23 December 2013

Tickets are now on sale for the Diamond Anniversary of Sidmouth FolkWeek August 1st – 8th, 2014. The festival’s Diamond Anniversary celebrations promise a dazzling week of music, dance and song, tapping a rich seam of vintage talent that has contributed to the festival’s success. FolkWeek means so many different things to different people, so organisers have planned special events in each part of the festival – gems from the archives as well as stars of the future – including a special retrospective concert at The Ham Marquee with legendary traditional singers The Copper Family at the helm, some familiar faces in the Diamond Geezers shows and an English Folk Dance & Song Society-curated series, Folk Rising Plus showcasing the best in rising talent.

Pat Higdon, Founder of Patrick Joseph Music, a joint venture with SONGS Music Publishing, announced a renewal of a long term publishing agreement with Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame member, Matraca Berg. The music industry veteran and revered songwriter have been working in a publishing capacity together for over 25 years. “At PJM/SONGS, nothing is more important than our relationships with our songwriters,” said Higdon. “For the majority of my career as a publisher, I have had the pleasure of working alongside Matraca who I consider to be one of the most talented and successful writers in contemporary country music. I am so pleased we were able to sign her to the company so that she and I can continue our great run together.” Berg wrote her first number one record at 18, Faking Love, sung by T.G. Shepard and Karen Brooks. Since then, she has penned 10 more Number One Country singles, including Strawberry Wine, which was named CMA Song of the year in 1997. Her songs have garnered three GRAMMY Award nominations. Matraca has become one of the most respected songwriters in Nashville and her songs have been sung by artists including Reba McEntire, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, Linda Ronstadt, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, The Dixie Chicks, Randy Travis, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Clint Black, Deana Carter, and many more.

Grammy Award-winning harmonica master (and just-announced 2014 Grammy nominee) James Cotton received a total of five nominations (tied for most among all artists), including Album Of The Year for 2013’s COTTON MOUTH MAN and Song Of The Year for He Was There from the same album. On Tuesday, December 10, The Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 2014 Blues Music Awards, the blues world’s highest honours. The 35th Annual Blues Music Awards will be presented in Memphis on May 8th, 2014 at the Cook Convention Centre. James Cotton was nominated for: Album Of The Year – COTTON MOUTH MAN Instrumentalist Of The Year – Harmonica Song Of The Year – He Was There (by James Cotton, Tom Hambridge & Richard Fleming) Traditional Blues Album Of The Year – COTTON MOUTH MAN Traditional Blues Male Artist Of The Year