Biography
Hailing from Lancashire, England, Litherland stands out as a living embodiment of the country’s longstanding street performance customs, which serve both as a training ground for emerging players and a sustainable way to make ends meet. On his concertina—a McCann Duet model once belonging to his father—he performs regularly across northern market towns. Until recently he had earned wages on the railways, yet he now regards the loss of that job as a blessing. The pieces he chooses come chiefly from the first half of the twentieth century and feature enduring standards such as “Daisy, Daisy” and “I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside.” He still ventures abroad to Europe from time to time, and even in later years he continues to savor the open-air performer’s routine: “You’re meeting people all the time, different people.”