Folk godfather on main stage
If ahab represent the frisky young pups of the folk rock world, Joe Brown is its stately godfather – the Scooby to their Scrappy Doo.
Long before bands such as ahab were even a sparkle in Nashville's eye, Joe and his Bruvvers were summoning up a skiffle storm, topping the charts with tracks such as A Picture Of You and That's What Love Will Do.
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FINISHING THE FESTIVAL: Joe Brown.
In a career spanning more than five decades he has released 29 albums and 50 singles, made six films, presented series for Radio 2, appeared on the West End stage and written the odd book.
It could be argued he has forgotten more about showbiz than most performers will ever know.
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That experience should shine through when he takes to the main stage at Beverley Leisure Centre tomorrow night to finish off the festival with a good old-fashioned cockney knees-up.
He has been around so long that we all think we know everything there is to know about Joe, except what we think we know is probably wrong.
He is not a cockney for a start.
Joseph Roger "Joe" Brown MBE was actually born in Swarby, Lincolnshire, in May 1941, making him a yellow belly.
His family moved to London when he was two, where they ran The Sultan public house in Grange Road, Plaistow, and the singer never returned to the place of his birth until he happened to fly over it in a Lancaster bomber as part of as TV show to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee. As you do.
"A lot of people think I am a cockney," says the chirpy, ukulele-strumming 71-year-old.
"But I am actually a yellowbelly. I was born in Lincolnshire.
"I had never seen Swarby since I left it when I was two, so the captain of the Lancaster was good enough to do a fly past for me.
"I have never been back before or since. Apparently, it doesn't have a pub, so there has been no need to."
Despite an eclectic career embracing most aspects of the business they call show, Joe is unequivocal about his role in life.
"It has always been about the music for me," he says. "Music was always my first love.
"I have done plenty of other things. I have done films, musicals, TV, but I have always felt a bit like I am moonlighting.
"Music is my day job and everything else has just been a bonus really."
Still playing 100 shows a year, Joe declares he won't just be hankering after the past at Beverley Folk Festival.
"You have got to keep moving forward," he says. "If you don't you just become a museum piece and I am not ready for that yet."
When you have a back catalogue as long as your arm it can be difficult picking a set list though, he admits.
"It is tricky," he says. "Obviously, I will be doing all the numbers people expect to hear but I am lucky because I have got so much material to choose from.
"I will be playing a few surprises too."
Joe Brown will headline the main concert arena in Beverley Leisure centre, Flemingate, tomorrow, at 7.30pm. Tickets £25. Call 01377 217569. Visit www.beverley festival.com and www.joebrown.co.uk
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