Formerly a member of Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, who performed a great set at last year’s Moseley Folk Festival, Jackie Oates is a folk singer and fiddle player who has appeared on a number of critically acclaimed albums, notably including those of her brother Jim Moray. Born in Cheshire and now based in Devon, Oates was a early starter musically. She began playing the recorder at age 6, and the piano and violin at 7. After spending the greater part of her childhood in recorder ensembles, orchestras and string quartets, Oates turned her back on a classical music career to study English at university, where she fell in love with unaccompanied ballads and singing. Since graduating Oates has spent lots of time gigging as an accompanist and as a solo artist. But she has also found time to record two full-length solo albums Jackie Oates (2006) and The Violet Hour (2008). 2009 is proving to be Oates’s most successful year yet, and she has already won the Horizon Award and the Best Traditional Track award at this year’s BBC Folk Awards.Back to Artist IndexNext Artist