JACKIE OATES

 

Jackie Oates is a fine young singer and fiddle player of English traditional music.

 

Jackie Oates was born in Congleton, Cheshire in 1983. Like many, she and her older brother were immersed in traditional music from birth; their parents were both members of North West morris sides, and keen singers and musicians. The family moved to a village just outside of Stafford in 1986, and there followed a childhood full of morris dancing, folk festivals and sessions, with music a constant back drop to everyday life. Jackie began playing the recorder at the age of 6, which led to the piano and violin at the age of 7, and spent enormous amounts of time playing in recorder ensembles, orchestras and string quartets.

 

At 18, Jackie decided not to pursue Classical music any further, and instead moved to Devon to study English literature at Exeter University. It was there that she nurtured a strong love of unaccompanied ballad and song singing, and alongside like minded student friends, began chasing sessions and singarounds across the darkest corners of Devon, and meeting lots of inspiring singers and musicians. During this time, she began tutoring with Shooting Roots at many folk festivals, developing an equal love for teaching and workshop leading.

 

2003 became the start of a dizzying few years. Jackie became a participant on a TAPS/Huntington Hall scheme in which she was mentored by singer songwriter Emily Slade, and developed her fiddle singing style. Through this scheme, she met Martin Keates and Matt Nelson, and began performing with them at festivals and folk clubs. She made her recording debut on her brother Jim Moray's album 'Sweet England', and soon after, Laurel Swifts album, 'Beam'. Later that year she entered the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards, progressing to the finals.

 

Since the Summer, Jackie has recorded her second album, 'The Violet Hour' once more at Phil's studio, alongside a cast of good friends and musicians from Devon and beyond. She has also become a singer with 'Morris Offspring' alongside James Delarre, Saul Rose, John Dipper and Matthew Keegan Phipps, and continues to enjoy performances and rehearsals immensely. Recently, rehearsals have begun for a new Mick Ryan play, 'The Navvy's Wife' in which Jackie is to play the part of 'Maggie'. There's a new Wistman's Wood album in the pipeline, to be recorded and produced by Jim Moray. Jackie continues to greatly enjoy her education and workshop work with children and adults of all ages.