Nigel Eaton

Nigel Eaton is an English hurdy-gurdy player. He originally played the piano and cello but switched to the hurdy-gurdy in 1981 when his father, Christopher Eaton, began making them. He was a member of Whirling Pope Joan with Julie Murphy, Blowzabella, The Duellists and Firestarters of Leiden. He has released two solo albums - The Music of the Hurdy-Gurdy (1987) and Pandemonium (2002) and has been featured on other recordings by artists including Jimmy Page and Robert Plant with whom he toured between end of 1994 and early 1996, also Scott Walker, Shelleyan Orphan, Heidi Berry, Gary Kemp, Carl Davis, with whom he performed Abel Gances' Napoleon, Blue Aeroplanes, Martin Simpson, Moya Brennan, Afro Celt Sound System's "Release" (a current edexcel Music GCSE curriculum piece) and many works by Loreena McKennitt. Eaton's film work as a session musician has included Robin Hood, The Shipping News, Kingdom of Heaven, Aliens, Mansfield Park, Tulip Fever and as an extra in the films On Chesil Beach and Darkest Hour. Nigel Eaton is now a maker of built-in furniture in South London and occasionally a film extra Nigel's tune "The Halsway Carol" (lyrics by Iain Frisk) and "Halsway Schottische" has attracted nearly 180 versions and counting on YouTube.