North West

I first entered the music industry as a performer when I formed a duo with Kevin Whately as a sixth former. Specialising in folk music of the Northern counties, we were variously known as the North Countrie Gentlemen, Border Folk and Infolkus. They then branched out into Irish music and toured Donegal for one magical summer. On our return we parted company with Kevin going off to study drama at Central College. I wonder what happened to him! In the mean time I started a career as a ?suit? and music became more of a hobby. About ten years ago, I was a prize winner in a songwriting competition and one of the judges suggested I formed a band to perform more of my songs.

Thus was born the Hanky Panky Band which featured ?Young Musician of the Year Finalist? Emma Hancock on fiddle at the age of 15 (going on 35), Jim Ferguson on Drums (ex Alex Harvey Band) and Richard Budniak (Atlantic) on Bass Guitar and ?Yours Truly? on Acoustic Guitar and lead vocals.

This was the beginning of the end of my glittering career in the real world and the beginning of my rise to fame in the music industry.

?The Hanky Panky Band? still does occasional gigs with a different line-up that come together from all over the UK. I perform with other bands and also as a solo artist and if ever you see a guy on the club circuit belting out 60?s hits and called Andy Craig ? Yeah ?fraid so.

Almost 3 years ago I volunteered to help out with the Music Vision Project that uses music performance as a therapy for disabled and disadvantaged people aged from 17 to 73. This opened up a whole new world for me and resulted in my doing a residency at the Bram Longstaffe Early Years Centre of Excellence in Barrow with Mike Willoughby as my mentor. This was done in conjunction with Cumbria Arts in Education with whom I?m hoping to do another residency in 2007. I?ve also just completed the FACE (Framework for Accelerating Creative Enterprise) Community Music Programme and put together a programme of workshops designed to encourage lyrical songwriting in schools and community centres. They also include band and performance workshops and I have the facilities to record the final product in my own studios

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