The Young Coppers are the seventh generation of a family of harmony singers from Rottingdean, Sussex. We are Bob Coppers six grandchildren, Mark, Andy and Sean Barratt and Ben, Lucy and Tom Copper.
The Copper Family traces its roots back to 1593 in the Sussex village of Rottingdean where an entry in the first extant Parish register records a marriage.
The Family singing tradition can be traced back to the 18th Century at least. The Coppers were always renowned as singers in the village and the Copper menfolk, largely comprising farm labourers, carters, ploughmen and shepherds were always in demand at sing-songs, pubs, harvest suppers and seasonal celebratory events around the farms and villages. The womenfolk sang too but social conditions dictated that their contributions did not stray as far as licensed premises and theirs was rather a domestic stage with Christmas being the central point for ‘party pieces’.
The land and specifically the Sussex Downland was always the backdrop to the family music and a deep love of the surrounding countryside is never far away from many songs in the repertoire. Songs in celebration of their everyday work and the pride taken in it. These men loved their songs and for many years, indeed up until the mid 20th century they were handed down through the oral tradition.
The Coppers have been renowned for their harmony singing, unusual in the English Tradition and clearly church-derived; this fact was noted when the Brothers Tom and James (Brasser) Copper were first ‘collected’ by Mrs Kate Lee in 1898. The two were made honorary founder members of the Folk Song Society in 1899 (later to become the English Folk Dance and Song Society) – the fact of which they found singularly uninteresting!
The lean years of the 1920’s and 30’s saw the singing torch being carried by Jim Copper (born 1882) and his brother John. Post-war the Coppers were discovered again by Francis Collinson and the BBC after Jim heard a version of one of the Family songs being performed on the BBC programme ‘Country Magazine’ - so began the Family’s part in the second folk song revival right through the 1950’s, 60’s and into the modern age. This time Jim’s son Bob Copper was the champion of the family tradition and recordings of him and his cousin Ron Copper proved to be a seminal influence on many English ‘revival’ folk singers. Bob‘s book about the family history and songs, ‘A Song for Every Season ‘ was published to great literary acclaim in 1971 and won the prestigious Robert Pitman literary award. Bob and Ron were joined by Bob’s son John and daughter Jill and performed as such until Ron’s untimely death in 1978. Without Ron’s resonant bass voice, John stepped into the roll and the songs were performed all over the UK and even taken several times to the USA. Sadly Bob passed away in March 2004 at the grand age of 89 years and left an unfillable gap, but determined that the tradition should never die, John, Jill and Jon (Jill’s husband) are now joined by up to six of Bob’s grandchildren, Mark, Andy, Sean, Ben, Lucy and Tom, thus making seven consecutive generations of Coppers to sing the family songs.
ROCK BRIGHTON presents FEEDBACK XI
Friday 30th May at The Coalition
(Formerly The Beach), Kings Rd Arches
Doors open at 7:00pm - 10:30pm
Entry £3 NUS / £4 Others
A Night of Acoustic, Lounge, Chillout Soul
07:00 BAR OPENS www. myspace. com/brightonunplugged
07:30 MATT MITCHELL www. myspace. com/mattmitchellmusic 08:30 SEEKER www. myspace. com/seekeronline
09:30 KIINA www. myspace. com/kiinamusic
Finding You Has Enhanced My Musical World Like “WoW”. I Love This. I Love Being Able To Communicate With Stars From All Over The World. You Make Me Happy With Your Wonderful Music. With All The Troubles In The World, This Is Where You Can Truly Be Free. As Long As I Am On This Side Of The Grass, I’ll Be Your Friend.
We had a brilliant time the other night. Thanks for a great evening and looking forward to the festivals where we are working together so we can get even drunker.
(Via satellite, I've heard, and enjoyed, Scottish junior and senior Folk Awards...when are the ENGLISH Folk Awards?!)
Poem 213 of 230, walkaboutsverse.741.com: MORE AMOR PATRIAE
There is Tai Chi AND there is tennis, Line is fine BUT so is Morris, There is curry AND there is the roast, And, when England is playing host, It is the rest-of-the-world's good wish To sense culture that is English.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace -
2 of 230, walkaboutsverse.741.com: WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
Just wishing you all a great 2008 and hope to see you v soon. I have great memories of the last tour. I also put on about a stone, but that's not your fault, even when you caned the ale I still managed to find some!
I'll be in Brighton next month with Incognito, if any of you are around and fancy popping down let me know
As I've said, I do like a lot of what you've been involved with, but the head-banger-and-exotica accompaniment to "Cold Haily Rainy Night" (just heard on M.H.,BBC) is horrible, I think...I'd rather imagine a nice English village with proper English music playing in an old pub!
Thank you for the add, where would we be without your family? I was very fortunate to see Bob, Ron and John in the 60's and can't wait to catch you lot.
Hello,Hello!!!! I hope you are fine? I had to created a new profile to upload my tracks........ Happy Christmas! J'aie peur! Flinn is a true fan of the Copper songs!!!!!! He will show you the way to dance on it. Take care,best,MeriemXXXX
We just wanted to let you know about the release of a very special benefit compilation CD, raising funds and awareness for the oppressed people of West Papua.
Merdeka (freedom), features artists from 17 countries around the world, spanning style and genre.
Please click on the image below to hear samples of the CD and purchase a copy. All proceeds are going to the Free West Papua Campaign.
