Katie Howson, often thought of as a one-row player but these days she plays mainly D/G, is best known as a driving force in a number of significant English ceilidh bands including the Old Hat Dance Band and PolkaWorks, playing melodeon and harmonica. She grew up in the East Anglian tradition, playing alongside legendary musicians such as Oscar Woods and Dolly Curtis, but all along, she has had a very eclectic wider repertoire stretching from south west Ireland to the south west states of America, and north east England to north east Australia. 2026 will be her 50th year playing the melodeon, which will be marked by a solo presentation “Carry on Squeezing” at summer festivals.

As well as being a musician and educator, Katie is also a researcher, historian and writer on various aspects of traditional music, song and dance, with several books and websites to her name. She has made various media appearances including film and TV. Together with her late husband John Howson, she founded and ran the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust from 2000 to 2017. During this tenure she produced the annual “Melodeons and More” workshop days which were much-loved events in their day, and organised five melodeon-building courses led by Emmanuel Pariselle. In 2010, she was awarded the EFDSS Gold Badge Award.

Katie's Links:

Website | Bandcamp | https://www.eatmt.org.uk/ | www.unsunghistories.info | www.eastangliandulcimers.org.uk

Join my PATREON for extended episodes, guest tutor Melinar tutorials & learning resource archive:

www.patreon.com/melbiggsmusic

Derbyshire Makes Festival, Swadlincote Hub Day 25th April 10-4pm with events across the county April-May:

https://www.derbyshiremakes.co.uk/whats-on

KILNSIDE TICKETS: Cosmos Chocolat bal (28/04) & Jon Doran & The Northern Assembly (29/05):

https://melbiggsmusic.co.uk/product-category/live-music-events/

Learn DG melodeon with Mel at The Stables, Milton Keynes - Improvers L1 May 23rd:

https://stables.org/workshops

Visit my website for on demand classes, courses, live dates, merch & more:

www.melbiggsmusic.co.uk

Intro & outro music:

Listen to the full track on my album 'From Darkness Comes Light':

www.melbiggsmusic.bandcamp.com

Get in touch: chatterbox@melbiggsmusic.co.uk

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