Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell are a contemporary English folk duo.[1][2] Although they play some traditional songs, most of the songs they sing are their own compositions influenced by the folk tradition, but also songs by other artists such as Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Cole Porter, Brian Wilson and The Beatles.[3]
Jonny Kearney takes lead vocals, guitar, piano and ukulele; Lucy Farrell plays fiddle, viola and saw[2]and adds their harmony vocals. Together they produce a sparse sound described by The Guardian as “delicate, thoughtful and intimate.” [1]
Kearney is from Hexham in Northumberland and Farrell from Maidstone in Kent. They met whilst studying on Newcastle University's Folk and Traditional Music course in 2005, where Kearney was awarded the Alan Hull prize for songwriting.[2] Having gigged at folk clubs and festivals, including Green Man, End of the Road and Cambridge Folk Festival,[3] they came to the attention of fellow North East England folk musicians The Unthanks. Adrian McNally from The Unthanks produced their first six-song EP entitled The North Farm Sessions after the farm belonging to Rachel Unthank and Adrian McNally, where it was recorded.[3] The EP, released in May 2010 on Rabble Rouser Records, comprised largely their own compositions with a rearrangement of one traditional song, and met with effusive reviews from The Guardian[1], Uncut, Q Magazine and MTV.[2] Tracks from the EP were featured on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC 6 Music with a Campfire Special session recorded for Rob da Bank’s Radio 1 show in October 2010.
Support slots on tours by The Unthanks and Bellowhead followed in 2009/10,[3], with favourable reviews. In 2010 Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell were nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards' Horizon award which is given to best emerging artists.
Their first full length album Kite, also recorded at North Farm, was released on 10 October 2011. The intimacy of the duo’s sound is still at the heart of the record, but is fleshed out at times by Adrian McNally (Unthanks) on piano, Dean Ravera on double bass, Chris Hibbard on trombone, Paul Ruddick on saxophone and clarinet and Peter Tickell (Peatbog Fairies, Sting, Kathryn Tickell Band) on fiddle.
As musicians, they have contributed to a range of other people’s work, including Lucy’s viola and vocals on Emily Portman’s album The Glamoury. Jonny is playing piano on the Unthanks' autumn 2011 tour of Robert Wyatt and Antony Hegarty songs.
Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell have been nominated for an award for best duo in the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.[4]
The North Farm Sessions EP
Kite album
"Green Leaved Trees" digital single