Chris While & Julie Matthews

^{Friday | Main Stage}

Chris While & Julie Matthews have played more than 3,000 gigs, appeared on over 100 albums, written hundreds of original songs and reached millions of people around the world. Now, 25 years after their debut, they sound as fresh and vital as ever.

They are two of the best and most hard working musicians on the world folk roots scene, both are highly regarded producers and they record everything that they are involved in at their own studio in a small Pennine town far from the London centric music industry. They truly are inspirational women.

Chris While (vocals, guitar, banjo, dulcimer, bodhran and percussion.Julie Matthews (vocals, piano, guitar, mandolin and bouzouki) are renowned for their seamless harmonies and affinity for each other on stage, they are stunning singers, songwriters, musicians and performers whose energy and commitment to their craft and their audience is boundless.

Chris and Julie have been nominated ten times in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in the 'Best Song, Best Duo, Best Live Act' categories, winning Best Duo in 2009. They have toured in New Zealand, Africa, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Italy and performed at the Royal Albert Hall several times, but it is their longstanding and devoted growing fans that they care most about. 

“They light up the room with their amazing energy” - James Taylor

"The undisputed queens of British folk duos continue to come up with the goods.1st class songs delivered with to die for harmonies, immaculate musicianship and melodies that lodge themselves in your brain." - The Guardian  

"Chris and Julie are just awesome" - Judy Collins