The AMA UK announces award nominees for 2020

On a wonderful night in Islington yesterday Mary Gauthier and Baylen Leonard announced the nominations for the AMA UK awards for 2020. The theme of the event for 2020 is ‘Collaborate and Cross-Pollinate’, reflecting how Americana artists work together across different genres and art forms.

With an excellent series of conferences and showcases planned in Hackney, the event culminates on January 30th with the AMA UK awards show at the art deco Troxy in Limehouse, East London.

The special awards for 2020 are:-

• Lifetime Achievement Award - Joan Armatrading

• Legend Award - Lonnie Donegan

• Trailblazer Award - Nick Lowe

• Grassroots Award: Mark Whitfield - Americana-UK.Com

• Emerging Artist Award: Ferris & Sylvester

UK Instrumentalist Of The Year

• Ben Smith

• Jim Maving

• Sian Monaghan

• Will Page

UK Song Of The Year

• Little Piece Of Heaven - Elles Bailey

• The Fire - Jamie Freeman

• Hear Your Voice - Danni Nicholls

• Amy - Roseanne Reid

UK Album Of The Year

• Here There’s No Sirens - Pete Gow

• Chasing Lights - Ida Mae

• Bleeding On The Soundtrack - William The Conqueror

• Walk Through Fire - Yola

UK Artist Of The Year

• Jade Bird

• Bear’s Den

• Frank Turner

• Yola

International Song Of The Year

• Turn Off The News (Build A Garden) - Lukas Nelson & The Promise Of The Real

• Letter To Madeline - Ian Noe

• Saying Goodbye - J S Ondara

• Me and The Ghost Of Charlemagne - Amy Spence

International Album Of The Year

• Undress - Felice Brothers

• Highwomen - Highwomen

• Songs Of Our Native Daughters - Our Native Daughters

• Mint Condition - Caroline Spence

International Artist Of The Year

• Brandi Carlile

• The Dead South

• Larkin Poe

• Marvis Staples

The 2020 AMA UK conference starts on January 28th at the Hackney Picture House. The keynote speaker this year is Joan Armatrading. On the evenings of January 28th and 29th, 75 artists from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe will showcase across eight Hackey venues. This will include showcases hosted by Yep Rock (Canada), Canada House (Canada) and House Of Songs (USA). The line-up is excellent this year and reads like a ‘who’s who’ of the Americana world. Personal highlights include Blue Rose Code, Danni Nicholls, Ferris and Sylvester, Irish Mythen, Kyshona, Matin Harley, Rob Vincent, Roseanne Reid, Stephen Fearing, Worry Dolls and The Secret Sisters.

January 27th also features an extra special charity kick-off event at OSLO celebrating the meeting of Texan roots rocker Joe Ely with London punks The Clash. ‘Americana Clash’. It will also celebrate 40 years since the release on the iconic Clash album ‘London Calling’. Guests include Frank Turner, Grace Petrie and Danny Champ.

Tickets to all events are available through the AMA UK website >>>

https://theamauk.org

Tedeschi Trucks Band to release new album 'Signs' on Feb 15th

On February 15, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Fantasy Records will release ‘SIGNS’, their 4th studio album and a new high-water mark in their recording career. With 11 originals penned by the band and a few dear friends, produced by Derek Trucks, Jim Scott and Bobby Tis and meticulously recorded to two-inch analogue tape for the first time, SIGNS reflects on the losses suffered by the band in the past few years while still finding cause for hope and celebration in the beauty of life and nature.

In celebration of SIGNS we’re also excited to announce a special album release concert at Brooklyn Academy of Music on February 20th.

The band will be headlining in London at The Palladium on April 26th and 27th.

SIGNS TRACK LIST

1. Signs (High Times)
2. I’m Gonna Be There
3. When Will I Begin
4. Walk Through This Life
5. Strengthen What Remains
6. Still Your Mind
7. Hard Case
8. Shame
9. All The World
10. They Don’t Shine
11. The Ending

Recorded at Swamp Raga Studios, Jacksonville, FL
Produced, engineered and mixed by Derek Trucks, Jim Scott and Bobby Tis
Strings written and arranged by Kofi Burbridge
Horns written and arranged by Kebbi Williams, Elizabeth Lea and Ephraim Ownes
Cover art by Alec Huxley
Dedicated to their friend and mentor Col. Bruce Hampton (Ret.)

Pre-order your copy below >>>

The Southern Companion to release their excellent new album in January

We are delighted to announce that The Southern Companion will be releasing their new album “Shine A Little Light” on 25th January 2019 on their own label, Eleven33 Records. Pre order will be available from 21st November 2018 and when purchased digitally you will receive "Songbird" as an instant gratification download.

The band will be supporting the release with their first UK headline tour during February and March 2019. Dates to be announced shortly.

Fronted by singer/songwriter and guitarist Darren Hodson, The Southern Companion are made up of some of the UK’s finest session musicians , some of whom first met in the music room at school. Their CV’s include industry big hitters Tom Jones, Take That, Mel C, Lulu, Rumer, James Morrison, Pete Townsend, Dire Straits, Amy MacDonald, the list goes on and on.

After recording an “Under The Apple Tree” session for Bob Harris in 2016, an appearance at the C2C festival in London soon followed and a string of UK festivals that summer brought The Southern Companion firmly into the hearts of Country & Americana fans. 2 years of UK, European and USA tour dates came next supporting songstress Rumer and 60’s legend Lulu.

Multiple British CMA Awards, Live shows for The AMA-UK, National air play on BBC Radio 2 from Bob Harris, as well as a featured song in the upcoming smash hit movie “Wild Rose” feat. Jessie Buckley & Julie Walters, 2019 looks set to be a big year for the band.

“Americana blend that delivers a lot of impressive moments” – Maverick Magazine

“Wonderful band, I really enjoyed their set, We all love that song here” – Bob Harris – BBCR2

“A Mid-Atlantic Sonic Whirlpool where the US & UK currents meet” – AmericanaUK

“In a different place and time Darren’s voice would have made him a 90’s “modern rock” god and that’s a wonderful thing as far as I’m concerned” – Baylen Leonard / Bluegrass Situation

Emily Mae Winters to release brand new second album 'High Romance'

The multi-award wining Cambridge based singer-songwriter Emily Mae Winters is releasing her brand new second album ‘High Romance’ through Pledge Music…and she needs your help and support.

For the release Emily has also been supported by the PRS Emerging Artist Fund in association with Pledge Music as well as through EFDSS (English Folk Song and Dance Society) Creative Seed Funding.

The new album will be recorded this December at London’s Urchin Studios with award winning producer Matt Ingram (Florence and the Machine, Laura Marling, Rae Morris, Lianne La Havas, Lewis & Leigh, Benjamin Francis Leftwich).

The album pre-sales and other exclusives can be found at Emily’s Pledge page at the link below.

Emily will also be on a UK album pre-release tour. Catch her if you can.

https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/high-romance

Photo credit: Elly Lucas

Saskia GM to make new album with an undiscovered collective of Scottish musicians

Saskia Griffith Moore has just announced a Kickstarter campaign and pre-order for her new Scottish themed album. Ssakia will be working in Scotland with an undiscovered collective of Scottish musicians. It's one everyone here at LCM HQ is very interested in hearing when it is completed.

All the details and introduction video are in the links below for you

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/musicsongsoul/saskias-scottish-album

O&O to release debut EP ‘Truth Comes Out' on September 21st

Following a packed summer of festivals including Cambridge Folk, Buckle & Boots, and Black Deer; tour dates and radio airplay across the UK including multiple BBC radio appearances, London-based Americana duo O&O have announced the Sept 21st release of their long-awaited debut EP ‘Truth Comes Out’, and revealed the lead single of the same name, available to stream now (listen here) and to download immediately for fans who pre-order the EP. Along with the title track, this new release features a total of four brand new songs including previous single ‘Tears In The Rain’, the video for which premiered last month on The Bluegrass Situation.

Orian Peled & Obadiah Jones comment “This summer has been momentous for us in getting to share our music with new audiences across the UK and we cannot wait to share our debut EP with everyone. This collection of songs came together over five busy months and several trips to Liverpool in the midst of our summer tour. Writing and recording the tracks one by one allowed us to try new writing styles and sounds as each new song was influenced by the ones that came before.”

Describing the single: “‘Truth Comes Out’ was inspired by the gritty sound we got from plugging Obadiah’s guitar into an old reel-to-reel tape machine that our producer, Alec Brits, has in his studio. That distorted sound led us into the most rocky territory we’ve explored so far and influenced the darker themes of betrayal in the lyrics.”

O&O will be showcasing songs from the new release at Apples & Pears in Shoreditch, London on Sept 14th. The EP is available to pre-order now on all platforms (Amazon / iTunes) and the single will be available to stream on Spotify soon.

The excellent The London Roots Festival grows bigger and better for 2018

The London Roots Festival 24th October - 18th November (formerly The London Folk & Roots Festival) is now in it’s fifth year. It’s grown from doing 6 shows in the first year to 32 in 2017 year across various size venues such as The Palladium, Bush Hall, Union Chapel, Shepherds Bush Empire, Oslo and many more.  Growing from strength to strength each year, 2018 promises to be bigger and better than ever.

This year's great line-up includes:-

• Tom Baxter
• Blind Boys Of Alabama
• Joshua Burnside
• Callaghan
• Bruce Cockburn
• Fisherman's Friends
• Finbar Furey
• Jake Morrell
• Lindisfarne
• Over The Rhine
• Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys
• John Smith
• Sound Of The Sirens
• Trampled By Turtles
• Robert Vincent

In 2014 David Messer having promoted roots music for a number of years through DMP UK, decided to start a festival to give a platform for new and up and coming artists to play with known and established artists and to bring the best in roots music to London under one banner. So he teamed up with his friends at National Promotion company Kilimanjaro Live and created the The London Folk & Roots Festival, a multi venue event over two weeks in Oct/Nov.

It’s grown from doing 6 shows in the first year to 32 last year across various size venues such as The Palladium, Bush Hall, Union Chapel, Shepherds Bush Empire, Oslo and many more.

They have changed the name this year as they feel that folk comes under roots and they have an eclectic mix of folk, country, Americana, blues, singer songwriters and world music. We are very pleased here at LCM that this festival, is becoming a great part of London’s musical calendar.

If you are interesting in playing at the festival please send your info to david@dmpuk.com.

https://www.seetickets.com/tour/the-london-roots-festival

The excellent Music Makers Festival in London on October 6th and 7th announces artist line-up

The excellent Music Makers weekend festival set for the 6th & 7th October in the wonderful Half Moon in Putney, has just announced it's artist line up and stage times. This is a super London festival, if you haven't already discovered it before. It's organised and curated by Albert Mann and Manoja Ullmann. The full review of last years event is included for you on our LCM website.

This years line-up includes long term LCM favourites Danni Nicholls, Two Ways Home, Michele Stodart and Albert Mann and his band. As well as Hope, Jack O'Rouke, Jacko Hooper, Treetop Flyers, Aka George, Lucy May Walker, Declan Greene, Mide, Howard Rose and Kim Hayden.

Limited 'Early bird' full weekend passes are very reasonably priced at £20. All available tickets options including day tickets are included in the link below for you.

http://www.musicmakersfestival.com/tickets/

‘Sights & Sounds Of Tennessee’ Experiance To Debut At Waterloo Station: June 4th - 17th

Tennessee Invites UK Travellers to Experience the Soundtrack of America: performers include Gill Landry, Yola Carter, Kasheena Sampson & Robert Vincent

The beckon call of live music, complimentary Jack Daniel’s and an immersive multi-sensory experience will entice Waterloo Station travellers to delay their evening commutes and take a brief holiday in Tennessee at a special exhibit entitled “The Sights & Sounds of Tennessee” from 4th-17th June 2018.

The exhibit is part of a month-long campaign featuring the Tennessee destinations of Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville that follows British Airways’ introduction of its five-days-per-week nonstop service from London Heathrow to Nashville, the capital city and centre to the state. The Sounds of Tennessee exhibit at Waterloo and digital boards throughout London are to feature custom Spotify playlists that will serve as a formal invitation to British holidaymakers to visit Tennessee, one of the world’s top travel destinations for music lovers.

A special kick-off event, featuring Nashville recording artist Gill Landry, formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show, and AMA UK Artist of the Year Yola Carter, will take place at the exhibit on Monday, 4 June from 2 p.m. and include remarks by a Tennessee Department of Tourist Development representative.

Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States, is the birthplace of seven different forms of popular music—blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul, rockabilly, and rock ‘n’ roll—and has more musicians per capita than any other place in the world. Tennessee is also home to world-renowned music attractions including Beale Street, Bijou Theatre, Bluebird Cafe, Blues Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Graceland, Grand Ole Opry, Sun Studio, Ryman Auditorium and Tennessee Theatre.

‘Sights & Sounds of Tennessee’ visitors will stand atop a map of Tennessee and use headphones to listen to music recordings and other sounds one can only experience in Tennessee. Corresponding websites, accessible via mobile devices, enable visitors to virtually transport themselves to Tennessee destinations with 360-degree videos including a scenic vista overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains or one of the many blues clubs lining Memphis’ famous Beale Street.

Live music concerts will be held at the exhibit weekdays from 2 - 4pm, featuring music curated by the UK Americana Music Association (AMA UK) performed by some of the genre’s top artists, followed by a Jack Daniel’s Happy Hour from 4 - 6pm. Scheduled artists include:

Kashena Sampson, 5 June
Robert Vincent, 6 June
Danni Nicholls, 7 June
The Luck, 8 June
Bennett Wilson Poole, 11 June
Jake Morrell, 12 June
Worry Dolls, 13 June
Rob Heron, 14 June
Martin Harley, 15 June

“The UK is home to the world’s greatest travellers, many of whom have been coming to Tennessee for years to experience The Soundtrack of America and enjoy our southern hospitality, great cities, rich history and beautiful outdoors,” said Kevin Triplett, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “The new nonstop service aboard British Airways makes reaching Tennessee easier than ever, and we look forward to welcoming even more of our friends from across the Atlantic in the years to come.”

On 4th May, the first new LHR - BNA flight (British Airways Flight 223; a Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner carrying 200 passengers) left London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) at 1545 local time and touched down at Nashville International Airport (BNA) eight-and-a-half hours later, initiating a five-days-a-week nonstop service from the United Kingdom to Tennessee’s capital city.

‘The Sights & Sounds of Tennessee’ exhibit is a joint effort led by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, working in partnership with BrandUSA, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau and Knoxville Convention & Visitors Bureau, to formerly introduce Tennessee to Londoners through an interactive sight and sound experience in London’s Waterloo Station.

Photo credit: EPE

For more information please visit: www.tnvacation.com.

Excellent Americana/Folk harmony duo O&O to release new single 'Tears In The Rain' on May 25th

London-based Americana/folk duo O&O, one of the highlights among C2C Festival's homegrown acts earlier this year, have confirmed the May 25th 2018 release of their latest single 'Tears In The Rain' along with a run of UK festival appearances throughout the summer including Black Deer, Buckle & Boots, and Cambridge Folk Festival. In their own words: “We wrote this song after being away from each other for a few weeks while visiting our respective home countries. ‘Tears In The Rain’ started as a song about missing someone you love but developed into a darker theme about being in a state of denial after being left in a relationship. The evening we returned to London, Obadiah was noodling on an acoustic guitar and started playing the intro, which instantly conjured a melancholic mood and reminded us of Leonard Cohen. As we put the song together, we drew on influences from 70s Country and Rock bands like America and The Eagles.” Catch the duo live at the following dates, with more to follow later in the summer:

• 13 May - World's End, Finsbury Park
• 20 May - Wood Festival, Oxfordshire
• 23 June - Buckle & Boots Festival, Manchester
• 24 June - Black Deer Festival, Kent
• 18 July - Sofar Sounds, Liverpool
• 5 August - Cambridge Folk Festival

O&O are comprised of Colorado-native, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Obadiah Jones, and Israeli vocalist, Orian Peled. “The shared dream of a career in music led us both halfway across the world to the classrooms of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), where we met for the first time.” While performing together in various projects during their three-year course, O&O established their deep connection as a songwriting partnership and were awarded the unique opportunity of a one-on-one songwriting session with Sir Paul.

“Upon graduating and with student visa expiration dates looming, we knew there would be no country where we could both live and work together,” Obadiah recalls. Determined to overcome the bureaucracy, they found an unlikely solution – to live and perform on cruise ships. A six-month stint in the Caribbean ultimately led them on a two-year journey, performing for thousands, honing their distinct sound and learning their craft, while touring far reaching parts of the world, from Alaska to the Greek Isles.

This long and winding road led the truly international act to their current home, London, where they hope to become a mainstay in the fast-growing Country and Americana music scene in the UK. Although relatively new to the London scene, O&O have already made their presence felt on the local live music circuit over the last twelve months, with support slots for artists incuding Australian Music Award nominees, the Germein Sisters, and a number of club and festival appearances. Their live show features the duo's distinctive, close-harmony sound with an Americana flare - Fleetwood Mac meets The Civil Wars.

Their self-released debut single ‘Traveling’ - with the “perfect harmonies” praised by sites such as The Daily Country and Building Our Own Nashville, showed all the signs of early success, with support across the British music scene, while proceeds from the single and donations raised during a series of pop-up concerts in collaboration with Busk In London and Network Rail went towards raising awareness of national charity Youth Music and its music-making projects for children and young people experiencing challenging circumstances. More recently, the duo were one of the highlights of this year’s Country to Country festival at the O2 Arena, with W21 Music describing their “lovely harmonies”; and one of a handful of acts chosen to record an exclusive Under The Apple Tree acoustic session at the event, aired in a special edition of the show on Chris Country Radio.

Following the release of previous single 'Some Days' in January, O&O’s new track ‘Tears In The Rain' comes out May 25th 2018, and the duo are set to appear at a number of major UK festivals throughout the summer.

Rita Coolidge releases great new album Safe In The Arms Of Time + London residency

One of music’s most enduring voices and composers, Rita Coolidge returns to her roots with a stunning new album ‘Safe In The Arms Of Time’, released on May 4th on Blue Elan Records. Along with Rita this musical work of art features the songwriting talents of Graham Nash, Chris Stapleton, Stan Lynch, and Keb’ Mo’.

The album marks the two-time Grammy winner’s return to songwriting, drawing  inspiration for her new material as she often does, from her personal journey and what an epic journey it’s been!

“I’ve written so many songs assuming a role like an actor, but this time I got to write from experience,” says Coolidge, who co-wrote three of the album’s 12 wondrous cuts. “This is the best record I’ve ever done. I’m extremely proud of it.”

In many ways, 'Safe in the Arms of Time’ is both a reflection and a continuation of Rita's remarkable history, one that took flight during the heyday of the ‘70s L.A. music scene when she sang backup on Stephen Stills’ 'Love the One You’re With' and Eric Clapton’s 'After Midnight' (Astute music fans are also well aware of how she contributed the classic – and uncredited – piano coda to Derek & the Dominoes’ Layla) “The idea was making an album that had the same appeal of my early records, to make a roots record about my own roots,” Coolidge says.

And so it was only fitting that Rita and producer Ross Hogarth, along with an all-star lineup of top musicians – guitarist Dave Grissom, bassist Bob Glaub, keyboardist John “J.T.” Thomas, and drummer Brian MacLeod – assembled at L.A.’s Sunset Sound, the famed recording studio where she recorded her first solo albums on A&M Records 30 years ago. “Going back to Sunset Sound was taking a journey into the past – there was a memory down every hallway,” Rita says.

Along with nostalgia, there was a hopeful eye toward the future, beautifully rendered on 'You Can Fall in Love' which Rita wrote with former Tom Petty drummer Stan Lynch and Joe Hutto. The track explores reconnecting with an old flame, and it embodies one of the album’s paramount themes: It’s never too late. “People need to have an awakening that you can fall in love at any age and it will feel right, like you’re 15,” Rita says. “I really wanted to have that message come across on the record.”

Rita wrote two of the album’s standout cuts – the sparky blues number 'Naked All Night' and the smooth-soul gem 'Walking on Water' – with Grammy-winning blues star Keb’ Mo’ and singer-songwriter Jill Colucci in Nashville. Trading vocals with Keb’ Mo’ on 'Walking on Water' was a thrill for Rita who enthuses, “I literally have every Keb’ Mo’ CD. I’ve been a fan for decades”

'Safe in the Arms of Time' also gave Rita the chance to reunite with one of her real-life past flames, one who has remained a cherished friend, Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills & Nash)  Nash and drumming legend Russ Kunkel had offered Coolidge their smoky blues rocker Doing Fine Without You two years before she began recording. When she and Hogarth started the project, it would be one of the first songs they picked.

The ‘Delta Lady’ (as she is known amongst friends and fans) has captivated audiences during her astonishing 50-year career, selling millions of copies of signature hits such as 'We’re All Alone', 'The Way You Do the Things You Do', 'All Time High' and '(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher'. Her eight-year relationship with former husband Kris Kristofferson yielded three top-selling albums (including the No. 1 hit Full Moon) and multiple Grammy Awards.

'Safe in the Arms of Time' marks the first new music Rita has recorded since the tragic death in 2015 of her beloved sister Priscilla, a recording artist and member of Walela, the Native American trio she and Coolidge founded with Priscilla’s daughter, Laura Satterfield. The recording of the album also coincided with Rita's relocation from Southern California to a new life in Tallahassee, where in the 1960s, as an art major at Florida State University, she discovered her true calling as a musician and never looked back. 

With 'Safe in the Arms of Time', Rita's musical journey from the hills of rural Tennessee to the recording studios of Los Angeles and concert stages around the world comes full circle. She predicted such an odyssey with stunning prescience in her memoir, writing, “Sometimes the path is surrounded by rainbows, and sometimes it's buried in the mud. I’m still here and I still have a lot of gratitude for the whole process of being able to make music.”

'Safe in the Arms of Time' will be released on multiple formats (including a three-sided white vinyl collector’s edition with a special silkscreen on the fourth side) on May 4th via Blue Élan Records. In March, Rita will debut select songs from 'Safe in the Arms of Time' at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, and she’ll celebrate the album with a very special record release performance at L.A.’s historic Troubadour nightclub on April 30, before heading to the UK for a 4 night residency at The Boisdale Club, London from 14th – 17th May.  Ticket information via:  http://www.boisdale.co.uk

The Savannahs release their debut EP 'Iron & Glass'

LCM recommended new release : The very talented The Savannahs have just released their wonderful debut EP 'Iron & Glass'. Their EP launch gig will be at the Green Note in Camden on the 30th May.

Founded in early 2017, singer-songwriters Hannah Rose Platt, Emily Moment, and Rebecca Rosewell formed Alt-Country group 'The Savannahs'. 'Iron and Glass' is their first release; a 4 track EP consisting of three original songs: 'Savannah', 'Stone That Never Rolls' and 'Suffragette', and one track covering the traditional acapella song 'Down In The River To Pray'.

The EP was recorded by Sam Beer in London, with all the music and instrumentation played by The Savannahs, except piano on 'Suffragette' performed by Tom Collison. The official online release for 'Iron And Glass' is Friday May 4th with a live performance on BBC Radio 4 show 'Loose Ends' Saturday May 5th and an EP launch show on Wednesday May 30th at The Green Note in Camden, London.

Inspired by acts like Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Gillian Welch, and many more, The Savannahs lend their beautiful harmonies to a mix of both originals and rootsy covers.

In July 2017, The Savannahs performed on BBC One's vocal competition 'Pitch Battle', representing Country Music. Being on the show gained The Savannahs lots of new fans, along with several well attended live gigs in London, Buckinghamshire, Bristol and Petersfield since the show aired.

Audiences can expect haunting three part harmonies, country classic sing alongs, catchy originals, banjo/ ukele/guitar picking and a few acapella numbers.

Lisa Wright Explores New Sounds On ‘Mind Of Mine’ EP - Out May 25th

LONDON, UK - (17th April 2018) - One of the most exciting voices in the UK’s homegrown country/Americana scene, Lisa Wright, has announced the May 25th 2018 release of her brand new EP ‘Mind of Mine’. Produced by Matt Greaves (Ward Thomas, The Girls Musical), ‘Mind of Mine’ contains four brand new songs, and is Lisa’s most personal work to date. Lead single, ‘Tennessee’, co-written by Lisa with Kaity Rae and currently gaining airplay on country shows & stations across the UK, was inspired by her trip to the US in late 2017, reflecting the notorious ups and downs of the music industry and the search for purpose in life.

Two of the tracks were solely written by Lisa, with ‘Giving Up The Ghost’ penned in collaboration with Jake Etheridge, known for his starring role as Sean McPherson on CMT’s Nashville TV show, and having also lent his songwriting talents to the show’s soundtrack.

Combining Lisa's staple of honest and emotive lyrics with a new exploration of sound and style, it’s obvious that ‘Mind of Mine’ will showcase this young artist’s ability to continually re-create herself, while staying true to her roots. Having opened for US country star Cam earlier this month and with support dates with the likes of Ward Thomas & Phil Vassar under her belt, it’s easy to see why the Nashville Songwriters Association (NSAI) have declared Lisa Wright “one to watch”.

‘Mind of Mine’ is out on May 25th 2018, and available to pre-order now, with an EP launch at 229 in London on May 23rd.

Forthcoming live dates include:

• 18th May - Escape The Great Escape Festival, Brighton
• 23rd May - 229, London (EP Launch)

Tickets & info from http://lisawrightmusic.com

“[Lisa] mesmerises us with her flawless vocal delivery” (Your Life in a Song)

“Intelligent, elegant and far beyond her years” (Inside Nashville)

“She is surely destined for a huge career” (Belles and Gals)

ABOUT LISA WRIGHT:
At first glance; Lisa Wright is a 5ft, blonde, Essex girl who seemingly charms her way into the audiences’ affection by cracking jokes and telling stories but then she begins to play... and the room goes silent.

Nominated for ‘Best Country/Folk Act’ by the Unsigned Music Awards and described as ‘Kacey Musgraves meets Patty Griffin meets John Mayer’, it's clear from your first listen that, to Lisa Wright, lyrics mean everything. Inside Nashville called Wright's songwriting: "intelligent, elegant and beyond her years". With great support from BBC Introducing, the young singer-songwriter was announced as one of their emerging ‘Sound of 2017’ artists and subsequently was handpicked by BBC Radio 6Music to perform at Latitude Festival. With over 70,000 streams on Spotify to date; previous singles playlisted on radio including Chris Country & Amazing Radio; and supporting artists such as; Cam, Ward Thomas, Phil Vassar and Emily Barker, it’s clear to see why Lisa has often been described as “the UK's best kept secret”. 

But, it doesn't stop there... 

After she impressed the transatlantic audience with her songwriting, Lisa was championed by the Nashville Songwriters Association who announced her as their ‘One to Watch’, and was recently invited to join the fantastic Song Suffragette alumni in Nashville.

Mind of Mine

Lisa Wright

Buy on Amazon

Ashley McBryde's London Headline Show Upgraded Due To Phenomenal Demand

LONDON, UK - (16th April 2018) - After tickets sold out within minutes of being on sale, the venue for Ashley McBryde’s London show in October has been upgraded due to overwhelming demand, and will now be moved to Islington Assembly Hall on Wednesday 10th October 2018. McBryde, whose performances at the O2 Arena’s C2C Festival in March were described by Music Week as “nothing short of a revelation” and who Entertainment Focus highlighted as “one of the most talked-about artists on the country scene”, recently confirmed her return to the UK later this year, including a run of tour dates with Luke Combs, followed by a London headline show.

Original tickets remain valid, and the new tickets will be on sale this Friday (20th April) at 9:00AM.

This follows the release of her critically-acclaimed full-length album ‘Girl Going Nowhere’, out on Atlantic/Warner Nashville in March and declared last week as the biggest debut by a solo country artist this year. The album, described by The Fader as “a proper introduction to a true-blue talent, one who is capable of injecting personality into all types of country songs”, is currently in the top five on the UK Country Albums chart for a second consecutive week. 

Produced by Jay Joyce, ‘Girl Going Nowhere’ has also received rave reviews from Rolling Stone and Variety, a “Next-Gen Nashville” Billboard feature, inclusion in NPR’s All Songs Considered and half-page features in both The New York Times and Sunday’s issue of The Washington Post. Rolling Stone observes, “… she wrote or co-wrote everything here…with a sharp eye for piercing detail. She has a serious gift,” while The New York Times adds, “Ms. McBryde focuses on crisp songwriting and a wide-tent approach to influences, taking in blues and Southern rock” in this week’s Popcast; Billboard notes, “[Girl Going Nowhere] juxtaposes her bluesy delivery -- reminiscent of Susan Tedeschi’s and Patty Griffin’s,” and the The Washington Post proclaims Girl Going Nowhere showcases McBryde’s “gritty, rock-tinged country music and vivid, cutting lyrics.”

Prior to recording Nowhere and signing a deal with a major label, McBryde spent the better part of her adult life driving between Nashville, Memphis and her hometown of Mammoth Spring, Arkansas playing any biker bar or dive she could book. There were nights when she didn’t know if she had enough gas in the tank of her teal 1971 pick-up to make it home, yet she would listen to the radio to distract herself from the then-grim reality.

Now, when she turns the dial she hears everything from her single, 'A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega' on Country radio, to album cut “American Scandal” on SiriusXM’s The Highway, to NPR discussing none other than “Radioland,” as featured in a recent broadcast/podcast of All Songs Considered, which deemed Girl Going Nowhere a “fantastic album, that is just what country needs. The cheap comparison would be female Chris Stapleton, but Ashley is her own woman. She really does however, combine the energy of rock, the earnestness and simple beauties of prime-era Springsteen or John Mellencamp; her songs are about family, working people, about living your best life when your best life is maybe on the outskirts of town on a ranch house with a manual lawnmower.”

Ashley McBryde returns to the UK in October 2018 for a series of tour dates with Luke Combs, followed by a headline show in London:

3rd October - O2 Institute, Birmingham (w/ Luke Combs)
4th October - Shepherds Bush Empire, London (w/ Luke Combs)
5th October - Shepherds Bush Empire, London (w/ Luke Combs)
7th October - O2 ABC, Glasgow (w/ Luke Combs)
8th October - O2 Ritz, Manchester (w/ Luke Combs)

10th October - Islington Assembly Hall, London (Upgraded due to demand)

Ashley Monroe unveils her new album 'Sparrow'

On April 20th, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe will release 'Sparrow' via Warner Music Nashville. The album, her fourth, was recorded with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Mary Chapin Carpenter) in Nashville’s legendary RCA Studio A. On Monday, Ashley unveiled the album art for 'Sparrow' along with the track list and collaborators on the record (full track list below).

Ashley recently shared "Hands On You," our LCM #SongOfTheDay tomorrow and the first song to be released from the forthcoming album. NPR Music commened, "On that song and the 11 others that round out the track list, many of which frame her voice with sumptuous strings, Monroe sounds more sensitive, sensual and comfortable in her skin than she ever has." 

The single was embraced by American Songwriter, Rolling Stone, Wide Open Country, and UPROXX, who called the song a "barn-burning, lusty remembrance of a night that didn’t quite end in consummation of desire, and the waves of regret that can accompany not acting on impulse."

Working with some of her closest collaborators, including Brendan Benson and Waylon Payne, and longtime friends Anderson East and Angaleena Presley, Ashley wrote all of the songs on 'Sparrow.' She recorded the album while she was pregnant with her first child. "I felt powerful," she says. "I wasn't puffing, I wasn't drinking wine, I was just singing."

"I knew I wanted to work with Dave. All of his records are consistently awesome and classic, timeless, old and new all in one." Together, they shared their favourite records and music moments, like early Elton John LPs and Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman," moulding 'Sparrow' into its own unique sonic space. "Country music is a wide genre, and that's OK," Ashley says. “I don't even know what genre this record is, but I know it's me."

'Sparrow' Track List:

1. "Orphan" (Ashley Monroe, Gordie Sampson, Paul Moak)
2. "Hard On A Heart" (Ashley Monroe, Blu Sanders, Paul Moak)
3. "Hands On You" (Ashley Monroe, Jon Randall)
4. "Mother’s Daughter" (Ashley Monroe, Brendan Benson, Ryan Beaver)
5. "Rita" (Ashley Monroe, Nicole Galyon, Paul Moak)
6. "Wild Love" (Ashley Monroe, Waylon Payne, Brendan Benson)
7. "This Heaven" (Anderson East, Ashley Monroe, Aaron Raitiere)
8. "I'm Trying To" (Ashley Monroe, Kassi Ashton, Jon Randall)
9. "She Wakes Me Up (Rescue Me)" (Ashley Monroe, Waylon Payne, Paul Moak)
10. "Paying Attention" (Ashley Monroe, Waylon Payne, Brendan Benson)
11. "Daddy I Told You" (Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley, Josh O’Keefe)
12. "Keys To The Kingdom" (Ashley Monroe, Waylon Payne)

Lindsay Ells’s ‘The Project’ To Get UK Physical Release 9th March, Ahead Of C2C & UK Tour

Following her long-awaited return to the UK & Ireland last October, Lindsay Ell - one of the most highly anticipated acts of this year’s Country to Country (C2C) Festival in London, has confirmed a UK physical release for her critically acclaimed debut album ‘The Project’ (BMG/BBR) on March 9th 2018; led by the US hit single ‘Waiting On You’. Ell is due to perform on various stages across the O2 Arena during C2C - including a set on the prestigious BBC Radio 2 stage, and a Satellite Stage performance in the main arena on Sunday 11th March - before heading out on the road for further UK tour dates.

10th March - C2C Festival, O2 Arena London
11th March - C2C Festival, O2 Arena London
13th March - O2 ABC 2, Glasgow (C2C Roadshow)
14th March - O2 Institute 3, Birmingham (C2C Roadshow)
15th March - The Ruby Lounge, Manchester (C2C Roadshow)

For the rising star, the debut, which hit the #1 slot on the Nielsen SoundScan country albums chart in the US, has been a long time coming... sent on a mission of personal discovery to unleash the vibrant, soul-bearing country artist long predicted by fans and critics alike, Ell’s journey is now complete – and ‘The Project’ is the result. Comprised of 12 gripping, heart-on-her-sleeve tracks and produced by Sugarland’s Kristian Bush, the album is the musical calling card Ell’s been working toward her whole life – from her childhood in Calgary, Alberta; through her time opening shows for blues legend Buddy Guy; and even with attention-grabbing country singles “Trippin’ On Us” and “By the Way.”

“I feel like I’ve finally found myself,” Ell beams about ‘The Project’. “I’m a better guitar player, I’m a better singer, I’m a better songwriter. I’m just a different artist, and I’ve never felt about music the way I do now.” Grooving, diverse, and emotionally charged, it’s easy to hear what Ell means. ‘The Project’ reveals every aspect of her abundant talent – from her fiery guitar prowess to her crisp, inviting vocals ... and even her new knack for vulnerable song craft.

It’s funky, bluesy, and full of pop-country sweetness, but also delicate and – at times – brutally honest, as Ell’s heart is placed front and center on each track. She embraces the anything-goes fun of country’s future but also holds fast to its traditions, focusing on real instruments and co-writing nine of The Project’s songs to create something both unique and self-assured. For the first time, Ell’s music feels 100 percent “Lindsay,” and part of the reason for that is the growing up she’s done over the past few years. 

The young singer-songwriter has traveled the world with artists like The Band Perry - including her first visit to the UK in 2013 - and Luke Bryan; showcased her multi-instrumental dexterity as one of CMT’s Next Women of Country; returned to the UK for a headline tour in 2015; and is currently trading guitar solos with superstar Brad Paisley on his Weekend Warrior World Tour.

“I really believe everybody has their own story and their own path of brilliance ahead of them,” Ell explains, hinting at the her own winding journey. “It’s a song of not settling for things, careers, or even emotions that you’re having, just because they happen to you all the time. It’s about knowing you’re meant for something more special than that.”

With her long-awaited album debut, Lindsay Ell has discovered what she was meant for, and who she really is. Her next “project” will be to pass that message on.

**Competition** Two free tickets to see Orphan Colours at The Lexington on 18th Feb

To celebrate the release of debut album 'All On Red', London based Orphan Colours play a hometown show this Sunday (18th Feb) at The Lexington in London.

Here at LCM we are very excited to announce that we have 2 pairs of tickets to give away for the show - all you need to do to be added into the prize draw is like and share this post....then just comment below! The draw will close at noon on Friday and then we will draw the lucky winners. 

Orphan Colours are made up of members of AHAB, Noah And The Whale and Danny And The Champions Of The World. 

'All On Red' was released on 26th Jan and the band are on currently on their UK Tour.

This competition is run with the generous support of our friends at 'At The Helm Records'.

Callaghan set to release her new EP 'Skin On Skin' on March 2nd

We have been big fans of this next lady for a few years now, after first meeting her at a gig in Manchester. Three-time BBC Radio 2 play listed artist Callaghan will release her latest EP 'Skin On Skin' on Friday March 2, ahead one of her biggest UK tours to date kicking off on April 17.

'Skin On Skin' is the second of three EPs that Callaghan is currently recording in Los Angeles over the course of a year. Shortly after the release, she’ll kick off her UK tour in Liverpool on April 17th and then play a series of dates across the UK including her first headline shows at Sage Gateshead, Oran Mor in Glasgow, Lincoln’s Drill Hall and her biggest ever London show at Bush Hall on April 26th.

The release of 'Skin On Skin' is the latest chapter in the remarkable story of the UK singer songwriter who moved to the US in summer 2010 after striking up a musical collaboration with Atlanta based Grammy Nominee Shawn Mullins via Myspace.

'Skin On Skin' was produced in Hollywood by Anthony Resta (Duran Duran, Blondie, Elton John), and husband/wife producer team Jeff Fair and Starr Parodi who have worked on scores for huge films including Harry Potter, James Bond, Mission Impossible and more. The songs were all written or co-written by Callaghan. Her writing partners include Jeff Silbar - one of the writers of the iconic song ‘The Wind Beneath My Wings’.

The 4 track EP features songs that capture both Callaghan’s unease that politics and technology are dividing us from one another, and her hope and conviction that love and the human spirit will overcome. Lead single ‘Better Together’ is an uplifting, positive love song celebrating unity. Title track ‘Skin on Skin’ suggests face-to-face contact rather than living life through a screen. ‘Broken’ was written at the end of 2016 as a heartfelt reaction to UK and US politics and finally ‘All Through The Night’ is a beautiful lullaby from a parent to a child.

The LA recordings mark an evolution in Callaghan’s sound as she moves in a pop direction while maintaining the honest emotions of the singer songwriter. Firsts for Callaghan on this EP include using a horn section on ‘Better Together’ and a full 30-piece orchestra on ‘Broken and ‘All Through the Night’. The orchestra was led by top British conductor Nicholas Dodd who has conducted every James Bond score since 1997. The session was recorded in the evening in Budapest while Callaghan watched remotely via Skype whilst on tour on a sunny Michigan morning. A constant on all of Callaghan’s recordings remains her soaring, beautiful voice.

The tour will give fans their first chance to hear the new songs live. Callaghan will also be performing tracks from 'The Other Side', her EP released in June, and songs from the final EP in the trilogy which will come out in the summer. And of course, they’ll also hear songs from her acclaimed album, 'A History of Now', including the aforementioned BBC Radio 2 play listed singles.

“I can’t wait to release this EP and hit the road for my UK tour” says Callaghan. “It’s been amazing to get to know LA and work with accomplished writers and producers here on the West Coast. I write based on what I see and experience, and the stories people tell me. I hope these songs will resonate with people’s own experiences, hopes and emotions and I’m excited to play them live across the UK”.

Originally from Lincolnshire, Callaghan moved to the USA in 2010 to tour and record with Atlanta based Grammy nominee Shawn Mullins. In 2015 she recorded her second album A History of Now in Nashville and, after five years of building her audience across the USA, returned to Britain to tour. Since then she’s enjoyed a hugely successful couple of years which has seen her profile build substantially in the UK. Highlights include two appearances at the massive C2C festival, multiple headline tour dates and festival appearances at Cornbury, Celtic Connections, SummerTyne Festival, The Secret Garden Party and Cambridge Folk Festival. She’s also played live sessions for BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris and Good Morning Sunday and BBC London’s Gaby Roslin and Robert Elms as well as at local BBC stations across the UK.

Tues 17 April - Liverpool - Studio 2
Wed 18 April - Cheltenham - Chapel Arts
Thu 19 April - Lincoln - Drill Hall
Sat 21 April - Brighton Unitarian Church
Sun 22 April - York - Basement
Mon 23 April - Glasgow - Oran Mor
Wed 25 April - Gateshead - Sage
Thu 26 April - London - Bush Hall
Fri 27 April - Buckingham - Radcliffe Centre
Sat 28 April - Colchester - Little Rabbit Barn

New Artists announced for C2C 2018 London

Country to Country London will officially kick off at 1.30pm on Friday and 10.00am on Saturday and Sunday when the Town Square opens and the first Festival stage artists start. For the first time, the Town Square will be hosted in a new area (outside the main entrance), to make room for the ever-growing selection of festival activities including; market stalls and stands, authentic food from the American South, cocktails, whiskey and craft beers from Signal Brewery, a Big Machine hang out booth, artist signings, meet and greets and more.

C2C ticket holders are invited to enjoy any of the Festival Stages across the weekend, subject to capacity. This includes C2C Late Night Stage (Building Six); BBC Radio 2 Stage (indigo at The O2); Country Music Week Hub and The Saloon (All Bar One) and C2C Sessions (NY-LON). In addition to the Official Aftershows, C2C hosts a series of late night stages. Entertaining crowds into the evening this year are LANCO, Russell Dickerson, Lindsay Ell, Mo Pitney, Delta Rae and Ryan Kinder.

New for 2018, fans have the chance to get up close to the newest UK and Irish country names making a big impact on these shores. The C2C Close Up Stage in Building Six will reveal the backstory and future plans of some of the most promising UK and Irish acts, with intimate performances from Catherine McGrath, Andy Brown, Una Healy, Twinnie, Liv Austen, Katy Hurt and Jake Morrell.

Non-ticket holders are also able to access these stages with a Festival wristband which can be purchased for £10 via https://tickets.axs.com/shop/#/STAGES-03ed-479c-b118-59ea9619ac86. Separate tickets are required for The Bluebird Cafe and the Official Aftershows.

All visitors to The O2 can enjoy entertainment from the free stages, which include Town Square Stage, the Big Entrance Stage and Club WM. Other free festival activities include the traders, food, drink and retail in the Town Square, the merchandise area and the record store. All subject to capacity.

Fans should also expect surprise artist announcements across the weekend, details of which will be revealed on the C2C app. The app features stage times, artist info plus notifications about signings, competitions, secret performances and more.

FRIDAY 9 MARCHSATURDAY 10 MARCHSUNDAY 11 MARCH

THE O2 ARENA

Faith Hill & Tim McGraw   Kacey Musgraves     Little Big Town

Kelsea Ballerini    Sugarland     Emmylou Harris

Old Dominion    Kip Moore   Margo Price

Luke Combs    Midland  

Ashley Campbell (Presenting a special tribute to Glen Campbell)

HOSTED BY THE LEGENDARY BOB HARRIS OBE

SPOTLIGHT STAGE

Brett Young   Lukas Nelson    Walker Hayes

Morgan Evans    Jillian Jacqueline   Russell Dickerson

Ashley McBryde    Lindsay Ell

PLUS FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES ALL DAY

COCKTAILS, WHISKEY & CRAFT BEERS * MARKET STALLS AND STANDS
ARTIST SIGNINGS * MEET AND GREETS * FILM SCREENINGS
AUTHENTIC FOOD FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTH

BBC RADIO 2 STAGE – INDIGO AT THE O2

Ashley Campbell – Ashley McBryde – Catherine McGrath – Danielle Bradbery – Delta Rae – High Valley Jillian Jacqueline – LANCO – Levi Hummon – Lindsay Ell – Mo Pitney – Morgan Evans – Russell Dickerson Ryan Hurd – Walker Hayes – The Wandering Hearts

        LATE NIGHT STAGE – BUILDING SIX                   THE LATE NIGHT SALOON – ALL BAR ONE

FRIDAY               SATURDAY             SUNDAY               FRIDAY         SATURDAY     SUNDAY

LANCO         Russell Dickerson       Lindsay Ell              Mo Pitney     Delta Rae     Ryan Kinder

C2C OFFICIAL AFTERSHOWS – INDIGO AT THE O2 – SEPARATE TICKET REQUIRED

Brett Young with Morgan Evans – Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Walker Hayes

Plus Nashville’s DJ “Hish”

PLUS MANY MORE ARTISTS PERFORMING OVER 6 OTHER STAGES

American Young – Andy Brown – Clara Bond – Days Are Done – Elles Bailey – Fayre – Holloway Road

Jake Morrell – Jeannine Barry – Katy Hurt – Kerri Watt – Keywest – Leslie Satcher

Liv Austen – Liz McClarnon – Lost Hollow – O&O – Peter Donegan
Sammie Jay – Stephanie Quayle – The Adelaides – The Grahams – Twinnie – Una Healy

AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!

Joan Baez to release a brand new album 'Whistle Down The Wind'

Legendary singer, songwriter, activist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Joan Baez' brand new album Whistle Down The Wind . Produced by three-time Grammy® Award winner Joe Henry and recorded over ten days of sessions in Los Angeles, Whistle Down The Wind gathers material by some of Baez's favourite composers. The album is due for release on 2nd March.

Whistle Down The Wind is Joan's first new studio album in a decade, since 2008's critically acclaimed, Grammy®-nominated Day After Tomorrow, which was produced by Steve Earle. Its release ignited an extraordinary decade of achievement by Joan, including: the PBS American Masters series premiere of her life story, Joan Baez: How Sweet The Sound (2009), which underscored the 50th anniversary of Joan's debut at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival. Joan's seminal debut album of 1960 was honoured by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences in 2011, which inducted it into the Grammy® Hall Of Fame; and subsequently by the Library of Congress in 2015, which selected it to be preserved in the National Recording Registry. That same year, Amnesty International bestowed its highest honour on Joan, the Ambassador of Conscience Award, in recognition of her exceptional leadership in the fight for human rights and she was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2017.

Joan Baez remains a musical force of nature of incalculable influence. She marched on the front line of the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King, shined a spotlight on the Free Speech Movement, took to the fields with Cesar Chavez, organized resistance to the Vietnam War, inspired Vaclav Havel in his fight for a Czech Republic, saluted the Dixie Chicks for their courage to protest the Iraq war, and stood with old friend Nelson Mandela in London's Hyde Park as the world celebrated his 90th birthday. Joan's earliest recordings fed a host of traditional ballads into the rock vernacular, before she unselfconsciously introduced Bob Dylan to the world in 1963. Thus began a tradition of mutual mentoring that continues on Whistle Down The Wind, and which will reverberate long into the future across Joan's lifetime of recordings.