4 August 2014

From a young age, Mike Barnett has made his mark on the bluegrass world as an extremely talented fiddler. He has toured as a member of Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys, the David Grisman Sextet and the progressive bluegrass quintet, The Deadly Gentleman, which he co-founded. With the release of his debut solo project, ONE SONG ROMANCE, Barnett is poised to establish himself as a solo artist with a broad and engaging musical vision that reaches from bluegrass into acoustic jazz and beyond. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Michael Barnett began studying the fiddle at age 10 and by age 15 was touring with the legendary Mr. Mandolin Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys, playing regular weekend performances on the Grand Ole Opry. That same year, at age 15, he became the youngest instructor ever to teach at the fiddle school at Vanderbilt University. Barnett later relocated to the Northeast where he has built his profile touring and recording with Jonathan Edwards, Tony Trishcka and Gordon Stone. In 2010 Barnett and banjoist Greg Liszt co-founded The Deadly Gentlemen, a progressive bluegrass outfit that allowed Mike the space to push the limits of traditional fiddle playing and incorporate new influences into his constantly evolving style. After four years with the group, Barnett will now focus on exploring his solo career path.

Multi-Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow has announced alt-country trio Red Sky July as special guests for her headline show at BluesFest 2014. Formed by Ally Mcerlaine (guitarist in the band Texas) and Shelly Poole (previously one half of Alisha’s Attic) along with Charity Hair (The Alice Band), Red Sky July released their self-titled debut album in 2011 to critical acclaim. This will be something of a homecoming gig for London-based Red Sky July and it presents the perfect opportunity to showcase their new album SHADOWBIRDS (due September 2014). Running across six days from October Sunday – Friday 31 October 2014, this year’s BluesFest will present a diverse programme packed with blues legends, superstar international acts and incredible emerging talent. Hosted exclusively at the Royal Albert Hall, BluesFest 2014 will feature performances taking place throughout the entire venue in the daytime, culminating in headline shows in the main auditorium each evening from Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Van Morrison, Grammy-winning soul sensation Gregory Porter, five-time Grammy-winning guitar legend Robert Cray and the remarkable Californian blues-rocker Beth Hart. An eclectic range of acts have been lined up for the daytime slots including multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Curtis Stigers, scintillating soul band The Excitements, inspirational New York singer-songwriter Nell Bryden, and son of the legendary Muddy Waters, Chicago blues singer Mud Morganfield. UK artists will also be strongly represented with the likes of 60s star and Clapton sideman Andy Fairweather Low, gritty R&B outfit Dr Feelgood, the inimitable Georgie Fame, rising-star bluesmen Marcus Bonfanti and Dan Owen, and a string of exceptional female vocalists including Jo Harman and Jess Roberts. The daytime activity will also feature the return of the ‘In Conversation With’ talks, with revered broadcasters Robert Elms and Paul Jones interviewing the likes of Mud Morganfield and Beth Hart. There is also a strong educational thread to proceedings, with workshops and talks taking place throughout the week. Festival Director, Leo Green: “We’re extremely proud to once again be delivering a really diverse BluesFest programme that covers the entire spectrum of the genre, incorporating rock, blues, soul, funk, jazz and more. The festival falls during the school half-term so, as well as being a big draw for serious blues fans, the daytime programme will appeal to families, while providing young people with a unique introduction to the blues. And throughout the daytime events, kids go free.”