Early life and musical background
Jackie Oates and John Spiers are established figures within British folk music, each with a distinct and well-documented career rooted in the English tradition.
Jackie Oates is a singer and fiddle player from Staffordshire, England, recognised for her work in traditional English song. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she specialised in folk and traditional music, developing a performance style grounded in historical repertoire and careful interpretation. Her work has consistently focused on the preservation and presentation of English traditional song.
John Spiers is an English melodeon player from Oxfordshire, best known as one half of the duo Spiers & Boden. Emerging in the early 2000s, Spiers became associated with the resurgence of interest in English traditional dance music and song. His playing is rooted in the dance traditions of England, particularly morris and social dance forms.
Career development and recordings
Jackie Oates has released a series of solo recordings that focus on traditional English repertoire. Her albums include The Violet Hour (2005), The Joy of Living (2006) and Hyperboreans (2009), each demonstrating a commitment to historically informed performance. She was a member of the folk band Rachel Unthank and the Winterset (later known as The Unthanks), contributing to their early recordings and performances.
John Spiers has built his reputation through both solo work and collaborations. As part of Spiers & Boden, he has released multiple albums that have been influential within the English folk revival. The duo later became central members of the band Bellowhead, a large ensemble that brought English folk music to wider audiences through extensive touring and recordings.
Together, Jackie Oates and John Spiers have collaborated on recordings including Spyglass & Herringbone (2011), which presents a collection of traditional songs and tunes arranged for voice and melodeon. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to the English folk tradition, combining vocal interpretation with instrumental accompaniment.
Style and influences
The musical style of Jackie Oates and John Spiers is firmly rooted in British folk music, with a particular emphasis on traditional English song and dance music. Jackie Oates is known for her clear and direct vocal delivery, often presenting songs with minimal ornamentation to foreground the narrative. Her fiddle playing supports this approach, drawing on traditional styles.
John Spiers’ melodeon playing is characterised by rhythmic clarity and an understanding of dance forms, reflecting his background in English traditional dance music. His accompaniment provides a structured yet flexible framework for vocal performance.
Their collaboration brings together these elements, creating arrangements that are both musically precise and grounded in tradition. Their influences include collected English folk songs, revival-era performers and the broader acoustic roots movement.
Notable performances and collaborations
Both Jackie Oates and John Spiers have performed extensively at folk festivals, concert venues and cultural events across the United Kingdom and internationally. Their individual careers include appearances at major folk festivals and collaborations with a wide range of musicians within the folk scene.
As collaborators, they have presented performances that focus on traditional English repertoire, often in intimate concert settings that emphasise the relationship between voice and instrument. Their work together reflects a shared approach to the material, balancing historical awareness with contemporary performance practice.
Recent work and current projects
Jackie Oates continues to record and perform as a solo artist, maintaining a focus on traditional song and acoustic arrangements. John Spiers remains active both as a solo performer and through collaborations, including continued association with projects linked to Spiers & Boden and the wider English folk scene.
Their ongoing collaboration as a duo reflects a continued interest in presenting traditional material through carefully considered arrangements. Their performances contribute to the sustained visibility of English folk music within contemporary cultural contexts.
Appearance at Bromyard Folk Festival 2026
Jackie Oates and John Spiers are scheduled to appear at the 2026 Bromyard Folk Festival as a duo. Their inclusion reflects the festival’s commitment to presenting artists who engage directly with traditional English folk music.
Their repertoire, combining traditional song with melodeon accompaniment, aligns closely with the festival’s emphasis on authenticity, musicianship and the preservation of folk traditions. As performers with established careers within the English folk scene, Jackie Oates and John Spiers bring a depth of experience that supports the festival’s longstanding focus on the best of folk.