The original buoy band blessed with hearts of oak, nerves of steel and salt in their veins, The Fisherman's Friends are Cornwall's cultural ambassadors to the world, crossing the seven seas to spread their genre-defining brand of shanty singing.
But home is where their heart is and The Fisherman's Friends are at their most hale on Cornish soil in sight of the sea.
They first played the historic Minack Theatre in 2010 and have been back many times since, selling out every time.
"We love it," says MC Jon Cleave. "Perched up there on the cliff with the sea at our backs, it’s just an honour to perform in such a wonderful venue”
To make sure nobody misses out, this year The Fisherman's Friends are playing an unprecedented six dates at the Minack, two shows a day from 11 to 13 May.
Having got together more than 30 years ago to sing sea shanties on the Platt in their native Port Isaac, The Fisherman's Friends gatecrashed the charts with a Top 10 album in 2010 and went on to sing at the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, play Glastonbury and land the Good Tradition Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Their story has been the subject of an ITV documentary and best-selling book, as well as an acclaimed stage musical. Not to mention the hit movie from 2019 that last year saw them become the first British band since The Beatles to have a second feature film made about them.
The Fisherman’s Friends are: writer/shopkeeper Jon Cleave; lobster fisherman Jeremy Brown; smallholder and marine engineer John ‘Lefty’ Lethbridge; builder John McDonnell (a Yorkshireman who visited Port Isaac more than 40 years ago and never left); potter Bill Hawkins; accordion playing Padstow fisherman Jason Nicholas and film maker Toby Lobb.