I don't think I've seen him on any tour with a fiddle player in his backing band so it's an instrument he seems to prefer having in the studio rather than on the road, the exception being the Dream Attic live recordings when he had Joel Zifkin in his band.

And since Pete Zorn's sad passing he's pretty much stuck with the trio line-up of guitar, bass and drums.

 I think she's excellent. Try this?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh36j6Ua_tQ

I really rate that - excellent.  What do we know of Naomi Randall?

 i like it, Alan, but i sometimes feel that Jack's music too often takes refuge in generic Black Sabbath-isms, however brief they might be. Still, I DO like it!  

This is good.  

 New single from Jack Sharp's band The Thorn. Psychedelic folk-rock, man!

 https://thethorntheband.bandcamp.com/track/of-the-birds

Let's not forget that after Swarb huffed off out of the 2009 Barbican show, RT went and played solo with him very soon afterwards...

These probably belongs here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeLDg-KWWQk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thyAzIzh4r0

Fwiw I too have often thought about RT 'not working with' Swarb.  But actually, if you think about it, where would he fit in on something like Hand of Kindness?  And then it becomes FC.  Also personalities...two very very different approaches to life?

Just booked - Doobie Brothers / Santana this August at the Moody Center! Color me skeptical that they can fill this enormous venue, but the economics must make sense to somebody.

Just announced - Bruuuuuuuuce at the Moody Center this April! This one is billed as a “No Kings” show, which is nice. Def going.

I do think about this quite often. Swarb adored Richard, but Richard definitely seemed to hold Swarb at arm's length. I think Swarb was just too much for him. So often he'd work with Peggy, DM, and Simon, but noticeably no Swarb. Using another fiddler with those guys would have looked to much like an obvious snub, and I think that may have been a big reason for him not doing so very often. Turning to John Kirkpatrick's box was a canny way of sidestepping the issue.

Jules

Some additions, after perusing the collection-

Chris Leslie on Time To Ring Some Changes from Hard Cash, also a few cuts on Sweet Talker

Aly Bain also on Rumor And Sigh, Hokey Pokey

Tom McConville on Mirror Blue,

Sid Page on You? Me? Us?

Peter Knight on Industry

Sam Watkins on Sweet Warrior

Stuart Duncan on Electric

David Mansfield on Ship To Shore

Nic Jones & Aly on Pour Down Like Silver

Chuck Fleming on Daring Adventures