Description

The county of Suffolk has a rich history of traditional music. In the 1980s, folk music collector John Howson set out to interview those of its residents who might still remember the old songs, the old music, and the old ways of days gone by. Four decades later, folk musician and researcher Megan Wisdom uses these remarkable recordings to open a window into the past, offering a glimpse into the memories of a generation whose lives spanned a century of unprecedented change.

Wisdom’s recently published book features a foreword by Katie Howson and additional content from Mossy Christian, together with appendixes including an Archive Discography, example interview transcript, and photographic plates of Howson’s informants.

xxix + 191 pp. Illustrations. Bibliography. Discography. Index. ISBN: 978-1-3999-9131-5.

Praise for Handmade Music

“An excellent book that puts the singers and musicians centre stage”
Steve Roud – Author of Folk Song in England

“Readers will find themselves both informed and warmed by this praise-song to Suffolk
and its music.”
Taffy Thomas MBE – First Laureate for Storytelling

“A very readable book that is full of interest and will leave the reader wanting more.”
Dr Vic Gammon – Former senior lecturer in Folk and Traditional Music

“Impressively detailed and academically-grounded analysis provides a wealth of contextual information about musical traditions in the area.”
Brian Peters – Musician and researcher

About the Author

Megan Wisdom is an ethnomusicologist, folk singer, and musician born and bred in Suffolk, England. Specialising in oral history with a particular interest in the folk revival, she graduated with First Class Honours from the Folk and Traditional Music BA at Newcastle University in 2022, where she also won the Helen Ferriby Prize for Most Outstanding Final Stage Student.
Megan created the Music Box Archive in 2020, documenting the modern folk scene of East Anglia through oral history field recordings, interviews and songs. The archive is currently hosted by the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust.
As a folk music practitioner, Megan started her singing career in her native Suffolk, cultivating her signature warm and pared-back style in the traditional music scene of East Anglia, and now performs across the UK and beyond. She also performs with Mossy Christian as a duo; part of The Impish Dance Band; and in shows such as ‘Where Is My Boy Tonight?’, exploring fishing communities of the East Coast through oral history recordings. Megan is a regular feature at UK festivals and folk clubs, offering workshops, performances and talks immersed in East Anglian folk traditions past and present.