Jon Cope Celtic County Blues

Australia

From Fremantle, Western Australia, singer-songwriter Jon Cope is a folk roots musician whose music has taken him across continents, from Australia to Asia to Europe. Playing a compelling mix of original songs and timeless folk classics, Jon’s rich vocals and evocative storytelling bring warmth and depth to every performance.
His latest music project, Jon Cope Celtic County Blues, brings together an intergenerational collective of Australian folk and jazz musicians. Together, they craft an immersive blend of heartfelt contemporary folk, reimagined trad ballads, and soulful blues roots, infused with the spirit of jazz improvisation and folk spontaneity. Their live shows are vibrant, genre-blending and authentic, resonating across generations.
“Jon Cope is the best male folk singer in the West Australian folk scene.”
— Terry Bonnett, WA Folk Federation, 2021
Jon’s career spanned music festivals, concert halls, folk clubs, and pub gigs, and his versatility as an engaging performer shines through. As a young musician, he spent many years travelling the curious ‘scenic route’ of the industry, living in Ireland and the UK, and touring throughout Europe, Asia and Australia playing solo and with previous bands. In recent years, he’s worked in the Australian world and folk music industry as a director, manager, and producer of festivals, concerts, and film. Performing and touring again now with his new band with intergenerational family connection is a great privilege and joy to share.
Festival appearances include:
• Australia: National Folk Festival, Port Fairy Music Festival, Illawarra Folk Festival, Fairbridge Festival, Nannup Music Festival, Blues at Bridgetown festival, Bunbury Shanty Festival, and the Albany International Folk and Shanty Festival.
• International: Cropredy Festival (UK), Warwick Folk Festival (UK), Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), Celtic Festival of Japan, among others.
Folk and World Music Industry Roles
Jon is the Artistic Director of the Fairbridge Festival, a renowned three-day folk, world, and roots music event held since 1993 at Fairbridge Village near Pinjarra, Western Australia. For over three decades, the festival has showcased a rich and diverse program featuring traditional and contemporary folk, world, and roots music, along with related arts. It proudly presents a dynamic mix of international, national, regional, and local artists.
(Website: www.fairbridgefestival.com.au)
Jon is the Producer and Facilitator of World Music Café, a regular performance platform that celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity through music. Established in 2019, World Music Café engages professional and community artists from a range of cultural backgrounds across Perth, Western Australia. As a successful social enterprise, it also provides employment, training, and social connection for the crew of refugees and new migrants. Jon and World Music Cafe was a national Social Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in 2022.
(Website: www.worldmusiccafe.com.au)
Jon created Kaleidoscope Multicultural Arts Management (KMAM) in 2014, as a specialist music agency focused on producing culturally diverse arts events and delivering impactful community cultural development programs. (Website: https://kaleidoscopemam.com). Previously, Jon was CEO of Kulcha Multicultural Arts of Western Australia, and has decades of experience in arts management and community cultural development.