Welcome back Nic

The Cambridge Folk Festival last Sunday marked a welcome return to the stage for Nic Jones. When his career was tragically interrupted due to serious injuries sustained in a road accident in Cambridge in 1982, the folk music world was robbed of one of its greatest talents. His seminal album 'Penguin Eggs' (1980) remains one of the best albums in the folk genre and the songs have influenced many musicians since. In recent years Nic has made a couple of guest appearances at various events but Cambridge marked his first full return to the stage.

Flanked and supported by his son Joe on guitar and Belinda O'Hooley on keyboards, Nic Jones received a rapturous welcome from the crowd eager to see and hear him perform again. Among the more well known audience members eagerly awaiting his performance were most of The Unthanks, Anais Mitchell and Pete Kennedy from Nanci Griffiths' band. Although appearing physically frail Jones sang a selection of folk classics as well as a version of the Radiohead song 'Fake Plastic Trees'. It seems that Jones is a huge fan of the band.

Whether he will ever return to become the musical force he once was remains to be seen but it is wonderful that after 30 years he has made his return to the stage.

Welcome back Nic.