Harry Cox

Harry Cox spent his entire life working as a farm laborer while singing traditional songs in a small North Norfolk village. Born in 1885, he first gained local attention as a performer after the English composer E.J. Moeran encountered him during the 1920s, though wider notice came only once his recordings surfaced following World War II. The surge of interest in folk documentation led by Alan Lomax and similar figures throughout the 1950s fostered renewed interest in British Isles traditions, positioning Cox among the most valued keepers of that heritage. Equipped with a rich, deep singing voice and a genuine passion for music, he produced multiple recordings that left a strong mark on the subsequent generation of British folk performers, including 1960s groups such as the Fairport Convention. His passing in 1971 concluded a performing life that had lasted more than five decades. During spring 2000 the Alan Lomax Collection released a retrospective titled What Will Become of England? through Rounder Records. Bonny Labouring Boy followed in early 2001.