Wren Biog

Hunt the Wren are Pam and Jon Fitzgerald, Ian Roper, Chris Long & Michael Stockwell.

 Jon and Pam run Thrift Music , the areas best music shop by miles, especially if it’s folk on your mind. They also run a very successful B&B in Frinton on Sea…which doubles as the base for Hunt the Wren and makes a great recording studio too!

Pam and Jon are well rooted in folk music attending most of the festivals around the country and running two successful monthly folk clubs, Walton ‘s own and another in deepest Kent!! near Sevenoaks. They are both keen shanty singers and dancers too….both activities which have taken them far and wide (including abroad). Jon is an extremely talented musician playing guitar, mandolin, whistle, recorder, banjo and melodeon, he also has an excellent distinctive singing voice.Pam too has an excellent voice and adds to that talented contributions on bodhran (drum), melodeon, auto harp and wait for it…….shaky egg!!!!!! … not know what one of them is? …..come along and see for yourself.

Chris Long plays octave mandolin ( like an ordinary mandolin but much bigger …and so much louder when Chris thrashes out a rhythm) You can always tell when Chris is enjoying himself ………..he gets louder!!!!!!!Chris is also a virtuoso on the bodhran and a mean singer…especially when he gets to grips stuck into the Irish elements of our sets. A good ploy is to ask him to sing Cunla. Chris runs his own company ….The Small Gas Company…..who knows he may well have already serviced your central heating!!! He collects airdales (dogs!), decomissioned road signs! and drives a moggie minor convertible .Ian plays mandolin and very occasionally tenor banjo. Even more rare are his singing spots..does he really only get to sing the songs no one else wants to? (Ringo of the band), is it that he can’t sing for toffee? Or can he simply not do two things at once? Ian loves playing the tunes , count how many times Chris asks him to play Drowsy Maggie. When not playing with the band Ian is a Middlesbrough fan( Come on Boro) and works as maths adviser for Essex CC. Michael is the latest member and is yet to perform in the flesh!