Blues & Roots Radio wins LCM 'Best Radio Station' Award for the second time

We are delighted to announce that Blues & Roots Radio have won our annual award for 'Best Radio Station' in 2017. Blues and Roots Radio is a multi award winning global online broadcasting network based in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada and Melbourne, Victoria, Australia with hubs in the UK, Ireland and the USA playing the best Independent artists 24/7. This is the second year running that this excellent radio station and network has won the top spot, this time on a public vote. Huge congratulations to Stevie, Anne, Neil, Megan and the rest of the Blues & Roots Radio family, including all the show presenters.

From September 1st 2017 they are now home to two stations, BRR Essential and BRR Discover, both independent online radio stations playing independent artists from around the world. Over 50 shows are housed on our network from around the world of which a vast  majority are produced exclusively for us playing Blues, Soul, R&B, Americana, Alt Country, Bluegrass, Celtic, Folk, Roots and everything in between. 

Our nominees for the award this year were truly international with radio stations submitted from around the world. Please check them out if you haven't listened to them before.

Our 5 five for 2017 were

• (1) Blues & Roots Radio, Port Credit, Canada
• (2) Radio Walkham, Devon, UK
• (3) BBC Introducing, UK
• (4) Joltin Joe's Radio Nowhere, New Jersey, USA
• (4) Laurel Canyon Radio, Los Angeles, USA

Carousel wins LCM EP of the year for 2017

We are thrilled to announce that Carousel wins our LCM award for 'EP Of The Year' for their self titled debut EP. Huge congratulations to Thomas Eatherton, Chris Hobart, Sarah Holburn, Toby Shaer, who also took home our 2017 LCM 'Favourite New Artist of the Year' award.

Our runner-up this year was the excellent 'Hide' by Hattie Briggs. We are very excited by this one as Hattie released it at one of our LCM London gig earlier in the year, as part of her wonderful 12 Months Of Madness project.

Carousel’s highly anticipated debut EP was released on 22nd September 2017. The 4-piece Indie-Americana music collective are based in Southend-on-Sea on the coast of Essex, UK. Carousel fuse Americana, country, folk, rock’n’roll, blues and roots music into their own unique approach whilst taking full advantage of having 4 accomplished vocalists at their disposal. The band’s influences include an array of artists from Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash to the modern day Americana stylings of Brandi Carlile and The Lone Bellow. The band’s aim is to breathe new life into music venues and street-level performances around the UK, with a view to remove the barrier between artist and audience.

Carousel was founded in the summer of 2015, following the decision that four good friends and solo musicians would come together, with the ideology that they are better together than they are apart. Music is as much a part of one band member as the next and it is something that is a constant staple in each of their lives. Sharing a musical vision that is encompassed by friendship and honesty, Carousel present a fresh take on passionate and heartfelt music. Their songs are both uplifting and sombre. Wistful yet forward-looking.

Two years in the making, Carousel have finally released their debut EP, which includes five of their most energising and emotive songs. They performed on a number of festival bills in summer 2017; most notably Leigh Folk Festival, Live Expressions Festival, Daxtonbury Festival and are becoming increasingly sought after within the UK’s live music scene.

Ange Hardy wins the LCM award for 'Best Live Act' in 2017

We are delighted to announce that as chosen by our LCM Facebook Group members Ange Hardy wins our LCM award for 'Best Live Act' in 2017.

Ange Hardy is a most remarkable singer-songwriter and instrumentalist, the kind that writes songs which are so classic you think they have existed in the folk cannon for centuries. Ange is also unique as she is the only folk performer we know to use a loop station (called Mr. Miyagi), which she does to great effect. Her highly anticipated and recently released album 'Bring Back Home' is already receiving high praise. It's not too hard to understand why.

Our runners-up this year are the all-star Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys, who are rapidly becoming one of the 'must see' live bands on the festival circuit.

Our LCM Top 20

• (1) Ange Hardy
• (2) Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys
• (3) Kim Lowings & The Greenwood
• (4) Tobias Ben Jacob & Lukas Drinkwater
• (5) Daria Kulesh
• (6) The Young'Uns
• (7) Said The Maiden
• (8) Company Of Players
• (9) Gilmore & Roberts
• (10) Emily Mae Winters
• (10) Show Of Hands
• (10) Emily Barker
• (13) Luke Jackson
• (14) Hattie Briggs
• (14) Fred's House
• (16) Merry Hell
• (17) Ninebarrow
• (18) Edgelarks
• (18) Minnie Birch
• (20) Lady Maisery
• (20) Kadia

LCM launch LCM Gig Buddy

We are starting a new FB Group so musicians, promoters, agents and fans can publish details of all their concerts, gigs, tours and festival appearances. The new group will also help others to plan, meet up and share the great music we all enjoy. The new group/s will enable us to expand the number, range and areas of the gigs we can publish.

In future we will be using the current LCM Group as more of an on-line magazine but will still continue publishing recommended London area gigs both as a pinned post and also on our LCM website.

The new group will be called 'LCM Gig Buddy', thanks Jonathan Peter Barker for the idea. As a question to the Group, do you think it would be a good idea to have only one Gig Buddy group or to have regional versions? Maybe South East, South West, East, Midlands, North East, North West, Wales, Scotland. We will be running LCM Gig Buddy - South East as a pilot. If you would like one set up for your area, please let me know in the comments.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/291615324511379/

Jess Morgan Trio to release their new single 'Natalie' at SPOC on 26th May

We are pleased to announce that our next LCM showcase at St. Pancras Old Church on the 26th May will be the official release concert for 'Natalie', the brand new single from The Jess Morgan Trio. Natalie with be the first single taken from their great new album.

Special guests on the night include Jack Harris and Steve Jones (Stylusboy). Our host for the evening will be the excellent Tom du Croz. It would be great to see you all there

Advance concession tickets are just £10

http://www.wegottickets.com/sct/R5SrthZsJf

Hattie Briggs wins 2015 LCM Favourite New Artist

We are very thrilled to announce that 2015 LCM Favourite New Artist of the Year is the wonderful Hattie Briggs. Hattie wins the next award from the Laurel Canyon Music Fund (which is created from the money we make in profit from our gigs and used to support the projects of up-and-coming independent musicians). Hattie also receives a guaranteed perfomance slot at one of our LCM gigs. Hattie will be on tour shortly and releasing her highly anticipated second album, so please go and see her if she visits near you or please join us in London on the 17th March at SPOC. If you would like to find out more about Hattie, you can either visit her website http://www.hattiebriggs.co.uk/ or I can highly recommend this excellent radio special with Daria from a F-Spot live session last year.https://www.mixcloud.com/…/the-f-spot-live-sessions-16-hat…/

Our runner-up is a musician and good friend who I have known for a number of years, the lovely Daria Kulesh. Daria wins 4 VIP Tickets to a LCM gig of her choice.

In the bronze medal winning postion is another very good singer-songwriter who will be supporting Kelly Oliver at Uxbridge Folk Club soon,Amy Goddard Music. Amy wins 2 VIP Tickets to a LCM gig of her choice.

Congratulations also to Katie (Little Sparrow) and Steve Pledger who also did so well in our poll. They both have great debut albums, which are some of our favourites. A big thank you and congratulations too to all of our final nominees who polled strongly Minnie Birch (last years LCM Music Fund winner), Kadia (The Band), Kelly Oliver, Tobias Ben Jacob andLukas Drinkwater, Marina Flo and Iona Lane Music.

A huge thank you and congratulations to all the nominees on our list and to everyone who took time to comment, vote and listen to their music. We hope that you have enjoyed discovering the music of artists new to you and hope that you will go to see and meet some of your new found favourites this year. We will be shortly announcing the winner of the ticket draw for the people who voted in the poll.

Wishing you all another great year of music

Thanks to Rob Bridge for the great photograph of Hattie

LCM Awards for 2015

We are delighted to announce that the 2015 LCM Award for Best album is awarded to Esteesee by Ange Hardy. Congratulations again Ange on a great album and a very successful 2015. With Ange's new partnership with Lukas Drinkwater and new projects on the horizon, we are sure that this success will continue into 2016.

View fullsize

Huge congratulations also to Tracey Browne and Raevennan Husbandes for securing the No. 2 position. East by Northwest is also another gem of an album, well worth adding to your music collection.

Thank you everyone who voted for your favourite album of the year.

The final results are;-

#1 Ange Hardy - Esteesee (AOTM Sep)
#2 Tracey Browne & Rae Husbandes - East by Northwest (AOTM Feb)
#3 Amy Goddard - Burn & Glow.
#4 Steve Pledger - Striking Matches In The Wind
#5 Hattie Briggs - Red & Gold (AOTM May)
#6 Paper Aeroplanes - Joy (AOTM Apr)
#7 Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin - Watershed (AOTM Oct)
#8 Jason Isbell - More Than Free
Minnie Birch - Floudering
#10 Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman - Tomorrow Will Follow Today
Black Feathers - Soaked to the Bone.

We would like to give an special LCM Group Award for Best Debut album of 2015 jointly to Hattie Briggs for 'Red & Gold' and Minnie Birch for 'Floundering'.

View fullsize

View fullsize

We would also like to give another special LCM Group Award for Best EP again jointly to Jess Morgan for 'The Bournemouth EP' and to Hattie Whitehead for 'Home'.

View fullsize

View fullsize

2015 was another excellent year for music, with Folk, Country and Singer-Songwriters genres doing partically well. All the nominees in our final list have produced some very good albums and all are worth exploring. We are honoured to have so many talent musicians as part of our FB Group.

First concert announced in LCM Spring series - The Willows and Hattie Briggs

LCM are thrilled to announce a new spring series of showcase concerts at the historic and intimate St. Pancras Old Church, London. Headlining on Thursday 17th March will be one of our favourite bands the award-winning The Willows together with a very special guest one of our favourite young singer-songwriters Hattie Briggs. Both are excellent live and have released 5* rated albums in the past year.

Tickets are available now with early bird's at just £10 + bf and advance at £12 + bf.

Not to be missed

View fullsize

Our First LCM Concert at SPOC is a resounding success

With amazing musicians, a sell-out attentive and appreciative audience and amazing sound our first LCM showcase concert at the historic St. Pancras Old Church, London was a resounding success. A huge thank you to Beth Rowley and her Band (Rob Updegraff & Joe Harvey-Whyte), Little Sparrow (Katie Ware) & Sarah Dale and Hattie Whitehead. Also to the LCM team on the night, our compere and MC Tom Du Croz, our Sound Engineer Alex Carson, Shay Rowan, Minnie Birch and Damien O'Doherty.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Big thanks for Mike Watts and Oleg Katchinski for the photographs.

Beth Rowley to perform special concert at St Pancras Old Church, London

Laurel Canyon Music are thilled to announce a special concert to be held on Friday 25th September at London's historic St.Pancras Old Church by one of our favourite singer-songwriters, Beth Rowley. Beth will be performing this rare London gig with her band before the release later this year of her highly anticipated second album. Beth will also be joined by two special guests and excellent singer-songwriters Little Sparrow (Katie Ware) and Hattie Whitehead

The evening will be MC'ed by a great supporter of independent music in London, Tom Du Croz of the London Gig Guide.

We hope all of you will join us for this very special night of music.

Laurel Canyon Music launch new website

Laurel Canyon Music are delighted to officially release a new webiste www.laurelcanyonuk.com. We hope that it will be a very valuable resourse for independent musicians and music fans alike.

Laurel Canyon Music Awards (May 2015) - Minnie Birch

We are delighted to announce that the first winner of the Laurel Canyon Music Award is Minnie Birch (Emily Jacques). We are thrilled to have been able to support Emily's debut album 'Floundering', which has just recently been released. 

http://www.minniebirch.co.uk/

The Awards are funded by any profits that the LCM makes in promoting and organising gigs. The LCM fund is designed to help selected Group members with their musical projects.

New Series of Showcase concerts at St. Pancras Old Church

Laurel Canyon Music are thrilled to announce a new showcase series of concerts at one of London's most beautiful, inimate and historical music venues, St. Pancras Old Church, London. The venue is one of the oldest church sites in the UK, dating back to the 4th Century.

Just a stone's throw from King's Cross/St. Pancras Station, St. Pancras Old Church is one of London's first choice venue's for musicians.

Our first concert held on Friday 25th September will feature the award-winning and BRIT nominated singer-songwriter Beth Rowley with very special guests Little Sparrow (Katie Ware) and Hattie Whitehead. Not to be missed.

Our second planned for Friday 16th October will feature some of our favourite musicans. Headlining for us is the award-winning folk-rock band from Cambridge Fred's House with very special guests a classically inspired London based indie folk trio August & After and one of our favourite singer-songwriters Roxanne De Bastion

It would be great if you could join us on these special nights.