Sam Larner

Sam Larner was the living embodiment of the folk tradition. A herring fisherman from the age of twelve, he built an extremely huge repertoire of folk songs and sea chantys that he sang while asea. Larner's reputation as a folk singer spread until his tale was taken up by folksingers Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger and Charles Parker who used him as an inspiration for their radio ballad, "Singing The Fishing," in 1960. Broadcast by the BBC, the story of Larner's life and the songs he collected made him a folk hero in England. The radio ballad became the basis for two albums - Now Is The Time For Fishing, released in 1961 and reissued in 1994, and Singing The Fishing. An album of songs recorded by Larner between 1959 and 1960 was issued as A Garland For Sam.