Chris Wood

Folk Singer of the Year & Best Original Track ‘Hollow Point’ BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2011

Folk Singer of the Year and Best Album BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2009

"The finest and most original singer-songwriter to have emerged from the British folk scene since Richard Thompson" – The Guardian

‘Albion’ nominated as ‘Best Compilation/ Reissue’ in fRoots album awards 2009

He was once criticised by an art school lecturer as having “a remarkable eye for trivia” yet Chris Wood’s love of small things has made him one of England’s most vivid and arresting writers. Hollow Point is his chilling portrayal of the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezez and his respect for “the sheer one thing after another-ness” of life allows us, for the first time, to see the event through the eyes of the victim. Each solo album undermines those who try to second-guess him as his sound evolves yet in an industry where “folk” has become a generic term for all things acoustic he remains true to a richer definition. “Anon: was my teacher and is still my greatest influence”.

Chris Wood is an uncompromising writer whose music reveals his love for the un-official history of the English speaking people. With gentle intelligence he weaves the tradition with his own contemporary parables. His writing has been said to share the same timeless quality as Richard Thompson at his best.

Chris’s latest projects include the new album, Handmade Life, which saw Chris touring with a 4 piece band in late 2009 and he will go on to tour the album solo into 2012.

He has also been an integral collaborator and vocalist as part of Simon Emmerson’s project, ‘The Imagined Village’ which won a 2008 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for ‘Best Track’ for ‘Cold Hailey Rainy Night’. The project also features artists such as Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy and Johnny Kalsi. The new album will be released early next year.

The Irish Times heralded Chris Wood as "the renaissance man of English folk" when on his own R.U.F Records label he released The Lark Descending which included the BBC Folk Award winning song One In A Million in 2005.

Wood’s appeal has now gone way beyond English folk music. He was invited to sing at last year's WOMEX where he garnered much praise and found many new followers. Likewise, his spot at the WOMAD 2008 festival was testament to his widening appeal. He has had musical commissions from BBC Radio 3's Late Junction and Between The Ears, and also from The Sage Gateshead, and has completed work for Arts Council England whilst also writing and lecturing.

fRoots
“In a warm, dark brown voice with sparse, minimalist accompaniment, Wood is an intimate story teller, applying such nuance and gravitas to every phrase you are imperceptibly lured into his world…. he seamlessly knits the spirit of the tradition into his very contemporary parables. And it's magnificent.”
Colin Irwin

The Observer Music Monthly ****
“…unshowy charm…talented interpreter of traditional material…bewitching treatises... possessed of a timeless quality…” Sarah Boden

Observer Music Monthly **** 4/5 Mojo Magazine **** 4/5 Album Of The Month
The Telegraph **** Folk Album Of The Week The Times **** 4/5
Q Magazine **** 4/5 + Best Of Month List