Drywood

Phil Underwood and Denise Dryburgh are DryWood, a husband and wife duo singing lively and heartfelt original and traditional songs. Having lived on and operated a pair of traditional canal boats their songs celebrate the heritage of the English Canals, the English Folk Tradition, spiced up with a pinch of Americana, Blues and Cajun. DryWood also present their original lively show about the history of the canals – Boat Horse.

Phil Underwood is a highly experienced International award winning musician with many CD, TV and stage credits to his name. He trained for the stage with John Tams at the National Theatre’s War Horse production and also appeared at Wembley with musician and comedian Bill Bailey.

Denise Dryburgh started singing as a teenager in a successful all girl group DeLorelei and subsequently made her name on the folk circuit as a fine and powerful folk singer and session leader. She toured with harmony group The Morning After.

Shantyman, Phil Underwood’s 2023 musical show is based on the life of shanty John Short aka Yankee Jack of Watchet, a shanty singer in the great days of the sailing ships and whose songs are among the earliest sea shanties. 

Together they also form half of the group, “Foursheet,” performing alongside Keith Kendrick and Sylvia Needham

Jon Bentley writes,

“Phil Underwood and Denise Dryburgh who make up the folk duo Drywood are, quite simply, a great live band. Phil has been playing folk music for 50 years – in addition to having a fine voice he is a talented multi-instrumentalist. Denise too, has spent a lifetime immersed in in the folk world – her powerful voice adds a richness to their vocal style. Drywood play an eclectic mix of traditional and original folk music with a touch of Americana thrown in for good measure. What particularly comes across in their performance is the warmth and passion they have for the music – it’s infectious and makes for a great nights’ entertainment. They played a great set for us at the Quay Folk Club on the Isle of Wight and we would heartily recommend them for your Club or music venue.”

(For those who haven’t guessed already, the Duo’s name is cunningly taken from their names, being Denise DRYburgh and Phil UnderWOOD.)