Mike Harding
Mike Harding (born 23 October 1944) is an English singer-songwriter, comedian, broadcaster, author, poet, playwright, and multi-instrumentalist recognized for blending folk music with humorous storytelling.[1][2] Born in Crumpsall, Manchester, to a working-class Irish Catholic family, Harding's father was killed in a Royal Air Force bombing mission shortly before his birth, shaping an early environment of resilience amid post-war hardship.[1][3] After leaving school, he held diverse manual jobs including road digger, dustbin man, carpet fitter, bus conductor, and factory worker before entering the entertainment industry through folk clubs in the 1960s.[1][3] His breakthrough came in 1975 with the novelty hit "Rochdale Cowboy," which topped the UK charts and propelled him into mainstream success as a stand-up performer and recording artist, leading to numerous albums, live tours, and television appearances.[2][3] From 1997 to 2012, Harding hosted the BBC Radio 2 folk music program The Mike Harding Show, amassing over 700 episodes that championed traditional and contemporary folk artists, though his tenure ended abruptly amid reported tensions with station management.[2][4] Beyond music and comedy, he has authored around 45 books, including poetry collections and travelogues like The Connemara Cantos, and continues to perform live while producing an independent folk podcast.[1][4]
Early life and education
Family background and childhood
Mike Harding was born on 23 October 1944 in Crumpsall, Manchester, into a working-class Irish-Catholic family.[1][3] His father, Flight Sergeant Louis Arthur "Curly" Harding, served as a navigator in Lancaster bombers with the Royal Air Force and was killed during a mission over Germany approximately one month before his son's birth.[5][6] Harding's mother raised him as a single parent amid post-war austerity, relying on family resilience and local community support in Crumpsall to navigate economic difficulties.[5] These early experiences of hardship in a tight-knit working-class neighborhood shaped his later reflections on Manchester life, as detailed in his 2015 memoir The Adventures of the Crumpsall Kid, which recounts childhood escapades and the era's social fabric.[7]Schooling and early influences
Harding passed the eleven-plus examination and gained a scholarship to St Bede's College, a prominent Catholic grammar school in Manchester.[6] There, he encountered challenges that contributed to later reflections on his educational experiences amid a largely positive upbringing.[8] Following secondary education and a series of manual jobs—including as a dustman, bus conductor, road digger, and carpet-fitter—Harding enrolled in university to study for a degree in education.[1] He supported himself financially through nighttime work and performances in folk and working men's clubs.[9] Upon completing the degree, he briefly worked as a teacher before pursuing entertainment full-time.[2] His early artistic influences centered on music, drawing from skiffle pioneer Lonnie Donegan, rockabilly performer Elvis Presley, folk revivalist Ewan MacColl, blues musician Jesse Fuller, and local Lancashire folk singer Harry Boardman.[2] These shaped his transition toward folk traditions, which he explored further after secondary school and prior to a brief emigration to Australia.[10]Professional career
Beginnings in music and comedy
Harding entered the music scene in the 1960s, performing in skiffle and rock bands around Manchester while developing his style under the influence of skiffle pioneer Lonnie Donegan, blues musician Jesse Fuller, and Lancashire folk singer Harry Boardman.[1] He shared stage bills with emerging acts such as The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Hollies, and Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders, gaining experience through local gigs and folk club appearances that served as his apprenticeship in live performance.[1] [3] The integration of comedy into his act began in 1967 during a university gig in Leeds with the ad-hoc Edison Bell Spasm Band, where Harding filled tuning pauses by telling jokes and sharing personal anecdotes, a tactic that quickly resonated with audiences.[1] [2] [3] This approach evolved from brief interjections between folk songs into extended stand-up routines, transforming his performances into a hybrid of music and observational humor rooted in working-class experiences.[1] [3] This fusion enabled Harding to forgo his planned teaching career for full-time entertainment, as the comedic elements distinguished him in the competitive northern club circuit and laid the foundation for recordings that combined songs with monologues.[1]Rise in the 1970s and 1980s
Harding's breakthrough came in 1975 with the novelty single "The Rochdale Cowboy," which peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart and marked his transition from niche folk circuits to broader popularity.[3][2] The song's success, blending comic storytelling with Lancashire dialect and folk elements, led to increased live bookings and media exposure, including appearances on variety shows such as The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club in 1977.[11] Building on this momentum, Harding released several albums in the mid-1970s, including Mrs 'Ardin's Kid and The Rochdale Cowboy Rides Again in 1975, followed by One Man Show in 1976, which showcased his multi-instrumental skills and comedic monologues.[12] These recordings emphasized original songs about working-class life in northern England, solidifying his reputation as a performer who fused humor with acoustic music. By 1979, he secured his own BBC Two television series, The Mike Harding Show, which ran for four series until 1982 and featured 20 episodes of stand-up, music, and guest spots, further establishing him as a television personality.[13] In the 1980s, Harding maintained his ascent through continued album releases and broadcasting commitments, including BBC live recordings such as the 1983 concert One Night in Lincoln, which captured his stage act blending folk ballads, poetry, and observational comedy.[14] His radio work, initiated in the wake of the 1975 hit, expanded during this decade with regular contributions to BBC programs, allowing him to reach audiences beyond live venues and television while promoting roots music alongside his own material.[2] This period saw him evolve into a staple of British entertainment, with sales of his records and books reflecting sustained demand for his regionally flavored content.[3]Broadcasting and later work
Harding's broadcasting career expanded in the 1990s with radio presentations including Mike Harding And Friends on BBC Radio 2 in 1991, featuring guests such as George Melly, Ralph McTell, and Maddy Prior, alongside three series of Yer Roots Are Green.[2] From 1997 to 2012, he hosted The Mike Harding Show on BBC Radio 2, a weekly programme dedicated to folk, roots, and acoustic music that attracted an audience of nearly one million listeners by the end of its run.[15][16] His final broadcast aired on 26 December 2012, after which Mark Radcliffe succeeded him; Harding later stated the departure was not voluntary.[17] On television, Harding produced post-1980s content such as the six-episode series Second Chance on BBC1 from March 1992 to May 1994, focusing on education, and the Easter special The Landlord’s Tale in 1994.[15] He contributed to Folk Britannia in 2006 and narrated the 2010 documentary The Yorkshire Dales on Film.[15] Following the end of his BBC Radio tenure, Harding launched an independent online version of The Mike Harding Folk Show, continuing to feature folk and acoustic music selections.[15] He maintained live performances, including appearances at folk festivals like Cambridge Folk Festival and tours such as the Lochs, Lakes, Highlands and Islands tour in 2016.[5] In writing, Harding shifted toward poetry, travelogues, and memoirs, publishing works like Daddy Edgar’s Pools (1992), The Adventures of the Crumpsall Kid (2015), and The Lonely Zoroastrian (2023), often exploring personal and regional themes.[18]Discography
Studio and live albums
Harding's early studio albums combined original folk songs, humorous monologues, and Lancashire-themed storytelling, reflecting his background as a singer-songwriter and comedian. His debut release, A Lancashire Lad, issued in 1972 by Trailer Records, featured tracks drawing from regional dialects and everyday life.[12] Subsequent albums on Rubber Records in 1974 and 1975, including There Was This Bloke and Mrs 'Ardin's Kid, incorporated collaborative elements with other performers while maintaining his solo style.[12] By the mid-1970s, Harding shifted to Philips Records, producing One Man Show in 1976, which captured his stage persona through spoken-word routines and acoustic numbers, followed by Captain Paralytic and the Brown Ale Cowboys in 1978 and On the Touchline in 1979.[12] The final Philips studio effort, Take Your Fingers Off It, arrived in 1980, marking a period of commercial output before a hiatus from new recordings.[12]| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | A Lancashire Lad | Trailer |
| 1974 | There Was This Bloke | Rubber Records |
| 1975 | Mrs 'Ardin's Kid | Rubber Records |
| 1975 | The Rochdale Cowboy Rides Again | Rubber Records |
| 1976 | One Man Show | Philips |
| 1978 | Captain Paralytic and the Brown Ale Cowboys | Philips |
| 1979 | On the Touchline | Philips |
| 1980 | Take Your Fingers Off It | Philips |
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Live & Dangerous | Independent |
| 1993 | Live & Uncensored | Telstar |
Singles and compilations
Harding released several singles in the 1970s, primarily on Rubber Records and later Philips/Phonogram, blending folk comedy with satirical lyrics on Northern English life.[12] His debut single, "Rochdale Cowboy" backed with "Strangeways Hotel," achieved commercial success, peaking at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart and spending six weeks in the top 40.[19] [20] Subsequent releases, such as "My Brother Sylvester" / "Uncle Joe's Mint Balls" in 1976, did not replicate this chart performance but contributed to his cult following in folk and comedy circuits.[12] The full list of singles includes:- "Rochdale Cowboy" / "Strangeways Hotel" (1975, Rubber Records ADUB3)[12]
- "My Brother Sylvester" / "Uncle Joe's Mint Balls" (1976, Rubber Records ADUB4)[12]
- "Talking Blackpool Blues" / "The Bogey Man" (1976, Rubber Records ADUB10)[12]
- "Guilty, But Insane" (1977, Philips CLOG1, EP)[12]
- "Christmas 1914" / "P.S. God" (1977, Philips/Phonogram 6006 585)[12]
- "Disco Vampire" / "For Carlo" (1979, Philips/Phonogram CLOG2)[12]
- The Best of Mike Harding Vol 1 (1985, Rubber Records RUB046)[12]
- The Best of Mike Harding Vol 2 (1986, Rubber Records RUB047)[12]
- Classic Tracks (1995, Moonraker MOO13)[12]
- Deep Lancashire (1997, Topic Records TSCD485; re-release of 1968–1970 material)[12]