Charlie Dore - Vocals, Indian Harmonium, Knuckle Drum, Hi Strung Guitar, Piano, Celtic Harp, Autoharp, Indian Cymbals, Vibraphone;
Julian Littman - Vocals, Guitar, Nylon Guitar, Slide Guitar, Mandolin, Tabla, Bongos, Harmonica, Indian Harmonium, Percussion, Shakers, Lid & Dogbrush, Coins, Brushes
Dudley Phillips - Double Bass -
Danny Cummings - Percussion
Guest live players: D. Bass:-Gareth Hugh Davies - Percussion:-Fergus Gerrand - Violin,Mandolin, Guitar:- Steve Simpson. Dobro, Guitar: Graham Henderson. Violin: - Jake Walker. Viola:- Ivo Van der Werf. Trumpet:- Guy Barker
Influences
Beatles, Jimmie Rogers, Hank Williams, McGarrigles, Randy Newman, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Cole Porter, Paul Simon, Doc Watson, Nina Simone, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Leon Russell, Little Feat, Chopin, Delius, Elgar, Sibelius, Prokofiev, Carter Family, Ray Charles, Prince.
Although best known as one of the UK's most respected singer-songwriters, Charlie enjoys a multi-faceted career that includes acting in film, TV & radio, comedy-improvisation, screenwriting and composition for film and TV.
She has made five albums of her own songs, the last two of which, "Sleep All Day" and "Cuckoo Hill", saw a return to her acoustic folk-country roots and won her excellent reviews.This year Charlie won the International Acoustic Music Awards Grand Prize as well as First Prize Folk with her song "Looking For My Own Lone Ranger".
Her enduring radio classic, 'Pilot of the Airwaves' was the first of many successful songs that lead the way for an impressively diverse list of artists to record her material, including Tina Turner, George Harrison,Lisa Stansfield,Paul Carrack,Ricky Ross,Sheena Easton(US No 4),Celine Dion and Jimmy Nail, for whom she wrote "Ain't No Doubt", a UK No 1.
Although her solo albums favour her more eclectic, acoustic side Charlie continues to court diversity with collaborations, notably with Souled Out, who remixed her single "Time Goes By" to produce a European club hit (Italy No 6, Israel No 1), British underground dance dons, Slacker, ("Space County") and Pete"Boxta"Martin, whose forthcoming album "Slide" features her as guest vocalist.
She starred opposite Jonathon Pryce in the award-winning film "The Ploughman's Lunch", worked in theatre, including regional, fringe and West End and co-founded and performed at comedy-impro venue The Hurricane Club, working alongside many comedy icons, including Robin Williams.
Having spent the last two years writing and touring to promote 'Sleep All Day' and 'Cuckoo Hill', Charlie is shortly to release a new album - a collection of American hillbilly, swing and popular favourites of the 1930's, originally recorded by artists such as Jimmie Rodgers, Milton Brown and Al Bowlly. Named after her first band, Hula Valley, the album features several guests, including Beth Nielsen Chapman, who duets with Charlie on the Rodgers classic, 'Roll Along Kentucky Moon'.-
Reviews for ‘Cuckoo Hill’ and ‘Sleep All Day” -
‘File under treasure’ – Charlie Gillett, Observer Music Magazine -
‘A clever songwriter with a dream of a voice that glides from folk and country to jazzy cabaret’ – The Telegraph -
‘She sounds like Albion’s lost McGarrigle sister’ – Uncut -
‘The surety of Dore’s singing helps highlight the elegance and candour of her songs’
- The Observer -
‘playful and clever… a wonderful kind of bittersweet pastoral Englishness’ – Americana UK -
‘Charlie Dore takes artistry to a whole new level’ – Maverick
Thanks for being our friend...
We've moved, too - now upsatirs at Albert & Pearl, 118 Upper
Street, Islington (opposite the Town Hall). December SoftlySoftly is on
THURSDAY 3rd ..hen from January, it's every first and third
Wednesday of each month...
See you there I hope x
A bit of advance notice - MondayMonday proudly presents Rún and Steven Finn and more at The Wilmington Arms, Clerkenwell on Monday 7th December
Rún collect and arrange old folk songs written in the ancient language of Erin. So far, thanks to Nora from Donegal, they have a nice wee collection of well-known ditties and are now adding to their repertoire with some unusual old forgotten songs from the province of Ulster. Rún are five fantastic lassies who perform four-part vocal arrangements of old Gaelic songs like ’An Cailín Rua’ (the red-haired girl), ’Casadh an tSúgain’ (twisting the hayrope) and ’Bo Na Leath Adhairce’ (the one-horned cow). Rún is the Gaelic word for ’secret, wish or love’ (cf. rune). See http://www.myspace.com/runceol ..
Steven Finn’s ears were filled with the music of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Johnny Cash and old time country music. Aged 15 he began teaching himself the guitar, learning songs like Leadbelly’s ‘Bourgeois Blues’ and Charlie Daniels’ ‘The devil went down to Georgia’. On hearing Bob Dylan songs Finn started to write his own words and in doing so found a lifelong passion for Jazz and Folk Blues, a getaway car he could drive. See http://www.myspace.com/stevenfinn for more details
Really nice songs. Feel like 'hoovering' to 'cleaning out my house'. Good luck with Celtic Connections! Check out this video it's really good fun! All the best, Andy
Well Charlie, My wish list has always been short. For decades I've hoped that my songs would one day get recorded by Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton and James Taylor. Guess one out of three ain't bad.
Recently, however, I have added a fourth wish to my list - to one day sing a duet with Charlie Dore.
What a gifted thinker, writer, musician, and singer you are.
Hi Charlie. I was listening to "Where To Now" today. That album still sounds darned brilliant. I'm downloading "Hula Valley Songbook" right now! Love, Phil
Today I like to inform you, that you can read and watch interviews with your favorit country stars in Enlgish, German and French at http://www.CountryHome.de/Interviews .
Warm regards
Christian
Editor & Journalist for Country Music Christian Lamitschka An der Pfingstweide 28 61118 Bad Vilbel Germany Phone: ++49 6101 544613 Mobil: ++49 171 6903352 Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de Info@CountryMusic-Magazin.de www.MySpace.com/ChristianLamitschka
This month we mostly have Catie Curtis (with a Richard Thompson cover), Lindsay Fuller and The Cheap Dates (and who amongst us isn't?), Josh Fix with a track from the well-titled album This Town Is Starting To Make Me Angry and the rather lovely Red Rooster.
Hi Charlie Glad I caught last Friday's ( 3 Sept) Ralph McLean Country Show before its overwritten. Your album was reviewed in the first hour with Ralph and guest Jim Meredith! Words such as "Wonderful, timeless", "Classic" , "Bit Special", "Puts A Smile on The Face", "Vibe Of happiness", "Joy of Life" were used to describe Hula Valley - how lovely x Tracks played were Prairie Lullabye and 'Object Of My Affection". Brilliant stuff - more satisfied Radio presenters !
Thank You For Being A Friend Charlie. Wonderful Voice Beautiful Songs. Especially 'The Object Of My Affection' I Looove Your Cover Of 'Here Comes The Sun' On The Abbey Road Now Mojo CD. Sending You All My Positive Vibes.
Hi Charlie Lovely to tune the radio on after midnight and hear your live session on the Mark Lamarr show on Radio2. Excellent conversation, great music, "interesting" song selections. Mark has the most amazing use of English Vocabulary, a unique DJ. Delighted you were invited on - Loved it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mj1mc#segments
Check out our live session on Mark Lamarr's Radio 2 programme, 'God's Jukebox' - available on your BBC iPlayer for the next 5 days. 5 numbers live plus chewing the fat with Mark about pancake houses, playing hookie...and the new album. One of the most enjoyable interviews I've done.
Hey there - love your profile pic - what a great looking guitar, and a beautiful woman! Thanks so much for adding me - I hope you'll enjoy - would love your thoughts.....xo
