Tuesday, 19 April 2022

Billy Bragg USA and Canada Tour, September & October, 2022

Billy Bragg USAvand Canada Tour, September & October, 2022

Tickets go on sale Friday April 22nd at Noon. Venue local time: www.billybragg.co.uk

Monday, 18 April 2022

British Country Music Association Festival, Blackpool, 2022.

There is an eclectic melting pot of Singer-songwriters, Country, Americana, Folk, Celtic, Roots and Blues artists lovingly presented in the iconic Empress Ballroom Blackpool.

Check out the web site… https://www.britishcountrymusicfestival.com

Thursday, 14 April 2022

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation Has Announced the Launch of the Nile Rodgers “Hitmaker” Stratocaster®

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has announced the launch of the Nile Rodgers
“Hitmaker” Stratocaster® guitar, a collaboration with the three-time Grammy® winner, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a living legend of modern music with unfathomable cultural impact. This Fender® Artist Signature Series release honors both Nile and the iconic guitar he used to write, produce and/or perform on countless hits for the likes of: David Bowie, Diana Ross, Madonna, Daft Punk, Duran Duran, The B-52’s, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Daddy Yankee, Robert Plant / The Honeydrippers, Jeff Beck, The Vaughan Brothers, Lady Gaga, Sister Sledge, INXS, Sam Smith and many more. Later this spring, fans around the world can also learn to play the culture-defining songs Rodgers produced, wrote or played guitar on via Fender Play®, Fender’s complete online learning app for guitar, bass and ukulele. The Nile Rodgers collection will include words of advice from Rodgers himself, insight into his collaborative, creative process and individual video lessons for hits like “Good Times” and “Le Freak” (Chic); “I’m Coming Out” and “Upside Down” (Diana Ross); “Like A Virgin” and “Material Girl” (Madonna) when selecting the Pop path.

Throughout his incredible career there has been one essential element: his white 1960 Fender Stratocaster® guitar. This Strat® guitar became known as the “Hitmaker” after Nile used his guitar’s bright, energetic sound to write countless chart-toppers. For decades, Nile has maintained that the Hitmaker has a unique sound all its own. After working closely with Fender to ensure a faithful recreation, the Nile Rodgers “Hitmaker” Stratocaster® guitar will enable players everywhere to experience one of the most ubiquitous guitars in recorded music. This Stratocaster is a true vintage rarity, a unique instrument and became an essential ingredient in Nile’s extraordinary rhythm tones. Watch as Nile plays through some of his top hits and dives into the story behind his iconic guitar.

“I’ve heard people say the Hitmaker is a $2 billion dollar guitar,” said Nile Rodgers. “When playing it, I’ve been a part of making some of the biggest-selling records of all time: David Bowie, Chic, Diana Ross, Daft Punk, Madonna and so many others. All I know is that it’s been my constant companion for almost fifty years. I can’t stop myself from playing it for hours each and every day. I’m therefore thrilled that now almost anyone can buy their own Hitmaker. Fender really got it right and focused on every little detail that made the original special. It’s going to be surreal to hear that unique sound on a record I didn’t make.”

After buying the Hitmaker at a small music shop in Miami in 1973, Nile used the guitar to create songs that have defined a multitude of genres, decades, movements and generations. It’s heard on the classic disco-era records “Everybody Dance”, “Le Freak” (the biggest selling single in Atlantic Records history!), "He’s The Greatest Dancer” and “Good Times”. The latter is one of the most sampled songs of all time and arguably gave birth to Hip Hop through the iconic “Rapper’s Delight,” many of which have been designated as “culturally significant” and selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. The latter of these songs is credited with bringing rap music to mainstream audiences, embedding the Hitmaker into the DNA of hip-hop and rap. Rodgers paved the way for further integration of guitar in rap and hip-hop music, and that influence lives on - as seen in the recent Super Bowl LVI halftime show - as more artists, producers and creators in those genres use guitar as a sonic paintbrush. To this day, Nile’s guitar is one of the most-sampled sounds in the Rap genre, heard on hits from the Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, A Tribe Called Quest, Will Smith, LL Cool J, and Slick Rick amongst many others. Nile’s peerless reputation as a producer, songwriter and guitarist made him the one to call when a major artist needed a hit record. David Bowie did so to create the Billboard #1 “Let’s Dance” in 1983. 30 years later Daft Punk would tap Nile for the Billboard #1 “Get Lucky.” The Hitmaker is heard on both of these records and virtually all of Nile’s best-known projects.

A number of features make the Hitmaker truly unique. It has the body of a 1960s Stratocaster® guitar but the neck of a 1959 model. Its hardtail bridge gives it beautiful resonance and the guitar’s mirrored pickguard reflects stage lights beautifully. When played in Nile’s signature “chucking” style, the sound of this guitar became an essential component of Nile’s world-famous songwriting. Fender worked closely with Rodgers to study the original Hitmaker and design a meticulous recreation of the original guitar.

“The Hitmaker Stratocaster® guitar is the epitome of what Fender’s Artist Signature Series is capable of,” said Justin Norvell, Executive Vice President of Product, FMIC. “These projects celebrate both guitar and artist, but in this instance, Nile and his Hitmaker are inseparable from each other. With that in mind, we had to nail every last detail: from the finish to the custom pickups, down to the bent-steel saddles that made his tone so bright and crisp. We’re grateful that Nile is letting us put such a revered piece of music history out into the world.”

The Fender® Nile Rodgers “Hitmaker” Stratocaster® guitar features a moderately thinner alder body with custom contours that match the original. The Hitmaker is finished in Olympic White lacquer with a one-piece maple neck with 9.5” radius fingerboard, three custom Nile Rodgers Hitmaker single-coil Strat® pickups, five-way switching, mirrored chrome-plated brass pickguard, hard-tail bridge with period correct bent-steel saddles, locking Sperzel tuners and a custom Hitmaker neck plate. Also included is a custom vintage-style case with Hitmaker-embroidered interior and a custom certificate of authenticity.

In true tradition, the Fender® Artist Signature Series honors iconic musicians through product progression and storytelling, creating instruments inspired by the unique specifications of the world’s greatest guitarists and bassists. Watch “Freaky Rob” Gueringer demo the Nile Rodgers Hitmaker Stratocaster. High-resolution artist, lifestyle and product images of Nile and the Nile Rodgers Hitmaker Stratocaster® guitar can be found HERE; full product descriptions and specifications can also be found HERE. Access a timeline of $2 billion dollars worth of music created with the Hitmaker HERE.

For technical specs, additional information on new Fender products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fender.com.

Sam Sweeney On Tour May 2022.

Sam Sweeney of Leveret fame is on Unearth Repeat tour with his new band. Highly recommended! https://www.samsweeneymusic.com

Book tickets online or at venues…

Wednesday, 13 April 2022

Carlisle Blues Rock Festival 2022

https://carlislebluesfestival.com/tickets/

Carlisle Blues/Rock Festival 2022

7/8/9 October 2022

LINE-UP:

Billy Walton Band – New Jersey, USA
Sari Schorr – Brooklyn, USA
The Cinnelli Brothers – Italy/London
Jawbone feat. Marcus Bonfanti & Paddy Milner
Laurence Jones
Catfish
Wille & The Bandits
The Prairie Oyster Club
The Mentulls
Grainne Duffy
Krissy Matthews Band
Stevie Watts Trio with Alice Armstrong
Sean Taylor Band
The Hiding Magpies
Bad Day Band
Zac Schulze Gang

Friday, 8 April 2022

A Message From The Sound and Vision Festival Organisers (Cambridge UK April 2020)

Excited to reveal the full line up for this year's Sound and Vision Cambridge 2022.

Sound & Vision is a multi-venue festival taking place across 8 stages in various venues throughout Cambridge over three days and nights, from Thursday 21st April to Saturday 23rd April. The festival will feature over 70 acts (both new and established) from the worlds of music and comedy.

Additionally, there will be a conference programme taking place during the daytime aimed at those working in, or aspiring to work in, the music and creative industries, with expert speakers from across the whole sector.

Our ticket system is designed to give you the power to create your own unique festival experience, whether you want to catch a few specific shows, or have full access to every event across the weekend.⠀

Head over to our website for the full details and tickets and keep an eye on the socials for the latest announcements, updates on partnerships and giveaways/competitions.

www.soundandvisionconvention.co.uk

#soundandvisionconvention #soundandvision #cambridgefestival #cambridgeshirefestival #cityfestival #music #comedy #cambridgeculture #cambridgelife #bands #DJs #April #conference

Thursday, 7 April 2022

Catch the Achievers at the Hoochie Cochie Club, Louth, UK on Saturday 14 May, 2022.

The Hoochie Coochie Club's next visiting artists are THE ACHIEVERS on Saturday 14th May 2022, at The Royal British Legion Hall, Northgate, Louth, LN11 0QL, doors open at 7:15pm

The Achievers have invited their friend GREG BRICE as the support act.

The Achievers are one of the most talked about and critically acclaimed bands on the UK Blues and Roots Music scene. With a reputation for innovation and originality they prove that soul, groove and song-craft still matter in the blues.