Chris Ricketts and Mark Willshire focus on bringing folk and traditional music into the 21st century. Both being born and bred in Portsmouth their music has strong links with the cities naval history and they sing versions of many well know and not so well known sea shanties like you may not know them.
Chris being a semi-finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk awards was just a stepping stone for his career, he then teamed up with Mark Willshire to form a new genre of folk music to bring it 'kicking and screaming into the 21st century'.
Chris Ricketts was born in Portsmouth and has been involved with the acoustic and folk music scene since the age of 15.
It wasn't until after a visit to Fairports Cropredy Convention that Chris realised his passion for the folk music of the UK. He then released his debut album 'Mudlarks' names after an old Portsmouth tradition. Shortly after the release of this album Chris was selected as a semi-finalist for the 'BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards' and he won 'Best Folk Roots Act' in the Portsmouth evening news.
After this minor success Chris decided to focus his studies up in Newcastle and joined the Folk and Traditional music degree. It is here Chris is still studying and here he found his love for songs of the sea and shanties.
Chris now helps out with promotion of folk music to younger ages and puts on regular shows for touring folk acts in Portsmouth and Newcastle.
Mark Willshire like Chris was born and bred in Portsmouth, but his musical tastes and preferances did not lie in the Folk music world, Mark was more familiar with the funk and punk bass style. When he came into contact with Chris working at a playscheme for disabled children they put together a short set for the children. It was after this short 'jam' like session that both Chris and Mark decided to take the music further and Mark joined Chris on some of his Summer tour dates in 09.