Heidi and Boo enjoyed their concerts here in Oundle over the last two years so much that they expressed an interest to come back again to play and they are once more bringing along new Friends for a special Weekend event in the Talbot Hotel's Westgate Suite.

The weekend festival of great folk music is set to take place over Saturday November 14th and Sunday 15th with Findlay Napier, Grainne Brady and Jessie Reid performing on Saturday and Brooks Williams, Jenn Butterworth and Reel Thyme on the Sunday. Heidi and Boo will play a set at the end of each day.

Please note that there is no accessible entrance to the performing area of the Westgate Suite at this venue and there is a short staircase up to the room.

Saturday
3pm Doors & Bar
4pm Grainne Brady
5pm Interval
5:30 pm Jessie Reid
6:30 pm Dinner Break
7:30 pm Findlay Napier
8:30 pm Interval
9pm Heidi & Boo
10pm Finish

Sunday
3pm Doors & Bar
4pm Reel Thyme
5pm Interval
5:30 pm Jenn Butterworth
6:30 pm Dinner Break
7:30 pm Brooks Williams
8:30 pm Interval
9pm Heidi & Boo
10pm Finish

Ticket prices are :

£60 for the Full Weekend.
£30 for Under 25's

£35 for a Saturday Day Ticket.
£35 for a Sunday Day Ticket.

Gráinne Brady is a musician, songwriter and composer from Co. Cavan, Ireland, known for her work across traditional and contemporary folk music. While widely recognised as a fiddle player, songwriting has become an increasingly important part of her creative work in recent years. Her project The Highest Blossom brings together original songs and co-writes with Boo Hewerdine and Findlay Napier, placing strong emphasis on lyric, melody and storytelling. Presented solo for this performance, the songs are delivered with clarity and intimacy, allowing space for the words and melodies to speak.

"Gráinne is one of the most naturally musical people I know. And when she sings a song she transports us." — Boo Hewerdine

UK-based Jessie Reid's hushed, confessional vocals and innovative, folk-influenced, percussive guitar style have drawn keen interest from tastemaker press, UK national radio and comparisons with the likes of Lucy Rose, Nick Mulvey, Iron & Wine, Memorial & Ben Howard. Jessie’s raw and intimate indie-folk releases have racked up over 10 million streams, support from the likes of Chris Hawkins, Tom Robinson & Emily Pilbeam on BBC 6 Music, spins on BBC Radio Ulster & BBC Radio Wales, a regional BBC Introducing Artist of the Year accolade, and a breakfast show Single of the Day on LA's SoCal 88.5FM (Nic Harcourt).

Following last year’s Glastonbury (Acoustic Stage) and Camp Bestival debuts, Jessie enjoyed a great 2025 festival season with acclaimed sets at Fuse Fest, Kendal Calling, Green Man, Found Festival, Between The Trees and Moseley Folk. Previous live appearances include Black Deer Festival, Green Gathering, 110 Above Festival, Shrewsbury Folk Festival, Camper Calling and Timber Festival, along with support slots for Seafret, Dan Owen, Ciaran Lavery, Bryde and Brooke Bentham, and multiple Sofar Sounds appearances across Europe, the UK, North America and South America.
A songwriter wise beyond her years, Jessie’s tracks enjoy wide editorial support at Spotify, including in the coveted Most Beautiful Songs in the World playlist, with recent TV sync placements on Channel 4, SKY and ITV. Jessie’s second album ‘Little Sparks’ is released on 6th February 2026.
"sublime new folk … a special talent" - Chris Hawkins, BBC 6 Music
"achingly beautiful" - KLOF Magazine
“delicious grooving guitar and delicate textured vocals” - Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
“Jessie’s rich harmonies prove to be stunningly hypnotic” – York Calling
“visceral songs that cut deep into the core of our shared human condition” – Atwood Magazine
“a soothing, hushed, vulnerability reminiscent of Lucy Rose” – When The Horn Blows

https://jessiereid1.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jessiereidmusic/
https://www.facebook.com/jessiereidmusic
https://twitter.com/jessiereidmusic
https://www.youtube.com/@JessieReidMusic
https://www.tiktok.com/@jessiereidmusic

Winner of the MG Alba Composer of the Year Findlay Napier is widely regarded as one of the
finest performers on the UK music scene. He is as comfortable on the main Stage of Cambridge
Folk Festival with folk rock supergroup The Magpie Arc as he is in an intimate acoustic show in
the back room of a pub. This fact was further highlighted when Napier was the first solo act ever
to be nominated for Live Act of the Year at the Scot’s Trad Music awards in 2018. Tirelessly
creative he has been touring and releasing music since the early naughties. First with
groundbreaking trad folk band Back of the Moon, then with Nu-Folk pioneers Findlay Napier and
the Bar Room Mountaineers and most recently as a solo act working under the guidance of
legendary songwriter Boo Hewerdine. In 2025 he was chosen, alongside Kate Rusby and Richard Thompson, to compose an original song for BBC Radio 2’s “21st Century Folk”. He performed his song “Firecracker” on live on The
Jeremy Vine Show and BBC Radio 4’s Front Row.

His breakthrough solo album VIP: Very Interesting Persons, produced by Boo Hewerdine, was
number 2 in The Telegraph’s top folk albums of 2014. He followed it with 2017’s Glasgow
described by The Scotsman as “a paean to his adopted home town” which led to a number of
high profile gigs including a five tours as the opening act for Eddi Reader. In 2021 he released It Is
What It Is a collaboration album in all but name with producer and multi-instrumentalist Angus
Lyon which Folk Radio UK called, ”A captivating, indispensable work; it is what it is and what it is,
is magnificent."

Described as a “miracle lyricist’ by the Sunday Herald and “an original and engaging treat” by The
Telegraph his skills as a songwriter and collaborator have led him to work on some surprising and
interesting projects. In 2017 he was invited to take part in Greg Russell’s ‘Shake the Chains’
project with Nancy Kerr and Hannah Martin where they toured, recorded and released a double
live album. After meeting award winning songwriter Megan Henwood at an EFDSS songwriting
retreat he formed the duo The Story Song Scientists writing songs about science releasing two
EPs and touring the UK. In late 2021 he joined folk rock supergroup The Magpie Arc with Martin
Simpson, Tom A Wright, Alex Hunter and Nancy Kerr performing on festival main stages and arts
centres across the UK. Their debut album Glamour in the Grey, featuring three of Napier’s original
songs including a co-write with Maz O’Conner was released in October 2022.
He is often commissioned to write songs including one for The 2014 Commonwealth Games in
glasgow, two songs for Morgan Fisher’s Miniatures 2020 and more recently penning the anthem
“Union Strong” for the 125th anniversary of the Scottish TUC.

As a teaching artist he regularly runs songwriting workshops. He set up Glasgow Songwriting
Festival in 2016 and consults on various other songwriting events and festivals around the UK. He
has hosted many songwriting retreats at Moniack Mhor (Scotland’s Creative Writing Centre)
alongside Boo Hewerdine, Karine Polwart and Bella Hardy and works with Vox Liminus and Feis
Rois delivering music and songwriting workshops in Scottish prisons.
Findlay lives on the Isle of Arran with his family. His latest album Outsider was released in April
2025 as a CD and an incredible 154 page coffee table book featuring augmented reality content.

"... one of the finest songwriters and storytellers of the contemporary Scottish folk scene." Folk
Radio UK (Glasgow)
"Coming on like a Caledonian Loudon Wainwright ... A superbly crafted compilation of
Songs" Acoustic Magazine (Glasgow)

SUNDAY ARTISTS

Reel Thyme are a local four piece band who primarily perform traditional Irish tunes.

Jenn Butterworth is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading exponents of traditional folk guitar. Renowned for her exceptional skills in collaboration, accompaniment and arrangement, she seamlessly adapts to any stage, whether performing in an intimate venue or commanding a large festival audience.

Based in Glasgow, Scotland, Jenn is a central figure in the thriving Scottish folk music scene. She is a key member of the award-winning folk powerhouse Kinnaris Quintet and performs regularly in duos with Laura-Beth Salter and Will Pound. Her versatility has seen her contribute to an impressive array of projects, including performances with Fairport Convention, Fiddlers’ Bid, Treacherous Orchestra, Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton, Bella Hardy, Adam Sutherland, Sian, Malin Makes Music, Claire Hastings, and RURA’s Jack Smedley & David Foley.

Her debut solo album 'Her By Design' was released in 2025 to widespread critical acclaim, reaching the UK Official Top 40 Download Charts and winning the prestigious Annual Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award).


In 2019, Jenn was named Musician of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards and was a nominee for the same title at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Two years earlier, her work with the acclaimed folk supergroup Songs of Separation earned the Album of the Year award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. This groundbreaking project, featuring luminaries like Eliza Carthy, Lady Maisery and Karine Polwart was conceived, arranged, and recorded in just seven days. Jenn has contributed to numerous celebrated albums, including Free One and This Too by Kinnaris Quintet, as well as stepping into the producer’s role for Volume 1 by Will Pound & Jenn Butterworth.

Jenn is also a highly respected educator with extensive teaching experience, ranging from one-on-one sessions to leading large ensembles. She has collaborated with organisations such as Fèisean nan Gàidheal, the National Youth Folk Ensemble (EFDSS), Halsway Manor, Burg Fürsteneck and Folkworks Summer School. As a member of the Traditional Music Department at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, she works as Creative Producer and was honoured with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Teaching’ award at the RCS Student-Led Awards in 2024.

Brooks Williams is one of those select few ‘'how on earth does he do it?” artists. He can sing. He can write. And, man oh man, can he play guitar.

Cambridge UK-based, Statesboro, Georgia US-born, admired by both listeners and fellow musicians, Brooks Williams has been a leading light on the acoustic music scene for three decades. FATEA says his performances show “the greatest level of true expertise.”

Listed as one of the ‘Top 100 Acoustic Guitarists,’ his guitar skills are evident as he effortlessly slides in and out of folk, blues and country. "He was playing Americana before it had been given the name,” says CMP . “How soulful a solo guitarist can be when he has talent, taste and astonishing technique,” writes Blues Revue.

Williams left his Georgia home in his late teens and moved to Boston at the height of the 1990’s acoustic music renaissance. He did his apprenticeship in the bars and clubs in New York and New England and cut his teeth supporting artists like Shawn Colvin, Chris Smither, Rory Block, Leo Kottke, Odetta, Billy Bragg and Taj Mahal.

His first album, North From Statesboro, caught the attention of The Washington Post and National Public Radio, which set the ball rolling and Williams never looked back. People took notice and acoustic music radio played him from the very beginning, including WUMB-FM in Boston, where Williams is one of their Top 100 Artists Of All-Time.

In subsequent years he has released a staggering 34 recordings in 35 years for labels like Green Linnet Records, Solid Air Records, Signature Sounds and Reveal, including Diamond Days, his latest, which At The Barrier calls a “stunning collection from the chocolate-voiced, guitar maestro.”

Never one to shy away from the road, the list of venues and festivals Brooks Williams has played is staggering. Newport, Winnipeg, Cropredy, Cambridge, Philadelphia, are but a few of many. 

Alongside his solo shows, Brooks Williams regularly performs with a host of fellow-musicians. With three albums under their belts, his shows with fiddler Aaron Catlow are, says AmericanaUK, “live music at its best.” Other collaborations include Boo Hewerdine and Vera van Heeringen.

“It is pure talent, hard work and relentless touring which has brought him to the pinnacle of his career.” Blues In Britain

Boo Hewerdine & Heidi with Friends (Headline)

For over 30 years Ivor Novello award winning Boo Hewerdine has been considered one of the UK’s finest singer-songwriters. As lead singer of seminal band, The Bible through to his subsequent solo work and long-time collaboration with the incredible Eddi Reader he has become something of a national treasure. He is in demand as a writer, producer and performer. Over a hundred of his songs have been covered by the likes of KD Lang, Kris Drever, Chris Difford, Duke Special and Hannah Rarity.

Heidi has shared the stage and recorded with Mark Knopfler, Graham Coxon (Blur), Eddi Reader, Idlewild, Matt Rollings, King Creosote, Kris Drever, Tim O'Brien and Jerry Douglas. She is equally at home in front of a Symphony Orchestra, performing widely at Arts Centres, Festivals and even at the White House.
Nominated for Folk singer of the year and Best Traditional Song by BBC Radio 2, Best Live Act by the Scottish Traditional Music Awards and Best Female Vocalist at The Irish Music Awards, 2023 saw Heidi win Composer of The Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards.

On this special weekend with their Friends, Boo and Heidi will be singing songs new and old with a dash of humour and a good measure of storytelling. Their gigs are always a total joy.