MICK SIMPSON
In the early 1980's Mick worked as a session guitarist and was spotted by Elkie Brooks who asked him to tour in her band. BBC Radio One's Tommy Vance spoke to Mick backstage after a gig and as a result he played some of Mick's Instrumental tracks on his ‘Friday Night Rock Show’.
In the mid 1990's Mick worked with John Parr of 'St Elmo's Fire' fame, featuring on his album 'Man With A Vision'. A number of tracks from the album have featured on smash hit films, such as 'Running Man' with Arnold Schwarzenegger and 'Three Men And A Baby' with Tom Selleck. Mick then toured with ex Rolling Stone Bill Wyman's 'Rhythm Kings' and in 2004 his original track 'A Father's Son' won the International Songwriters Award sponsored by the Brits Trust. The track received major TV and radio airplay along with Mick's song 'Looking Through My Eyes' which was released to raise money and awareness of Autism, which is a cause close to his heart.
In June 2005 Mick guested at the 80th birthday of blues legend BB King at his blues bar in New York. He has also played alongside other guitar heroes such as Gary Moore and Snowy White.
In 2010, Mick released his long awaited debut solo album ‘Hard Road’ on the Mad Ears Productions label. The album received support from Paul Jones (BBC Radio 2), and was play listed on the U.S. Blues Radio Network. One of the tracks from the album, ‘Sometimes I Get So Lonely’, was nominated for best original song at the 2011 British Blues Awards (The Kevin Thorpe Memorial Award).
Mick teamed up once again with producer and co-writer, Andy Littlewood, to record his second studio album, ‘Cruel World’. This 11-track blues-rock album was released in March 2012, and features a guest vocal appearance by female artist Malaya, on the track ‘Find Another You’. The Instrumental track, ‘Road To Memphis’, was licensed for the soundtrack of the short film, ‘Road To Hell’, and was also used in the award winning indie documentary, ‘A Message To Myself’’.
In 2014, Mick released his third album, ‘Unfinished Business’, 14 tracks of soaring blues guitar, driving rock anthems and melodic country blues. Album highlights include the southern rock epic, ‘Playing the Losing Hand’, the ‘in your face’ rocker, ‘Trouble Brewing’, and the laid back jazzy blues title track, ‘Unfinished Business’. There’s also a Gary Moore tribute in the shape of a 9-minute guitar fuelled extravaganza titled, ‘Drowning in my Tears’. The album received airplay on BBC Radio 2 with tracks played by both Paul Jones and Alex Lester, and the single 'Playing the Losing Hand' reached the number one spot in the Dutch 'Hit Tracks 100 Music Chart'.
Over the past couple of years Mick has worked as a session guitarist for artists such as Starship, Mockingbird Hill, Malaya Blue, Dave Hunt, and Last Chance Saloon.
Mick's new solo album 'Black Rain' is due for release on 27th March 2017. The album features a diverse range of blues and rock guitar styles influenced by the likes of BB King, Gary Moore, Peter Green, Jeff Beck, Derek Trucks, Django Reinhardt, and Robert Johnson. Production duties are once again carried out by Andy Littlewood, and guest musicians include Dave Hunt, Michael John McElligott, Pete Nelson, B Veiga Sanchez, and top Italian singer Eva Carboni who performs lead vocals on the track 'River of Life'.
Mick is currently performing at various dates up and down the country. Plans for 2017 also include a series of live dates featuring the members of the original Gary Moore Band.
Abigail Scott
Abigail Scott is a singer-songwriter from South London, UK who has had to overcome many challenges to get her new tracks released to the wider public in the form of her new EP "TIN SOLDIERS" released on Gravel Road Records & Music during November 2016 to worldwide digital download including iTunes and featuring two self-penned songs "Tin Soldiers" and "Side Effects" plus a reworking of the Angie Stone track "I Wish I Didn't Miss You".
Abigail's career started at the age of 15 when she began writing her own songs and recording in a studio environment and later performed her songs at various youth clubs and then music venues where she began to build her confidence and her catalogue of original songs which was reflected in the positive feedback and responses to her 'live' performances at All Starz Reading Festival, Kensington Roof Gardens, Cargo, Hoxton Academy and many more.
It was this raw vocal talent and the personal and insightful stories within her songs that brought her to the attention of Gravel Road Records & Music who signed Abigail to the label without any hesitation and shortly after recorded the new EP "Tin Soldiers".
During October 2017, the single "Tin Soldiers" was released to American radio stations nationwide and became a Hit on US radio charts and peaked during February 2018 at #18 on the 'Adult Contemporary US Radio Top 40 Chart' and at #45 on the 'A/C US Hot 100' and #2 on both the 'A/C US Indie Top 30 and A/C US Western Region Top 20' charts - "Tin Soldiers" was also a 'cross-over' Hit and peaked at #42 on the 'Country Main Chart' and #23 on the 'Country Top 30 Indie Chart'.
In March 2018 the lead track from Abigail's new EP "Damaged" was released to American radio stations nationwide and finally peaked in July 2018 at #7 on the 'Adult Contemporary US Radio Top 40 Chart' and #14 on the 'A/C US Hot 100' and #4 on the 'A/C US Indie Top 30' and #2 on the 'A/C US Western Region Top 20 Chart' and #11 on the 'US National Radio Charts A/C Top 40'.
Abigail Scott is scheduled to play at the 'Acoustic Festival of Britain' at Uttoxeter on 2nd June 2018, and at the 'Victorious Festival' at Portsmouth on 25th August 2018.
KEITH THOMPSON BAND
British Blues Rock musician Keith Thompson, solo and with his band have been consistently performing in mainland Europe now for 25+ years, where he is well known to the large blues following as an exciting live performer. This year Keith completed his 8th Blues/Rock album, “Catch the Fire” which features as guests, Buddy Whittington (John Mayall etc.) and rising star, Laurence Jones. Keith and the band have subsequently toured again in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, USA & UK. They also appeared at several major festivals in Croatia including Baska International Guitar Festival, Umag and Kastav Blues Festivals. Also at Slovenia at the prestigious “Postonja Blues Festival” with “Ten Years After” and “Paul Lamb and the Kingsnakes”, Suwalki and Krosno Festivals in Poland alongside, Jeremy Spencer (Fleetwood Mac), Clarksdale Blues Festival, USA, Colne R&B festival in Lancashire, Swanage, Banbury Upton and Gloucester Blues Festivals in the UK. Keith has added his skills on stage or in recordings to projects by Spooky Tooth, Mike D’Abo, Steve Winwood, Ruby Turner, Larry Burton, Dave Markee and Henry Spinetti (Eric Clapton Band and Tina Turner) Greg Ridley of Humble Pie, The Groundhogs, Robbie Blunt, (Robert Plant) Luther Grosvenor of Mott The Hoople, Gino Washington, and many others.
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Irene Rae has toured the UK as a solo artist with 3 EPs and a solo album under her belt and in more recent times, accompanied by her band, who feature on the 2015 EP Hidden Secret. She was touted as ‘’one to watch’’ during the tour of Hidden Secret with a 4 star rating - ‘’moving and elegant song writing’’ from Maverick Magazine and reviews such as a ‘’strong voice and sophisticated song writing’’ from R2R Magazine. Some memorable moments include playing support for Midge Ure, Hazel O'Connor, John Power, The Levellers (acoustic), Owen Paul and Declan Bennett. Her style and lyrics have been compared to Joni Mitchell and Beverly Craven.
The Light Game is the first album for Rae and her band due for release on BimbleBug Records on 9 th July 2019 on iTunes, Amazon and direct from the artist on www.irenerae.com, with a digital release due for Christmas 2019 to include Spotify and all other streaming sites. There will be two single releases from the album due in March and again in June 2019 – with accompanying videos – these will be available on Youtube. The album features 10 original tracks that focus on love and the insecurity that comes hand in hand with this emotion, the ebb and flow of friends and Rae’s viewpoint on news stories such as the prominent me too movement. The band feature some of todays most sort after musicians Stuart Dixon (Eddie Floyd/Geno Washington) on Guitar, Roger Inniss (Chaka
Khan/Laurence Jones) on Bass, John Bowman (Jinja/Martina Wren) on Piano and Luke Szoltysek (D-Day Darlings) on drums. Recorded at Crescent Records Studios, Swindon, Produced by both Stuart Dixon and Roger Inniss.
WOLF MOON BAND
Wolf Moon is the band that grew out of singer-songwriter duo Lethbridge Owen, and is fast becoming known as one of the UK’s most respected up-and-coming original artists.
In a world dominated by formulaic harmonies, predictable riffs and copy-and-paste lyrics, Wolf Moon's Singer/Songwriter Jimmy Owen and Kelly Lethbridge draw from the creative spirit of great artists from Lindsey Buckingham to Ryan Adams, John Mayer, to Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Nicks, producing songs of beauty, sincerity and emotional weight across a range of styles that defies pigeon-holing. The band brings together some of the UK's finest musicians, with Jimmy's formidable lead guitar combined with Kelly Lethbridge's gorgeous sultry vocals backed by the inimitable rhythm section of Erik Stams (drums), Noah Nelson (bass) and Emily Francis (keys) plus guests. The on-stage chemistry that results is truly captivating.
JACK BLAKCMAN AND THE BEAUTIFUL WRECK
Jack’s guitar playing has been described as 'exceptional' by Whispering Bob Harris. He has performed his songs all across the country and as far as the Mississippi Delta. Having cut his teeth in his teens trading licks with such luminaries as Paul Jones and The Blues Band, more recently with Tony Joe White and receiving accolades from Martin Simpson who marvelled, ‘At last! A brilliant young guitarist coming through’, Jack is no stranger to blues and folk. On his latest album, he fuses this with country, rock and pop with a voice that has been described as sounding 'older and more careworn than his tender years should allow' (Acoustic Magazine).
Jack is an artist not to be missed.
BILLY J KRAMER
In March of 1963, Billy was the first person to have a hit record with a Lennon-McCartney song, “Do You Want To Know A Secret” which was written especially for him by John and Paul and recorded with George Martin at Abbey Road Studios even before The Beatles recorded it themselves. Billy toured extensively throughout the UK as the opening act for The Beatles both before and during Beatlemania. Billy also headlined tours with such greats as Del Shannon, Gene Pitney, and The Everly Brothers.
The Lennon-McCartney compositions, “Bad To Me” along with “I’ll Keep You Satisfied”, “From A Window”, and “I Call Your Name” all became international million sellers for Billy. Then, Billy received a demo of a song by top American songwriters Mort Shuman and John Leslie McFarland called Little Children. Billy immediately felt that it was a hit song. His insight proved correct as Little Children became a worldwide smash hit. Bad To Me and Little Children were released as a double sided single. They have the unique distinction of being the highest entry into the Billboard charts at #8. That accomplishment has never been equalled.
Appearances on TV shows such as Ed Sullivan, Shindig and Hullaballoo secured Billy a place in rock and roll history. In 1964, Billy performed as part of the legendary TAMI show along with such artists as James Brown, Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, The Rolling Stones and many others. To commemorate his 50th anniversary in the music business, Billy recorded and released new material titled “I Won The Fight”. The song Liverpool With Love was instrumental in finally getting Brian Epstein inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. He has also recently released his autobiography titled “Do You Want To Know A Secret”.
Billy’s international momentum has lasted through the years, and he continues to record, perform and promote his Storytellers show.