Many people of a certain generation can hardly get their heads round the fact that two of the original Singing Kettle members have just retired.
Cilla Fisher and Artie Tresize, the Fife-based duo referred to above, were already popular artists in their own right and were popular artists at their appearances at Girvan, and they were able to see there the potential market for professional children’s entertainment with a solid basis in the tradition. The Festival cannot claim any responsibility for their phenomenal success story, but it provided them with an opportunity to see some other operators in the field and develop their own brilliantly innovative ways of building on this to turn their performances into a byword for excellence. Fortunately, the act still continues.
Audio file: Cilla & Artie
This audio recording is a snippet of a tape – still to be cleaned up – of Cilla and Artie at the Kilmarnock Folk Club in 1975.
Video: Cilla & Artie
This video of Cilla and Artie wasn’t taken at Girvan, it was from the Old Songs festival in America. It was from 1984 – the same years as The Singing Kettle was emerging. Thanks to Bill Spence for taking the video and keeping it safe for us to enjoy today. Link to the Old Songs Festival website