beyond. The Medlars are Alie Barnes - vocals, Emma Hardy - fiddle/vocals, Tom Hardy guitar/vocals. 

Alie has been performing and running folk clubs since the mid-1980s. She first ventured into Blackmore Folk Club as a schoolgirl and her love affair with folk and traditional song began! Alie was in the popular a capella duo Panzie Potter with Gill Cawley (née McCutcheon), festival and

folk club favourites “12’n’6” with Steve Robinson and Ken Wilkinson and toured with Suffolk singer-guitarist Chris King.

Emma studied classical music at Manchester University where she majored in the cello. She was first introduced to the English folk scene by her (now) husband Tom in the 1990s, and immediately fell in love with the energy, melodies and rhythms, and beauty of the songs, and she set about finding her style and voice on the fiddle. Emma still maintains her classical roots as a cellist with the Ipswich Symphony Orchestra.

Tom started playing guitar at 15 and is self taught. He has been interested in traditional folk music since he first went to the Wivenhoe Folk Club as a teenager in the 1970s. As well as The Medlars, Tom has played in indie band Out of Nowhere, instrumental/folk/ambient band Fishclaw and improvisational poetry/music/noise/ trio The Wingless Heron.

"Rich sounds in the authentic folk tradition that reminds me of the great folk bands of yesteryear”