Today I’m dropping in on the Hilltop Hoolies at one of their regular rehearsals in Alston, where I took the opportunity to record them live as they ran through some of their repertoire.
The Hoolies were formed about 18 months ago by five musicians who were already familiar faces at local music venues. And they have all appeared on the podcast at some time: Fred Sheriff, Norm Emerson and Steve Sherris were in the episode about the Turks Head music session in October 2024 and Marshall Nattrass had an episode all to himself in July that same year. That leaves fiddle player Robin Moody as a podcast first-timer but we have heard him playing in one of the bands I’ve recorded at Alston festival.
The Hoolies’ unique take on Americana is due to their distinctive choice of instruments and their commitment to playing only original music. This has earned them a loyal – and growing - following in the north east, where they are recognised as an entertaining live band with a diverse set of finely crafted songs. You can find out what the Hoolies are up to by following them on Facebook and Instagram.
