The Northerners
The Northerners Folk group were formed during one of the great popular resurgences of folk music in the late 60s. The members - Michael Charlton, Ray Derrick and Eric Laverick - first got together in 1968 at Cramlington Folk Club, then held in the Bay Horse.
Initially strongly influenced by Irish music, the group played in many clubs around Tyneside and were given the chance to appear on local radio on a few occasions. Their local Geordie roots were to give them their greatest thrill when in 1970 they auditioned in the Alletsa ballroom in Whitley Bay for a National Talent TV show. They were successful and appeared on the Thames Television show Opprtunity Knocks with Hughie Green April 1971. In the years which followed the group were busy playing in the local area until the early 80s, becoming inactive until 1985, when they reformed to perform charity concerts.
More recently Ray Derrick has been playing his own songs on the local music scene, occasionally with the help of Eric Laverick on banjo. In 2005 Ashington Folk Club principals, jiva, gave the Northerners the chance to reform once more and appear in one of their Spotlight events. The concert was more successful than the Northerners could have hoped for... and so, who Knows what the future may hold?
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