Bill Caddick started singing in the early 60s. He regularly organised and appeared in festivals and folk clubs until 1973 when he joined the innovative puppet and street theatre group Magic Lantern. He left in 1975 to concentrate on solo performing and writing - releasing two albums "Rough Music" and "Sunny Memories". The latter, a reflection on Edwardian Life was re-written as a show and premiered at the Roundhouse in London followed by an extensive tour.

In 1977 he joined the Albion band in the National Theatre productions of 'Larkrise' and 'The Passion'. A further solo album 'Reasons...' was released in 1979. He then formed an occasional trio with Peter Bond and Tim Laycock, collaborating on the show and album 'A Duck on his Head' about circus life, as well writing songs for local radio and Granada TV - for whom he also wrote and performed music for a film on the Tolpuddle Martyrs.

Bill was a founder member of the legendary folk-rock band 'The Home Service', whose first album has been re-released on CD along with a CD of live material. He continued to work at the National Theatre, writing and appearing in : 'Don Quixote' 'A Country Calendar' 'The Passion' 'The Nativity' 'Doomsday' 'The Mysteries' - the award winning trilogy performed at the National, West End, TV and throughout Europe.

Bill left The Home Service in 1985 and released a new solo album ' The Wild West Show'

After a brief spell living in London, where he recorded a limited edition cassette 'Urban Legend' with fiddler Neti Vaandrager and bassist Bernard O'Neill, Bill moved back to the Midlands and now lives in Jackfield, Shropshire, with his wife Katherine, an Illustrator, and their son Tam.

 In 1996 he released a new CD ' Winter with Flowers', backed by a number of local musicians, including members of ceilidh band All Blacked Up which he has since joined. He continues to work as a solo performer and with the local band the Jackfield Riverbillies and the new Anne Lennox Martin Band

Bill released a retrospective double album 'Unicorns' in 2002 see review page for more details

In between times he was Musical Director of a new production of “Larkrise” by the Shropshire Theatre Guild at Shrewsbury Castle. He is currently working on a play “The Peat Bog Soldiers” and has started work on a new CD “The Cloud Factory”

His songs have been recorded by the likes of June Tabor, Chris Foster, Alex Campbell, The Yetties, Christy Moore, Peter Rowan, John Kirkpatrick, Artisan, Coope, Boyes and Simpson and many others throughout the world.


"The man's a wonder. Unique. Masterful. Magnificent. Enormous. Essential." John Kirkpatrick

"Holds your attention from first to last. He has hell of a voice and plays a mean guitar" fRoots

"Simply brilliant. English folksong delivered with passion and commitment." The Living Tradition

"Superb...proves beyond doubt that he is one of the finest songwriters of his generation." Taplas

"It's an eye-opener to realise how many of those songs are from Caddick's pen... True 'people songs', they'll be around as long as there are people to sing them." Mel McClellan, BBC Radio Two

• Folk
• Acoustic
• Singer - songwriter