Sue Harris

Sue Harris stands out among folk musicians for her complete formal education in the field, including full command of musical notation and a classical background that originally centered on the oboe before she moved to the hammered dulcimer around the mid-1970s. The change, driven at first by practical need, nevertheless established her among the leading interpreters of that instrument. At the time she was wed to John Kirkpatrick, England’s premier button accordion virtuoso, and was expecting her first son; the demands of pregnancy made sustained breath control for the oboe impossible. She contributed both instruments to the Albion Country Band’s first release, Battle Of The Field (1973), and also appeared regularly as one half of a duo with Kirkpatrick. Additional collaborations include work with Richard And Linda Thomson, while her compositional credits encompass numerous BBC broadcast plays as well as scores for live theater. Harris also sings and has created pieces for choral ensembles.