John Jones and the Reluctant Ramblers

Special guests announced for award-winning musician’s walking tour of the White Horse Trail - Five gigs and 100 miles in five days

John Jones, singer with multi-award-winning, folk-rock giants Oysterband,  is delighted to announce that Rowan Godel , who sang on his album Rising Road and is the beautiful voice on Oysterband's Street of Dreams, will be joining him for part of his walking tour along with friends , fans and fellow-walkers and special guests from the folk world, walking from gig to gig on The White Horse Tour.

Also joining the tour will be Benji Kirkpatrick from Bellowhead and Boff Whalley from Chumbawamba.

Rowan Godel will be playing with John Jones and the Reluctant Ramblers on Tuesday 17^th July in Wantage; Friday 20^th July in Devizes; and Saturday 21^st July at the Village Pump Folk Festival. Benji Kirkpatrick will be joining on Monday 16^th July in Nettlebed and Wednesday 18^th July in Marlborough. Boff Whalley’s dates are yet to be confirmed.

Each day John and other musicians will walk from one venue to the next, encouraging fans and members of the public to join them for part or all of the way as they follow the ancient Ridgeway from Oxfordshire into Wiltshire, taking in White Horses, stone circles and monuments to a different age, stopping each evening to round off the day with a gig.

John says “Each day of the tour brings its own highlights. Monday’s gig is the last night of Nettlebed's summer season - one of the great folk clubs of England. Tuesday takes us to the Uffington White Horse.  Wednesday, Avebury’s stone circle. Thursday night in Pewsey is not a formal gig but a session – bring instruments! On Friday we will follow the Kennet and Avon canal with the instruments travelling by narrowboat alongside us, all the way into Devizes. The final walk on Saturday takes us to the famous Westbury white horse and then on to the Village Pump Folk Festival to join Show of Hands for a Saturday evening main stage gig. And then Oysterband arrive at the festival to play on Sunday!”

The gigs will include songs from John Jones’ acclaimed album Rising Road, plus new songs. John will be supported by his band, the Reluctant Ramblers: Dil Davies (drummer with Oysterband); Al Scott (Oysterband producer) and Tim Cotterell, who plays with bands including McDermott’s 2 hours and Martha Tilston and the Woods.

The walks are designed so that anyone can join in. Though each full day averages 20 miles, they are split into sections which can be as short as four miles, and the route guide distinguishes between easy sections on the flat and more challenging sections as they climb the Ridgeway.

More details of gigs and walks at http://www.jj-rr.org.

Monday 16th July: Nettlebed Folk Club -The Village Club, High Street, Nettlebed, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 5DD. http://www.nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk. 8pm. Tickets £13 - 01628 636620 (evenings before 9pm and weekends).

Tuesday 17th July: Wantage - The Swan, 28 Market Place, Wantage OX12 8AE. 8pm.

(Buffet before the gig at The Shoulder of Mutton - call Peter 07870 577742 to book a meal).
Wednesday 18th July: Marlborough Folk Roots - St Mary’s Church Hall, Silverless Street, Marlborough SN8 1JQ. http://www.marlboroughfolk-roots.co.uk. 8pm.  Tickets £13 available from

Marlborough Folk Roots, 2/3 Silverless Street Marlborough SN8 1JQ  tel 01672 512465 and from Sound Knowledge, Hughenden Yard, Marlborough.

Thursday 19th July: Pewsey - The Crown, 60 Wilcot Road, Pewsey SN9 5EL. 8pm (Informal session). http://www.thecrownatpewsey.co.uk.

Friday 20th July: Devizes - The Southgate, Potterne Road, Devizes SN10 5BY. 8pm.
Saturday 21st July: Westbury - The Village Pump Folk Festival, main stage, Saturday evening.

http://www.villagepumpfolkfestival.co.uk. (NB Oysterband play the same festival on Sunday 22^nd July).