Biography

Young Devon folk singer Jim Causley became involved with traditional music from an early age via his family, the local folk scene and an historical tradition of wassailing in his home village of Whimple, East Devon.

After studying Jazz & Popular Music at Exeter College he went on to study Traditional Music at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. During this time he became involved in the wider folk scene and gained great interest as a solo performer in folk clubs throughout the country.

His recording debut came in 2005 as part of Martyn Wyndham-Read’s Song Links project (Fellside) which linked English Traditional songs with their American variants. Later that year he recorded the first of two solo albums with WildGoose Records and was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Causley also received great acclaim for his work as part of a cappella trio; The Devil’s Interval whose album ‘Blood & Honey’ (WildGoose) also received another Folk Award nomination in 2007.

He has toured with Waterson:Carthy for six consecutive years as part of their annual Frost & Fire Christmas show and joined them in the studio for on their most recent album ‘Holy Heathens and the Old Green Man’ (Topic).

He also has a strong involvement in his native Devon where he performs regularly with the Dartmoor Pixie Band, gives talks for local WI’s, takes the readings at the annual Jan Stewer Night in Puddington every May as well as helping to uphold his village wassail tradition every old twelvey night!

Causley has become renowned for his warm, rich and mature singing voice (quoted as being akin to the fruitiest of real ales!) his natural gift for interpreting song and his wry and cheeky stage presence. Most recently he has been collaborating with Essex instrumental quartet Mawkin as Mawkin:Causley, touring with Scottish Musician John McCusker as part of the Celtic Connections/Cambridge Folk Festival commissioned project; Under One Sky and recording with Kathryn Williams and David Rotheray of Beautiful South fame.

Forthing coming projects include recording an album of Devonshire songs with Phil Beer and working with the Charles Causley Trust to produce a cd of Jim’s ancestor’s poems set to music.