The Three Idle Women were forged by a shared love of the Oxford Canal and a fondness for close harmony singing, folk music and stories that are carried through song. Working together since 2013, the trio share their diverse musical skills, instrumentation and an intimate knowledge of the life on, and along, the Canal.
They have been, writing new material, re-arranging older songs and spreading their infections fondness for the canal and the waterways. The trio are not merely traditional folk singers, they are interested in quirky instrumentation, rich vocal harmonies and strong stories which emerge from the heritage and history of the canal.
The Idle women borrow their name from the women who worked the canals as part of the WW2 war effort, the waterways equivalent of the women's land army. find out more here.
About
Jane Rouse
Vocals, concertina, Ukulele Bass, percussion
Charlie Henry
Vocals, Accordion, musical saw, ukulele, banjo
Steph Pirrie
Vocals, piano, whistle, trumpet, ukulele, harmonium, arrangements
Read all about the Three Idle Women in Waterways World Magazine, Winter 2023 - Here
The Three Idle Women are:
Narrow Escapes
We had great fun filming our episodes for series two of the Channel 4 programme Narrow Escapes. They featured us cruising along the Kennet and Avon canal (the via duct) and captured at our album launch at St Barnabas Church with the Idle choir and on the beautiful Puppet Barge. Find out more
We’re delighted to share our debut album All Hands Together
- the result of over ten years of working together.
Blending traditional and original songs, the album offers a window into the world of those who live and work along the water: stories of love, loss, adventure, and the quiet beauty of nature’s flow. All Hands Together is a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of the waterways that have shaped and inspired the trio for over a decade.
It is a musical journey through time, travelling along the River Thames, the Oxford Canal, and the Grand Union Canal, navigating history, politics, living folklore, and everyday life on the water. The trio capture snapshots of life as seen through the eyes of boaters.
Exploring ideas of socio-geography, and deepening connections to place, landscape, and our relationship with nature, the trio reference and celebrate boaters and characters, both past and present, who have offered helping hands and embody the album’s themes of linear community, shared stewardship, and belonging.
Three Idle Women Live
The Three Idle Women bring a really action-packed, interesting, engaging and fun show. Wonderful harmonies, inventive songs, an array of instruments and of course the Krankie. It was a really good evening...So thank you for engaging the multi-talented Jane, Steph and Charlie.’ Mike - Frittenden - Applause National Rural Touring Forum”
“Thank you for giving this dreamer a taste of life on the water.”
In their most intimate format The Idle Women perform acapella as a vocal trio with a surprising array of instruments in support including the muscical saw, ukeles, whistles, accordians and trumpets. At their grandest the trio are accompagnied by a wonderful band of musicians, many of them living on the waterways and deeply connected to their world. Catch one of their immersive shows and you’ll be delighted by the analogue Krankie storytelling device with films and photographs that wrap round their lovely songs.
