Sue Hartland: Vocals, Concertina, Percussion, Banjo, Step Dancing.
Ian Hartland: Vocals, Guitars, Guittern, Cittern, Bouzouki, Mandoline, Fiddle, Keyboards.
Influences
Many and varied: Joan Baez, The Beatles, Tom Petty, Martin Carthy, The Battlefield Band, Gordon Lightfoot, Jez Lowe, The McCalmans, Peggy Seeger and the list could go on. These days we are simply impressed by the growing number of exceptional young musicians, who are both an influence and an inspiration.
Sounds Like
Acoustic, original Folk music at its best, with percussive dance thrown in for good measure. We also feature original versions of English Traditional songs from time to time. We feature vocal harmonies throughout our songs. We sound like us, which is what we have always aimed for.
The Harvesters could claim to be one of the most energetic and distinctive acts you’ll ever see. Uniquely, we combine our own incisive and witty original songs with the percussive dance styles of Appalachian flat-footing and precision clogging. We have been described as two of the premier flat-footers in both the UK and the USA. Dance and play an instrument at the same time? No problem.
The Harvesters were first formed over 40 years ago and in that time we have been a trio, a foursome and even a six-piece group! Ian and Sue Hartland accompany their songs and dancing on guitars, bouzouki, 10- and 12-stringed cittern, dulcimer, concertina and percussion. Sue’s clear and distinctive voice soars out over Ian’s expert accompaniment and their vocal harmonies are enough to set the hairs on the back of your neck standing up!
During our singing careers we have appeared for Her Majesty The Queen and many other Royal and notable audiences. We have performed in the USA and in the Falkland Islands (although we deny suggestions that we started that particular conflict just to get some more gigs!) and all over the mainland of England, Scotland and Wales. Our decision to concentrate on writing and performing our own songs has proved extremely successful, and several other artists are now also performing our songs. Not that we don’t also perform English traditional songs from time to time, to which we give our own identity and character. The Harvesters were the winners of the 1998 “Border Ballads Now” song-writing award for the humorous ballad, “Between the Rose And Thistle.
The brand of gentle good humour and wry observation have made us very sought after in Folk Festivals and clubs wherever we travel and our appeal covers all age groups and most musical tastes. Our musical experience crosses many age ranges and musical tastes and we have provided support for some of the biggest names in the Folk Scene as well as headlining in concerts and clubs.
We have made nine albums of which the most recent, “Brief Encounter” features many of our most-requested songs, including “Middle England”, “Blue Diamonds” and “The Moon In A Bottle”.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, we are experience and accomplished performers of Medieval and Elizabethan songs in period settings. We are also members of both a lively Ceilidh Band, Reel-to-Reel, and a recently-formed American Old Time Band ,The Dustbowl String Band. Our lcoal Appalachian dance side, Kick Start, are becoming increasingly busy at Festivals and other events. Finally, Sue and Ian teach much of what they know in workshops, private tuition and meet-the-artists specials.
