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In 2021, UK postal worker and TikToker Nathan Evans helped kickstart a global craze with his rendition of the "Wellerman" sea shanty that stirred up a frenzy online. However, it was Bristol group the Longest Johns—who had formed nearly a decade before in 2012 at a friend's barbeque and comprised members Josh Bowker, Andy Yates, Jonathan "JD" Darley, and Dave Robinson—who first put their voice to the 19th-century traditional work song, experiencing a spike in popularity and reaching viral levels on TikTok. The Longest Johns released their debut EP, Bones in the Ocean, in 2013, and generated a signature tune in the title track. The Christmas at Sea EP followed in December 2013 and their acapella-rich debut, Written in Salt, emerged in 2016, anchored by tracks such as "Drunken Sailor," and "Randy Dandy-O." Josh Bowker was subsequently replaced by Anna Cornish for the group's sophomore album Between Wind and Water (2018), which housed the now-famous "Wellerman" single. Anna Cornish quit before the release of the band's third LP, 2020's Cures What Ails Ya, which delved into full instrumentation while the viral success of "Wellerman" the following year paved the way for a record deal with Decca Records. The following year saw the release of their fourth studio album Smoke & Oakum with their fifth studio LP, Voyage, landing in February 2024 along with a companion book.
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