Ramblin' Roots Revue returns to High Wycombe April 6th-8th

January 29, 2018 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Festivals, Folk, News, Roots, Tour Dates, Alt-Country

After a successful first event last year, the Ramblin' Roots Revue will return to Bucks Student Union in High Wycombe for three days of Americana, folk, country and roots music in 2018. The event is produced in association with respected UK Americana label Clubhouse Records and they're put together an impressive range of acts including The Magic Numbers, The Rails, Danny and the Champions of the World, Jess Klein, Robert Vincent and Bennett Wilson Poole (whose upcoming album has gone down well in the RGM office). All the info you'll need about the festival follows:

What to expect at C2C 2018

January 29, 2018 by David Vousden in Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Festivals, News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates

With the annual C2C festival just a few days away this seems like a good time to take a look at all things Country 2 Country at O2 from March 9th - 11th 2018. The press release follows with all the info on the various stages and the many performers appearing over the weekend including the CMA Songwriters Series (On the 8th March) and the BBC Radio 2 Stage:

American Folk OST featuring Joe Purdy & Amanda Rubarth available now

January 26, 2018 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates, Video, Soundtrack

The soundtrack to American Folk is released today (January 26th) via Thirty Tigers. American Folk features Joe Purdy and Amanda Rubarth as two strangers, and folk singers, whose lives take an unexpected turn after the events of 9/11. The film, which has been picking up awards at various film festivals, is now on release at selected cinemas in the USA while Purdy and Rubarth are touring to promote the soundtrack. More about American Folk including the trailer for the film and 'Someone Singing With Me' a track from the soundtrack follows:

The Grahams announce limited tour only Pretenders/Mazzy Star covers 7" single

January 20, 2018 by David Vousden in Americana, Festivals, New Single, News, Soundtrack, Tour Dates

Nashville based Americana duo The Grahams will return to the UK in February/March for an almost month long run of dates. The dates will include two shows at the C2C / Country 2 Country festival at the O2 in London on March 9th-10th. To coincide the duo will release a strictly limited 7" single, only available during the tour, which features their versions of tracks by The Pretenders and Mazzy Star (both tracks are great but the Mazzy Star is especially good). The tracks will feature on the upcoming soundtrack to their feature length Love & Distortion documentary due later this year. More about The Grahams, the tour dates and a link to check out the single follows:

Ladies Of The Blues Return to Under The Bridge, London March 23rd 2018

January 16, 2018 by David Vousden in Blues, News, Tour Dates, Video

Blues fans are in for a treat when three of the very best in the business combine under the 'Ladies of the Blues' banner at Under The Bridge in London on March 23rd, 2018. Finnish slide guitarist Erja Lyytinen will join forces with two of the UK's best blues voices Connie Lush and Kyla Brox to showcase a wide range of blues influences. More about Erja, Connie, Kyla and venue details follows:

Joan Baez to release new studio album 'Whistle Down The Wind' March 2nd

January 10, 2018 by David Vousden in Folk, News, Tour Dates

Joan Baez will release 'Whistle Down The Wind' her first studio album in a decade on March 2nd via Proper Records. The album was produced by Grammy winner Joe Henry in Los Angeles and features songs by some of Joan's favourite composers including Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, Josh Ritter, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Eliza Gilkyson. Joan will be undertaking an extensive world tour with UK and ROI dates set for March and May 2018. Much more about the album, the tour and the title track from 'Whistle Down The Wind' follows:

Jerry Leger embraces 'Nonsense and Heartache' on new 2LP set

January 09, 2018 by David Vousden in News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates, Video, Americana

Canadian singer-songwriter Jerry Leger will see his latest album 'Nonsense And Heartache' released in the UK on March 2nd via Latent Recordings with distribution through Proper Music. The album is a double set with an album of bluesy, dirty rock n' roll and a more acoustic-based singer-songwriter record. The album was produced by Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies fame. Jerry Leger and his band The Situation will visit Europe in April for a run of shows that include UK dates. More about the album and the tour follows:

The famed Bluebird Cafe returns to C2C in 2018 + After Show Party News

December 12, 2017 by David Vousden in Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Festivals, News, Tour Dates

The famed Bluebird Cafe will return to the C2C event at the O2 in 2018. The Nashville institution has experienced an increase in visibility and popularity in recent years as an integral part of the Nashville TV show so expect tickets to be in high demand. Nashville is all about the songwriter so these seated songwriters round shows really get to the roots of the music. The O2 / C2C have also released details of the official Aftershow Parties for 2018 with Walker Hayes, Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real, Brett Young with Morgan Evans set to please the late night music lovers (Glasgow will also have aftershow parties for our friends north of the border). More details follow:

YES announce Official 50th Anniversary Celebrations

December 07, 2017 by David Vousden in Classic Rock, News, Tour Dates, Prog Rock

Iconic UK progressive rock act YES will celebrate their 50th anniversary with a host of events set to coincide with their March 2018 UK tour. The London Palladium over the weekend of March 24-25th 2018 looks like being the essential destination for the hardcore YES / prog rock fan with Prog Magazine sponsoring the YES Fan Convention. Expect to see current band members, YES alumni and Roger Dean over the weekend and I'm pleased to report that all profits from the event are going to charity which is always great to hear. So why not come along, pick up a copy of the new Drama line-up version of 'Fly From Here' and enjoy live music from SeYes and Fragile. Full details and all the links for tickets etc follow:

All The Luck In The World announce new single and European dates

November 24, 2017 by David Vousden in Alt-Folk, New Single, News, Tour Dates, Video

Neil Foot, Ben Connolly and Kelvin Barr collectively known as All The Luck In The World will release their latest album 'A Blind Arcade' on February 23rd. The Irish trio, now based in Berlin, have released 'Landmarks' as a single and announced European tour dates for April 2018. More about the trio including the video for 'Landmarks' follows:

Katey Brooks releases new single and announces UK dates for December

November 14, 2017 by David Vousden in New Single, singer-songwriter, Soundcloud, Tour Dates

Bristol based singer-songwriter Katey Brooks will release a new single on December 1st. Produced by Darren Poole 'Will She' is the first taster from her upcoming second album 'We The People' due in 2018. The singer toured extensively in 2016 with dates in Europe, Australia and Canada before she concentrated on the recording of 'We The People' this year. To coincide with the single Katey will be embarking on a short UK tour with stops in London, Manchester, Glasgow and, no surprise, Bristol. More about Katey Brooks and a soundcloud link to 'Will She' follows:

I'm With Her announce 'See You Around' album and May 2018 UK dates

November 09, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Folk, News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates

The debut album from I'm With Her will be released February 16th, 2018 on the Rounder Records label. I'm With Her features a trio of artists blessed with considerable vocal and musical talent namely Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O'Donovan. Needless to say this makes 'See You Around' one of the most anticipated releases lined up for 2018. The title track from the album is available now so please read on to check out the track, along with more about the trio, and those May 2018 UK dates:

Major Love 'Tear It Down' on new single

October 31, 2017 by David Vousden in New Single, News, Pop, Rock, singer-songwriter, Video, Tour Dates

Regular RGM readers will need no introduction to Canadian singer-songwriter Colleen Brown who we featured on a UK tour back in 2015. Colleen has teamed up with fellow Canadians Scenic Route To Alaska for a new venture Major Love. The first new music from this partnership is the infectious 'Tear It Down' single with an album due early in 2018. More about the band and the video for 'Tear It Down' follows:

C2C announces new additions and day splits for 2018

October 16, 2017 by David Vousden in Americana, Country, Festivals, News, Tour Dates

The Country to Country festival today (October 16th) announced additional acts and day splits so you'll know who's playing when on the weekend of March 9 - 11th, 2018 at The O2 in London. The additional names include Old Dominion, Morgan Evans and Ashley Campbell who will present a tribute to her late father Glen Campbell, a true country legend. The C2C festival is now the essential weekend for country fans in the UK and beyond. More about C2C including ticket details follow:

Glen Hansard announces 'Between Two Shores' due January 19th, 2018 via Anti-

September 28, 2017 by David Vousden in Folk, News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates

Glen Hansard has announced the release of his third solo album 'Between Two Shores' due January 19th, 2018 via the ANTI- label. His 2015 'Didn't He Ramble' release was superb, as were the live shows in support of the album, so the RGM team are expecting great things. That appetite has been further whetted by the first new music released from the record 'Time Will Be The Healer'. Hansard will be hard at work touring all over in the wake of the album (he never stops it seems) with European dates set for February 2018. More about Glen Hansard, the new record and the first batch of tour dates follows:

Nashville in the UK this October

September 21, 2017 by David Vousden in Americana, Country, Country Rock, News, Tour Dates

October 2017 is looking like an amazing month for fans of country music as some of the biggest names in the genre will be playing shows in the UK. Little Big Town and Lady Antebellum have announced headline tours and the Little Big Town show at the Royal Albert Hall is part of Country Music Week which sees a host of established acts and newcomers performing around London including Drake White, Kip Moore, Jace Everett and Sarah Darling. Please read on for more about the acts and those tour dates:

The Black Feathers 'Holy Water' single / video + UK dates

September 12, 2017 by David Vousden in Acoustic, Americana, New Single, News, Tour Dates, Video

Sian Chandler and Ray Hughes aka The Black Feathers have released a video for 'Holy Water' the first single from their upcoming second album due in the spring of 2018. 'Holy Water' will be released on October 13th and is a stunning track which will be familiar to those of us who've been lucky enough to catch the duo live. If 'Holy Water' is anything to go by then the new album can't come soon enough. In the meantime the duo are setting out on a UK tour which starts on September 13th in Nottingham. More about The Black Feathers, those tour dates and the new video for 'Holy Water' follows:

Drake White is Livin' The Dream and returns to the UK in October 2017

September 12, 2017 by David Vousden in Americana, Country, Country Rock, New Single, News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates, Video

Fresh from huge success at the C2C 2017 Drake White & The Big Fire will return to the UK as special guests of Kip Moore. The London show with Moore and a further headline show at The Borderline form part of Country Music Week which finds some of the biggest artists of the genre performing live in London. To coincide with the UK visit a new single 'Livin' The Dream' from the 'Spark' album is due October 13th. More about Drake and those dates follow:

The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer bring 'Apocalipstick' to the UK

September 12, 2017 by David Vousden in Blues, New Single, News, Roots Rock, Tour Dates

Canadian duo The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer will return to the UK in September for a run of shows in support of their 'Apocalipstick' release due October 13th via Tonic Records. Earlier this year the boys opened for St Paul & The Broken Bones in London and are now returning for headline shows. So with a Harpoonist and an Axe Murderer visiting the UK it might be time to run and hide but a better idea would be to check out the live shows (and how do you hide a Whale anyway?). More about the duo, their upcoming album and those tour dates follow:

Ricky Ross announces new solo album and European tour dates

August 23, 2017 by David Vousden in Americana, News, singer-songwriter, Tour Dates, Pop

Ricky Ross has announced a new solo album 'Short Stories Vol.1' due September 15th via earMUSIC. Fresh from the success of the most recent Deacon Blue album 'Believers' and an extensive tour to support the album, which was immortalised on the 'Live at the Glasgow Barrowlands' DVD (The London show from the tour RGM reviewed here). Ricky will again be hitting the road for a string of European dates. More about the album and those tour dates follow: