The English Folk Dance and Song Society has announced four recipients of its highest award, the Gold Badge. Gold Badges are presented for unique or outstanding contributions to folk music, dance or song and/or exceptional contributions to the Society’s work.
Gold Badges for 2021 will be awarded to:
Rod Stradling
A traditional English singer, musician and dancer, heavily involved in the folk scene since the early 1960s, Rod has also run several folk clubs, including English Country Music Weekend since 1976. He’s also released many volumes of music from traditional singers.
Lynette and Jim Eldon
Lynette and Jim have both sung, played and danced from their childhoods. Lynette is a champion clog dancer and has performed and taught internationally. Jim is a lifelong fiddle player and has kept local fishermen’s songs vital in their harbourside community.
Kerry Fletcher
Kerry is a folk dance artist and wearer of many hats. She is Co-Artistic Director of Folk Dance Remixed; coodinator of EFDSS’ Folk Education Network; a choreographer and workshop leader, and has even morris danced on the radio.
Chris Metherell
A morris dancer and founder member of the influential Newcastle Cloggies, as well as the Instep Research Team, Chris has worked as an archivist for the Morris Ring and ran the production company Garland Films with his great friend Barry Callaghan.
They join an illustrious list of Gold Badge holders including pioneering folk-song collector Cecil Sharp (1923), composer/collector Ralph Vaughan Williams (1943), performer/writer AL Lloyd (1975), Ewan MacCoIl (1987), Peggy Seeger (1987), Shirley Collins (2003) and Eliza Carthy (2007).
Nearly 190 awards have been made since the Gold Badge was created in 1922. Anyone can make a nomination, which should be seconded by one other person.
