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21st Century Folk with Thea Gilmore and Sean Cooney

Thea Gilmore performs live and Sean Cooney chats about Radio 2's 21st Century Folk.

Thea Gilmore and The Young'uns' Sean Cooney are among the songwriters in Radio 2's 21st Century Folk.

Folk singers have always sung the stories of real people in these islands. 21st Century Folk pairs five Radio 2 listeners with talented songwriters and musicians: Thea, Sean, Martyn Joseph, Chris Difford with Kathryn Williams, and Angeline Morrison with The Unthanks.

Thea joins Mark in the studio to perform her song from 21st Century Folk, as well as songs from her latest solo album and EP.

Sean talks to Mark about his song, its inspiration and the process of writing it.

Thea Gilmore released her debut album in 1998 at the age of 18. Her latest full-length album, 'The Emancipation of Eva Gray', was released in 2021 in parallel with ‘Afterlight’, a new album and distinct new stage name. Thea’s latest EP, 'Was', came out in October 2022.

Sean, from Stockton-on-Tees, co-founded The Young’uns with David Eagle and Michael Hughes. Their rousing harmonies, strong social conscience and wicked humour have made them an unmissable live act. Their creations include eight albums and an acclaimed stage show called The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff. The Young'uns' new album, 'Tiny Notes', is due in March 2023.

57 minutes

Music Played

  • Gnoss

    Three Shores

    • Drawn From Deep Water.
  • Fairport Convention

    Si Tu Dois Partir

    • Unhalfbricking.
  • Thea Gilmore

    The Chance (Radio 2 Session, 11 January 2023)

  • Duncan Chisholm

    To The High Mountains

    • Black Cuillin.
  • Dropkick Murphys

    Rose Tattoo

    • Signed and Sealed In Blood.
  • The Young'uns

    Doctor Boro

  • Thea Gilmore

    She Speaks In Colours (Radio 2 Session, 11 January 2023)

  • Thea Gilmore

    Parallax (Radio 2 Session, 11 January 2023)

  • Nava

    Crossroads of Twilight

  • Eric Bibb

    Family

    • Ridin'.

Broadcast

  • Wed 11 Jan 2023 21:00