Hand in hand with his long and storied solo career, Martin has been central to seminal collaborations like The Full English, The Elizabethan Sessions and Simpson Cutting Kerr. He has worked with a dazzling range of artists from across the musical spectrum: Jackson Browne, Martin Taylor, June Tabor, Richard Hawley, Bonnie Raitt, Danny Thompson, David Hidalgo, Danú, Richard Thompson and Dom Flemons, to mention a few. He is consistently named as one of the very finest acoustic, finger-style and slide guitar players in the world and is the most nominated musician in the history of the BBC Folk Awards, with a remarkable 31 nods.
A true master of his art, Martin has just announced the release of his brand new studio album Rooted at the end of August on Topic Records. Produced by Andy Bell and recorded in Sheffield and Oxfordshire, Rooted will be available on CD, LP and digital with the deluxe 2CD and deluxe digital versions including a bonus disc of instrumentals, Seeded.
Summing up the themes of his new album, Martin says: “The music and songs embrace nature and travel, mental health, real life stories, loss, politics and history… and the threads that bind all this together can be followed back a long way, to 1965 when I got my first guitar and started to soak up material and ideas at a very rapid rate.”
Rooted features an array of stellar guest musicians, including Nancy Kerr (fiddle and viola), Andy Cutting (melodeon and diatonic accordion), Liz Hanks (cello), John Smith (electric guitar and vocals), Ben Nicholls (string bass and electric bass guitar), Julie Matthews (vocals), Alan Barnes (clarinet), Max Simpson (vocals), Amy Smith (vocals), Chris While (vocals) and Tom A Wright (drums and percussion). Richard Hawley and Dom Flemons contribute backing vocals and bones respectively to first single ‘Neo’ (out 21st June). As well as vocals, Martin himself plays banjola, 5-string banjo, 6-string fretless banjo, electric bass guitar and electric and resonator guitars!
Martin will tour extensively in support of Rooted …dates as follows:
8:00 pm Little High Street, SHOREHAM, West Sussex, BN43 5EG
SAT 08 JUN 2019 St Neots Folk Festival The Priory Centre, Priory Lane, ST NEOTS, Cambs, PE19 2BH www.stneotsfolkclub.co.uk
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SUN 09 JUN 2019
Avenue Road, FRESHWATER, Isle of Wight, PO40 9UU
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FRI 28 JUN 20198:00 pm Arkengarthdale Road, Reeth,
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RICHMOND, N. Yorks, DL11 6QT
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SAT 20 JUL 2019The Marr (village green), Castle Carrock,
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BRAMPTON, Cumbria, CA8 9LU
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MON 22 JUL 2019Ruskin House, 23 Coombe Road,
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CROYDON, Surrey, CR0 1BD
Main Entrance, Williamscot Rd, CROPREDY, OX16 1PG
WED 04 SEP 2019 Stafford Gatehouse Theatre 7:30 pm Eastgate Street, STAFFORD www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk
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THU 05 SEP 2019
Lord Street, SOUTHPORT, Merseyside, PR8 1DB
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SAT 07 SEP 2019
Charter Square, BURY ST EDMUNDS, IP33 3FD
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SUN 08 SEP 2019
Market Place, Bermondsey, LONDON, SE16 3UQ.
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TUE 10 SEP 2019
The Hayes, CARDIFF, CF10 1SH, Wales.
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WED 11 SEP 2019
Queens Road, ALDERSHOT, Hampshire, GU11 3JD.
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THU 12 SEP 2019
Flavel Place, DARTMOUTH, Devon, TQ6 9ND
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FRI 13 SEP 2019
Fore Street, CONSTANTINE, FALMOUTH, Cornwall, TR11 5AA
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SAT 14 SEP 2019
Roundwell Street, SOUTH PETHERTON, Somerset, TA13 5AA
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SUN 15 SEP 2019The Sun Hotel, Sun Street, HITCHIN, Herts.
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MON 16 SEP 2019Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street,
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COLCHESTER, CO1 1NF
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FRI 20 SEP 2019
Victoria Dock, DUNDEE, DD1 3BP
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SAT 21 SEP 2019
Findhorn Foundation, The Park, FINDHORN, Forres, IV36 3TZ, Scotland
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MON 22 SEP 2019
GLENCOE, Argyll, PH49 4HN.
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MON 23 SEP 2019
Cambridge Street, EDINBURGH, Mid Lothain, EH1 2ED, Scotland
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THU 26 SEP 20198:00 pm Stockwell Lane, WAVENDON,
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Milton Keynes, MK17 8LU
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FRI 27 SEP 2019
Stapleford Granary, Bury Road, Stapleford, CAMBRIDGE, CB22 5BP
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THU 14 NOV 20197:30 pm Canal Wharf, Brycheiniog,
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BRECON, LD3 7EW, Wales
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WED 20 NOV 2019
Unthank, PENRITH, CA11 9TG
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THU 21 NOV 2019St Mary’s Square , Gateshead Quays,
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GATESHEAD, NE8 2JR
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FRI 22 NOV 2019
7:30 pm Station Buildings, Central Promenade, MORECAMBE, Lancs, LA4 4DB
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SAT 23 NOV 20198:00 pm Ollershaw Lane
Marston, NORTHWICH,
- Cheshire, CW9 6ES
SUN 24 NOV 20199 Station Rd, Eaglescliffe,
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STOCKTON ON TEES, TS16 0BU
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WED 27 NOV 20198:00 pm West Street,
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ANDOVER, Hampshire, SP10 1AH
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SAT 30 NOV 20197:30 pm 2 Regents Park Road,
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LONDON, NW1 7AY
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SUN 01 DEC 2019
Church Road, WINGFIELD, Suffolk, IP21 5RA
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THU 05 DEC 2019
7:30 pm Old Milton Rd, NEW MILTON Hants, BH25 6DS www.forest-arts.co.uk
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FRI 06 DEC 2019FAREHAM, Hants, PO16 7DX
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SAT 07 DEC 2019Queens Park Rd, BRIGHTON,
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BN2 9ZB.
For more details visit https://martinsimpson.com/
