Tributes have been paid to a much-loved and respected musician who sadly died last week.

Ken Crellin, a popular harmonica and concertina player, passed away after spending time in hospital in Liverpool.

A regular performer at the Friday Folk nights at both the Sailors’ Shelter and the Athol Rooms in Peel, Ken was a founding member of the folk group Shoh Slaynt and also of popular folk group Pocheen.

The latter are remembered with a great deal of fondness as a band who were part of the burgeoning folk scene on the island during the 1970s, alongside groups such as Mannin Folk and Treadmill plus musicians Marlene Peel (now Maska), Mike Williams, Al Lawrence, John Harrison and many more.

Alongside his life as a teacher, where he spent most of his career teaching at Ashley Hill school in Onchan, Ken was highly regarded as a versatile musician who could turn his talents to playing a wide range of folk tunes and blues.

The website manxmusic.com described him as ’a tunesmith who can play reels, airs and jigs galore. He also loves playing the blues, and accompanies songs, adding so much to each one.’

Paul Reynolds, who played alongside Ken for more than 50 years, said he was a great friend and band mate who will be greatly missed by many.

’He was a very gifted musician and was great to play along with,’ said Paul.

’He had a great array of harmonicas, I think about 20 altogether, and in several different keys, and could play anything from the blues to folk, popular standards and hornpipes.

’We played together in Pocheen during the 1970s, with Neil Sadler and Martin Burns, recording an album in the mid-70s with Terry Clough, before Ken had to stop due to his health.

’When we both retired from teaching, we got together again and started jamming together, which led to Shoh Slaynt.

’We made another album together with Shoh Slaynt, called "Snuff The Wind" in 2011.

’He was a very dear friend and I will miss him dreadfully.’

Paul said that he hopes to be able to put together a tribute concert later this year.

Ken was married to Eileen and had two children, Adrian and Zoe, along with five grandchildren.