Bob Cann

Bob Cann was born in 1916 in Spreyton, on the northern edge of Dartmoor, into a large farming family where, by his own account, nearly everyone played an instrument. He started on the melodeon at the age of three, picking up tunes from his uncles George and Jim, who had in turn learned them from his grandfather. As a young man he played for hours-long step-dancing competitions at village fairs, sitting with his back to the dancers so there could be no favouritism, and in 1957 he beat the renowned Northumbrian piper Billy Pigg into second place at an EFDSS traditional music competition.

From the 1950s Bob worked to revive and record Devon's traditional music and step dancing, running classes and reviving the county's step dance contests. In 1978 he founded the Dartmoor Folk Festival to help preserve the area's music, dance, song and crafts; the festival still runs annually in South Zeal today. He was awarded the EFDSS Gold Badge in 1981 and the British Empire Medal for his services to traditional music and dance. Bob Cann died in 1990.

Recordings

Singer and storyteller Bill Murray, a fellow founder member of the Dartmoor Folk Festival, worked closely with Bob Cann for many years.