Richard Grainger

England’s Yorkshire Coastline has been referred to as the ‘Curious’ or ‘Heritage Coast’. Either way, it’s a beautiful yet hazardous place which has its own unique place in history.  A hinterland of iron, alum, jet and potash mining, is matched by a busy coastline of shipping, shipbuilding, fishing and it holds a special place in the history of the northern whale fishery.  Names such as the legendary whaling master Capt. William Scoresby and Capt. James Cook, ‘last of the great navigators’, spring to mind.

It’s from this history that Richard Grainger has drawn his inspiration over the years. His songs still have that connection to the region where he was born, raised and still resides.  His song-writing started some 45 years ago with the now well-known song ‘The Whitby Whaler’ which has been widely recorded by many performers. He’s since written extensively on a maritime – theme, of James Cook and in particularly the historic voyage of the Whitby built Bark ‘Endeavour’. His folk opera ‘Eye of the Wind’ with Sir David Attenborough narrating, remains one of his prized works. He has also written on many other aspects of shipping, shipwrecks, fishing and lately completed a musical play entitled ‘The Silver Darlings’ set during the days of the UK’s East Coast Herring Fishery.

His songs are eminently singable, and his delivery of them is powerful. Catch a ‘Live’  concert  to hear Richard sing a variety of traditional and original songs which reveal his close relationship with the maritime tradition and the sea, most particularly those concerning North Yorkshires coastal heritage.

Richard has released 14 CD’s and most are available to purchase through his website, linked below.

A prolific and diverse artist, Richard is a singer, songwriter and musician who has been performing on the British Folk Scene since the 1980’s.

40 years have elapsed since he made’ Herbs on the Heart’, his first recording, and this was celebrated in his 30th Anniversary Concert in Middlesbrough Town Hall in 2015. On stage with Richard were Dick Miles, Chris Parkinson, Flossie Malavialle, Steve Dawes & Helen Pitt, Graham Brotton and The Wilson Family.

‘Widely respected songwriter and guitarist with a clear and ‘captivating’ vocal style. His songs are performed widely by artists including MEGSON, The Teesside Fettlers, Baldrick’s Plan, The Wilson Family, Flossie Malavialle, GU4, John Morris, Dick Miles, Monkeys Fist, Kimber’s Men, Derek Gifford and many more.

Born in Middlesbrough, an industrial town, on the North East coast of England, he was brought up in a musical family, and sang with them from a very young age. He left Teesside some years ago and after a a 12 year stint living in the North York Moors, he now lives with his wife and family in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

From his early days, Richard was regularly to be heard in north east folk clubs and in 1981 joined the popular ‘Teesside Fettlers’, following in the footsteps of Graeme Miles, Vin Garbutt, and his ‘mentor’ Ron Angel. Richards songs achieved wider recognition in the process.

In 1984 his first solo album was released by FELLSIDE. Produced by Paul Adams, it received great reviews – some comparing him to the ‘incomparable’ Nic Jones and Martin Carthy.
Before long, Richard was touring throughout the UK at folk clubs and festivals and was regularly heard, ‘live’ and on record, on BBC’s Folk Show on Radio 2.

During the 1990’s Richard performed with singer and concertina player Dick Miles resulting in a duo album on BREWHOUSE titled ‘Home Routes’. Later on, he teamed up with accordion ‘sultan’, Chris Parkinson. The musical partnership with Chris produced some of his best songs recorded on the 1994 Folksound album ‘Thunderwood’ . The musical friendship between Richard & ‘Parky’ has endured the years and they still get together for occasional concerts.

Since 1995 Richard has been filling the role of artistic director to several festivals and has worked as a consultant to local authorities and arts organizations to help develop new events.

In recent years he has also added several musical plays to his repertoire. Among the most notable of these is ‘The Journey Home’ – an adaptation of Homer’s ‘Odyssey’, which was premiered in Sicily at The University of Catania, in 2003.

That was preceded by the folk-opera ‘Eye of the Wind’ telling the tale of the world renowned explorer, James Cook. The play was also produced for radio by the BBC with Sir David Attenborough narrating.

Another of these productions, ‘The Moorland Whalers’, was inspired by Richards long association with the Yorkshire Coast town of Whitby, and a project with The Ryedale Folk Museum in North Yorkshire . It tells a love story at the height of The Yorkshire Whaling Industry through the eyes of a young man who left his farm in Bilsdale, tramping over the moor to Whitby where he was ‘lucky’ to be signed on for his first voyage aboard a Whitby Whaler.

His 11th album ‘WAR HORSE’ (no relation to the musical of the same name) released in January 2008 was described by folkradio.co.uk as: “a classic folk album that will stand the test of time”.

Richards last theatre project was ‘STORMBOUND’ telling the dramatic story of the “Rohilla” Disaster in Whitby in November 1914. Written to commemorate the disaster and performed in Whitby to a capacity crowd one hundred years to the day on November 1st 2014.

The project titled ‘Flithers & Swill” , focused on the unique dialect of the Yorkshire Coast village of Staithes.

Richards new ‘studio’ album titled ‘Hard Road To Prospect Hill’ was released at the end of 2015.

In 2021 his first compilation album was released. Titled ‘Blood of the Land ‘ It is now available from the online store at his website.

Richard Grainger has been involved with the Whitby Sea Festival (now branded as the Whitby Fish & Ships Festival) for a number of years.