News

I am devastated to announce the recent passing of my great friend Pete Ryder. Pete suffered an accident leaving him with serious and irreparable head injuries which could not be treated. He slept for a few days, peacefully slipping away without regaining consciousness; his wife Sara was with him when he died. In his time he was one of the great singer-songwriters. We all miss him dreadfully.  Dai.

 

R.I.P. Pete Ryder

1946 – 2022

 

New CDs on the way:-

Pete Ryder The latest CD from Pete is entitled “Unforgiven” and is now available and you can find details on Pete’s Artist Page, but please do note the very sad news revealed above.

Redmayne We have yet another excellent new one from this ever-popular band; this excellent CD has the intriguing title of “Redmayne” and charmingly mixes a set of new tracks with a few old favourites, but that’s not all! There’s yet another record in the offing, so do watch this space for an update.

Tom Travis has a new live album called “Bluegrass Ancient & Modern – Live!” which was officially launched on August 20th. It features Tom singing with an All Star band of hot young Bluegrass musicians, all of which are from the top of the Talent Tree! I’ve heard the tracks and can only say that it’s one of the best I’ve ever heard. Here is the press release:-

“New Recording: Bluegrass Music Ancient & Modern – Live

 UK Bluegrass pioneer, Tom Travis, made his first bluegrass album, The Bluegrass Sound of Tom and Smiley in 1968. It sold in great numbers around the world.

Many albums later Tom has, for his latest recording project, joined with a brilliant bunch of young pickers, comprising the group, Jaywalkers and another of his Brit bluegrass friends, Stu Williams. Jay Walkers are at the same stage in their music careers as Tom was around fifty years ago. Bluegrass, when Tom learnt it, was a rural, blue-collar, male dominated, hard-drivin’ new music.

Since bluegrass music gained a larger audience after acceptance by the folk music revival of the 1950/60s, it now displays the effects of its urbanisation. The learning environment in which the young musicians on this recording developed their licks, has produced bluegrass music that is nuanced, refined and betrays the influences of jazz, rock and any other genre that happens to appeal to whoever is playing it at the time. Two styles meet on this disc – hence its title: Bluegrass – Ancient and Modern.

Tom has known Jaywalkers’ members, Jay Bradberry- fiddle; Mike Giverin – mandolin and Lucille Williams – double bass, since they were kids and came to his notice through their outstanding musicianship. Tom also knew Lucille’s multi-instrumentalist brother Stu Williams, from Stu’s many appearances as a boy at The Edale Bluegrass Festival – which Tom ran for many years, and where Stu won various prizes for his instrumental prowess. On this recording, Stu plays five-string banjo.

For the fun of it and to indulge their long-held friendship, Tom, Jaywalkers and Stu Williams play occasional gigs together. On some, Dai Thomas, the proprietor of recording company Acoustic Red Eye, where Tom’s recordings are produced, agreed to be sound engineer. Dai recorded the performances and it is from these recordings that the tracks on this album were chosen.”