Local Legends #70: Matthew Bannister

On this week's episode of Local Legends Martin chats with veteran British broadcaster and host of Folk on Foot Matthew Bannister.

In a conversation that folds in some of Matthew's other wonderful projects including The Song Detectorists and Last Word, while Martin and Matthew don't quite go on a wander together, our main focus is Matthew's multi-award winning podcast Folk on Foot, which combines folk music, outdoor walking, and acoustic on-location performances.

In each episode, Matthew walks with a prominent folk artist through a landscape that has inspired their craft, capturing natural ambient sounds and intimate live sessions that cast a bit of a spell.

Though how does a person go from being a budding fiddle player and chorister from Yorkshire to becoming not just a radio presenter but a BBC Executive, managing a huge whack of TV production for this nation’s state broadcaster?

Moreover, how has Matthew found routes through to a creative career that has lasted longer than Martin's entire life?

We of course get into all that, and, because our theme on Three Ravens this week is Harvest, we’ll also be chatting about Matthew’s favourite Harvest folk song, his experiences walking across England to raise money for Help Musicians, and so much more.

So, gather in close around the Three Ravens campfire and listen in to a conversation about the power of radio, Ley Lines, and what it’s like to hang out around the kitchen table with the entire McCarthy and Waterson extended family, with a true Local Legend, Matthew Bannister!

Three Ravens is a myth and folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

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