THE fiddle-playing folk quartet of Carthy, Hardy, Farrell & Young open Selby Town Hall’s 11th spring season on February 8.

Brought together by Northumbrian piper Kathryn Tickell, the group comprises Eliza Carthy, Bella Hardy, young English songwriter Lucy Farrell and rising Scottish folk pioneer Kate Young.

Their acoustic performances combine fiddle playing with four-part harmonies as they revive old favourites and initiate new songs.

In all, 19 acts make up the season. “Hailing from the worlds of folk, comedy, blues, theatre, punk, Americana, jazz, pop and spoken word, the line-up features and array of iconic stars, national treasures, well-kept secrets and soon-to-be-huge legends in waiting,” says programme booker Chris Jones, Selby Town Council’s arts officer.

BBC radio broadcaster and author Stuart Maconie charts the social history of 20th century Britain through 50 pop singles in a show based on his Radio 2 series, The People’s Songs, on February 15.

In a weekend of stand-up from last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Tom Wrigglesworth performs the whimsical Utterly At Odds With The Universe on March 14 and Seann Walsh presents The Lie-In King the following night.

Singer-songwriter Lloyd Cole, former leader of The Commotions, plays the most intimate date of his 2014 UK tour in Selby on April 4, airing songs from his resurgent 2013 album Standards alongside Perfect Skin and Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken.

“The likes of Lloyd Cole, Eliza Carthy and Seann Walsh are quite a coup for a space as intimate as the Town Hall,” says Chris. “All of them are regulars at venues five times our size, and Lloyd is certainly the first artist I’ve seen trending on twitter whilst trying to pin down a date.”

Chris points to Scottish comedian Susan Calman, with her Work In Progress show on March 1, and BBC Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestra pianist Phillip Dyson performing A Celebration Of George Gershwin on March 22.

He is particularly looking forward to Canadian avant-country band Petunia And The Vipers on February 22. “They’re regarded as one of the most thrilling roots acts to come out of North America in years,” he says.

“Watch out too for runaway Edinburgh Fringe hit The Rain That Washes, which charts the extraordinary true life story of one young man during Zimbabwe’s turbulent transition to majority rule, on April 5.”

Sons Of Cream, alias Ginger Baker’s son Kofi, Jack Bruce’s son Malcolm and Eric Clapton’s nephew Will Johns, are booked for February 23, blues guitarist Danny Bryant for March 8 and Mississippi troubadour Steve Forbert for April 11.

Steeleye Span’s Maddy Prior performs the music of England, the British Isles and Eastern Europe with The Carnival Band’s Giles Lewin and accordion player Hannah James on April 16, while David Cousins, Dave Lambert and Chas Cronk form the nucleus of the Acoustic Strawbs show on April 26.

The LipService comedy duo of Maggie Fox and Sue Ryding return to their stand-up roots on May 3 in The Hysterical Historical Show, a whirlwind tour of Britain’s female national treasures.

“Part sketch show, part theatre performance, part cabaret and part pub quiz, nothing is sacred, but we do hope you have been paying attention because there will be a quiz, not a very serious one, with points, and points mean prizes,” says York actress Maggie.

Wet Wet Wet songwriter and bassist Graeme Clark plays a rare acoustic show on May 10; Glen Matlock tells tales from his autobiography and performs songs from his punk days in I Was A Teenage Sex Pistols on May 24; and Canada’s The Bills blend folk/roots with jazz, classical and world music on May 31.

If laughter is the best medicine, book an appointment with Dr Phil Hammond, Private Eye’s medical correspondent, hospital doctor, comedian and subversive guerrilla tactician, who spills the beans on medicine’s guilty secrets May 17.

• Tickets are available on 01757 708449, online at selbytownhall.co.uk or from Selby Town Hall in person. All shows start at 8pm; doors open at 7.30pm.