Contact Johnny and Chris: By telephone +44 (0) 1207 543873  johnnyhandle@hotmail.com

Discography
As you would imagine, there's quite a few!
Listed below are Johnny's solo albums, his collaborations
and those with the High Level Ranters. Even this is not a
comprehensive list as there are many more albums on which
Johnny has appeared. We hope to add to the list at a later date.

Check the SHOP page for CDs currently available
direct from Johnny. Harder to get albums may be
tracked down using the catalogue numbers listed.

Here Dwells My Heart with Chris Hendry 2013
The Bonny Fisher Lad, A Mackerel Song, The Shores of the Forth, Queen Amang the Heather, Farewell to Whitby/One for WIll, The Herd Laddie, The Collier Lad (Skipsey)/Guard Yer Man Weel, Scotch Fish/Maxi's Jig, Glenlogie, Little Fishie/Sunderland Pier, The Blyth Sailor's Farewell, Here Dwells My Heart

Billy Bell Redesdale Bard 2012
1862-1941
18 poems and songs performed by Johnny. Including: Redewater's Farewell to the Navvies, Fancy Motor Cars, Lines Attached to a Hidden Bicycle, Torments of Siatica, A Crack with a Collie, Since Geordie Teuk on the Beer etc

The Best of Johnny Handle (CAR012) 2010
The Collier Lad, farewell to the Monty, Durham Big Meetin, Going to the Mine, Dust, A Collier Brig, Guard yer Man Weel, Stoottin doon the Wall, The Owld Pubs, A Good Line of Patter, Jack Crawford, Down in Me Own Back Yard, Day at the Coast, The Butcher's in my Yard, The Hexham Mart, The Land Where the Fells Meet The Sky, The Banner Song

Heather and Sweet Smoke (SSRCD01) 2009  with Chris Hendry Tracks: Now Westlin Winds, The Last of the Clydesdales, Mary Hamilton, The Cardhu/Air for Christine, When I was Noo But Sweet Sixteen, Gan te the Kye, Lovin' Hannah, The Waikato Valley/Heather and Sweet Smoke/What a Bonny Ring, I am a Suffragette, The Deidly Wars, Bonny Laddie, Hieland Laddie, The Outlandish Knight, Mrs Rachel Hendry/Sunshine on the Dram/The Rolling Fields of Corn

Fairly Truthful Tyneside Tales (TFTCD01) 2009 - Recitations
Tracks: Thank Heaven For Little Gulls, Amazing Gracie, Dave The Jackal, The Flight of Oscars Underpants, The Angel Down the Allotment, Half a Crown a Week, Cecil The Seagull Gans up a Height, A Job Well Done, Saving for a Rainy Day, The Secret Life of Walter's Boots, The Lion,The Witch and the Warburtons, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way From The Crem, The Bethlehem Charabanc Trip, The Secret Life of Walter's Mittens

Northlands 1990
Tracks: Redesdale Hornpipe/ThBoys of North Tyne, Billy Boy, Caa Hawkie, Dance to yer Daddy, The Penker, bellingham Boat/Hexham Races, Bobby Shaftoe, Byker Hill, Corn Riggs/Blaydon Races, Adam Buckham, The Keel Row/Rothbury Hills, The Waters of Tyne, Bonny North Tyne/Canny Tyneside, Broom Besoms, Cushie Butterfield, Me Lad Sits Ower Late/Andrew Carr, The Herrins Heed, Keep Your Feet Still, The last Rose of Summer/Derwentwater's Farewell, The Lambton Worm, Morpeth Rant/Whinham's Rant, Blaydon Races

The Collier Lad  2000
Tracks: The Collier Lad, The Stoneman's SSong, Now Aa've Had Me Training, The Shearer, Farewell To The Monty, A Tap On The Heed, Old Man of the Village, The New Spotlight, Hard Times in '71, Durham Big Meeting Day, Dust, Nasty Dorty Pit, Going to the Mine, Stottin Doon The Waall, How Much?, The Union Is My Song, Guard Yer Man Weel, Too Short Or Too Long, A Lemington Keel, A Collier Brig, I'm Looking For A Collier

Down In Me Own Backyard  2003
Tracks: Danny's, The Fearless Mariner, The Cat and The Hoover/Kitten Mitten, Cat up a Tree, Jack Crawford, Sunderland Oak, Is ther Owt Secure? The Owld Pubs, Schooldays, All The Roads To Whitby, Midnight Whitby Harbour, Decoratin', My December Rose/The Dancy Waltz/Gateshead Flower Show, Ode To The Leek, Here's To The Bottle And The Glass, The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, Down in me Own Back Yard, The Day At The Coast

The Land Where The Fell Meets The Sky  2004
Tracks: The Hexham Horseman/The Birkey Burn, The Clocker, The January Lamb, Follow The Country Code, The Early Morning March, The Hexham Mart, Kestrel Is King, The Butcher's In My Yard Now, Down On The Farm, Swaletown, The New Forest Pony/Whareham Dragonflies, The Odd'n, The Land EWhere The Fells Meet The Sky, Valentine Dance Of The Ash Keys, geordie Brown, Duckwalk/Spooky/Striding Out On A Sunday Morn, Halty Saturday, The Failed Shepherd, The Wild WInd/Spring Flower

Six Of The Best - Ragtime Piano Music   2002
Tracks: After The Valentine, Whistling Rufus, London Blues, The Rag of '98, Tiger Rag, Winin Boy Blues, Free Spirits, Georgia Cakewalk, Make Me A Pallet On The Floor, Gipsy Rose Rag, Original Rags, 2.19 Blues, Malvern Swings, Summer Sensation

Old And New Geordie Songs For Kids   2003
Tracks: Adam Buckham, Billy Boy, Dolia, A U Me Hinny Bird, Tally I O The Grinder, Bobby Shaftoe, Doon The Waggonway, A Pennyworth of Pins, Still I love Him, We Went Along A Bit Further, The Harrin's Heed, What'll Aa Do Wi Me Feet? freddy The Clown, The Long summer Days, The Pet's Song, Penny For The Guy, Down On The Farm, Mr Bonkle, Riding In My Car, The Troll

Handle With Care - with Pete Wood and Chuck Fleming 1992
Tracks: Mauretania March, Going To The Mine, All Over The Place/Braunston Locks, The Skagen Waltz, The North Country Maiden, Just Six o' Clock/The Moonshine Polka, The Beech Tree, Gipsy Rose Rag, Doon The Steps On A Frida, Tricky Charlie, The Hexham Mart, Flash In The Pan,/Mealy The Moose/Getting Away In Third, Around The Corner House, Jan's Birthday Jig/Johnson/The Sharp Lowse, Malvern Swings, The Blackberry Bank/The Difficult Fish, Guard Yer Man Weel, Oh Lass! Divvent Grow Up/The Pine Grove Waltz/Miss Anna of Carrsgate, Sunny Winter Sunday, Foster Charlton And His Cat/Wind On The Fell/Baby In The Bath/The Fiddler's Stepladder

A Good Line Of Patter - Airs and Recitations 1996
Tracks: Old Man In The Village, The Monty, Canny Aad Gateshead, Foster and his Cat, Guard Yer Man, Let Yer Man Out For A Pint, Is There Owt Secure? Hard Times in '71, Bonny Lass Divvent Grow Up Yet, Nasty Dorty Pit, The Union Is My Song, Going To The Mine, Teesdale, Now Aa've Had Me Training, Here's Te The Bottle, A Good Line Of Patter, heather's Tune, First Schooldays, The LLass Is Sair Troubled, Matty, Ne Ripples On The Watter, Hexham Highway, The Black Haggs, The Computer, The Odd'n, The Wind On The Fell, The WIngein' Wife, The Hang Glider and The Shepherd, The Beech Tree, The Great Australian Dancer, The Baker Day, Come to The Briny Ocean

Northumberland for Ever (Topic 12TS186), 1968 Deleted
Tracks: Shew's the Way to Wallington / Peacock followed the Hen, The Sandgate Lasses Lament / Elsie Marley, Bellingham Boat / Lamb Skinnet, Adam Buckham, Meggy's Foot,.The Lads of North Tyne / Redesdale Hornpipe, Hexhamshire lass, The Breakdown / Blanchland Races, The Lads of Alnwick / Lamshaws Fancy, Byker Hill, Whinham's Reel / Nancy, Because he was a bonny Lad / Salmon Tails up the Water / Sweet Hesleyside, Dance to your Daddy, Billy Boy, Nae Good Luck aboot the Hoose, Mi' Laddie sits ower late up, The Keel / Kafoozalum / The Washing Day  Available on CD (Topic TS CD 483)

The Lads of Northumbria (Trailer LER 2007), 1969
Tracks: Drops of Brandy / The Foxhunters Jig / The Rocky Road to Dublin, The Spey in Spate / Da Tusca, The College Valley Hunt, Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them a', Baby lie easy, Dingle Regatta / Father Kelly's Jig, The Wedding at Blyth / Andrew Carr, The Golden Eagle / The Sunshine, Johnny Armstrong / Derwentwater's Farewell / Ned of the Hill, Buy broom buzzems, The Underhill / Da Scallowa' Lassies / De'il stick the minister, Hares on the mountain, The Trumpet Hornpipe / Cadum Woods

Keep Your Feet Still Geordie Hinnie (Trailer LER 2020), 1970 Tracks:Keep yor feet still, The Paanshop bleezin, The Lambton Worm, Come Geordie ha'd the bairn, Geordie Black, Adam Buckham, Cushie Butterfield, The Neighbours doon belaa, Wor Nannie's a mazor, The Weshin Day, Last Neet, The Blaydon Races, Songs sung by Johnny and Tommy, and the orchestra at Balmbra's consisted of Forster Charlton and Colin Ross (fiddles), Alistair Anderson (concertina), Colin Beal (clarinet and saxophone), Clem Avery (trumpet), Ronald McLean(trombone), Albert Gelson (percussion), Tommy Waugh (bass), and Johnny Handle (piano).

High Level (Trailer LER 2030), 1971
Tracks: Felton Lonnin, Till the tide comes in / Stay a wee bit, bonnie lad, The Plains of Waterloo, The Hens March / The Broken-Legged Chicken / The Black Cock of Whickham, Trepanner Song, The Jolly Beggar, Papa Stour, Monday morning, Through the fields / Tarbolton Lodge, I drew my ship, Hartigan's Fancy / Tobin's Favourite, The High Level Bridge Hornpipe.

A Mile to Ride (Trailer LER 2037), 1973
Tracks: Nae guid luck / Charlie Hunter, Cold and raw, The Beeswing / Archie Menzies, The Border Widow's Lament, A mile to ride / Jockey lay up in the hayloft, Shoemaker, The Shepherd's Life, A U me hinny bird, Newcastle Hornpipe / Gateshead Hornpipe, Long Lankin, Gillan the Drover / Niel Gow's Wife, The Dark island / The Laird of Drumblair / Angus Campbell

The Bonny Pit Laddie (Topic 2-12TS271/2), 1975
Tracks: The Hewer, Doon the Waggon Way, A Miner's Life, I Wish Pay Friday wad come, The Auchegeich Disaster, The Collier's Rant, Farewell to the Monty, The Putter, Little Chance, My Gaffer's Bait, The Coal Owner and the Pitman's Wife, The Blackleg Miners, The Miner's Lockout, The South Medomsley Strike, The Durham Lockout, Aa'm Glad the Strike's done, The Collier's Pay Week (Cut and Dry Dolly / Success to the Coal Trade / My Lad is o'er bonny for the Coal Trade), I'll have a collier, I'll make her fain to follow me / The Joyful days are coming / Get her Bo, The Stoneman's Song, The Hartley calamity, Bonnie Woodha', The Banks of the Dee, The Bonny Pit Laddie  Available on CD (Topic TSCD 486)

Ranting Lads (Topic 12TS388), 1976 Deleted
Tracks: Fairly Shot of Her / A Wife of My Own, Dance to yer Daddy, The Lass doon on the Quay, The Kielder Hunt, Alston Flower Show / Jane of Biddlestone, Fortune Turns the Wheel, Fenwick o' Bywell, Elsie Marley / Hoop Her and Gird Her, Captain Bover / Here's the tender comin' / Success to the Fleet, Proudlock's Hornpipe / The Hesleyside Reel, Stanley Market, The Marquis of Waterfoed / Bottle Bank / The Hawk  Available on CD (Topic TSCD 498)

English Sporting Ballads (Broadside BRO 128), 1976  
(with Martyn Wyndham-Read)

Ranters' Tracks: Eccles Wakes, Bonny Beeswing, Newcastle Wakes, The boat race, The White Hare of Howden, Alnwick football song

Martyn's tracks: The Ballad of Trubshaw and Green, The great foot Race, The Charcoal Black and the Bonny Grey, Sayers' and Heenan's great fight, The noble fox hunting, The Bullard's Song Available on CD (Celtic Music CMBCD 002 )

Four in a Bar (Topic 12TS445), 1979
Tracks: Whinham's Jig / Billy's Jig, Chips and Shavings / Jack's Alive / Dear Tobacco, Town Green Polka / Jenny Bell Polka, The Biddlestone Hornpipe / The Last of the Twins, The Ruby / The Quarrelsome Piper, Rowley Burn / Coates's Hornpipe, La Russe / Whinshields Hornpipe / Jane's Fancy / Da Road to Houll, Blinkin' Tibbie / The Pear Tree, Swalwell Lasses / South Shields Lasses, Moon shine Polka, The Quayside / Miss Ward's Reel, The Butterclout / Such a Wife as Willy had / Willy is a Bonny Lad

The New High Level Ranters (Topic 12TS425), 1982
The first recording of the new line-up: Jim Hall, Johnny Handle, Colin Ross, Pete Wood.

Tracks: Fisherman's Friend / Black and the Grey, Ca Hawkie, The Old Drove Road / Mr Kennedy North, Jim Jones, The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, John Peel, Durham Regatta / Little Jenny, The Snows they melt the Soonest, Yellow Haired Laddie / The Glen Coe March, New Song of the Coal, Skipper's Wedding, Duke of Fife / Maggie Lauder

Border Spirit (Topic 12TS434), 1983
The first album of the current band - Jim Hall, Johnny Handle, Colin Ross - is a tribute to the Northumbrian piper, Billy Pigg, whose tunes and playing have influenced the style and repertoire of the Ranters throughout their existence.

Tracks: Billy's Jig / Kielder Fells, Gan ti' the Kye wi' me, Border Spirit, Felton Lonnen, Wallington Hall / Billy's Reel, The Foxhunters Hornpipe / Billsmoor, Kings Hall / John of Carrick, The Bellingham Show, Coilsfield House / Tom's March, The Canny Shepherd Laddies, The Surprise Hornpipe. Some of the tracks from this are available on the classic CD compilation - The Northumbrian Smallpipes (Topic TSCD 487)

Gateshead Revisited (Common Ground CGR 005 ), 1987
Recorded to coincide with the Gateshead Garden festival

Tracks: Forster Charlton and his Cat / The Steamboat, Geordie Black, We'll aal awa' to Sunniside / The Black Cock of Whickham, He's got them on the Run, The Great North Run / Gateshead Stadium, The Gateshead Bobby, Blaydon Races, The Fair Maid of Whickham / The Squire of Bensham, Canny old Gateshead / The South Shore, Bonny Gateshead Lass, The Exhibition / Blaydon Flats, Cushie Butterfield, The High Level Hornpipe. Available on CD: Common Ground CGRCD005, and as cassette (CGR005)

Along the Coaly Tyne TSCD 498 with Louis Killen
Tracks: The Anti-Gallican Privateer, The Collier's Rant, Up the Raw, Farewell to the Monty, The Blackleg Miners, The Collier Lad, Dollia, The Waggoner, Derwentwater's Farewell, Stottin' doon the Waall, Keep yor feet still, Geordie Hinny, The Stoneman's Song, Aw Wish Pay Friday wad Come, Durham Big Meeting Day, The Trimdon Grange Explosion, The Putter, Sair Fyeld Hinny, Dance to yer Daddy, The Lass Doon on the Quay, The Kielder Hunt, Elsie Marley, Stanley Market

Tommy Armstrong TSCD 484 1965
Tracks: Durham Gaol, The Row between the Cages, The Birth of the Lad, Marla Hill Ducks, Oakey's Keeker, The Durham Lockout, Wor Nanny's a Maizor, The Oakey Strike Evictions, The Sheel Raw Flood, The Hedgehog Pie, The Ghost that Haunted Bunty, The Skull Board Man, The Trimdon Grange Explosion, The South Medomsley Strike

Northumbrian Journey (CDSP 58)  2004
Tracks: Ye're Gannin' Te Be A Keelman, Sunderland Oak, The Tyneside Tattooist Danny's, The College Valley Hunt, Superstitious Sally, Drunken Bella Roy, I Drew My Ship Into A Harbour, Johnny The Plashetts Caller, Alwinton Show, He's Got Them On The Run, Halty Saterda' Morn, The Hexham Mart, The Roman Waall Show, In Our Town, The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, Adam Buckham, The Auld Rag Shop, Kilhope Moor

Alang the Roman Waal (CAR 010)   2003
Tracks: Gilsland Hornpipe/Upper Denton Hornpipe, Halty Saterday, The Roman Wall Show, The Cardhu/Whinshields, Alang the Roman Waal, Stagshaw Bank, The Buck of Kingwatter, The Waal, Bessie in Mask, Hindley Steel, Haltwhistle Fair, The Warksburn Waltz/Gunnerton Fell Cuddy, The Other Side of the Waal, Crag Lough/The Back Road, The Five Wives of Acomb, The Waters of Tyne, The Black Bottle, The Beech Tree/The Blackberry Bank/The Difficult Fish

Bridging (HLR01)

Tracks: Bellingham Boat/The Fiery Clock Fyece/Hexham Races, Spirit of the Border/Harry's Rant, A U Hinny Burd, Roslin Castle/XYZ/Fogabella, Swedish Waltzes, I drew my ship into the harbour, Coulgrave Sound/Robertson's Reel/Willafjord, Felton Lonnen, The Border Widow's Lament, Arthur's Seat/Laura Andrew, The Water of Tyne, Gypsies' Lullaby/Raylees, The Neighbours doon Belaa, The Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Maggie Lauder/The Queen's Welcome to Invercauld

A Cold Wind Blows (Elektra EUK 253) 1966
Various artists including Johnny, Cyril Tawney, Alasdair Clayre and Matt McGinn

Johnny's tracks: Dust, The Trepanner Song, Fill up the Pints Again,  The Old Pubs, Because it Wouldn't Pay

Stottin' Doon the Waall (EP TOP78) 1962
Tracks: Stottin' Doon the Waall, The Stoneman's Song, The Day We Went to the Coast, The Collier Lad (The Filler) Durham Big Meetin' Day, Farewell to the Monty

The Collier's Rant (EP TOP74) 1962 with Louis Killen and Colin Ross
Tracks: Blackleg Miner, The Colliers' Rant, Aw Wish Pay Friday Wad Come,  The Putter, The Trimdon Grange Explosion, The Waggoner

The Iron Muse Topic TSCD 465 1993 Various Artists
Johnny's Tracks: Sandgate Girl's Lament/Elsie Marley (With Ranters) Doon the Waggonway, Aa'm Glad the Strike's Done, Keep yer feet still (Johnny and Louis)

She's A Big Lass, She's A Bonny Lass 1978 (EMI OU2222)
Tracks: Cushie Butterfield, The Lass Doon on the Quay, The Muckin of Geordie's Byre/Hexham Races, The Blackleg Miners, A Good Line of Patter, Keep Your Feet Still, Felton Lonnin, Danny's, The Waters of Tyne, The Keel Row, I'll Have a Collier, The Tyneside Tattooist, He's got them on the Run, Dance te yer Daddy.