The Railroad Skiffle Group began as a brief interlude within Bev’s Good Time Jazz Gang’s regular shows, and has grown from there. The UK skiffle craze of the mid to late 1950’s, popularised by Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, Lonnie Donegan, Chas McDevitt, The Vipers and a host of others, was instrumental to many teenagers taking up the guitar as their preferred instrument.
Bev’s merry band play a wide selection of skiffle songs with meaningful stories about jail, trains, bank robbery, adultery etc. that were generally sung in the 1920’s and 1930’s by folk, blues, country and jug band musicians. These songs include “I Shall Not Be Moved”, “Freight Train”, “Down By The Riverside” which are known by all.
There is always the addition of loads of laughs with Bev’s anecdotes between the songs. Bev Pegg (vocal / guitar), Pete Hartley (violin), John O’Connor (double bass) & Ken Wright (drums). Pete Hartley from Bromsgrove, a wonderful violinist who in between his many gigs is famous for his busking attributes all around the Midlands. He won the New Faces TV Show in 1987 and has performed for famous people such as Bill Clinton, Bertie Ahern, Princess Anne, and Joanna Lumley.