Tony Capstick

This York, England-born folk-singer and comic songwriter was one of a spate of ‘folk comedians’ who emerged on the UK folk scene during the 70s. Among the others were Fred Wedlock, Mike Harding, Richard Digance and most successfully, Jasper Carrott and Billy Connolly. Capstick first recorded for the Newcastle-based Rubber Records, providing tracks for a comedy compilation, There Was This Bloke (with Harding, Derek Brimstone and Bill Barclay), his first solo album had an accompaniment from folk rock band Hedgehog Pie and was an eclectic mixture of skiffle (‘Goodnight Irene’), Bob Dylan (‘To Ramona’) and creditable versions of traditional songs such as ‘The Foggy Dew’ and ‘Arthur McBride’. Capstick came to national prominence when he recorded a parody of a popular television commercial for Hovis bread. ‘Capstick Comes Home’, with accompaniment by the Carlton Main And Frickley Colliery Band, was a surprise UK Top 5 hit in 1981 on the small Dingle’s label. Chrysalis Records released the album of the same name, which included German and Chinese versions of the hit song, but neither that nor a seasonal follow-up, ‘Christmas Cracker’, were successful. Capstick remains active as a local performer and radio personality in South Yorkshire.