23 November 2015

Beverley Folk Festival has begun to announce its headline acts. They include the multi-award winning songbird, Kate Rusby, folk-rockers Steeleye Span and rising folk stars, The Young’uns. The latest addition to the lineup is former BBC Folk Awards Musician of the Year Tim Edey, who has been rated as one of the world’s finest-ever Melodeon and Guitar players in the folk & contemporary scene today. Adding to the eclectic mix will be the Acoustic Strawbs, the very first festival performance of the Lindisfarne Story Stage Show, featuring former band members Ray Laidlaw and Billy Mitchell, and sci-fi folk band Maia. There are also plans for a ‘Tyne Treasures’ night when Lindisfarne’s Mitchell and Laidlaw with The Lindisfarne Story Band will be performing the iconic 1971 album, FOG ON THE TYNE, in its entirety. Joining them for this concert will be rhythm and blues band, The Animals and Friends, including original members John Steel and Mick Gallagher. The will perform their much-loved classic hits including House of the Rising Sun and We Gotta Get Out Of This Place. Completing theline-up will be acclaimed Durham-born singer-songwriter Jez Lowe, double nominee in this year’s BBC Folk Awards as Best Singer and for Best New Song. Next year’s festival the fourth to be held on its relatively new site at Beverley Racecourse, Beverley  runs from June 17 – 19, 2016. Winter Special weekend tickets are currently on sale at £95, a saving of £20 on the full price.

A prestigious new event in the music industry calendar, the first UK Americana Awards will be held on Wednesday February 3, 2016 at the iconic St. John at Hackney music venue in East London. The awards show will be hosted by legendary broadcaster Bob Harris, with musical direction by award winning producer and musician Ethan Johns. The Awards have been created by the Americana Music Association UK (AMA-UK) to celebrate the achievements of British and International musicians working under the broad reach of the Americana genre. Alongside Award presentations, the show will feature nominee and special guest performances in front of an audience of AMA-UK members, partners & sponsors, music industry guests and the general public. Americana music is enjoying a growing profile in the UK, evidenced by the success of artists like The Staves, Bears Den and many others, whilst rising stars including Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and Alabama Shakes are contributing to its success in the US where the annual Americana Awards is a well-established event.

The Shires (Crissie Rhodes and Ben Earle) have announced that they will join acts including: One Direction, James Bay, Ellie Goulding, Little Mix, Hozier, Rod Steward and Jess Glynne performing at this year’s 2015 BBC Music Awards, which will be hosted by Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton and take place on Thursday 10 December. The Shires, who are currently on tour in the US with fellow country band Little Big Town, stated: “It is an honour to be asked to perform at this year’s BBC Music Awards. The BBC have been amazing this year, backing us at every opportunity, especially at Radio 2 who have played our music extensively! What a way to finish the year. It’s been awesome and we are so grateful to our fans who have made it all possible.” ¨The Shires’ BBC Music Award performance will end an incredible year for the duo whose chart debut BRAVE reached the top 10 and making them the first British country band to land a top 10 record in the UK and one of the biggest break through acts of 2015. 2016 is set to busy already as Crissie and Ben have an arena support tour confirmed with the Corrs in January and no doubt have plans underway for album number two…