Stafford's unsigned banjo king Dan Walsh loves being in a Holy Trinity

Comfortable playing the lone wolf or forging a fellowship, Dan Walsh is a musician lucky enough to taste – and make a success of – multiple avenues in the world of music.

The Dan Walsh Trio are, from left, Dan, Ciaran Algar and Nic Zuppardi

The Stafford lad, aged 31, who grew up in Baswich and attended Waltham High School, is something of an unsung hero in the cultural output of the county town.

Whether releasing solo albums or part of his critically lauded Urban Folk Quartet (UFQ) he has amassed a decent following of folk lovers, having first made his tentative steps on stage around 15 years ago.

Now, he is back with another façade. The Dan Walsh Trio are talented, humble and ready to push through the “glass ceiling” of folk to gather more widespread attention.

“My past two records were very much solo albums,” he said. “It would be me and maybe one or two guests adding a thing or two, but it was quite solitary.

“I fancied a bit of a bigger sound next and to stretch my composition skills a bit.”

So he called in some acquaintances to put together a new act. He gave a call to fiddler Ciaran Algar, from up the road in Stoke, while also roping in the services of long-time collaborator and mandolin player Nic Zuppardi.

“Ciaran had previously said he wanted to do some work together,” Dan continues. “He is an absolutely fantastic fiddle player and I thought I’d better take him up on that offer before he became too famous.

“Nic was the natural choice to complete the trio. He is a great player and a great guy, my true go-to guy for projects.

“We’re midway through our second tour at the moment and we’re loving the vibe.”

The logistics of touring are vastly different for solo musicians and those part of a collective.

“Obviously it’s easier traveling solo. If I want to just stop off somewhere for a couple of hours I can and there’s nobody else to think about. But touring as part of a group with good company is a great laugh.

“Then there’s the stage. When I’m by myself I can mix things up a bit and mess around with my set at the drop of a hat. You can’t do that in a group. But you’ve then got the camaraderie to enjoy.

“I honestly generally enjoy both. I get a kick out of all the line-ups I am part of. As musicians we enjoy some variety. Some guys just stay in one band for years but that’s just not for me. I’d miss all the things I wasn’t doing.”

Last Friday they released their first album together – simply called Trio – and the melodic adventures held within are a joyful romp alongside some of the mainstay instruments of the folk world.

It was recorded with another long-time collaborator of Dan’s – producer Mark Hutchinson – another relationship Dan was happy to rekindle.

“We’ve really enjoyed putting this album together,” he adds. “Mark recorded it and worked on it for us and it was great. We’re very proud of it.

“I’m a massive fan of the other two. I definitely wanted to make sure we all got equal billing and they got to show off their talent and styles. There’s a bit of a range of songs here for people to enjoy.”

With it being a larger sound than Dan Walsh fans will have heard from recent solo releases they have high hopes about whether they will hook in those who wouldn’t normally listen to the genre.

“Because the folk world is a bit smaller it is actually a bit easier to be seen if you get into the right festivals. You can reach larger parts of the scene quicker.

“It’s a very small scene. There’s something of a glass ceiling there keeping us in but some big acts do break through. It is true as well that folk is a bit protective of its niche status so keeps a closed door.

“But there are some big festivals that put us on the map, while Radio 2 still has its folk show. It’s not easy, but being in music rarely is.”

One of those festivals that champions folk is Green Man in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. And Dan will be there once again this year with his UFQ chums when it kicks off on August 15.

“It’s a great festival with a wide range of the genre on show,” he enthuses. “Shrewsbury Folk Festival is another. It’s got a broad range but is true to its roots so it brings a lot of different people in – people who might not think they like folk but discover there’s a lot on offer.”

Away from his festival hopes, Dan will be back at home next week with the Trio promoting this debut release. They come to the town’s Gatehouse Theatre on Wednesday.

“Playing in Stafford is great and I get to see all my old friends,” he says. “I moved to Radbrook in Shrewsbury about a month ago after another stint in Stafford so it will be good to be back again so soon.

“It’s a very special place to me.”

After that there will be a solo tour of the States before his UFQ festival dates to stimulate his mind.

He also has a new book out too to teach others to follow in his footsteps. Tabs From The Vaults, available at Amazon, is a ‘how to’ guide for others looking to fall in love with the banjo.

For Dan, though, that happened a long time ago.

“I think the banjo is actually capable of a lot more variety than it gets credit for,” he adds. “People probably ask ‘do I even like the banjo?’ when they see a show advertised. But I have a lot of energy and love being on stage and like to get the audience involved with the on-stage banter. So I hope they find it fun and musically interesting.”

Dan Walsh Trio – Trio is out now via all good digital outlets and Dan’s Spotify page. Both the new album and his book are available on Amazon. Tickets to his Stafford Gatehouse gig on Wednesday are available from the theatre. They also play at Shrewsbury's Stop Café on June 27. For more on Dan Walsh and his various projects visit his website.