17 June 2013

Mumford and Sons bass player Ted Dwane has been discharged from hospital. It comes after Dwane required surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain earlier this week. The folk band posted on their Facebook page: “It is with great joy that we can announce that Ted has been discharged from hospital and is on the road to a full recovery. The surgery went well, and the excellent medical team helping him are very pleased with his progress. He has been nothing short of heroic in how he has handled the whole ordeal.” Mumford & Sons have also cancelled all of their remaining US shows including the Bonnaroo festival this weekend while Dwane recovers but are due to headline Glastonbury at the end of the month after they confirmed they have “no plans to cancel or postpone any other appearances along this current tour”. The full statement the band posted reads as follows: “Dear friends, It is with great joy that we can announce that Ted has been discharged from hospital and is on the road to a full recovery. The surgery went well, and the excellent medical team helping him are very pleased with his progress. He has been nothing short of heroic in how he has handled the whole ordeal, and now it has been medically proved that he does indeed have a brain. Today, however, also marks the end of our Summer Stampede Tour. We were hoping to have made it out by Bonnaroo this weekend. But it is with sadness that we have to announce the cancellation of our scheduled performances at both Bonnaroo and Telluride Festivals, and our show at Cricket Wireless Amphitheater in Bonner Springs, KS. If we could’ve we would’ve, you know that about us. We trust that you can respect our collective desire to encourage Ted to make a full recovery, and that this is based purely on the medical advice we have received. On behalf of Ted, and all of us really, we would like to thank every one for their compassion and support at this time and we are very excited to get back out on tour as soon as we can. Ted, Ben, Marcus and Win” Along with headlining Glastonbury, Mumford & Sons are scheduled to play their biggest ever headline show at London’s Olympic Park on July 6. The outdoor event, which is the first non-festival headline show to take place on the renovated London 2012 Olympic Games site, will also feature Vampire Weekend, Ben Howard, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, Haim and newcomers Bear’s Den, all of whom were handpicked by the band.

The British singer/songwriter has confirmed that he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in February settling just outside a town in a rural area. Sheeran, 22, said he wanted to live somewhere that incorporates music, countryside and a relaxed atmosphere. “Nashville is full of very, very nice people,” said the A-Team singer. The city is already home to some of country music’s top stars and acts from the pop and rock world including Taylor Swift, where he wrote a duet with her. Jack White and the Black Keys are among artists who have moved to Nashville, also known as Music City, in the last few years. Speaking to Newsbeat at the Brit Awards in February the singer said: “I think it’s important to give the UK public a little bit of a break.” I’ve been here for a long time doing TV and radio so I’m going to go over there and make the album and tour for a bit.” He said that he’s “got the songs” for a follow-up to 2011’s +, which reached number five in America’s Billboard 200 Chart. Ed Sheeran says that unlike Los Angeles and New York, Nashville doesn’t have paparazzi on the lookout for celebrities. “I don’t think people really care in Nashville,” he said. “Even if they knew who you were, I don’t think they’d care. They’d just be like, ‘Eh.’” The multi-million selling artist said his new home reminds him of Framlingham in rural Suffolk, where he grew up. Sheeran recently performed at the Grammy Awards with Elton John and was at the CMT Music Awards last week to introduce Lady Antebellum. “I love America,” Sheeran said on the CMT red carpet. “I’ve been here for a long time, though. So I’d like to get back to England at some point. “I’d say [I’ve been] 90% in America since January 2012. Long time.”

More than 80,000 fans descended upon Nashville last week, setting a new attendance record for the CMA Music Festival. The nearly 13 percent increase over the 71,000 fans in attendance in 2012 was attributed largely to expanding the event into the new Music City Centre, which nearly tripled the size of the former space in the Nashville Convention Centre. “This event has a global reputation as the destination for any Country Music fan,” Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer,” said. “The support we receive from our industry and the dedication of our fans is unduplicated. Each year we strive to improve and enhance the event for our attendees and the artists – and this is undeniably our best CMA Music Festival ever!”

Mumford & Sons had to postpone tour dates this week due to a medical emergency involving member Ted Dwayne, who has a blood clot near his brain. The band said on its web site: “Our friend and bandmate Ted has been feeling unwell for a few days, and yesterday he was taken to a hospital to receive emergency treatment. The scans revealed a blood clot on the surface of his brain that requires an operation. Ted is receiving excellent care and we are being assured that he will recover quickly from surgery.” “Sadly we have to postpone three upcoming headline shows planned for this week in Dallas on Tuesday 6/11, Woodlands on Wednesday 6/12, and New Orleans on Thursday 6/13. All dates will be rescheduled and will be announced as soon as we can; all tickets for this week’s events will be honoured at their rescheduled dates. We have no plans to cancel or postpone any other appearances along this current tour.” “We’re all wishing Ted a speedy recovery” the band said. Mumford & Sons has upcoming dates this month at Bonnaroo and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.