Obituary
Accountant turned poet/performer, known best for his humorous takes on life, yet he could be poignant and political too. Hailing from Manchester, he settled in the hills above Wrexham and made a point of learning and, subsequently, performing in Welsh. Genuinely much loved (and much covered) by the folk club circuit, I guarantee there will be plenty of club nights dedicated to his memory in the coming weeks.
Saw him a few times at the Cambridge folk festival and in clubs, and have a couple of his books,
Still enjoy Cosmo the Fairly Accurate Knife Thrower, and fond memories of him performing with a Ryvita (or similar) in a harmonica holder and doing a solo on it.
Cosmo is the one I have just transcribed (into a battered exercise book, of course) so that I can read it at today’s pub session.
A lady friend of Les Barker’s maintains the tone to which we are accustomed, hereabouts.
R.I.P.
On a more serious note…
I saw him quite a few times, I recall at Norwich Folk Festival Mrs Ackroyd waiting patiently outside the shower cubicle as Les took his shower.
I would have said master but they were a team on equal terms.
Must read a few poems again.
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Love the ‘difference’ between his stage persona and his real life persona.