Russ Chandler

“East London bloke with banjo takes on all-comers and comes out alive”
– Boff Whalley (Chumbawamba)

Russ Chandler is a forceful singer and banjo player who sings songs he feels have something to say to the world we live in.

He plays traditional, political and modern songs.

He is a fine banjo player and as well as giving concerts can teach and give presentations on the history and culture of the instrument.

His first album Last Night In Babylon was described by fRoots magazine as “Masterly”

Russ Chandler is well known around the Sheffield folk scene having relocated from of East London at the end of the pandemic.

Hold the Line: Lessons of the Peekskill Riots

He has written a short book called “Hold the Line: Lessons of the Peekskill Riots”.

It is a new work examining the Peekskill Riots on their seventieth anniversary. It examines the political and social background to the events, the main characters involved and draws parallels with events in the present day United States such as Charlottesville as well as drawing parallels with the increase in oppression and the growth of the far right across the world. It includes a new interview with one of the last surviving eyewitnesses to the events.

You can find out more about the book here.

On The Roof Of Your House, All Alone


His latest collection On The Roof Of your House, All Alone featuring Matt Quinn, Matthew Crampton, Rachel Weston and Steve White & the Protest Family is available now.

In this new collection Russ continues his eclectic choice of material and collaborators to come up with a very distinctive take on folk music.

Songs range from a forgotten music Hall Number from the late nineteenth century brought bang up to date in hipster Shoreditch, a song by designer and radical William Morris, one of the most powerful songs of resistance to oppression ever written and some swinging hits from the nineteen thirties. And a sad love song too.

“A Pick ‘n’ mix grab-bag of Wizz Jones, William Morris, Charles “The Laughing Policeman” Penrose, music hall silliness and radical subversion, a nudge in the conscience, and a poke in the ribs. The brevity of On The Roof Of Your House All Alone’s six-track EP format is more than balanced by it’s wide-open diversity… All human life is here. And that’s shallot…”
Andrew Darlington – RnR Magazine (Four Stars)

Click here for more about On The Roof Of Your House, All Alone

Videos

You and a Canoe – an Edwardian Romance
I love this Edwardian romance. Most classic banjo music is jolly or sentimental but this has some magic about it. I was lucky to be...
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The Jovial Huntsman
This is a classic banjo tune written by Joe Morley. I love how it combines elements of Edwardian pop music, ragtime and pub singalong! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQP062y5-qc
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The Blue Sea Says Yes
My banjo setting of this beautiful Robb Johnson song about getting old. https://youtu.be/wqyrDAGOXwE
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Gordon Dando’s Classic Banjo
This video was produced by banjo enthusiast Gordon Dando back in 2001. It used to do the rounds on VHS and then occasionally on DVD....
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Jana Is Sixteen
Jana Zakarneh was a sixteen year old young woman from the town of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. On the 11th December 2022 she...
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Transatlantique
Transatlantique is a banjo tune written by Tarrant Bailey Junior on the 12th August 1958. He dedicated it to the American Banjo Fraternity. They are...
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Hark the Herald Angels Sing & Little Drummer Boy
A medley of two Christmas carols played in the classic banjo style. Featuring Charlie the cat! The tunes were arranged by Clarke Buehling https://youtu.be/NBUDxrXra5w
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Abide With Me
Arranged by SE Turner, this was a celebrated version of the hymn tune in banjo circles prior to World War Two. This performance is by...
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Hold the Line plus anti-fascist chants at the Bookmarks Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration
My performance of Pete Seeger's Hold the Line at the Fiftieth Anniversary celebration for Bookmarks held on 18 February 2023 in London. Bookmarks is a...
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COP26: What’s This?
November 2021 saw the global climate talks known as COP26 held in Glasgow. The COP26 Coalition organised decentralised mass mobilisations across the world, bringing together...
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Pity the Downtrodden Landlord
Written by Fred Hellerman and dedicated to my previous landlord Lee and Amelia Hall, who having had more then £100K out of us over ten...
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Palestine
My banjo arrangment of the song Palestine by Jim Page. Find out more about Jim here - www.jimpage.net I’ll tell you a story, make it...
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