Fiddler and singer-songwriter Hannah Read met banjo player Michael Starkey at an Appalachian old time session in Edinburgh in late 2019. The moment they first struck up a tune together there was an immediate meeting of musical minds. They have since become a dynamic fiddle and banjo duo, playing repertoire deep from the old time tradition as well as newly self-composed tunes and songs. Cross The Rolling Water was recorded in December 2020 between the lock-downs with Hudson Record’s own Andy Bell, Hannah and Andy first met whilst working together on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Album of the year by Songs of Separation.

Hannah is an award winning Scottish musician based in Brooklyn, NY. She moved stateside to study American fiddle styles and to immerse herself in the thriving string music scene. She has toured extensively, performing solo and collaborating with musicians far and wide including Tony Trischka, Sarah Jarosz and Jefferson Hamer, as well as being one part of the BBC Folk Award winning Songs of Separation.

Michael is a multi-instrumentalist, music teacher and old time banjo enthusiast living in Scotland. His mission as a musician is to keep things simple - clear melody lines underpinned by solid, infectious rhythm. Recent collaborations include with Wayward Jane (Edinburgh-based UK/US folk and roots music 4-piece) and 'Faultlines', a collection of Lisa Fannen's poetry set to music.

Cross The Rolling Water is available on CD, LP and Digital. This was the first Hudson Records LP pressed here in the UK at a new plant in Middlesbrough.