Young Coppers' CD Launch

Thursday 27th March 2008 saw the launch of The Young Coppers album 'Passing Out'. What better place to hold this landmark event than Cecil Sharp House, home of The EFDSS. The 'House' has been the scene of seminal events relating to The Copper Family over the years... The Diamond Jubilee, Bob's Gold Badge ceremony and later ours too. That, plus numerous celebratory events and concerts of one sort or another.

The YCs had invited several of the up and coming 'stars' of the folk firmament who were all persuaded to sing one Coppersong in their own way. The evening started with 'our lot' singing a short set followed by songs from each of the invited guests - Jim Causley, Laura Hockenhull, Sam Lee, Lauren McCormick and Emily Portman, Jim Moray, Jackie Oates and John Spiers - wow! what a cast. Everyone performed beautifully and thoughtfully, so much so that a certain magazine proprietor/editor once again promoted his idea that there should be an album of Coppersongs performed by other people other than The Coppers (it should be added that he and we have spoken many times on this attractive theme and are very supportive of it) - so let's hope that this time it really comes to fruition.

The interval arrived all too quickly and disappeared at the same rate. The YCs again launched the second half and were followed by some of the guests. The evening concluded with The Young Coppers inviting The Old Bill (as the Old Coppers have been re-christened by Lawrence Heath) to join them for 'Thousands or More' and 'Rose of Allendale'. Thousands or more guests joined the stage for rousing choruses and intricate harmonies.

And so the party continued down in the bar when at last the 'Old Bill' retired 'weary, worn and spent' but happy as Larry knowing that so too would have been Bob, the man who inspired us all.

The YCs, full of youthful exuberance, carried on the age-old tradition of 'every song a drink' or was it 'every song two drinks' and thus refreshed, they too made their weary way up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire and night-night land (no they didn't, they stayed in a London hotel - Ed.).

Suffice to say, from the interrogation of a random audience sample of two, everyone had a good time. Here's to the next!

Jon Dudley, 1st April 2008