Acoustic Routes: Danny Spooner

Danny Spooner loves to sing about working people. His passion is the expression of British and Australian culture through folk music.

Born into a working-class family in the East End of London prior to World War 2, Danny Spooner grew up with the traditions, music and folklore of a typical Cockney family (singing round the piano, music hall, traditional English & Irish songs).

At 13 he left school and worked on a sailing barge which plied the Thames and the south coast of England. Under the instructive eye of Bob Roberts, Danny learned British songs and was enrolled in libraries along the coast to read their stories. He was apprenticed to the Thames as a Waterman and Lighterman, and after 6 years had earned his Freeman of the Thames.

Over the next 10 years he held various jobs including salvage tug and trawler skipper. This varied, almost nomadic life, has given Danny an all-too-rare real-life education in the ways of working people.
Danny has performed in folk clubs all over Australia, New Zealand and in Britain on his visits home. He has appeared at every major folk festival in Australia, at which he has given a vast range of workshops on aspects of folk songs of Britain and Australia. Many of these presentations were recorded live by ABC national radio.

His passion is getting people singing, and he has inspired and encouraged many in developing their singing craft. Nothing gives him more pleasure at a festival than getting a good singing session going, "That's what folksong is about".

Danny will be running a workshop for the first part of the evening and then a concert.

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