Reg Meuross - Fire and Dust: Woody Guthrie Story

About

A performance celebrating acclaimed folk artist Woodie Guthrie

Commissioned and produced by Pete Townshend and created by award-winning singer-songwriter - Reg Meuross - Fire and Dust: Woody Guthrie Story is at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts on Friday 10 July at 8pm. Tickets are £23.

This has fast become one of the most powerful and acclaimed folk productions on today’s circuit. Townshend describes it as ‘folk music at its best, praising Reg’s ‘terrific songs’ which tell Guthrie’s life story ‘with respect, affection and truth’.

Woody Guthrie was an American singer, songwriter and composer widely considered one of the most significant figures in American folk music. He focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism and inspired many generations politically and musically. He influenced many songwriters including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Lou Reed and many more.

Reg Meuross is a compassionate and insightful songwriter and was recently named one of FATEA magazine’s 2025 Artists of the Year.

Music was embedded in his family life and he learned to play guitar in his teens. His first gig was at Yateley Folk Club at 16. His career kicked off in the 1980s with bands The Flamingos and later The Panic Brothers before his first major solo release in 1996. His songwriting defies easy categorisation with subjects ranging from suffragette Emily Davison to artist William Blake, Chilean singer Victor Jara and Woody Guthrie.

For this gig, Reg is joined by two members of his touring band The Strike – a name inspired by the collective action and human resilience at the heart of Guthrie’s work. The Strike features Welsh pianist/accordionist Geraint Watkins (Nick Lowe, Van Morrison, Paul McCartney, Mark Knopfler) and renowned multi-instrumentalist Marion Fleetwood (TRADarrr, IOTA, The Sandy Denny Project).

Through songs and narrative, Fire and Dust traces Guthrie’s fight against racism, corruption and inequality, drawing poignant parallels with the world we face today.

The performance blends Reg’s masterful songwriting with Guthrie’s enduring legacy: intimate, politically resonant and deeply moving. An unforgettable evening of music, storytelling and social history.