Cuckoo's Nest Women's Ceilidh Band
1989
When I heard about the Birmingham Women's Festival, I was keen to take part as a musician and singer. After a couple of years of being invited at the last minute and finding it difficult to get enough women musicians together for this purpose, I decided to form a women's band that could be available any time that an all-women band was required. So Cuckoo's Nest was formed - the founder members were myself (Pam Bishop) and Heather Minnion on concertina, Susan McClure on melodeon and fiddle, Barbie Norden on guitar, and Abi Bruton on trombone. I have happy memories of playing at various Women's Festivals, often at the invitation of Women in Ireland - including a great gig at Zak's in Saltley supporting Jo Freya and Kathryn Locke. We also had regular gigs playing for Boot Women ceilidhs - would be nice to do some more of these. We are still playing and three of the founder members are still there. The line-up is now myself, Susan, Barbie, Belinda Hutchings on whistle and Liz Jablonski on bassoon. We have a website at http://www.cuckoos-nest.org.uk - give us a call!
Contributed by: bishop_pam, 67