BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2012

IT"S OFFICIAL! HOME SERVICE ARE THE BEST LIVE ACT! 25 YEARS ON!

On top of having the best summer of our lives playing to thousands of old friends and new, we were flattered to be nominated for these prestigious awards.  Now we have won, the wind is really in our sails and we have the strength and power to move forward.

Home Service have unfinished business – to re-emerge with such support is both touching and telling. The spirit we attempt to create in performance has been equally matched by the positive energy thrown generously at the bandstand.

Thank you all for welcoming our return so warmly – we are having the best of times.

This is a shared honour – we try and do it for you  - you definitely do it for us - and we thank you most warmly.

Photo by Peter Stevens

A SAD BUT TEMPORARY BLIP

It is with great regret that we have to announce that John Tams will be unable to honour any engagements for the next few months.This is due to the development of two large polyps on his vocal cords.
He has arranged to undergo a private operation to remove these, and his surgeon says the prognosis is very good and that full recovery should take about two months.
In the meantime we are offering an alternative package to any promoters who are interested: this would involve John's position in the band as lead vocalist being taken by Joe Topping, with Tams still acting as front man, providing his customary introductions to the songs and tunes, as well as any amount of singing that he is able to manage by that time.

Some promoters have already opted to postpone the band's shows until John is fully recovered, but others, notably festival organisers, have decided that our alternative proposal is to be discussed by their committees.

Obviously this is a massive blow to us all, especially having just enjoyed such a successful year, culminating in winning the Radio 2 Best Live Act Award, and we do hope that you will help bear us through this difficult period and enable us to return with all guns blazing just as soon as we physically can.

GRAEME TAYLOR, 21st March, 2012