LEE HOWORTH caught up with folk singer CARA DILLON, who makes her way to the town tonight for a special stripped-down performance

FOLK fans will flock to Bury from tonight for an annual festival and award-winning singer Cara Dillon cannot wait to join them.

The 39-year-old is one of the headliners for the eighth annual Big Whistle Festival, along with Michael McGoldrick and Treacherous Orchestra.

Joined by her partner and husband Sam Lakeman — brother of folk singer Seth — she has successfully steered an eclectic musical path gathering both critical acclaim and commercial success with her captivating and emotive performances.

She will be performing with Sam, on guitar and piano, and Niall Murphy, on fiddle, and support for tonight's sold-out gig will be from Grainne Brady and Tina Jordan Rees.

"We always like returning to The Met because the audience are fantastic.

"There's such an amazing variety and standard of music that makes its way through the venue that you know you're being appreciated by folks who really know their stuff,” said an enthusiastic Cara, who is looking forward to the experience of playing as a three-piece again.

“Performing as a trio or duo can be far more taxing than when I perform with the full band. It means that each of us have to work that much harder to carry the songs with the same level of dynamic and emotion.

“However, when I'm singing ballads accompanied only by Sam on piano there's a freedom that I rarely get when playing with the others. I don't have to conform to the rhythm of the whole, I can ebb and flow as I wish.

“That in itself is the greatest feeling as a singer and I often find myself lost in the song and sometimes totally unaware of the audience entirely. It feels amazing

"Sam often says that when a song finishes, the first clap from the audience is like a knife popping a delicate bubble."

The general reaction to Cara’s new material gives further reason for her excitement ahead of the show, and many critics hold up last year’s A Thousand Hearts amongst her best work.

She said: “We haven't had a single negative word said or written about the album since it was released in May 2014. The reviews have been incredible and it has been selling really, really well which is always the best sign that people like it.

“The reaction to the live versions has been equally brilliant and it's been a joy to play the new songs to my fans. I know people like it when it's stripped down because the feedback we get is incredible.”

Not only has the album impressed the critics and her fans alike, but she has also gained pleasantly surprising support from mainstream artists such as Ed Sheeran, who even personally tweeted a recommendation to her music, as well as Ellie Goulding.

She said: “I’d be surprised if I woke up and found traditional songs being played on Radio 1 — even if they were remixed.

“But I'd hope that their endorsement would help to de-stigmatise folk music and maybe help shine a light on the genre leading to new fans. Let’s put it like this, it can't do any harm.”

Although she is quite obviously looking forward to the latest tour, it is always a nice surprise to Cara where she ends up visiting other than the concert halls themselves.

Cara, who performed at last year's Ramsbottom Festival, said: “Anyone who knows me really well will tell you that I have no idea where I'm going or what's on the way or nearby. I only seem to recall venues and dressing rooms.

“The rest of the band will talk about great restaurants, market towns, farm shops and pubs that they remember and look forward to revisiting but I have no idea what they're talking about until I step through the door and go 'aahhh, I remember this place'.

"I've been blessed that exciting projects always seem to find me just when I'm looking for a new thing to get my teeth into.

“I'm off to China for a tour in March and I've just been nominated for Folk Singer of The Year at the BBC Folk Awards, so Sam and I will be attending the ceremony on April 22. Sam's been asked to compose the music for a feature film so that may involve me to some extent.”

It must be quite a wrench to be away from her home in Somerset — although she is originally from Northern Ireland — for such long periods each year?

She said: “Always. But it's possibly the most potent fuel for the emotion behind a lot of the songs I sing — and it's part of the job.”

The Met presents the eighth annual Big Whistle Festival from tonight until Saturday.