Dan Cassidy and James Hickman

James Hickman and Dan Cassidy are a newly formed transatlantic folk and roots duo. Dan Cassidy (USA), provides an exciting array of fiddling renditions, while James Hickman (UK), brings his driving guitar playing and wonderfully unique interpretations of songs to their mixture of new and old folk music. James and Dan have recently released their debut CD Severn Street

James Hickman was born in Shrewsbury Shropshire where he was raised on a diet of folk and bluegrass music. James’ father (an avid bluegrass musician) bought him his first guitar and at the age of thirteen he started performing with him at sessions and folk clubs. After music college, James travelled with his guitar to Ireland and then to Iceland. In Iceland he co-formed The Dan Cassidy Swing Quartet. James then returned to England where he began performing as a solo artist and formed the duo Hickman and Quinn. He went on to join folk group Uiscedwr and worked with them for two years. James now performs in the UK and Europe as part of Hickman and Quinn,The Dan Cassidy Swing Quartet and James Hickman and Dan Cassidy.

Dan Cassidy grew up in a musical family in Maryland, USA, gaining a solid backround in music after taking up the violin on his tenth birthday. His formative years as a teenager were productive, as Dan absorbed a broad spectrum of musical styles on the violin, including classical, jazz, bluegrass, country, blues, and rock. While touring professionally in the UK in the 1980’s, Dan was introduced to the music of Shetland fiddler Aly Bain, which sparked his keen interest in Celtic music, and the UK folk scene in general. Dan has spent the last 15 years in Iceland as a successful session musician, and has been returning to the U.K regularly to perform with his own group, The Dan Cassidy Swing Quartet. He appears on several recordings of his sister, the late Eva Cassidy.