Born on 31 October 1981 in Exeter, Devon, England, Causley grew up with parents who performed as folk singers, absorbing traditional repertoire from childhood onward. Church and folk choirs provided his earliest platforms, while regular visits to the Sidmouth and Dartmoor folk festivals deepened his connection to the music. He later enrolled at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and became one of the first graduates of its Folk and Traditional Music degree programme; during those years he also performed widely across the UK, where his resonant bass voice drew positive notice. Veteran singers Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy encountered his work, invited him to tour regularly, and featured him on their 2006 Waterson:Carthy release Holy Heathens And The Old Green Man.
Causley received BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominations in 2006 as a solo artist and again in 2007 while leading the a cappella trio Devil’s Interval alongside Lauren McCormick and Emily Portman. Additional collaborations have included fiddler John McCusker on the project Under One Sky, the Dartmoor Pixie Band, and the group Mawkin under the name Mawkin:Causley; guitarist James Dumpleton and fiddler John Dipper remain frequent partners. Beyond vocals, Causley plays accordion and, outside performance dates, supports Devon’s Wren Trust in its efforts to sustain traditional arts and music locally.
