Welcome Chris Gilbert, our new Sing Shanties Admin!

Chris Gilbert has been a part of our Sing Shanties Song Circle for some time now, and has recently accepted the role as our Sing Shanties website administrator! We welcome Chris, not only appreciating him stepping into the task of updating our web presence and content, but for his lively folk and maritime music as a shantyman and the lead singer and musical performer of his group Happenstance.

More about Chris Gilbert here!

Join Shantyman Chris Gilbert for the March 11th Shanty Sing at the NWMC

Chris hails from London, England and has participated in various folk traditions in “the old country” since his college days. He spent many a happy hour singing in folk clubs and pub song circles. He also became very active in the quintessential English frivolity known as Morris dancing. Rumor has it that he is thinking of bringing the Morris dance tradition to Port Townsend soon. Let’s face it, PT is just the place!

In '92, he emigrated to the US where he lived first in California, then Vermont and finally settled in Washington State. During this time he became steeped in the US folk scene, and is keen to highlight the parallels between the US and the UK folk song revivals of the 20th century. Both of these revivals were stoked by the traditions of Celtic music, and the sea-faring ways that led to Shanty songs.