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Tom Keller, www.folkworld.de

the union reunite for an incredible second album...     "An excellent new album a real leap forward for them"     Mark Lamarr, BBC Radio 2   "Roots music that knows few boundaries"     The List   "This music is easy to love"     The Word   "A delicate, bruised collection of bluegrass, country & gospel"     Uncut   "The musicianship is faultless... I am so proud that it emanates from Britain"     Country Music People   "This is a great album (9/10)"     Americana UK   Available from... Amazon / HMV / Play / Zavvi / iTunes / Ugly Nephew / Smart Choice Music / Rough Trade

the groundbreaking first album...     "A brilliant debut"     Rock N' Reel   "bar-hopping ballads stuffed with fiddles and banjo."     Uncut   "This work deserves to escape the niche into which it has been born as it is a piece which contains both soul and beauty."     Americana UK   "The smoothest, bluegrass tinged, measured acoustic country singing and playing you could wish for this side of the Atlantic."     Maverick   "Sounding old as the Appalachians and kicking up a whirl of harmonized soul-searching along the way, STFU know that bad times can lead to good."     Plan B   "A compelling mix of bluegrass, gospel, old time and celtic swing that is memorably embellished with warm and richly woven harmonies,"     The Irish Times   Available from... Amazon / iTunes / Ugly Nephew

Southern Tenant Folk Union - Band Biography

Formed by Belfast born five-string banjo player Pat McGarvey and taking their name from the ground breaking multi-racial union of sharecroppers and non-landowning tenant farmers founded in Arkansas in the 1930’s, the Southern Tenant Folk Union are an explosive new Edinburgh based folk and bluegrass outfit.

Writing and performing their own unique brand of Old-Time, Bluegrass, Gospel and Celtic Folk, Southern Tenant Folk Union appropriate the themes, ideas and metaphors from traditional folk songs and 20th century Americana music to document and reflect modern life through styles popularised by musicians such as The Carter Family, The Stanley Brothers and Dillard & Clark.

Pat McGarvey served his musical apprenticeship touring the world and recording a number of albums with UK/US Americana band The Coal Porters. That grounding plus countless other collaborations with key Americana acts including Peter Case, The Arlenes, Tandy, Amy Rigby, Ian Dunlop (of Gram Parsons’ International Submarine Band), Rosie Flores, Jason McNiff & Bob Neuwirth gave him the real experience needed to fuse together the band’s American folk sound and British roots with his own Celtic heritage.

Keen to find a more personal outlet for his writing, in early 2006 and based in London, McGarvey gathered a collective of like minded musicians that shared his love of traditional music, but each with their own individual take on such tradition; initially that was Oliver Talkes (guitar), Pete Gow (guitar), from the Alt. Country band Case Hardin, Frances Vaux (Fiddle), Eamonn Flynn (mandolin) and Matt Lloyd (upright bass). With two albums completed, released and much touring done this version of the band slowly began to change, firstly with Frances moving back to Australia and being replaced by former Peatbog Fairies fiddler Roddy Neilson and gradual changes occuring from then led to the band moving base up to Edinburgh in early 2009. The current lineup also includes the gentle and soulful vocals/guitar of Chris Purcell and the driving oldtime double bass playing of Silas Childs alongside Fife based virtuoso mandolinist Adam Bulley (Winging It). Then newest addition to the band is acclaimed singer/songwriter John Langan (winner of the Danny Kyle Stage at 2008 Celtic Connections).

Once up and running, Southern Tenant Folk Union released their debut album of original material in January 2007 to acclaim, positive reviews and national radio play. The rest of the year saw them playing festivals, arts centres and clubs around the UK and Ireland and only a little more than twelve months after the self-titled LP a follow-up was released. ‘Revivals, Rituals & Union Songs’ – a step forward for them with its strong, confident tone and the darkly reflective yet heart-warming nature of the eleven brand new songs presented. With positive reviews coming in and even more well deserved nationwide recognition (including a live session for BBC Radio 2’s Mark Lamarr) the band played an extensive UK & European tour before going back to studio at the end of 2008 to work on new material. The year end saw Revivals, Rituals & Union Songs named by the Morning Star as one of the top ten albums of the year. The STFU continue to gig whilst the exciting new album is currently being produced up in Edinburgh and is set for release in April 2010.

www.myspace.com/southerntenantfolkunion

www.southerntenantfolkunion.com

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