Chris While and Julie Matthews

A Mad Dog Folk presentation

With more than 25 years of un-rivalled musical partnership and gathering numerous nominations, awards and critical acclaim along the way, highly respected by their fans and peers alike, English singer-songwriters Chris While and Julie Matthews celebrated a quarter of a century last year as one of the best and most enduring duos to come out of this country. This year will see them on the road on a UK tour in October

In case they’ve so far passed you by, they are the longest-lasting female duo in Britain and have played more than 2,500 gigs, appeared on over 100 albums, written hundreds of original songs and reached millions of people around the world.

Chris & Julie are generally regarded as folk/singer-songwriters and have been nominated ten times in the BBC Radio 2 Folk music awards in the ‘Best Song, Best Duo and Best Live Act’ categories and winning Best Duo in 2009, but their outlook is more akin to the DIY philosophy of punk. Their story is remarkable, one of two empowered women doing it their way, without compromise.

Chris While (vocals, guitar, banjo, dulcimer and percussion) & Julie Matthews (vocals, piano, guitar, mandolin and bouzouki) are breath-taking singers, songwriters, musicians and performers whose energy and commitment to their craft and their audience is boundless. They have been hailed as one of the best and most respected duos on the world folk roots scene.

One of the country best festivals ‘Shrewsbury Folk Festival’ (23-26 August 2019) has commissioned a celebratory ‘While & Matthews’ takeover, for which the duo have curated the Sunday on the Pengwern Stage, featuring friends and collaborators such as Eddi Reader, Blair Dunlop and Charlie Dore.

In 2020, Chris and Julie are more powerful than ever and remain at the very top of their game. In the spring of 2018 they returned to Australia to make their 12th tour of a country that they love and in return, are much loved. Last year they were named ‘Artists of the Year’ at the prestigious Port Fairy Music Festival, one of the biggest events of its kind in Australasia.

Their story is inspirational to young women and empowering to older women in equal measure.

“These women far outclass their many famous American cousins, and prove just how immediate and powerful well-written and performed music can still be. Awe- inspiring.” Dirty Linen

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

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

“Truly gifted human beings” Richard Hawley