Paul Martin

Born and raised in Stony Stratford, Paul Martin grew up in the middle of a lively 1960s music scene. Before Folk on the Green (FOTG) existed, Stony already had “pop groups” everywhere, and by the time the new town of Milton Keynes was developing, the place was attracting musicians and arty types from all over. Folk music came later for Paul: discovering Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span in the late ’60s nudged him and his friends—Monty Lynds, Dave Whetstone, Derek Gibbons, Bob Adams and others—into forming a folk group and exploring local clubs.

Paul credits Rod Hall as the main driver behind what became FOTG. The very first experiment was a chaotic DIY afternoon in the garden of the Old English Gentleman pub in Nash: no proper PA knowledge, no real stagecraft, just enthusiasm. It worked well enough that Rod immediately declared they’d do it again—this time on Stony’s Green, on a hay cart. The early events were tiny: maybe 75–100 people, mostly musicians and friends sitting on the grass with Watney’s party cans. But it was fun, word spread, and within a few years the crowds grew fast, mirroring the expansion of similar small festivals around the UK.

Paul recalls how the Development Corporation helped with early PA funding, how a proper committee eventually formed in the late ’70s, and how the festival gradually professionalised—bigger stage, road closures, food stalls, better organisation. He also describes the shift away from having the same handful of acts every year: the push for a more varied, eclectic mix, including non-folk styles, to keep the event fresh and inclusive.

Highlights include Nic Jones praising the quality of the local musicians, the infamous year everything got rained off and moved into the old St Mary’s church building (total chaos), and the enduring joy of playing to a huge home-town crowd.

For Paul, FOTG’s real legacy is simple: a community welcoming newcomers, year after year, and an event that grew because the town wanted it to. It’s part of Stony Stratford’s identity—and part of Milton Keynes’ too.