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The Copper Family of Rottingdean, near Brighton, Sussex, England have a tradition of the unaccompanied singing of traditional local songs that has been passed down through several generations. In 1898, they came to the attention of Kate Lee (d.1904), one of the founders of the Folk Song Society (later the English Folk Dance And Song Society). In his extensive notes accompanying their archive CD ''Come Write Me Down'', Vic Gammon notes that both the collecting of songs and their unaccompanied singing were less common than is often imagined at this time and that Lee, a singer herself, knew she had found something special when she encountered the Coppers. James ''Brasser'' Copper (1845 - 1924) and his brother Thomas (c.1847-c.1936) were made honorary members of the society, and Brasser was prevailed upon to write down the songs that he knew. In 1936, his son Jim (1882 - 1954) wrote a further volume. In 1950, Jim and Bob (1915 - 2004) were invited to sing on an episode of the BBC radio programme ''Country Magazine'' and, over the next few years, the BBC would record them further, even producing a feature ''The Life Of James Copper'', broadcast in September of 1951. Jim, his brother John (c.1879-1952) and sons Ron (c.1913 - 1979) and Bob were to sing together at the Royal Albert Hall and wider public attention followed the broadcast of a six-part television series ''Song Hunter'', presented by Alan Lomax and featuring Jim, Bob and Ron. Bob wrote several books about the family and its songs, commencing with the widely acclaimed ''A Song For Every Season'' in 1971. The accompanying 4 LP set found Bob and Ron singing alongside Bob’s daughter Jill and son John, bringing a further generation into the family tradition. The passing of Ron was followed by the introduction of Jill’s husband Jon into the core line-up and some of Bob’s grandchildren have appeared with the group also. Various recordings have been made since the 1950s and some are still available, most notably the aforementioned ''Come Write Me Down'', which would have to be considered an essential, especially as it comes with 2 booklets full of superb biographical detail. Despite the passing of Bob in 2004, the present generations of the family continue to sing unaccompanied traditional songs and, in 2006, BBC Four broadcast an hour long programme about the family. RECOMMENDED
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