Bill Leader Celebration

Bill Leader Celebration, with readings, live music and discussion panels. Guests confirmed include 2024 winner of the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards (‘Best Singer’ category) Rioghnach Connelly, Oldham ballad singer Jennifer Reid, UK/South African folk duo Nastee Chapel, Liverpudlian shanty singer Andy Kenna and topical songsmith Stanley Accrington. Further names are yet to be announced. Bill, 95, will join by a Zoom set-up.

Bill Leader is the prolific sound engineer and producer, was the person who first recorded Bert Jansch, the Watersons, Shirley Collins, Anne Briggs, Mike Harding, Billy Connolly and Gerry Rafferty (the latter pair as The Humblebums), the Oldham Tinkers, Nic Jones, Dick Gaughan, Christy Moore, Martin Simpson, The Young Tradition, the Incredible String Band, etc.

Whilst at Central Library, you may also like to visit ‘Sounding the Century’, an exhibition which runs till the end of March, which gathers the paper ephemera – flyers, magazines, catalogues, programmes, posters, original artwork, broadsheets, contracts, cuttings etc. – accumulated by Bill over his lifetime.

Free – just drop in.

Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online