The Kent Carters sing and play music in the authentic style of the original Carter Family
of Maces Springs, Virginia
You can also see the Kent Carters on myspace

The Carter Family (see www.carterfamilyfold.org) were one of the most important groups - musical phenomena even - in the history of Country (including old-time and bluegrass) and Folk Music in America and the world. From the mid 1920s, their homespun but exciting music captured the hearts and related to the lives of ordinary Americans everywhere. The songs they sang, and captured on record for posterity, have formed a large part of the material performed by artistes in these traditions since then, right up until today; many artistes, including Bill Clifton, have paid tribute to the Carters.

Over the past year the Kent Carters have been recording a CD album 'A Tribute to Bill Clifton' - the bluegrass and old-time music star who lived in England for several years in the 1960s and 70s, and did so much to fire the enthusiasm of fans and players on the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean at that time.

Bill is renowned as a collector and singer of fine old songs - his first songbook was a classic, and has been re issued. Over a long singing career he has brought to life songs of every type - heart songs, political songs, songs recalling home and childhood, songs of wars and peace, humour, adventure - you name it. Among Bill's many albums is one in tribute to the original Carter Family, and we think it is very appropriate to pay a tribute to Bill himself, with an album of songs that he has recorded, which are not songs from the Carters - but performed in Carter style, with guitars, autoharp and harmony singing. Also on the album is a song "Bill Clifton is playing the Greyhound tonight" by Sussex song-writer Chris Liddiard (written after a memorable evening at a pub in Wadhurst with Bill and Jimmy Gaudreau).

Bill sends a message to his fans, for inclusion in the CD folder: "As a song-carrier, the real reward comes when one hears their songs coming back to the sung by a young fresh group of musicians, like the Kent Carters"

'A Tribute to Bill Clifton' will be available soon to down-load - watch this space

Below are pictures of the Kent Carters performing at ROOTS (Rainham Oast Old-Time Sessions) in Kent