Honey & the Bear have been a tour de force on the UK Folk Festival circuit in recent years. The British folk and roots duo combine delicately interweaving vocal harmonies with emotive and evocative songwriting. With a diverse range of sounds and textures, and rhythms that flow from the fast and furious to gentle ballads, their live performances are spirited and dynamic. Conjuring stories in song, they have been enchanting audiences up and down the country with tales of Suffolk folklore, courageous people they admire and their passion for nature.

The multi-instrumentalist, husband and wife team comprised of songwriters Jon Hart (guitar, bass, bouzouki) and Lucy Hart (guitar, ukulele, bass, banjo, mandolin & percussion), are often joined on-stage by band guests Evan Carson (percussion), Toby Shaer (Fiddle/Flutes/Whistles) and Archie Churchill-Moss (diatonic button accordion) who feature on all three Honey & The Bear studio albums. Together they have played at many revered venues and festivals across the UK and most recently, the duo sang live on the BBC Radio 3’s In Tune programme in December 2025. They are currently working on their next studio album which is due for release in April 2026. In November 2023 they released ‘Away Beyond the Fret‘, their most personal album yet, featuring stories and folklore of all things close to their heart including their home in Suffolk, nature, family, history and community. The album has received much critical acclaim including 5 stars from the Morning Star. After a heavy year of live gigging in 2023, they were also delighted to be shortlisted as FATEAs best band of 2023.

Back in 2020 and the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the duo were grounded and all gigs cancelled, but their music prevailed in the form of Sunday night facebook livestreams of which they performed fifty-two in total. After challenging themselves to write a new song for the first 12 weeks of the livestream, they successfully managed to produce a second album. ‘Journey Through the Roke’ was released on 23rd April 2021. The album features many talented musicians including Toby Shaer (whistles, harmonium, flute, fiddle, bass), Evan Carson (drums, bodhran, percussion), Archie Churchill Moss of Moore Moss Rutter (melodeon) and Graham Coe of The Jellyman’s Daughter (cello). ‘Journey Through the Roke’ has received airplay on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show. Their first full studio album ‘Made In The Aker’ (released July 2019) was well received by both their ever growing fan base and the critics.

Born and raised in Suffolk, Lucy learned violin and drums at school, sung in the Suffolk Jubilee Choir, the Harmony Girls Choir and started songwriting at age 15. She taught herself guitar whilst at university in Canterbury, and began performing her creations not long afterwards. At 27, she released her debut band album ’Step Right On’, songs from which you now hear her perform with Jon.

Jon, a Yorkshire boy, raised in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, has been performing his own songs since his teens. A self taught guitarist, his love of driving guitar riffs is a core aspect of his song writing process. He has released three band albums, the latest of which was entitled ‘Level with me’, featuring ‘wristburner’ which is a gig favourite.

Reviews of the last album ‘Away Beyond The Fret"

‘A spirited hymn to Suffolk, Away Beyond The Fret is a lively set led by Lucy Hart’s strong, melodic voice & backed with a vibrant mix of the couple’s guitar skills” The Observer

“there can be no denying that the music they produce is of high quality and intelligent, with the complexity present on their first two albums continuing here.” Songlines Magazine

“Soaring vocals, showing both power & control from Lucy while Jon is a consummate multi-instrumentalist adding superb electric guitar to many of the songs’” RnR Magazine

“the album is a celebration of nature, history, family and community. Truly in the folk tradition.” Morning Star

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