Explore every episode of the podcast The Shanty Show
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31. "The joy is having the songs get out there" with Bob Walser | 05 Nov 2025 | 01:02:53 | |
SEASON 2 PREMIERE We're finally back after a long haitus! In this kickoff to Season 2, we welcome folklorist and musician Bob Walser to the show to discuss his journey into the world of shanties and, particularly, his work uncovering new shanties in the recordings and documents of 1930s collector James Madison Carpenter. We also discuss the historical significance of dreg songs, the influence of Afro-Caribbean music on shanties, and the legacy of Carpenter and other collectors in documenting folk music. The conversation also touches on the accessibility of historical music collections and personal anecdotes that highlight the joy of sharing and singing traditional songs. | |||
| 31. Let's talk about Newfoundland music and shanties with Fergus O'Byrne of Ryan's Fancy | 30 May 2025 | 01:12:37 | |
Our guest is Canadian folk music icon Fergus O'Byrne. Fergus is an incredible singer and was part of the legendary Newfoundland band Ryan's Fancy who were awarded the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. In this episode, we explore the early days of English and Irish folk music communities in Toronto and the East Coast, discuss Ryan’s Fancy’s popularity and TV shows, and share thoughts on the power and importance of singing together. ⚓︎ Shanties and songs featured:
⚓︎ Find out more about Pressgang Mutiny here:
| |||
| 22. A Shanty Show Special: Brise-Glace at the Fundy Sea Shanty Festival | 16 Dec 2022 | 00:45:03 | |
Brise-Glace (Icebreaker) is a Montreal-based quartet who sing maritime folk from Quebec, the Canadian Maritimes, Brittany and North America. Comprised of Quebecers Jean-Francois and Antoine and Bretons Gwenn and Alexandre, they have a fascinating take on shanties as an international music and one that intersects many other musical genres. | |||
| 21. A Shanty Show Special: Chris Ricketts LIVE at the Fundy Sea Shanty Festival | 09 Dec 2022 | 00:44:44 | |
In our first ever LIVE episode, we took the stage in front of the wonderful Fundy Sea Shanty Festival audience to sing some songs and chat all things shanty with UK singer-songwriter-shantyman Chris Ricketts. We hear all about how he first fell in love with shanties, his time performing on cruise ships, as well as his approach to arranging and song-writing that came to life most recently on his album Songs in the Key of Sea. Chris' self-deprecating sense of humour and beautiful singing voice helped make our first foray into live shows a roaring success, and we got tons of singing done too - enjoy! | |||
| 20. "The Voyage is Done" with Martin Hugill | 04 Nov 2022 | 01:16:28 | |
SEASON 1 FINALE: Canadian shanty singers Pressgang Mutiny talk to Martin Hugill the son of "the last shantyman" Stan Hugill who authored the seminal shanty tome Shanties from the Seven Seas. Martin is also a talented musician and singer in his own right, performing in a shanty duo with his brother Phil and with the concert and ceilidh band Canol. In this episode, we explore Stan's life story (including multiple shipwrecks and careers!), challenge some commonly held myths about the man, and hear all about what it was like having Stan Hugill as a dad. We of course also get some singing in, including a song that Martin tells us was Stan's favourite shanty. | |||
| 19. "Translates from Polish" with Michał Gramatyka of Perły i Łotry | 08 Jul 2022 | 00:37:32 | |
Michał is a member of the Polish shanty group Perły i Łotry and a sitting Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. Shanties play a special role in the Polish music scene, which is surprising given the country is largely land-locked! Michał talks to us all about how shanties came to be so popular in his country and what makes shanty singing in Poland different from anywhere else in the world. We also get his on-the-ground perspective on the war in neighbouring Ukraine. ⚓︎ Shanties featured: ⚓︎ Find out more about Perły i Łotry @perlyilotry | |||
| 18. "Adequate!" with JD of the Longest Johns | 18 Jun 2022 | 00:59:55 | |
Jon “JD” Darley is a member of the chart-topping shanty group The Longest Johns, based out of Bristol, UK. Their rendition of “Wellerman” went viral on TikTok in the early days of 2021 and launched them into stardom. But even prior to that, The Longest Johns were innovating new ways to reach new audiences with their music online. In this episode, we talk to Jon about the whirlwind of the last two years, how they have blended their love of traditional music with their love of video gaming, and how they hope to be a “gateway drug” into the world of shanties and singing. (To be clear, the episode title is a Longest Johns inside joke...listen to find out more!) ⚓︎ Find out more about Jonathan Darley and The Longest Johns at thelongestjohns.com ⚓︎ Find out more about Pressgang Mutiny here: | |||
| 17. "I was the loose cannon in the middle" with Heather Wood | 27 May 2022 | 00:53:45 | |
Heather Wood first rose to fame as part of the legendary 60s traditional vocal harmony group The Young Tradition, alongside Peter Bellamy and Royston Wood. In this episode, Heather shares her story from deciding to leave the army to take up singing, through the formation of the YT, her adventures around the world including singing with Janis Joplin at the Newport Folk Festival, and Peter’s suicide and legacy. Heather is an inspiration, and a very fine singer, songwriter, and storyteller indeed. ⚓︎ Find out more about Heather Wood at: aheatherwood.com | |||
| 16. "This is a Shanty Family" with Kimber's Men | 23 Apr 2022 | 00:58:09 | |
Kimber's Men are shanty legends. John, Neil, Gareth, and Steve joined us from Gareth's kitchen in West Yorkshire to sing a few songs and have more than a few laughs. We talk about how they got their start, some of their biggest highlights and fondest memories, and the joys of singing together. After 20 years, 4 albums, and hundreds of concerts there's not much they haven't seen or sung! | |||
| 15. "Creating community by singing together" with Ian Robb and James Stephens | 09 Mar 2022 | 01:02:06 | |
Ian Robb and James Stephens are singers and musicians based near Ottawa who have had a front row seat to the evolution of the Canadian folk music and sea music communities since the ‘70s and have played with groups such as The Friends of Fiddler’s Green and Finest Kind. They have just released a new album, Declining with Thanks that contains a mix of traditional and composed songs and, of course, some songs of the sea. In this wide-ranging episode, we explore the ever-present and timely themes of war, love, and loss that make certain songs resonate across generations. We also dive deeply into Ian’s experiences with the folk revival in the UK in the ‘60s, and how the traditional music scene in Toronto came to take on its own unique character. ⚓︎ Find out more about Ian Robb at: www.ianrobb.com | |||
| 14. "Announcing the Fundy Sea Shanty Festival" with Gary Caines | 28 Jan 2022 | 00:39:49 | |
In August of 2022, St. Martin's, NB will host the very first Fundy Sea Shanty Festival. Featuring concerts, workshops, children's programming, and even a pirate march, the Festival will be the only shanty festival in Eastern Canada. Gary Caines is the principal organizer of the Festival and is also member of shanty group Before the Mast. In this episode, he talks to us about how the idea for the Festival came about, what he's hoping it will achieve, and his ambition to grow the Festival to the largest in Canada. And of course we get some singing in too! | |||
| 13. "One life is not enough to know all of it" with Miguel Perez of El Pony Pisador | 07 Jan 2022 | 00:56:18 | |
Miguel Perez is a singer and multi-instrumentalist and a member of El Pony Pisador. Based out of Barcelona, El Pony have been making waves in the shanty world with their irreverent and fun interpretations on classic shanties, including on their latest album "It's Never Too Late for Shanties". Miguel talks to us about how the group first found shanties, how they've been received in their native Catalonia, the way they play with musical inspiration from other genres as wide-ranging as ragtime and metal, and the importance of having fun while playing music. This is a fun one! | |||
| 30. The untold story of Polish shanties, with Marek Szurawski | 26 May 2025 | 00:32:06 | |
Poland has one of the world's most vibrant shanty scenes. In 2023, we performed at the Port Pieśni Pracy festival in Tychy, Poland where we were introduced to Marek Szurawski. Marek is a former merchant mariner and journalist who was instrumental in introducing shanties to Poland in the 1980s on his radio program Kliper siedmiu mórz. He still performs regularly as a solo act and with Stare Dzwony ("Old Bells") and we were told he was the 'Oracle of Polish Shanties'. James and Stefan sat down with Marek in the summer of 2022 in Tychy and recorded this interview. ⚓︎ Shanties featured:
⚓︎ Find out more about Pressgang Mutiny here:
| |||
| 12: "Bring me back a song" with Coda | 17 Dec 2021 | 00:58:39 | |
Coda are a County Mayo-based group of seven singers and musicians who have developed their own unique and richly-harmonised approach to vocal performance from diverse vocal and instrumental backgrounds, including folk, trad, blues, rock, pop music and of course shanties - all uniquely complemented by their multi-part vocal harmony experience gained from classical choral music. We talk to them about the intersection of shanties and Irish traditions, their experience going viral with their video of 'Leave Her Johnny' and the future of Irish singing. | |||
| 11. "My voice is attracted to truth" with Séan McCann of Great Big Sea | 30 Oct 2021 | 00:36:05 | |
Séan McCann is a founder of the iconic Canadian band Great Big Sea and an Order of Canada recipient for his advocacy for people living with mental health and addiction issues. His latest album, Shantyman, is a powerful return to the music of the sea that he grew up with. We speak to him about his first encounters with these songs, recording with Great Big Sea, his journey through addiction to recovery, and the vision behind his fantastic new album. | |||
| 10. "That's the time we let go our voice" with The Barrouallie Whalers Project | 15 Oct 2021 | 01:26:17 | |
The town of Barrouallie on the leeward side of the island of St. Vincent has a long history of longshore whaling. Taking to sea in 25-foot wooden whaleboats powered by rowing and sails, the whalers of Barrouallie developed a rich tradition of a capella work songs, many of which share their roots with well-known deepwater sea shanties. In this episode, we talk with George “Tall 12” Frederick, one of the most successful harpoon gunners in Barrouallie history who also has a genuine claim to being one of the world’s last “real” shantymen. He tells us all about his childhood watching his uncles and brothers head out to sea, what it was like spending his days hunting blackfish (pilot whales) and other cetaceans such as porpoises, killer whales, and sperm whales, and how they used their songs to motivate the crew, summon crowds to the shore when returning with a catch, and haul large whales and boats onto the shore. Tall 12 is joined by fellow Vincentian Vince Reid and New England shanty singer Dan Lanier. Collectively, their efforts are helping to preserve and promote the shanty traditions of Barrouallie both at home in St. Vincent and around the world. | |||
| 9. "A shanty is a template for a song" with Ian Bell | 27 Aug 2021 | 00:44:52 | |
Ian Bell is a brilliant singer and songwriter from Southwestern Ontario with a deep fascination and passion for the traditional music of the Great Lakes. We met up with him at the Port Dover Harbour Museum to sing some songs and chat about the history of Great Lakes maritime trade, the songs it gave rise to, and how all that music would have been lost to time were it not for the efforts of one man. | |||
| 8. "A lot of saltwater in our blood, and a lot of our blood in the saltwater" with The Yarmouth Shantymen | 09 Jul 2021 | 01:10:17 | |
In the late 1800s, ships from Yarmouth, on the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia, could be found in every major seaport in the world. Many people in Yarmouth today can trace their heritage back generations to sailors, shipbuilders, traders, fishermen, and port workers – including members of the Yarmouth Shantymen. They’ve been belting out shanties around the East Coast for almost 40 years and it was a chance encounter with them that encouraged members of Pressgang Mutiny to give this whole shanty thing a go. In this episode, we chat with them about the history of sailing in Yarmouth and the Maritimes, the joys of singing with others, and why shanties still resonate profoundly with the descendants of those who lived – and often lost - their lives at sea. | |||
| 7. "Give us a shanty, Shanty Jim!" with Jim Mageean | 28 May 2021 | 01:06:16 | |
Jim Mageean, or “Shanty Jim”, has been leading some of the best shanty sessions in the world for decades. His lengthy discography now includes his most recent project, a series of books and accompanying recordings titled Heave Away, Haul Away and Sail Away. In our first trans-Atlantic episode, we chat about Jim’s long history with shanties, his family history down the mines, why there are so many folk songs from Newcastle, and his early encounters with Stan Hugill, a bottle of rum, and three flights of stairs. Jim has been an inspiration to each of the members of Pressgang Mutiny and we were beyond thrilled to speak with him! ⚓︎ Shanties featured: ⚓︎ Contact Jim at shanty_jim@hotmail.com ⚓︎ Find out more about Pressgang Mutiny here: NOTE: This episode contains some audio glitches from the original video call recording that could not be removed during editing. | |||
| 6. "Pirates can't sing harmony" with Seán Dagher | 01 May 2021 | 00:49:05 | |
Seán Dagher has one of the most widely heard and recognized voices in all of shanties thanks to his work on the soundtrack for the video game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. He talks to us about how he got involved with that project, the process of recording it (including the “drunk takes”), and how the success of the game and soundtrack changed his life. We also discuss his groundbreaking work with the Montreal music project La Nef and the runaway success of his Shanty of the Week YouTube project. - Closing credits: Randy Dandy O, trad. arranged by Seán Dagher
| |||
| 5. "And the rest, as they say, is herstory" with The Johnson Girls | 17 Apr 2021 | 01:10:19 | |
Shanties were long considered "men's songs" and it was frowned upon for women to lead them. That is, until The Johnson Girls and other pioneering female singers decided to break through the "especially bearded, especially beer-bellied" resistance. In this episode, we chat about their many wild adventures, why they love shanties and how they pick and arrange songs, and the many great singers who supported them along the way. And of course, we get some fantastic singing in. Don't miss this one! | |||
| 4. "A new frame" with Gibb Schreffler and Craig Edwards | 03 Apr 2021 | 01:30:19 | |
Take a look at shanties through the frame of Craig Edwards and Gibb Schreffler who have studied shanties intensely for years. From West African work songs, through the popularization of the banjo in America, through the Beatles in Liverpool. Join us on a trip around the world and through the years that explores the origins, evolution, present day relevance and future possibilities of the genre. | |||
| 3. "Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Valparaiso" with Alex McMurray | 20 Mar 2021 | 01:13:53 | |
New Orleans is famous for its singular culture and music. So what do shanties look like there? Alex McMurray from The Valparaiso Men's Chorus talks to us about his journey with shanties that has taken him from New York to Tokyo DisneySea to New Orleans, the impact of Katrina and the pandemic on the music scene there, and of course the Chorus' unique, second line-infused take on shanties. | |||
| 29. Remembering Tall 12, The Last Shantyman | 14 May 2025 | 00:38:41 | |
We bid farewell to the last living shantyman, George "Tall 12" Frederick. Tall 12 sang the shanties of his home town of Barrouallie as a whaling gunman and kept the tradition alive until his death on May 6, 2025 at the age of 79. He performed around the world in the early 2000s as part of the Barrouallie Whalers. | |||
| 2. "A Magical Place" with Geoff Kaufman and Marc Bernier | 06 Mar 2021 | 01:06:46 | |
An episode focused on the Mystic Seaport Museum and Sea Music Festival with former festival director and member of the seminal shanty band Forebitter Geoff Kaufman along with Mystic Seaport Chanteyman Marc Bernier. | |||
| 1. "A Whale of a Time" with David Coffin | 18 Feb 2021 | 01:02:22 | |
A wide-ranging, informative, and hilarious conversation with renowned shanty singer and educator David Coffin, song leader of the Revels musical program and Director of the Narration Program for Boston Harbor Cruises. | |||
| 28. Sea waves to airwaves (CBC interview + 'Haul Away Joe' premiere) | 28 Apr 2025 | 00:20:35 | |
The good people at CBC Radio One's 'Fresh Air' invited James and Stefan on to chat all things shanties as well as about the upcoming new Pressgang Mutiny album 'Departure'. We discuss the origins of shanties, connections to other musical projects, how 'Departure' came about, and premiered a version of 'Haul Away Joe' off the new album. | |||
| 27. "A good submariner is a sleeping submariner" with Tom Lewis | 31 Aug 2024 | 01:02:51 | |
Tom Lewis is a brilliant singer and songwriter, and has written so many well-known and loved songs including “The Last Shanty”, “Marching Inland” and “Sailor’s Prayer”. Like Cyril Tawney before him, Tom is also a former submariner with the Royal Navy having spent years circling the arctic in diesel-electric submarines during the Cold War. We caught up with Tom in between performances on his recent tour of Southern Ontario to talk through his life story, his influences, his time on subs, and of course, his famous songs. With a special singing appearance by the Bytown Sea Shanty Collective. | |||
| 26. Live interview and performance from us! | 28 Jul 2024 | 01:02:05 | |
We were invited onto Music from Studio 2 on CIUT89.5FM to sing some songs and chat about shanties. We cover a lot of what we've learned through our discussions on this show, share some music from our upcoming album Departure, and talk about some of our projects to further promote, preserve, and progress shanties. | |||
| 25. LIVE: Jack Coutts of Stormalong John at the Paimpol Festival de Chants du Marin en Bretagne | 06 Nov 2023 | 00:27:06 | |
Jack Coutts is a member of the legendary shanty group Stormalong John. We sat down with Jack and his daughter Hannah aboard the Pilgrim at the world's largest sea music festival in Paimpol, Brittany for a chat and a sing in between sets. We discuss the origins of the band, what it was like touring in Poland in the 80s behind the iron curtain, and performing with Stan Hugill. And of course we get some singing in too! | |||
| 24. LIVE: Jim Mageean at Whitby Folk Week | 13 Sep 2023 | 01:14:11 | |
As part of our European tour, we stopped in at Whitby Folk Week to do a few concerts and sit down with our favourite shanty singer, Jim Mageean, or “Shanty Jim”. In a wide-ranging chat with plenty of singing and a wonderful live audience, we discuss the burgeoning shanty scene in Poland, Jim's 1983 victory with Johnny Collins at the Eastern Bloc's answer to Eurovision, the growing consensus around the true origins of shanties, and much more! It's a conversation we won't soon forget.
| |||
| 23. LIVE: David Jones and Jos Morneault at the Connecticut Sea Music Festival | 01 Jul 2023 | 00:43:16 | |
We're back with another special live episode, recorded in front of an audience at St. John's Church as part of the Connecticut Sea Music Festival. Our guests this time are David Jones and Joseph Morneault. | |||