Johnny Coppin
Encyclopedia
Johnny Coppin is an English
singer/songwriter, composer
, poetry anthologist and broadcaster
. He plays guitar
and piano
and has written and recorded many albums as a solo artist. He has a weekly one-hour show on BBC Radio Gloucestershire
entitled Folk Roots which he has produced and presented every week since 1996. Coppin has been the Musical Director for the Festival Players since 1992.
Church Hall in Woodford Green
. Eddie Broadbridge joined band as lead singer and they renamed themselves as Eddie and the Shifters. In 1966, while studying architecture
at the Gloucestershire College of Art in Cheltenham
, he formed Love to Mother with Al Fenn on guitar, Tom Bennison on bass and Mike Ketskemety on drums.
. The band was originally formed as a duo with Dave Bell (vocals, guitar, bass guitar, percussion) in 1968 and Coppin and Bell wrote most of Decameron's songs throughout their existence. Decameron became a four piece in 1969 with the addition of former Love to Mother bandmate Fenn (vocals, guitar, mandoline) and Geoff March (vocals, cello, fiddle, keyboards) the following year.
When Coppin, Fenn and March graduated from university, Decameron went fully professional and were signed by the Fingimigig Agency run by Jasper Carrott
and John Starkey. After much touring, the band recorded their first album Say Hello to the Band in 1973. The same year Dik Cadbury (vocals, bass guitar, 12 string guitar) joined to complete the classic line-up. They also appeared on rare occasions using their alter-egos The Magnificent Mercury Brothers playing mostly covers of Beach Boys and Jan and Dean
songs featuring the rich vocal harmonies that Decameron were famous for.
Over the next three years Decameron released one album per year and toured extensively. Due to a lack of sufficient commercial success the band decided to call it a day and their final gig was in Southsea
on 4 July 1976. Since then they have reformed for occasional one-off reunion gigs, usually with Mick Candler on drums, and recorded a live album "Afterwords" in 2001 in benefit of Coppin's wife Gillian who died from ovarian cancer just a few months later.
(guitar, fiddle, vocals), Steve Hutt (bass, vocals), Candler (drums) and Tony Bennett (guitar, vocals). With these musicians he collaborated with Nigel Mazlyn Jones
on his 1976 Ship To Shore (album)
and 1979 Sentinel albums. Coppin's first album was a solo effort, Roll On Dreamer
.
In December 1978 and December 1979-January 1980 Coppin was the musical director for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
at the Everyman Theatre
in Cheltenham
. Anthony Head
played Joseph and also made contributions to Coppin's second album, No Going Back
, which was a band effort.
After three albums of original songs, Coppin found a rich vein of material when he decided to set poems written by famous Gloucestershire
authors to music. His first effort, The Roads Go Down, had been included on his first solo album. Coppin's first full album of Gloucestershire poems set to music, Forest and Vale and High Blue Hill, was premiered at the 1983 Cheltenham Literary Festival to much acclaim. Coppin has chosen poems from writers such as Ivor Gurney
, F. W. Harvey
, Eva Dobell
, and Frank Mansell. Perhaps the most famous poet whose work Coppin has set to music is Laurie Lee
and they even collaborated on the album Edge of Day.
Coppin's subsequent work has included completely original work as well as further albums based on the Gloucestershire theme. Most albums have at least one song where Coppin has taken lyrical content and added his musical interpretation.
Johnny's TV appearances include his own programme Song of Gloucestershire for the BBC
, Stars in a Dark Night for Channel 4
, and Music Writers on TV for HTV, while his radio work includes Kaleidoscope for Radio 4
, West Country Christmas, the Arts Programme and Folk on Two for Radio 2
, as well as many appearances on British local radio shows.
His music for theatre includes Songs on Lonely Roads (the story of composer/poet Ivor Gurney
) with David Goodland, The Shrewsbury Theatre Guild's production of Arthur's Plough, as well as writing and directing the music for the Festival Players Theatre Company and their touring productions of Shakespeare which culminate in the Three Choirs Festival. He has edited two poetry anthologies: Forest & Vale & High Blue Hill and Between the Severn and the Wye - poems from the border counties of England and Wales. His third book was A Country Christmas, a collections of prose, poetry, carols, songs and folklore.
Coppin's BBC Radio Gloucestershire
show, Folk Roots, was the fifth most listened to BBC Local Radio programme broadcast through the internet with over 5,000 people listening per week.
In 2008 he was elected as Honorary President of Glosfolk, the organisation that promotes traditional music in the county, for his services to folk music over many years.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer/songwriter, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, poetry anthologist and broadcaster
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
. He plays guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and has written and recorded many albums as a solo artist. He has a weekly one-hour show on BBC Radio Gloucestershire
BBC Radio Gloucestershire
BBC Radio Gloucestershire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Gloucestershire, which started on 3 October 1988. It broadcasts from its studios in London Rd, Gloucester on 95 , 95.8 , 104.7 FM, 1413 in the Cotswolds & Forest of Dean AM and over the internet.-Transmitters:The...
entitled Folk Roots which he has produced and presented every week since 1996. Coppin has been the Musical Director for the Festival Players since 1992.
Early years
Coppin formed his first band The Shifters with cousin Martin Wright on bass, Neil Dunwoody on guitar, and Howard Jones on drums in 1959. Their first public performance was at the United ReformUnited Reform
The United Reform Movement or United Reform was an attempt in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, to create a left wing farmer-labour coalition....
Church Hall in Woodford Green
Woodford Green
Woodford Green, formerly in the county of Essex, is part of the North East London suburb of Woodford, on the edge of Epping Forest, mostly within the London Borough of Redbridge with a small part on the western side of the green within the London Borough of Waltham Forest .-History:Woodford Green...
. Eddie Broadbridge joined band as lead singer and they renamed themselves as Eddie and the Shifters. In 1966, while studying architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
at the Gloucestershire College of Art in Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, he formed Love to Mother with Al Fenn on guitar, Tom Bennison on bass and Mike Ketskemety on drums.
Decameron
Coppin first came to prominence as one of the founding members of DecameronDecameron (band)
Decameron were a British folk-rock band.Initially formed in 1968 in Cheltenham by Johnny Coppin and Dave Bell, the band were augmented in 1971 by the addition of Al Fenn and Geoff March...
. The band was originally formed as a duo with Dave Bell (vocals, guitar, bass guitar, percussion) in 1968 and Coppin and Bell wrote most of Decameron's songs throughout their existence. Decameron became a four piece in 1969 with the addition of former Love to Mother bandmate Fenn (vocals, guitar, mandoline) and Geoff March (vocals, cello, fiddle, keyboards) the following year.
When Coppin, Fenn and March graduated from university, Decameron went fully professional and were signed by the Fingimigig Agency run by Jasper Carrott
Jasper Carrott
Jasper Carrott OBE is a British comedian, actor, television presenter and personality.-Early life:...
and John Starkey. After much touring, the band recorded their first album Say Hello to the Band in 1973. The same year Dik Cadbury (vocals, bass guitar, 12 string guitar) joined to complete the classic line-up. They also appeared on rare occasions using their alter-egos The Magnificent Mercury Brothers playing mostly covers of Beach Boys and Jan and Dean
Jan and Dean
Jan and Dean were a rock and roll duo, popular from the late 1950s through the mid 1960s, consisting of William Jan Berry and Dean Ormsby Torrence...
songs featuring the rich vocal harmonies that Decameron were famous for.
Over the next three years Decameron released one album per year and toured extensively. Due to a lack of sufficient commercial success the band decided to call it a day and their final gig was in Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
on 4 July 1976. Since then they have reformed for occasional one-off reunion gigs, usually with Mick Candler on drums, and recorded a live album "Afterwords" in 2001 in benefit of Coppin's wife Gillian who died from ovarian cancer just a few months later.
Solo
Coppin formed his own band in 1977 with Phil BeerPhil Beer
Phil Beer is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and one half of English acoustic roots duo Show of Hands.-Biography:...
(guitar, fiddle, vocals), Steve Hutt (bass, vocals), Candler (drums) and Tony Bennett (guitar, vocals). With these musicians he collaborated with Nigel Mazlyn Jones
Nigel Mazlyn Jones
Nigel Mazlyn Jones is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter.Jones was born in Dudley, England, where he did part time work at Dudley Zoo from the age of 12...
on his 1976 Ship To Shore (album)
Ship to Shore (album)
Ship to Shore is the first album by Nigel Mazlyn Jones, guitarist, singer and songwriter. The guitar style and sound, involving use of harmonics and extensive electronic treatments, is already fully formed. The album was recorded in March 1976 in Birmingham at Nest Studios, produced by Nigel Mazlyn...
and 1979 Sentinel albums. Coppin's first album was a solo effort, Roll On Dreamer
Roll On Dreamer
Roll On Dreamer is a folk/rock album by Johnny Coppin released in 1978, his debut solo album following his time with Decameron. Like the subsequent Coppin solo albums, it includes cover versions as well as Coppin originals and settings of Gloucestershire poetry.The album was produced and engineered...
.
In December 1978 and December 1979-January 1980 Coppin was the musical director for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
at the Everyman Theatre
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
The Everyman Theatre, also known as "Gloucestershire's Theatre" is based in Regent Street, Cheltenham. It was designed in 1891 by Frank Matcham. The theatre plans to go under a £3,000,000 refurbishment beginning in early May and opening in mid-september. The refurb consists of new seating painting...
in Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
. Anthony Head
Anthony Head
Anthony Stewart Head , usually credited as Anthony Head, is an English actor and musician. He rose to fame in the UK following his role in television advertisements for Nescafé Gold Blend , and is known for his roles as Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Uther Pendragon in...
played Joseph and also made contributions to Coppin's second album, No Going Back
No Going Back (album)
No Going Back is a folk/rock album by Johnny Coppin released in 1979, his second solo album.The album was produced by Johnny Coppin and engineered by John Acock and Mick Dolan. It was recorded at Millstream Studios, Cheltenham during the summer of 1979...
, which was a band effort.
After three albums of original songs, Coppin found a rich vein of material when he decided to set poems written by famous Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
authors to music. His first effort, The Roads Go Down, had been included on his first solo album. Coppin's first full album of Gloucestershire poems set to music, Forest and Vale and High Blue Hill, was premiered at the 1983 Cheltenham Literary Festival to much acclaim. Coppin has chosen poems from writers such as Ivor Gurney
Ivor Gurney
Ivor Bertie Gurney was an English composer and poet.-Life:Born at 3 Queen Street, Gloucester in 1890, the second of four children of David Gurney, a tailor, and his wife Florence, a seamstress, Gurney showed musical ability early...
, F. W. Harvey
F. W. Harvey
Frederick William Harvey was an English poet, known for poems composed in prisoner-of-war camps at Krefeld and Gütersloh that were sent back to England, during World War I....
, Eva Dobell
Eva Dobell
Eva Dobell was a British poet, nurse, and editor, best known for her poems on the effects of World War I and her regional poems.-Biography:...
, and Frank Mansell. Perhaps the most famous poet whose work Coppin has set to music is Laurie Lee
Laurie Lee
Laurence Edward Alan "Laurie" Lee, MBE was an English poet, novelist, and screenwriter, raised in the village of Slad, and went to Marling School, Gloucestershire. His most famous work was an autobiographical trilogy which consisted of Cider with Rosie , As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning and...
and they even collaborated on the album Edge of Day.
Coppin's subsequent work has included completely original work as well as further albums based on the Gloucestershire theme. Most albums have at least one song where Coppin has taken lyrical content and added his musical interpretation.
Johnny's TV appearances include his own programme Song of Gloucestershire for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Stars in a Dark Night for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, and Music Writers on TV for HTV, while his radio work includes Kaleidoscope for Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, West Country Christmas, the Arts Programme and Folk on Two for Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, as well as many appearances on British local radio shows.
His music for theatre includes Songs on Lonely Roads (the story of composer/poet Ivor Gurney
Ivor Gurney
Ivor Bertie Gurney was an English composer and poet.-Life:Born at 3 Queen Street, Gloucester in 1890, the second of four children of David Gurney, a tailor, and his wife Florence, a seamstress, Gurney showed musical ability early...
) with David Goodland, The Shrewsbury Theatre Guild's production of Arthur's Plough, as well as writing and directing the music for the Festival Players Theatre Company and their touring productions of Shakespeare which culminate in the Three Choirs Festival. He has edited two poetry anthologies: Forest & Vale & High Blue Hill and Between the Severn and the Wye - poems from the border counties of England and Wales. His third book was A Country Christmas, a collections of prose, poetry, carols, songs and folklore.
Coppin's BBC Radio Gloucestershire
BBC Radio Gloucestershire
BBC Radio Gloucestershire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Gloucestershire, which started on 3 October 1988. It broadcasts from its studios in London Rd, Gloucester on 95 , 95.8 , 104.7 FM, 1413 in the Cotswolds & Forest of Dean AM and over the internet.-Transmitters:The...
show, Folk Roots, was the fifth most listened to BBC Local Radio programme broadcast through the internet with over 5,000 people listening per week.
In 2008 he was elected as Honorary President of Glosfolk, the organisation that promotes traditional music in the county, for his services to folk music over many years.
Decameron
- Say Hello to the Band (1973)
- Mammoth Special (1974)
- Third Light (1975)
- Tomorrow's Pantomime (1976)
- Afterwords (2001)
Solo
- Roll On DreamerRoll On DreamerRoll On Dreamer is a folk/rock album by Johnny Coppin released in 1978, his debut solo album following his time with Decameron. Like the subsequent Coppin solo albums, it includes cover versions as well as Coppin originals and settings of Gloucestershire poetry.The album was produced and engineered...
(1978) - No Going BackNo Going Back (album)No Going Back is a folk/rock album by Johnny Coppin released in 1979, his second solo album.The album was produced by Johnny Coppin and engineered by John Acock and Mick Dolan. It was recorded at Millstream Studios, Cheltenham during the summer of 1979...
(1979) - Get LuckyGet Lucky (Johnny Coppin album)Get Lucky is a folk/rock album by Johnny Coppin released in 1982, his third solo album.The album was produced by Mark Tibenham and Johnny Coppin and engineered by Mark Tibenham...
(1982) - Forest and Vale and High Blue Hill (1983)
- Line of Blue (1985)
- English Morning (1987)
- Edge of Day with Laurie LeeLaurie LeeLaurence Edward Alan "Laurie" Lee, MBE was an English poet, novelist, and screenwriter, raised in the village of Slad, and went to Marling School, Gloucestershire. His most famous work was an autobiographical trilogy which consisted of Cider with Rosie , As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning and...
(1989) - The Glorious Glosters (1990)
- Songs on Lonely Roads (1990)
- Songs and Carols for a West Country Christmas (1990)
- Force of the River (1993)
- The Gloucestershire Collection (1994)
- A Country Christmas (1995)
- The Shakespeare Songs (1997)
- A Journey - compilation (2001)
- Keep the Flame EP with Paul Burgess and Mick Dolan (2004)
- The Winding Stair (2005)
- Breaking the Silence with Mike Silver (2007)
The Magnificent Mercury Brothers
- The New Girl in School / Why Do Fools Fall In Love? / What About Us? (1975)
Books
- Forest and Vale and High Blue Hill (1991)
- Between the Severn and the Wye (1993)
- A Country Christmas (1997)
Festival Players Productions
Coppin wrote the songs for these productions:- Merry Wives of Windsor (1992)
- Much Ado About Nothing (1994)
- A Winter's Tale (1995)
- The Merchant of Venice (1996)
- As You Like It (1997)
- A Midsummer's Night Dream (1998)
- Romeo and Juliet (2002)
- Comedy of Errors (2003)
- Twelfth Night (2004)
- A Midsummer's Night Dream (2005)
- Hamlet (2006)
- As You Like It (2007)
- Much Ado About Nothing (2008)
- The Merchant of Venice (2009)