Richard Trethewey

Born in Cornwall’s Clay Country, Richard Trethewey is a singer, fiddle and cittern player giving Cornwall a truly authentic voice. Passionate about unearthing near-forgotten gems of Cornish history, Richard breathes life and emotion into what might otherwise be overlooked. Richard completed the Newcastle based Folk music degree in 2011, released his debut album ‘Dig Where You Stand’ in 2012 and has been involved in many lineups and projects since but ‘Two Halves’ marks only his second solo release. In the intervening years Richard has performed and recorded in many lineups including with The Rowan Tree, Didjan (with Bec Applebee), The Grenaways, Kesson, Brother Sea, with Harbottle and Jonas, Jim Causley, Leski, Crowd as well as with Cousin Jack’s Theatre, performing the Mousehole Cat yearly in Mousehole itself but also touring in the USA and London. Richard also qualified as a Music Therapist in 2017. As a member of The Rowan Tree, Richard and the band delivered arguably the most ambitious Cornish diaspora project undertaken to date. In 2020 the band released the fruits of their year long project ‘Kolar’s Gold’ an album in collaboration with Indian musicians which told the stories of the Cornish who emigrated and started new lives working the Kolar Gold Fields in Southern India. In 2020 Richard was made a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh, taking the name ‘Kaner Drollys’ meaning Story Singer. In 2021 Richard released a song and tune book ‘Story Singer’, a collection of many of his self-written songs and tunes. It is precisely this, singing and protecting stories which drives Richard’s passion and pride in being a voice for Cornwall and it’s unique history and people. Richard released his long awaited second solo album ‘Two Halves’ in March 2024 before then releasing a two track EP ‘Sons of Cornwall’ in October 2024. Richard also continues to imagine and create films that accompany and bring to life many of the songs he writes and often incorporates these into live shows. These include ‘Queen of the Cornish Rhine’ , ‘Hope in a Jam Jar’, ‘Bringing The Harvest Home’, ‘Frenchman’s Creek’, ‘The Old Gardener’ and now ‘St Dennis Goose Fair’.