December 2017

Acoustic Roots singer joins Ed Sheeran co-writer on tour

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Sometimes unlikely performing partnerships just work – and fizz! That is undoubtedly the case with acclaimed young singer songwriter Luke Jackson who will join forces for the fourth time with Cardiff’s Amy Wadge for what promises to be a dazzling double header UK tour in the new year.   Between January 17-February 4, Luke will tour England and Wales with Amy, known for her winning songwriting collaboration with Ed Sheeran. She and Sheeran, having reached No 1 in the official UK chart withThinking out Loud which went platinum, won the coveted Song of the Year at the 2016 Grammys. The global smash hit was the first song to celebrate a whole year in the Top 40.   Jackson, a widely acclaimed, BBC award-nominated 23 year-old singer songwriter, says: “The tour with Amy is becoming our favourite way to start the year. 2017 started with my third tour with Amy. It was the best yet- we played to large, enthusiastic audiences and had a great time and I think the 2018 tour will be even better”.   Amy sings on the Finding Home track on Luke’s most recent studio album Tall Tales & Rumours. Variously likened to Richard Thompson, Jeff Buckley, Martin Simpson – and even Kent’s answer to Rufus Wainwright – Jackson has rapidly made a name for himself on the acoustic roots scene with an outstanding voice, songwriting skills and stage presence that completely belie his years.   The Canterbury musician’s remarkable 2012 debut album More Than Boys triggered a double nomination at the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (Young Folk Award and Horizon Award for Best Emerging Act) and just 18 months later he fulfilled all the promise heaped upon him with his second album Fumes and Faith, with the accolades coming thick and fast. A belting blues and roots-infused album it showed how quickly and skilfully he had honed his craft. Sparse and stripped back with a wealth of narrative songs it received widespread airplay and accolades across BBC Radios 2,3 and 6, showing the limitless appeal of his ever developing music. In 2015 the prolific songwriter released his third album, revealing his new trio in This Family Tree – Andy Sharps on bass and Connor Downs (percussion). The punchy seven track EP of finely observed original numbers was released on Luke’s own new label, First Take Records, and this was followed by the acclaimed Tall Tales & Rumours in 2016.   In 2017 Luke has had another successful year which included a return to the Kansas Folk Alliance with the British contingent – see him appropriately singing his song Kansas www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO4_H2P_SG0   Joining forces with Amy Wadge presents an exciting start to 2018 – a 13 date tour taking in London (Green Note) and their home towns of Cardiff and Canterbury. Described by Bob Harris as “an irresistible, riveting performer” Amy is widely regarded as one of the country’s most successful female singer songwriters. Her Thinking Out Loud co-write with Ed Sheeran became the biggest selling UK album of 2015. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp-EO5I60KA.  Amy has worked with Sheeran since he was 17 (his first EP was entitled Songs I Wrote With Amy) and she co-wrote some of the songs on his latest album Divide. With great vocal range in her emotive songs she has twice won the Best Solo Female Artist title at the Welsh Music Awards, ahead of Charlotte Church in 2002 and Cerys Matthews in 2003. In 2016 she won two awards at the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Awards) – Song of the Year and Top Digital Song. A gutsy performer with a voice that is “tough but tender” she has supported some of the world’s great artists – Van Morrison, Damien Rice, Eric Bibb and Jeff Beck – and has seven album releases to her name. In 2015 she unveiled her first solo release in six years – the EP Recovery – and her most recent EP, No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk – includes her own version of Thinking Out Loud. Amy, who now has a home in Nashville, has had a busy 2017 on both sides of the Atlantic working with numerous performers including Kylie Minogue, Gary Barlow, Dixie Chicks, Carrie Underwood, Kacey Musgraves and Dan Tyminski.   Luke and Amy will perform separate sets as well as joining forces for certain numbers on this tour which showcases two generations of stand-out songwriters. Full tour details follow www.lukepauljackson.com/www.amywadge.com

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New duets album by Tommy Emmanuel set for release

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Esteemed Grammy-nominated guitarist, composer and performer Tommy Emmanuel has announced the release of a duets album, Accomplice One. The 16-track collaborative album features guest artists such as Jason Isbell, Mark Knopfler, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Douglas, Amanda Shires, Ricky Skaggs, David Grisman and more with a release date set for Friday, January 19.   Produced by Emmanuel – whom is distinguished as one of only five musicians handpicked by his mentor, Chet Atkins, as a Certified Guitar Player (CGP)—Accomplice One is a testament to Emmanuel’s musical diversity, the range of expression that stretches from authentic country-blues to face-melting rock shredding, by way of tender and devastating pure song playing. The songs are a mix of new takes on indelible classics and brand new originals from Tommy and his collaborators.   Tommy’s subtlety and tastefulness blends with Amanda Shires’ gorgeous vocal and fiddle playing to transform Madonna’s “Borderline” and Rodney Crowell’s “Looking Forward to the Past” could’ve topped the country charts in another era, with Tommy’s propulsive rhythm supporting Crowell’s sly lyrics while his tasty lead playing weave in and out.   Definitely something to look forward to in the new year!

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Chase Rice completes first UK & Ireland tour to critical acclaim

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Nashville based country singer-songwriter Chase Rice, whose new album ‘Lambs & Lions’ was released in November to much acclaim from both fans and critics, last week completed his first ever tour of the UK & Ireland, playing to sellout crowds across Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London and Dublin. Audiences were treated to a rare solo acoustic performance from the star, with songs from the new album, along with picks from further back in his catalogue, including fan favourite ‘Carolina Can’ and a version of the Florida Georgia Line hit ‘Cruise’, which Rice co-wrote. In his own words: “The fans that came out to the shows sang every word to every song, including album cuts from ‘Lambs & Lions’ which is only a couple weeks old. Europe and the UK have true-to-the-core country music fans, and they genuinely blew our minds. Thank you for showing up and singing with us. The band and I are already planning our next tour as that was unreal!” Among the positive reviews already stacking up for the tour, popular country website Nashville Over Here said “if you wanted an artist to get the party started, you’d be hard pressed to find one better than Chase”; while Entertainment Focus noted “it won’t be long before he’s selling out much bigger venues here”. Rice reassured British & Irish fans he’d be back as soon as possible, with his full band. The new album ‘Lambs & Lions’ is out now on BBR/BMG, with lead single ‘Three Chords and The Truth’ gaining traction at radio on both sides of the pond. The ten songs on Lambs & Lions derive from Rice’s life and experience, triumphs and disappointments, and ultimately his determination to stand up for his convictions. Produced by Chris DeStefano, Mac MacAnally and, most surprisingly, Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Cold War Kids), Lambs & Lions offers up sounds from the unsettling strings and horns on the title track to the spare piano and swelling choir of “Amen.” And if it took him walking out on his record company and finding a new home to get there, it also reflects the unconventional path that led him to make music in the first place. Born in Florida and raised on a farm in Asheville, North Carolina, Rice was a promising linebacker at the University of North Carolina. “Football wired me for the rest of my life,” he says, “including in some wrong ways. So, I’ve had to learn to be more sensitive and when to be more aggressive. It’s a focus you carry on to everything you do in life.” Encouraged by his father, he began playing guitar and writing songs in college. After his father died and an injury ended his football career, music became his solace during a period of depression. (The slogan he took to writing inside the brim of his baseball caps, “HDEU,” served as a reminder to keep his head down, working, but his eyes up, looking forward to the future—and now inspires his clothing company, Head Down Eyes Up.) After college, Rice was selected as a NASCAR pit crew member, winning two championships with the Lowes teams, and then took time away to escape. But his heart never left music, and he knew he had to take his shot at Nashville. Soon after arriving, he was part of the team that wrote Florida Georgia Line’s smash “Cruise,” which went on to be certified Platinum with over 10 million in sales. After a couple of independent album releases of his own, Rice signed a major label deal. It was the peak moment for country songs about girls, trucks, and parties, and the Ignite the Night album spun off several hit singles, including the platinum “Ready Set Roll” and gold “Gonna Wanna Tonight.” Rice still feels connected to this work. “I can still completely relate to those songs,” he says. “I’m still proud of that record. It got people to come to the shows, put me on a farm I otherwise would never have, and made me into the artist I am today.

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Dartington International Summer School & Festival announces 70th anniversary programme

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In celebration of Dartington International’s 70th anniversary in 2018, an extraordinary programme of courses and concerts open for everyone has been organised. World-class musicians and singers from the worlds of classical, folk, jazz, Latin and contemporary music come together. The full concert programme of over 100 concerts, open to the general public, will be announced in early 2018. They offer an opportunity to listen to unique concerts and collaborations in the atmospheric surroundings of the medieval Great Hall.   The month-long festival includes a whole week of Folk (4 – 11 August) and will be rich with opportunities to explore and practice with experienced musicians. Each course runs for the whole week, so you are able to immerse yourself from breakfast until late – or break it up with a walk on the moor or a creative writing course with James Runcie, acclaimed novelist and commissioning editor for Arts at Radio 4, or Katrina Porteous, a poet known for her love of landscape and music.   Singer, instrumentalist, composer and choir leader Sally Davies offers her extensive experience in folk and world music by leading a Folk Choir course. The Cecil Sharp House folk choir director will rehearse folk songs from England and Eastern Europe, in spine-tingling a cappella harmony, in preparation for a concert later in the week. Paul Hutchinson, another regular tutor at Cecil Sharp House, leads an accordion workshop where players at all levels are welcome. Sally and Paul also collaborate in a relaxed workshop offering guidance and advice to bring folk performances to life – ready for the folk sessions in The White Hart Bar.   Founder of the folk/early music group The Carnival Band, Andy Watts explores street ballads and dance music from the 17th and 18th centuries, challenging artificial categories to create and exchange new music. Folk, Baroque and modern instrumentalists are encouraged to join the Folk Baroque workshop an exciting chance for musical innovation.   David Harbottle and Freya Jonas, recipients of plaudits from folk royalty including Seth Lakeman and Jon Boden, lead As I Walked Out One Morning, a folk class offering eclectic music accompanied by captivating stories. They’ll open up a space for participants to rehearse traditional tunes and arrangements, as well as new collaborations. Week 2 finishes with our traditional foot-stomping Ceildh, led this year by the Blue Jewel Band.   In Week 4 (18 – 25 August) The Dead Rat Orchestra returns to Dartington after sell out courses last summer.  They’ve gained a reputation as one of the most innovative ensembles – raw, elemental and poignant with a love of idiosyncratic folk traditions. Their course will use found objects, old instruments and analogue systems to create multimedia installations all over the beautiful estate, culminating in a nocturnal touch-lit promenade at the end of the week.   The Summer School & Festival is well known for its extraordinary courses, providing a unique and immersive experience for musicians of all levels of learning, talent and skill. It is renowned for offering amateurs, students and young professionals a unique opportunity to play with the world’s leading musicians – and offers the space to established artists to experiment, and explore new collaborations.   Joanna MacGregor, Artistic Director says: “Dartington is a place of shimmering beauty, and its world-famous Summer School is 70 years young this year – proudly contributing to the creative life of this country. We have a packed programme of celebratory events in 2018 – from photographic exhibitions to illustrated lectures, film archives, music and theatre. The Summer School & Festival creates a community of all ages and backgrounds, coming together in a fantastic atmosphere of study and friendship, celebration and performance. The opportunity to work with, learn from, see and hear some of our most talented musicians is second to none.“   Booking opens in early December 2017.

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Very special guests Sugarland announced to join C2C 2018

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Following their special appearance at the CMA Awards last month, Sugarland is confirmed to perform at Country to Country 2018. This will be the multi CMA Award and Grammy Award winner’s first full-band live performance together in 5 years and their first UK set since 2009. Friends of C2C, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have sold in excess of 15 million records worldwide and have had incredible solo careers since their hiatus in 2012. Known for such hits as “Stuck Like Glue”, “Baby Girl,” “Stay” and “All I Want to Do,” Sugarland’s last album was 2010’s The Incredible Machine. The duo is currently back in the studio; for more information visit www.sugarlandmusic.com. Country to Country Festival will take place on 9-11th March 2018 at The O2 in London, The SSE Hydro Glasgow and the 3Arena in Dublin. Sugarland join what is already an outstanding line up including Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Little Big Town, Kacey Musgraves, Emmylou Harris, Kip Moore, Kelsea Ballerini, Ashley Campbell, Brett Young, Luke Combs, Old Dominion, Margo Price and Midland. The C2C Spotlight Stage will return with performances from Ashley McBryde, Jillian Jacqueline, Lindsay Ell, Lukas Nelson, Morgan Evans, Russell Dickerson and Walker Hayes. Tickets are onsale now via www.axs.com/c2c  / 08448 24 48 24 and www.gigsandtours.com / 0844 811 0051. Tickets for Dublin will be available at www.ticketmaster.ie  and Glasgow www.gigsinscotland.com  / 08444 999 990. The festival brings three days of the best in country music and programming that fans have come to love and expect with performances from the world’s best country stars as well as emerging talent from Nashville, UK and Europe. For further information: www.c2c-countrytocountry.com Facebook Twitter Instagram @C2CFestival

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Garth Brooks achieves first Country Airplay No. 1 in a decade

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Garth Brooks has been awarded his 19th No.1 hit and the first since “More Than a Memory” in 2007. Superstar Garth Brooks tops Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for the first time since 2007, as “Ask Me How I Know” ascends 2-1 on the chart, increasing 8 percent to 43.3 million audience impressions in the week ending Dec. 3, according to Nielsen Music. Brooks, who won his record sixth entertainer of the year award at the Country Music Association Awards this year and reigns as the top-selling album artist (72 million) since Nielsen Music began tracking U.S. sales in 1991, is one of eight artists with Country Airplay leaders in the 1990s, 2000s and 10s, joining Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw and Brad Paisley.

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George Strait named Texan Of The Year

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George Strait has been named Texan Of The Year 2018 by the Texas Legislative Conference, which consists of a state-wide group of business and political leaders. The title was given to George for his fundraising efforts in the wake of widespread flooding after Hurricane Harvey struck, which invilved the artist organising a benefit concert in September 2017 featuring Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen, eventually bringing in more than $50 million in aid. Select performances from the star-studded event were also featured on the multi-network TV special Hand In Hand: A Benefit For Hurricane Harvey Relief. “No one has done more than George Strait to raise awareness and funds for the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts,” said Texas Legislative Conference Chairman Doug Miller. “He put his well-earned reputation on the line and asked not only his fellow Texans to step up, but all Americans. And they have.” Known for his cowboy look, and being one of the first and main country artists to bring country music back to its roots and away from the pop country era in the 1980s, Strait won a Grammy award for 2008’s Troubadour and was named the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 2013.

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Scotty McCreery to return to Reading in 2018

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Scotty McCreery has revealed that he will Berks County will be a stop on his tour in 2018, with tickets for the concert due to go on sale before Christmas. The show is set for March 17 at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading with tickets going on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. The singer-musican last appeared in Reading in 2011 as part of the American Idols LIVE! tour, which followed the then-17-year-old who won the TV show that season. McCreery has sold almost three million albums and performed in more than 400 live shows. McCreery recently revealed that he will be getting married in the new year to longtime girlfriend Gabi Dugal, so the year ahead is set to be a busy one. Good luck Scotty!

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Kilkenny Roots Festival will celebrate 21-years

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Award-winning songwriter Mary Gauthier, the legendary LA cow-punks The Blasters, and acclaimed Irish songwriter Seamus Fogarty have all been added to the bill of the 21st Kilkenny Roots Festival. last week the festival committee announced the first batch of artists to be playing the much-loved festival in 2018. Canada’s Deep Dark Woods are back after a four-year hiatus, Maryland’s Michael Nau makes his debut, whilst the Nashville based country queen Nikki Lane adds a wealth of great songs and a certain rhinestone sparkle to the line-up for what promises to be another exemplary weekend of the finest roots music around. Birds Of Chicago, the much-loved collaboration of JT Nero and Allison Russell join the bill as does the Prince Edward Islander Whitney Rose. Austria’s Prinz Grizzley return with their intoxicating country brew whilst the young International Bluegrass Guitarist of the year, Molly Tuttle will be performing a much-anticipated duo show with Rachel Baiman, whose ‘Shame’ album has received glowing support both in US and UK. Now in its 21st year, Kilkenny Roots Festival takes place in a number of venues around the beautiful city of Kilkenny, Ireland. Drawing crowds from all across Europe, the festival has long been established as one of the best festivals in any genre around the world and attracts a loyal and loving following who attend every year and make this a special weekend on the festival calendar. In previous years many acts, including Calexico, Ray LaMontagne, Ryan Adams and Alabama Shakes have made their Irish festival debuts at Kilkenny Roots Festival. Information and tickets can be found at www.kilkennyroots.com

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