The Poozies

For over a decade, the British folk band the Poozies has combined innovative arrangements with a love of classic Celtic melodies. The group formed in 1989, when former Sileas members Mary Macmaster (metal-strung and electro harps, percussion, and vocals) and Patsy Seddon (gut and electro harps, percussion, vocals, and fiddle) shared their idea of an all-female folk group with guitarist/vocalist/percussionist Sally Barker. They connected with accordion player/vocalist Karen Tweed and fiddler Jenny Gardner. Though Gardner left shortly after their first few gigs — which included a performance at the Shetland Folk Festival — the Poozies continued as a quartet and released 1993's Chantoozies and 1995's Dansoozies with this lineup. Barker left the group in 1996 and was replaced briefly by up-and-coming vocalist Kate Rusby, who recorded the Come Raise Your Head EP and the Infinite Blue album with them before continuing her solo career. By the late '90s, vocalist/fiddler Eilidh Shaw joined the group, and the 2000 release Raise Your Head: A Retrospective celebrated the group's first ten years.