Obituary: Paul Sartin (1971-2022)

When the news broke on September 15 that Paul Sartin, the much-loved musician, singer, composer and founding member of Bellowhead, Faustus and Belshazzar’s Feast, had died the previous evening, the shock and sadness were palpable. Many of Paul’s peers and fellow band members expressed their disbelief that, at the age of just 51, he was no longer with us.

He had just played with Faustus at Swanage Folk Festival, and was gearing up to tour with them in October, as well as for Bellowhead’s reunion tour in November, his regular winter tour with Paul Hutchinson as Belshazzar’s Feast in December, and with Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings in the new year. Now there is a resounding absence, an awful silence that is hard to comprehend.

His vocals were always a joy to hear, his playing, predominantly on fiddle and oboe, always first class. He was an inspiration to other players as a teacher, and as musical director of the Andover Museum Loft Singers. He was also very funny, on stage or off, and a warm and generous human being. As well as his work with the aforementioned groups, Sartin arranged and directed the music for a much-lauded production of Peter Bellamy’s ballad opera The Transports (see January/February 2017, #124) and his presence was felt on Sam Sweeney’s album Made in the Great War and the folk musical Travelling with Thomas.

‘We were privileged to share a stage with this masterful musician and good, good, friend,’ Bellowhead tweeted. ‘Our heartfelt thoughts go out to his mother and the boys he was so proud of.’