David's Blog http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:20:00 GMT http://bandzoogle.com New Album Has Arrived http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=46821 I've just received my new album, Across The Troubled Wave. &nbsp;I'm so pleased with the way it sounds and looks. &nbsp;The packaging is &nbsp;fantastic - two pockets, one with a pull-out wallet in which the CD is enclosed, the other with a 24 page booklet including lyrics, photos and lots of information about the individual tracks. &nbsp;I'm releasing it in a few weeks - very excited! &nbsp; &nbsp; You can hear songs from the album on this website&nbsp;or at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.myspace.com/davidferrard">www.myspace.com/davidferrard Across The Troubled Wave.  I'm so pleased with the way it sounds and looks.  The packaging is  fantastic - two pockets, one with a pull-out wallet in which the CD is enclosed, the other with a 24 page booklet including lyrics, photos and lots of information about the individual tracks.  I'm releasing it in a few weeks - very excited!    

You can hear songs from the album on this website or at www.myspace.com/davidferrard]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:20:00 GMT BB7C8D012AC1F380BAEA742A8AE04065 Preview Track From New Album on Myspace http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=44622 My new album, Across The Troubled Wave, has now been mastered and the final tweaks are being made on the design. I can confirm a release date of 20th July. If you'd like to hear a preview of the closing track, Hard Times Come Again No More, by Stephen Foster, go to my Myspace webpage: <a href="http://www.myspace.com/davidferrard">www.myspace.com/davidferrard. Whilst most of the songs on this album are traditional, there are a few by known writers such as Foster and Robert Burns. Across The Troubled Wave, has now been mastered and the final tweaks are being made on the design. I can confirm a release date of 20th July. If you'd like to hear a preview of the closing track, Hard Times Come Again No More, by Stephen Foster, go to my Myspace webpage: www.myspace.com/davidferrard. Whilst most of the songs on this album are traditional, there are a few by known writers such as Foster and Robert Burns.]]> Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:38:10 GMT 8D40F9EA8191D61C3493C8F78522D165 Preview Track From New Album on BBC Radio Scotland's Travelling Folk http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=42833 A preview track from my new album, Across The Troubled Wave, to be released in July, can be heard on the BBC Radio Scotland's Travelling Folk website:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074hm5">www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074hm5. &nbsp;You can listen to the most recent show until Thursday 21st May on playback through iPlayer. &nbsp;It's about 1.07 minutes into the show. &nbsp; Across The Troubled Wave, to be released in July, can be heard on the BBC Radio Scotland's Travelling Folk website: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074hm5.  You can listen to the most recent show until Thursday 21st May on playback through iPlayer.  It's about 1.07 minutes into the show.  ]]> Mon, 18 May 2009 23:26:36 GMT E4B1E24C9D6F975365E347ECB2841108 Roy Bailey's New Album with Two Of My Songs!!! http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=41130 I'm delighted that two of my songs feature on Roy Bailey's latest album: Below The Radar. Roy has covered Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight and Visions Of Our Youth. I also sing on the album. It's a great collection of mostly contemporary songs with some great players from the English traditional music scene: Martin Simpson, John Kirkpatrick, Donald Grant, and Andy Cutting (produced by Andy Seward). You can find out more about the album (even buy it!) at <a href="http://www.roybailey.net">www.roybailey.net. Roy Bailey's latest album: Below The Radar. Roy has covered Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight and Visions Of Our Youth. I also sing on the album. It's a great collection of mostly contemporary songs with some great players from the English traditional music scene: Martin Simpson, John Kirkpatrick, Donald Grant, and Andy Cutting (produced by Andy Seward). You can find out more about the album (even buy it!) at www.roybailey.net.]]> Mon, 04 May 2009 15:03:44 GMT DE89F97931411AF14A768916B26AED46 Gigs with Kim Edgar & Yvonne Lyon http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=41129 It's been a great spring so far. &nbsp;I had my first gig with Kim Edgar and Yvonne Lyon which went very well (read our first review below). &nbsp;It's been fun collaborating with these two very gifted songwriters and musicians and we look forward to more shows together (Glasgow Americana Festival on May 21st, Torphichen Summer Nights in Torphichen, West Lothian on June 7th - see <a href="./gigs.cfm">Gigs page) Edinburgh Guide Review **** www.edinburghguide.com by Irene Brown In the bright glow of evening sun coming through the three stained glass windows of the Lot, a former Kirk that is now the Grassmarket venue, there was already a warm and friendly atmosphere as the audience mingled and waited for the performance by Kim Edgar, Yvonne Lyon and David Ferrard. Although well established in their own right as new, rising talents in the Scottish singer-songwriting scene, this was their first performance together. A trigger to this event was that each of their albums have were featured in &lsquo;Album of the Week' by BBC Radio Scotland's Iain Anderson. Fine praise indeed! Yvonne Lyon Yvonne Lyon, seated in centre of the trio, likened the cosy atmosphere to a living room and the relaxed feeling was set when the smooth, clear sound of her voice started to sing. Yvonne's songs were personal, emotional and nostalgic and she allowed the audience to share in this nostalgia with the flying of polystyrene planes to chime with her song about childhood. Particularly moving was the song with the Christ-like images and lyrics that she had dedicated to her Glasgow Granny and which she sang with heartfelt sincerity. Sadly, there is little trace of her Renfrewshire accent when she sings. There were shades of Joan Osbourne in Everything's Fine a song inspired by a disabled girl's warm smile. Yvonne completely engages with her audience in a very genuine way and spoke warmly of the pleasure of collaboration. Kim Edgar Kim Edgar had sadly lost her voice, so she probably sang less than she normally would have. When she did, the words and tone of her songs were enough to engage and intrigue. She also dedicated a song to her gran. It was Simple Song and she sang it like a hymn, her Scots accent clear and welcome. Her version of the simple, but effective 1, 2,3,4,5 with David Ferrard and Yvonne, had the audience joining in with the chorus and hand movements. The nearby tenements, where it was assumed &lsquo;silent concerts' were enjoyed must have been intrigued! Kim plays accordion and keyboard and is part of a new band called The Burns Unit, though whether or not they specialise in songs by Burns, I don't know. Kim also sang her fairy tale song, Blood, Ice and Ashes with keyboard and bongo whose beat and crescendo was very atmospheric. Her last song, the haunting and hypnotic Heavy Skies (preceded by a wonderful innocent joke about The Balloon Family!) was accompanied by a gentle guitar and showed the depth of Kim's writing. David Ferrard Although David Ferrard is known as a singer who continues the folk tradition of writing and performing songs with a campaigning and political theme, he opened with the very lovely Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight. Who can resist the waltz time? David, a Scots American, has a pure, gentle voice but he doesn't shy from harsh words. His Hour of Plenty is a song about capitalism, globalisation and social justice and Father Says tells of the &quot;unseen gifts&quot; of AIDS. The latter was accompanied by the glockenspiel which rendered the song with another layer of irony with its childish sound. His strong simple lyric of Broken Bones, a song about relationships, was sung as a duet with Yvonne. He also sang Hard Times, by Stephen Collins Foster, famous for writing songs like Beautiful Dreamer and Old Folks at Home. David referred to him as an American Burns and although both men only lived to the age of 37, and he is known as &quot;the father of American music&quot;, without wishing to take away from that, the comparison may end there. Continuing in the American folk tradition, David sang unaccompanied Pretty Saro, his pure voice giving particular poignancy to the sad lyrics. This was the last gig in this year's Ceilidh Culture event. As the light had changed to the blue of late evening it was rounded of with a grand rendition of Down at the River to Pray and an encore of Auld Land Syne. I can't speak for the rest of the audience, but there was spontaneous hand linking in my row which was testament to the warmth and goodwill that was evident throughout the evening. I can say no better than Iain Anderson when he called the experience of hearing these three singers &quot;life affirming&quot;. Kim Edgar and Yvonne Lyon which went very well (read our first review below).  It's been fun collaborating with these two very gifted songwriters and musicians and we look forward to more shows together (Glasgow Americana Festival on May 21st, Torphichen Summer Nights in Torphichen, West Lothian on June 7th - see Gigs page)

Edinburgh Guide Review ****
www.edinburghguide.com
by Irene Brown

In the bright glow of evening sun coming through the three stained glass windows of the Lot, a former Kirk that is now the Grassmarket venue, there was already a warm and friendly atmosphere as the audience mingled and waited for the performance by Kim Edgar, Yvonne Lyon and David Ferrard. Although well established in their own right as new, rising talents in the Scottish singer-songwriting scene, this was their first performance together. A trigger to this event was that each of their albums have were featured in ‘Album of the Week' by BBC Radio Scotland's Iain Anderson. Fine praise indeed!

Yvonne Lyon
Yvonne Lyon, seated in centre of the trio, likened the cosy atmosphere to a living room and the relaxed feeling was set when the smooth, clear sound of her voice started to sing. Yvonne's songs were personal, emotional and nostalgic and she allowed the audience to share in this nostalgia with the flying of polystyrene planes to chime with her song about childhood. Particularly moving was the song with the Christ-like images and lyrics that she had dedicated to her Glasgow Granny and which she sang with heartfelt sincerity. Sadly, there is little trace of her Renfrewshire accent when she sings. There were shades of Joan Osbourne in Everything's Fine a song inspired by a disabled girl's warm smile. Yvonne completely engages with her audience in a very genuine way and spoke warmly of the pleasure of collaboration.

Kim Edgar
Kim Edgar had sadly lost her voice, so she probably sang less than she normally would have. When she did, the words and tone of her songs were enough to engage and intrigue. She also dedicated a song to her gran. It was Simple Song and she sang it like a hymn, her Scots accent clear and welcome. Her version of the simple, but effective 1, 2,3,4,5 with David Ferrard and Yvonne, had the audience joining in with the chorus and hand movements. The nearby tenements, where it was assumed ‘silent concerts' were enjoyed must have been intrigued!
Kim plays accordion and keyboard and is part of a new band called The Burns Unit, though whether or not they specialise in songs by Burns, I don't know. Kim also sang her fairy tale song, Blood, Ice and Ashes with keyboard and bongo whose beat and crescendo was very atmospheric. Her last song, the haunting and hypnotic Heavy Skies (preceded by a wonderful innocent joke about The Balloon Family!) was accompanied by a gentle guitar and showed the depth of Kim's writing.

David Ferrard
Although David Ferrard is known as a singer who continues the folk tradition of writing and performing songs with a campaigning and political theme, he opened with the very lovely Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight. Who can resist the waltz time?
David, a Scots American, has a pure, gentle voice but he doesn't shy from harsh words. His Hour of Plenty is a song about capitalism, globalisation and social justice and Father Says tells of the "unseen gifts" of AIDS. The latter was accompanied by the glockenspiel which rendered the song with another layer of irony with its childish sound. His strong simple lyric of Broken Bones, a song about relationships, was sung as a duet with Yvonne.
He also sang Hard Times, by Stephen Collins Foster, famous for writing songs like Beautiful Dreamer and Old Folks at Home. David referred to him as an American Burns and although both men only lived to the age of 37, and he is known as "the father of American music", without wishing to take away from that, the comparison may end there. Continuing in the American folk tradition, David sang unaccompanied Pretty Saro, his pure voice giving particular poignancy to the sad lyrics.
This was the last gig in this year's Ceilidh Culture event. As the light had changed to the blue of late evening it was rounded of with a grand rendition of Down at the River to Pray and an encore of Auld Land Syne. I can't speak for the rest of the audience, but there was spontaneous hand linking in my row which was testament to the warmth and goodwill that was evident throughout the evening. I can say no better than Iain Anderson when he called the experience of hearing these three singers "life affirming".
]]> Mon, 04 May 2009 14:58:47 GMT 8479D125C40C764BF7970576C56409FF Singing @ Aldermaston & @ Roy Bailey's 50th Anniversary Concert http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=29894 I've had some very positive experiences playing music this last month that I would like to share with you.&nbsp; First of all I'm just back from a successful blockade at the Aldermaston weapons factory in the south of England.&nbsp; This is where the government is investing billions of pounds to build new nuclear warheads for the replacement of Trident - the UK's WMD.&nbsp; On Monday morning hundreds of us descended upon the site to engage is some peaceful civil disobedience.&nbsp; I was singing with Seize The Day and Frankie Armstong, often directly to the blockaders as they were being dragged away by the cops!&nbsp;&nbsp; It was a successful day, as we managed to blockade entrances to the site for a good few hours, and there was lots of media coverage.&nbsp; Just before Aldermaston I was singing at a community retreat centre called Newbold House, which is part of the Findhorn Foundation.&nbsp; It was lovely to get a taste of community life with everyone contributing to the running of the house and the wellbeing of its members.&nbsp; Every morning we would read an uplifting quotation from Eileen Caddy, one of the founders of the Findhorn Foundation, which was a bright and thoughtful way of starting the day.&nbsp; After Newbold I played with Mairi Campbell and Ewan Macpherson at the beautiful City Halls in Glasgow.&nbsp; This was my first time playing with these very talented musicians and I hope we'll be able to collaborate some more in the future.&nbsp; Then I went down to Sheffield to play at my friend and mentor, Roy Bailey's 50th anniversary concert.&nbsp; Roy was in his element, surrounded by fellow musicians, friends, family, and fans.&nbsp; Needless to say the event was sold out.&nbsp; Roy sang two of my songs, Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight, and Visions Of Our Youth, and then I played Hills Of Virginia with two of the finest accompanists a singer-songwriter could wish for: Martin Simpson and Donald Grant.&nbsp; I'll be putting up photos from the concert on this site sometime soon. &nbsp; Seize The Day and Frankie Armstong, often directly to the blockaders as they were being dragged away by the cops!   It was a successful day, as we managed to blockade entrances to the site for a good few hours, and there was lots of media coverage. 

Just before Aldermaston I was singing at a community retreat centre called Newbold House, which is part of the Findhorn Foundation.  It was lovely to get a taste of community life with everyone contributing to the running of the house and the wellbeing of its members.  Every morning we would read an uplifting quotation from Eileen Caddy, one of the founders of the Findhorn Foundation, which was a bright and thoughtful way of starting the day. 

After Newbold I played with Mairi Campbell and Ewan Macpherson at the beautiful City Halls in Glasgow.  This was my first time playing with these very talented musicians and I hope we'll be able to collaborate some more in the future.  Then I went down to Sheffield to play at my friend and mentor, Roy Bailey's 50th anniversary concert.  Roy was in his element, surrounded by fellow musicians, friends, family, and fans.  Needless to say the event was sold out.  Roy sang two of my songs, Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight, and Visions Of Our Youth, and then I played Hills Of Virginia with two of the finest accompanists a singer-songwriter could wish for: Martin Simpson and Donald Grant.  I'll be putting up photos from the concert on this site sometime soon.  ]]> Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:50:00 GMT E48A77489E174A57501204D31950DE0C Save Scotland's Traditional Arts http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=27284 I'm sitting on the train to London, feeling rested after the crazy Edinburgh Festival Fringe month of August.&nbsp; My 30+ gigs went very well.&nbsp; It was a pleasure to do a marathon 26 nights of a largely traditional show Scottish Folk Roots &amp; Offshoots in the cozy Royal Oak, and to join Roy Bailey for five nights of Not In Our Name: Songs Of Peace &amp; Protest.&nbsp; Both shows attracted very positive audiences and reviews.&nbsp; I'm now looking forward to a quieter September, including a month's holiday in the north of Scotland, and a trip down to Dorset to sing at a fundraiser for the people of Burma.&nbsp; Unfortunately I couldn't attend a protest outside the Scottish Parliament today against the government's cuts in funding of the traditional arts in Scotland.&nbsp; If the Scottish goverment is not prepared to fund our traditional arts, who else will?&nbsp; If you care about this campaign, please do sign our petition . The aim is to achieve as many signatures as possible within the next month with a view to influencing any future developments of the Creative Scotland Bill.&nbsp; You can view and sign the petition here: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/21202.html">http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/21202.html Scottish Folk Roots & Offshoots in the cozy Royal Oak, and to join Roy Bailey for five nights of Not In Our Name: Songs Of Peace & Protest.  Both shows attracted very positive audiences and reviews.  I'm now looking forward to a quieter September, including a month's holiday in the north of Scotland, and a trip down to Dorset to sing at a fundraiser for the people of Burma. 

Unfortunately I couldn't attend a protest outside the Scottish Parliament today against the government's cuts in funding of the traditional arts in Scotland.  If the Scottish goverment is not prepared to fund our traditional arts, who else will?  If you care about this campaign, please do sign our petition . The aim is to achieve as many signatures as possible within the next month with a view to influencing any future developments of the Creative Scotland Bill.  You can view and sign the petition here: http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/21202.html]]> Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:04:06 GMT A3816F83517C870E5D2BB074A8AE11F2 Performing at the Edinburgh Festival http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=26511 I've been enjoying my performances at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe - over 30 shows!&nbsp; My solo show, Scottish Folk Roots &amp; Offshoots, has been doing well.&nbsp; Tonight I begin my duo show with Roy Bailey - Not In Our Name: Songs Of Peace &amp; Protest - <a href="./gigs.cfm">Gigs.&nbsp; Here's a review for my solo show!!! **** Scottish Folk Roots And Offshoots David Ferrard The Royal Oak is the perfect setting to experience the wonderfully tender melodies that David Ferrard graces us with today. Sat in The Oak's bottom bar, this intimate venue plays host to an exquisite performance of traditional folk that stretches from Scotland to America and back again. Taking in both his heritages (he was born in Edinburgh to a Pennsylvanian mother), David's sweet, lyrical delivery transports you from one side of the Atlantic to the other on an unforgettable journey to the roots of traditional folk. Combining his own material with well known classics, Ferrard exposes himself as a talented enough songwriter, equal to those he takes inspiration from. Touching, hypnotic and inspiring: a new star of folk is on the rise. Three Weeks rating 4/5 [nb] I've been enjoying my performances at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe - over 30 shows!  My solo show, Scottish Folk Roots & Offshoots, has been doing well.  Tonight I begin my duo show with Roy Bailey - Not In Our Name: Songs Of Peace & Protest - Gigs. 

Here's a review for my solo show!!!

****
Scottish Folk Roots And Offshoots
David Ferrard
The Royal Oak is the perfect setting to experience the wonderfully tender melodies that David Ferrard graces us with today. Sat in The Oak's bottom bar, this intimate venue plays host to an exquisite performance of traditional folk that stretches from Scotland to America and back again. Taking in both his heritages (he was born in Edinburgh to a Pennsylvanian mother), David's sweet, lyrical delivery transports you from one side of the Atlantic to the other on an unforgettable journey to the roots of traditional folk. Combining his own material with well known classics, Ferrard exposes himself as a talented enough songwriter, equal to those he takes inspiration from. Touching, hypnotic and inspiring: a new star of folk is on the rise.
Three Weeks rating 4/5
[nb]]]> Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:25:00 GMT DEBDF29D5154E23BE0DB07F7AFDECFA6 Socialist Worker Article & Review http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=23830 I am delighted by the following article and review in this week's Socialist Worker: 'Singing for change and standing up against war' Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter David Ferrard&rsquo;s first album Broken Sky is winning rave reviews from the music press. Scotland&rsquo;s Sunday Herald newspaper and BBC Scotland both named it as the album of the week when it was released in March. Many of David&rsquo;s songs deal with the issues arising from the &ldquo;war on terror&rdquo;, and he sees his music as part of the resurgence of political and protest songs over the last few years. &ldquo;There is a real appetite for protest songs at the moment,&rdquo; David told Socialist Worker. &ldquo;The Iraq war has disturbed people, and they are looking for material with a political and social nature. &ldquo;Although it never went away, there is a bit of a revival in political songwriting. I put together an album called Not In Our Name last year about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It included songs by Leon Rosselson, Roy Bailey, Amy Martin and David Rovics. &ldquo;The intention was to create a historical document from an anti-war perspective that reflects the artistic community&rsquo;s engagement with the issues around the &lsquo;war on terror&rsquo;. &ldquo;I have also set up the Songs For Change website, which collects grassroots songs mostly to do with the war, but also other issues. &ldquo;The idea is to put them up so people can download them for free from the internet. It&rsquo;s a very good resource for musicians and music lovers. Most of the people whose songs are on the website are not professional musicians, but people who are inspired by what&rsquo;s happening in the world to produce songs.&rdquo; David&rsquo;s sensitive and intelligent lyrics about war, love, asylum and other issues help him to connect with people on a number of levels. &ldquo;Nobody wants to be preached at,&rdquo; said David, &ldquo;So it&rsquo;s often better to approach issues through a story, which I have done in the songs &lsquo;Dmitri&rsquo;s Pocket Radio&rsquo;, about an asylum seeker in Britain, and &lsquo;Hills of Virginia&rsquo;, about an American who signs up for the US army and the Iraq war. &ldquo;Using these artistic devices can help you reach out to an audience. &ldquo;But with some audiences you have to be careful. You can be easily pigeonholed as a political songwriter. Some people might think you&rsquo;re too political and others not radical enough. So you&rsquo;re treading a fine line. &ldquo;To be effective you have to appeal to people who are on different levels.&rdquo; Many of David&rsquo;s songs have been inspired by his active involvement in the anti-war movement in Scotland, which in turn has meant that many people see his music as an authentic expression of the movement. &ldquo;The song &lsquo;Visions of Our Youth&rsquo; came out of the anti-Trident nuclear weapons Long Walk for Peace march in Scotland, which I took part in,&rdquo; said David. &ldquo;I was inspired by the march to write this song. &ldquo;If you present a song as coming from an experience, as something you&rsquo;re involved in, then audiences relate better to you even if they don&rsquo;t agree with you. &ldquo;It helps prove you&rsquo;re not just an armchair songwriter, and I do like to talk about the origins of the material and what inspired it, which is not always political.&rdquo; Folk was the ideal form of music for David to take up. &ldquo;Folk music has a history of being an expression of the people&rsquo;s voices,&rdquo; said David. &ldquo;It is deeply rooted in England, Scotland and the US. &ldquo;It was the music that most attracted me because of its ability to express social and political issues within the lyrics. It&rsquo;s a music that can appeal across the spectrum. &ldquo;Folk music has a bit of a reputation for being for older people, but I feel that&rsquo;s a little unfair. At festivals you find that a lot of younger people are drawn to the music. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not seen as being as rebellious as something like punk, but as a more sit down and listen to it form of music.&rdquo; David is now busy promoting the album and working on other projects. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m now preparing for a show at the Edinburgh Festival with the singer Roy Bailey called Songs for Peace and Justice. It will be two generations of folk singers playing together that will explore the traditions of peace and protest music. That takes place at the Acoustic Music Centre from 13 to 17 August. &ldquo;I have also spent some time in the Woody Guthrie archive in the US reading his journals. He wrote about the social and class system when he was in Scotland in 1944 and I&rsquo;m hoping to get that published.&rdquo; Socialist Worker Review by Pat Stark The first thing that strikes you when listening to... The first thing that strikes you when listening to David Ferrard is the beauty of his voice&mdash;clear and strong, tough and sweet all at the same time.&nbsp; It is slightly difficult to categorised his music, a sort of mixture of country and folk with a cutting edge.&nbsp; He struck me as a cross between James Taylor and Nanci Griffiths with a little bit of Sufjan Stevens throw in for edge.&nbsp; The album is an interesting mixture of touching love songs, wistful nostalgia, and comments on our times&mdash;all tracks bar one written by Ferrard. With songs like &ldquo;Broken Sky&rdquo; (the title track), &ldquo;Rain&rdquo; and &ldquo;This Heart&rdquo;, Ferrard displays his talent as a writer/singer of love songs.&nbsp; He has a voice that naturally lends itself to these tender songs.&nbsp; The same voice though catches the mood of some of the issues of our day.&nbsp; &ldquo;Dimitri&rsquo;s Pocket Radio&rdquo; is a wonderful tale of the triumph of love over adversity, bureaucracy and racism.&nbsp; Similarly &ldquo;Hills of Virginia&rdquo; captures the pointlessness and futility of &ldquo;protecting our nation&rdquo; in the Iraq war, and &ldquo;The Hour of Plenty&rdquo; picks away at the horrors of global capitalism. The album closes with &ldquo;Never Let Go&rdquo;, a song of the tragedy of the AIDS-torn 1980s. However there is also a fun feeling to the album. &ldquo;One Hell of A Ride&rdquo; has the feeling of a country romp and &ldquo;Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight&rdquo; a celebration of enduring love. A very interesting mixture and a very good listen. Socialist Worker:


'Singing for change and standing up against war'


Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter David Ferrard’s first album Broken Sky is winning rave reviews from the music press.

Scotland’s Sunday Herald newspaper and BBC Scotland both named it as the album of the week when it was released in March.

Many of David’s songs deal with the issues arising from the “war on terror”, and he sees his music as part of the resurgence of political and protest songs over the last few years.

“There is a real appetite for protest songs at the moment,” David told Socialist Worker. “The Iraq war has disturbed people, and they are looking for material with a political and social nature.

“Although it never went away, there is a bit of a revival in political songwriting. I put together an album called Not In Our Name last year about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It included songs by Leon Rosselson, Roy Bailey, Amy Martin and David Rovics.

“The intention was to create a historical document from an anti-war perspective that reflects the artistic community’s engagement with the issues around the ‘war on terror’.

“I have also set up the Songs For Change website, which collects grassroots songs mostly to do with the war, but also other issues.

“The idea is to put them up so people can download them for free from the internet. It’s a very good resource for musicians and music lovers. Most of the people whose songs are on the website are not professional musicians, but people who are inspired by what’s happening in the world to produce songs.”

David’s sensitive and intelligent lyrics about war, love, asylum and other issues help him to connect with people on a number of levels.

“Nobody wants to be preached at,” said David, “So it’s often better to approach issues through a story, which I have done in the songs ‘Dmitri’s Pocket Radio’, about an asylum seeker in Britain, and ‘Hills of Virginia’, about an American who signs up for the US army and the Iraq war.

“Using these artistic devices can help you reach out to an audience.

“But with some audiences you have to be careful. You can be easily

pigeonholed as a political songwriter. Some people might think you’re too political and others not radical enough. So you’re treading a fine line.

“To be effective you have to appeal to people who are on different levels.”

Many of David’s songs have been inspired by his active involvement in the anti-war movement in Scotland, which in turn has meant that many people see his music as an authentic expression of the movement.

“The song ‘Visions of Our Youth’ came out of the anti-Trident nuclear weapons Long Walk for Peace march in Scotland, which I took part in,” said David. “I was inspired by the march to write this song.

“If you present a song as coming from an experience, as something you’re involved in, then audiences relate better to you even if they don’t agree with you.

“It helps prove you’re not just an armchair songwriter, and I do like to talk about the origins of the material and what inspired it, which is not always political.”

Folk was the ideal form of music for David to take up. “Folk music has a history of being an expression of the people’s voices,” said David. “It is deeply rooted in England, Scotland and the US.

“It was the music that most attracted me because of its ability to express social and political issues within the lyrics. It’s a music that can appeal across the spectrum.

“Folk music has a bit of a reputation for being for older people, but I feel that’s a little unfair. At festivals you find that a lot of younger people are drawn to the music.

“It’s not seen as being as rebellious as something like punk, but as a more sit down and listen to it form of music.”

David is now busy promoting the album and working on other projects.

“I’m now preparing for a show at the Edinburgh Festival with the singer Roy Bailey called Songs for Peace and Justice. It will be two generations of folk singers playing together that will explore the traditions of peace and protest music. That takes place at the Acoustic Music Centre from 13 to 17 August.

“I have also spent some time in the Woody Guthrie archive in the US reading his journals. He wrote about the social and class system when he was in Scotland in 1944 and I’m hoping to get that published.”


Socialist Worker Review by Pat Stark

The first thing that strikes you when listening to David Ferrard is the beauty of his voice—clear and strong, tough and sweet all at the same time.  It is slightly difficult to categorised his music, a sort of mixture of country and folk with a cutting edge.  He struck me as a cross between James Taylor and Nanci Griffiths with a little bit of Sufjan Stevens throw in for edge.  The album is an interesting mixture of touching love songs, wistful nostalgia, and comments on our times—all tracks bar one written by Ferrard.

With songs like “Broken Sky” (the title track), “Rain” and “This Heart”, Ferrard displays his talent as a writer/singer of love songs.  He has a voice that naturally lends itself to these tender songs.  The same voice though catches the mood of some of the issues of our day.  “Dimitri’s Pocket Radio” is a wonderful tale of the triumph of love over adversity, bureaucracy and racism.  Similarly “Hills of Virginia” captures the pointlessness and futility of “protecting our nation” in the Iraq war, and “The Hour of Plenty” picks away at the horrors of global capitalism. The album closes with “Never Let Go”, a song of the tragedy of the AIDS-torn 1980s.

However there is also a fun feeling to the album. “One Hell of A Ride” has the feeling of a country romp and “Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight” a celebration of enduring love. A very interesting mixture and a very good listen.]]> Fri, 16 May 2008 04:06:36 GMT B45AA3DCABD65C149007373B94D2E8EA Busy April http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=23353 April's been a busy month, promoting the new album in Scotland, and preparing for a UK/Europe release in May.&nbsp; Shortly after my album launch I appeared at the Festival of Non-Violence's closing concert in London, run by the Gandhi Foundation in Kingsley Hall.&nbsp; This featured an electic mix of artists from around the world and heralds the international Ghandi Tour, at which I may be participating.&nbsp; &nbsp; Broken Sky continues to receive positive reviews in the press, and to be played on new radio programmes throughout the UK and USA.&nbsp; Here are a couple recent reviews: The Friend by Jez Smith Each time I listen to Broken Sky, David Ferrard&rsquo;s debut album, I come away oved by emotions, sometimes inspired to fight for justice, at other times I feel deeply tranquil. David is subtle, with his anti-war song Hills of Virginia hitting home more accurately than any Brittush-issue weapon ever could: &lsquo;My weapons were no longer toys&rsquo;.&nbsp; In Dmitri&rsquo;s Pocket Radio, a true story of a refugee brought a tear to my eye the first few times that I heard it.&nbsp; Later, in The Hour Of Plenty, David and his backing singer&rsquo;s voices haunt me as he subtly exposes global inequalities. David&rsquo;s voice, combined with well-chosen lyrics, means that he will find his own niche in the world of folk music.&nbsp; His well crafted songs and beautiful melodies are entwined to produce a timeless compilation that will be remembered for years to come.&rsquo; The Scotsman by Norman Chalmers Back in the 1960s this tousled-haired lad with the acoustic guitar would have been labelled a 'protest' singer, and though much of this first album by the Edinburgh-based Scots/American songwriter does rail at the current war(s) and the iniquities of power, he also gives us songs about affairs of the heart, personal and universal. So it's peace and love with a contemporary feel &ndash; and a strong band line-up that includes the likes of Karine Polwart. And there are lighthearted songs such as 'Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight', and a happy ending to the picaresque 'Dmitri's Pocket Radio'. Shortly after my album launch I appeared at the Festival of Non-Violence's closing concert in London, run by the Gandhi Foundation in Kingsley Hall.  This featured an electic mix of artists from around the world and heralds the international Ghandi Tour, at which I may be participating. 
 
Broken Sky continues to receive positive reviews in the press, and to be played on new radio programmes throughout the UK and USA.  Here are a couple recent reviews:

The Friend
by Jez Smith
Each time I listen to Broken Sky, David Ferrard’s debut album, I come away oved by emotions, sometimes inspired to fight for justice, at other times I feel deeply tranquil.
David is subtle, with his anti-war song Hills of Virginia hitting home more accurately than any Brittush-issue weapon ever could: ‘My weapons were no longer toys’.  In Dmitri’s Pocket Radio, a true story of a refugee brought a tear to my eye the first few times that I heard it.  Later, in The Hour Of Plenty, David and his backing singer’s voices haunt me as he subtly exposes global inequalities.
David’s voice, combined with well-chosen lyrics, means that he will find his own niche in the world of folk music.  His well crafted songs and beautiful melodies are entwined to produce a timeless compilation that will be remembered for years to come.’

The Scotsman
by Norman Chalmers
Back in the 1960s this tousled-haired lad with the acoustic guitar would have been labelled a 'protest' singer, and though much of this first album by the Edinburgh-based Scots/American songwriter does rail at the current war(s) and the iniquities of power, he also gives us songs about affairs of the heart, personal and universal. So it's peace and love with a contemporary feel – and a strong band line-up that includes the likes of Karine Polwart. And there are lighthearted songs such as 'Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight', and a happy ending to the picaresque 'Dmitri's Pocket Radio'.
]]> Thu, 01 May 2008 03:48:32 GMT 0175021BFA7DAD61F5D693A9FEA8D630 Album Launch Concert & Reviews http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=22582 Thanks to everyone who came and supported me last night at my Broken Sky album launch. &nbsp;It was a great night. &nbsp;I was truly honoured that so many friends joined me on stage and that nearly a couple hundred folk turned up. &nbsp;Here are a couple reviews of the evening: The Scotsman by David Pollock It doesn't feel like back-slapping to describe David Ferrard as a generous guy. The Scots-American singer-songwriter organises benefit CDs and songwriting projects in aid of the Stop the War Coalition, and at this launch party for his album Broken Sky he was almost more concerned with giving his friends a turn in the spotlight. In the best traditions of folk club jamming, there was an air of informality in the way everyone mucked in and threw their differing styles and talents together. Ferrard, a native of North Carolina now settled in Edinburgh, has a crisp, tuning-fork voice which might see him credibly compared to James Taylor, strong but soothing all at once. Across the bluegrass rag of Handsome Molly and the murder ballad/train song One Hell of a Ride his vocal was not overpowered by ever-more-complex arrangements. Nor did it fail to do justice to a finale of Woody Guthrie's Peace Call alongside local elder statesman Roy Bailey. Ferrard's politics are apparent on (the sadly absent) Karine Polwart's co-composition The Hour of Plenty. The show was sweetened further by the gorgeous Irish tones of Michelle Burke, the Scots balladry of Edinburgh duo The Cast, and Kim Edgar, whose nostalgic The House on the Hill was written with Emma Pollock. Comment: I am very pleased with the above review, but I am not from North Carolina, and The Hour Of Plenty is not a co-write with Karine Polwart. &nbsp;She sings backing vocals on the album recording. &nbsp;I wanted to make that clear in case anyone thinks I am spreading misinformation! &nbsp; Graeme Scott DJ @ Leith FM &amp; Writer @ Blues Matters Magazine This concert was to effectively launch the new and rather excellent album &quot;Broken Sky&quot;. However David had invited along many of the top class musicians who played on the recording and they joined him on stage in variable combinations. This augmented the sound for sure and David also gave those artists space to showcase a song or two from their own repertoire. So we, the audience, were treated to feast of Roots, Folk, Americana and contemporary singer/songwriters and some very classy music. Just to get some of the names out of the way there were Josh Goforth, Laura Boosinger, Roy Bailey, Kim Edgar, Yvonne Lyon, James Ross, Karen Dietz, The Cast and Sandy Butler. So you can see that the company was very high quality. Let us leave aside those artists and concentrate on the reason we were all there. David Ferrard may well be a new name to you but that will not last long. He is a very accomplished writer with a clutch of songs ranging from lovely traditional ballads, biting protest anti war and globalisation anthems on through to heartbreaking paeans and musings of loves and friendships lost. It is often hard to think back the next day to which songs impressed you the most but not today. 'Dimitri's Pocket Radio' as fine a song about asylum seekers being overlooked as just simply human beings as you will ever hear. There can be few that were not reflecting on the futility of war to the strains of 'Hills Of Virginia'. Often couples fail to allow themselves time to concentrate on themselves and 'Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight' speaks volumes on those forgotten needs. Highlight of David's own songs was the powerful, sad and haunting 'Never Let Go'. Written with sensitive understanding it tells the story of a man who has lost so much to AIDS. I could go on but will simply end by saying seek out this artist and album. Broken Sky album launch.  It was a great night.  I was truly honoured that so many friends joined me on stage and that nearly a couple hundred folk turned up.  Here are a couple reviews of the evening:

The Scotsman
by David Pollock

It doesn't feel like back-slapping to describe David Ferrard as a generous guy. The Scots-American singer-songwriter organises benefit CDs and songwriting projects in aid of the Stop the War Coalition, and at this launch party for his album Broken Sky he was almost more concerned with giving his friends a turn in the spotlight. In the best traditions of folk club jamming, there was an air of informality in the way everyone mucked in and threw their differing styles and talents together.

Ferrard, a native of North Carolina now settled in Edinburgh, has a crisp, tuning-fork voice which might see him credibly compared to James Taylor, strong but soothing all at once. Across the bluegrass rag of Handsome Molly and the murder ballad/train song One Hell of a Ride his vocal was not overpowered by ever-more-complex arrangements. Nor did it fail to do justice to a finale of Woody Guthrie's Peace Call alongside local elder statesman Roy Bailey.

Ferrard's politics are apparent on (the sadly absent) Karine Polwart's co-composition The Hour of Plenty. The show was sweetened further by the gorgeous Irish tones of Michelle Burke, the Scots balladry of Edinburgh duo The Cast, and Kim Edgar, whose nostalgic The House on the Hill was written with Emma Pollock.

Comment: I am very pleased with the above review, but I am not from North Carolina, and The Hour Of Plenty is not a co-write with Karine Polwart.  She sings backing vocals on the album recording.  I wanted to make that clear in case anyone thinks I am spreading misinformation!  

Graeme Scott
DJ @ Leith FM & Writer @ Blues Matters Magazine

This concert was to effectively launch the new and rather excellent album "Broken Sky". However David had invited along many of the top class musicians who played on the recording and they joined him on stage in variable combinations. This augmented the sound for sure and David also gave those artists space to showcase a song or two from their own repertoire. So we, the audience, were treated to feast of Roots, Folk, Americana and contemporary singer/songwriters and some very classy music. Just to get some of the names out of the way there were Josh Goforth, Laura Boosinger, Roy Bailey, Kim Edgar, Yvonne Lyon, James Ross, Karen Dietz, The Cast and Sandy Butler. So you can see that the company was very high quality.

Let us leave aside those artists and concentrate on the reason we were all there. David Ferrard may well be a new name to you but that will not last long. He is a very accomplished writer with a clutch of songs ranging from lovely traditional ballads, biting protest anti war and globalisation anthems on through to heartbreaking paeans and musings of loves and friendships lost. It is often hard to think back the next day to which songs impressed you the most but not today. 'Dimitri's Pocket Radio' as fine a song about asylum seekers being overlooked as just simply human beings as you will ever hear. There can be few that were not reflecting on the futility of war to the strains of 'Hills Of Virginia'. Often couples fail to allow themselves time to concentrate on themselves and 'Take Me Out Waltzing Tonight' speaks volumes on those forgotten needs. Highlight of David's own songs was the powerful, sad and haunting 'Never Let Go'. Written with sensitive understanding it tells the story of a man who has lost so much to AIDS. I could go on but will simply end by saying seek out this artist and album.
]]> Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:22:52 GMT 5D91C7236E9AEC4AC02863BB08B10056 BBC Album Of The Week http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=22218 Broken Sky has been made Album Of The Week by BBC Scotland's Iain Anderson Show, which is the most popular show on BBC Radio Scotland.&nbsp; Every night this week Iain will play one of my songs from 22.30-00.30.&nbsp; You can&nbsp; tune in to BBC Radio Scotland on 92.4 - 94.7 FM and 810 MW or listen on-line at: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/radioscotland/programmes/iainanderson">www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/radioscotland/programmes/iainanderson.&nbsp; If you miss the show you can listen on playback for up to a week after the show has been broadcast.&nbsp; Broken Sky has been made Album Of The Week by BBC Scotland's Iain Anderson Show, which is the most popular show on BBC Radio Scotland.  Every night this week Iain will play one of my songs from 22.30-00.30.  You can  tune in to BBC Radio Scotland on 92.4 - 94.7 FM and 810 MW or listen on-line at: www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/radioscotland/programmes/iainanderson.  If you miss the show you can listen on playback for up to a week after the show has been broadcast. 
]]> Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:59:06 GMT EB8A971D72898D98F6136F88B7CE8622 CD Of The Week http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=22204 Broken Sky was made CD Of The Week by The Sunday Herald on Easter Sunday with the following review.&nbsp; It's my first for the album.&nbsp;&nbsp; I hope it bodes well!&nbsp; Hills of Virginia **** DAVID FERRARD: Broken Sky (Flamingo West) By Alan Morrison BILLY BRAGG recently said that he didn't mind being labelled a political songwriter, &quot;what I object to is being dismissed as a political songwriter&quot;. Politics are also a major element of David Ferrard's debut album, but again it would be wrong to pigeonhole this committed anti-war campaigner entirely by his protest output. The 29-year-old half-Scottish, half-American musician (a one-man transatlantic session) has an uncanny ability to fuse meaningful words with gorgeous melodies, winning the Burnsong 2007 competition for the timelessly catchy One Hell Of A Ride. Given the content of certain songs here, it's no accident that the album first appeared (for download or CD order from www.davidferrard.com) the same week as the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Ferrard, however, wasn't in his home town when his album was released; he was researching in the Woody Guthrie archives in New York City. How appropriate, given the kindred spirit that has passed from Guthrie, through decades of the protest movement, down into almost every track on Broken Sky. Set in the midst of the album's crystal-clear production, Ferrard's voice is closer to Joan Baez than Bob Dylan, and certainly not in the bar-room troubadour style of, say, Dick Gaughan. His vocal delivery is sincere but never over-earnest, while his music draws from both sides of his mixed roots, placing American country fiddles alongside gentle acoustic guitar. The album's standout track, Hills Of Virginia, gets into the head of a soldier in Iraq. &quot;A buddy of mine/Stepped on a mine/His body just disappeared/He never returned/ To the hills of Virginia/All they buried were tears,&quot; Ferrard sings as the song's melodic shifts between major and minor become a thing of beauty. The protest tradition has many iconic songs, and who's to say that one day Ferrard's Hills Of Virginia won't be mentioned in the same breath as Eric Bogle's And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda. Broken Sky was made CD Of The Week by The Sunday Herald on Easter Sunday with the following review.  It's my first for the album.   I hope it bodes well! 


Hills of Virginia ****
DAVID FERRARD: Broken Sky (Flamingo West)
By Alan Morrison

BILLY BRAGG recently said that he didn't mind being labelled a political songwriter, "what I object to is being dismissed as a political songwriter". Politics are also a major element of David Ferrard's debut album, but again it would be wrong to pigeonhole this committed anti-war campaigner entirely by his protest output. The 29-year-old half-Scottish, half-American musician (a one-man transatlantic session) has an uncanny ability to fuse meaningful words with gorgeous melodies, winning the Burnsong 2007 competition for the timelessly catchy One Hell Of A Ride.

Given the content of certain songs here, it's no accident that the album first appeared (for download or CD order from www.davidferrard.com) the same week as the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Ferrard, however, wasn't in his home town when his album was released; he was researching in the Woody Guthrie archives in New York City. How appropriate, given the kindred spirit that has passed from Guthrie, through decades of the protest movement, down into almost every track on Broken Sky.

Set in the midst of the album's crystal-clear production, Ferrard's voice is closer to Joan Baez than Bob Dylan, and certainly not in the bar-room troubadour style of, say, Dick Gaughan. His vocal delivery is sincere but never over-earnest, while his music draws from both sides of his mixed roots, placing American country fiddles alongside gentle acoustic guitar.

The album's standout track, Hills Of Virginia, gets into the head of a soldier in Iraq. "A buddy of mine/Stepped on a mine/His body just disappeared/He never returned/ To the hills of Virginia/All they buried were tears," Ferrard sings as the song's melodic shifts between major and minor become a thing of beauty. The protest tradition has many iconic songs, and who's to say that one day Ferrard's Hills Of Virginia won't be mentioned in the same breath as Eric Bogle's And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

]]> Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:00:04 GMT AAEBC7AD583923CAC3983D159306FB42 March 15: A Day Of International Significance http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=21904 March 15 is the release date for my new debut album, Broken Sky.&nbsp; I cannot believe that we're finally there. I am very excited about the album and hope it is well received.&nbsp; I have certainly enjoyed making it.&nbsp; Please do buy a copy of the CD through my website or come to one of my gigs where I shall be selling them with great enthusiam! As well as being a day to celebrate (for me), March 15 is also a day of action throughout the world.&nbsp; As we approach the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq people are taking to the streets all over the world to say 'no more war', 'bring the troops home', and 'do not bomb Iran'.&nbsp; Check out <a href="http://www.stopwar.org.uk">www.stopwar.org.uk or <a href="http://www.theworldagainstwar.org ">www.theworldagainstwar.org for more details about UK and international demos. There are two large ones in the UK: London and Glasgow.&nbsp; There is also a very important conference taking place this weekend near Washington DC.&nbsp; It's called Winter Solider and is an event at which veterans from Iraq will be giving first hand testimonies about the atrocities carried out against the people of Iraq.&nbsp; It's based on the Winter Solider Investigation of 1971 for Vietnam Vets and will prove to be an important milestone in this struggle to bring peace and justice to Iraq and to the coalition soldiers who have also become victims of the occupation. <a href="http://www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier">www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier&nbsp; Broken Sky.  I cannot believe that we're finally there. I am very excited about the album and hope it is well received.  I have certainly enjoyed making it.  Please do buy a copy of the CD through my website or come to one of my gigs where I shall be selling them with great enthusiam!

As well as being a day to celebrate (for me), March 15 is also a day of action throughout the world.  As we approach the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq people are taking to the streets all over the world to say 'no more war', 'bring the troops home', and 'do not bomb Iran'.  Check out www.stopwar.org.uk or www.theworldagainstwar.org for more details about UK and international demos. There are two large ones in the UK: London and Glasgow. 

There is also a very important conference taking place this weekend near Washington DC.  It's called Winter Solider and is an event at which veterans from Iraq will be giving first hand testimonies about the atrocities carried out against the people of Iraq.  It's based on the Winter Solider Investigation of 1971 for Vietnam Vets and will prove to be an important milestone in this struggle to bring peace and justice to Iraq and to the coalition soldiers who have also become victims of the occupation. www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier ]]> Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:40:35 GMT 2BB3E1CB3CD8B04409DE681FC9FCAE90 Woody Guthrie Archives/A Week In Nashville! http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=21796 I've been doing research at the Woody Guthrie archives this last week in New York City. It's been amazing to look through his journals and lyrics and to touch the very pages Woody wrote on. I'm looking particularly at his writings on peace, war, and racism. Tomorrow I get to look at a journal he kept in Glasgow during the war. It will be interesting to see what he's got to say about Scotland! Woody's daughter, Nora, and the archivist, Tiffany, have very kindly let me spend a few days with his work. I'm so grateful to them and the foundation. Before coming to New York I had the most marvelous time in Nashville, where I got to play a few nights in a row! I'm now seriously considering moving there. It seems like the perfect place to be based as a songwriter and performer. I was lucky to be shown round and looked after by some great musician friends: Mary Gauthier, Diana Jones, Maura O'Connell, and my Folk Alliance buddy Van Preston. Thanks everyone for such a memorable week in Music City! Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:39:20 GMT 51F85E3DE5A91EF287F8A213B1A66FE7 Folk Alliance Success http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=21678 I had a wonderful time at Folk Alliance in Memphis, showcasing about 14 times and getting very little sleep. I feel like I've made great inroads into the US/Canadian folk scene, meeting labels, festival organizers and agents from all around the continent. I was told that the folk DJs who attend the conference write a list of acts to recommend to the other DJs. Out of about 1500 artists at the conference 31 names were listed and mine was the only one to appear twice! Thanks to the conference organizers for putting on a great event. I look forward to returning in 2009!!! Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:14:26 GMT 18A1771A1ADEDB4EB1AEB0EDD1AE1D89 January/February Update http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=21251 I'm about to fly to Memphis to showcase at Folk Alliance - very much looking forward to this!&nbsp; Sandy Butler is flying over from Scotland to accompany me.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fellow Edinburgh singer-songwriter Kim Edgar is co-running a private showcase room with me where we'll be performing several times a night.&nbsp;&nbsp;After Memphis I'm off to Nashville for a week&nbsp;and then to New York City.&nbsp;&nbsp; January was a busy month for me, making last minute preparations for the release of my debut album, Broken Sky, on March 15 when I return to Edinburgh.&nbsp; I had a very successful pre-launch at Celtic Connections, making contact with promoters from all over the world.&nbsp; More details about the album to follow!!!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm about to fly to Memphis to showcase at Folk Alliance - very much looking forward to this!  Sandy Butler is flying over from Scotland to accompany me.  Fellow Edinburgh singer-songwriter Kim Edgar is co-running a private showcase room with me where we'll be performing several times a night.  After Memphis I'm off to Nashville for a week and then to New York City.  

January was a busy month for me, making last minute preparations for the release of my debut album, Broken Sky, on March 15 when I return to Edinburgh.  I had a very successful pre-launch at Celtic Connections, making contact with promoters from all over the world.  More details about the album to follow!!!    

]]> Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:53:41 GMT 802C39352E5E4D20A458DDA81645B341 Burnsong House/Gig http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=19355 I'm having a wonderful time down in Dumfries &amp; Galloway at the Burnsong house, collaborating with eleven other songwriters. We've all been working really hard and have come up with some great new songs. The residential ends tomorrow, Friday November 30, with a gig at 7:30 pm at BBC Scotland, Pacific Quay. Directly following this I'll be making a live appearance on Iain Anderson&rsquo;s BBC Radio Scotland Show (10.30pm-12.30pm) on 92-95 FM and 810 MW. I should be on just after 11pm.&nbsp; For tickets contact info@burnsong.com or phone: 01387 253383. www.burnsong.com Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:15:36 GMT 34D2F75D9FFBC8DA76B07813B25345D8 Raise Your Banners/ The Scotsman Article http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=18886 I'm down in Bradford at the moment at the world's only festival dedicated to political song: Raise Your Banners.&nbsp; Last night we had Dick Gaughan, Chumbawamba, Tracey Curtis and the Oysterband.&nbsp; Tonight I'm playing with Roy Bailey, Alistair Hulett, Claire Mooney and Scarlet Heights.&nbsp; The festival has quite an amazing line-up and the atmosphere is electric.&nbsp; I am launching the Not In Our Name CD at this festival too.&nbsp; Yesterday I sold about 45 copies, so it's doing really well.&nbsp; There was a fantastic article in The Scotsman about the album and protest music in general.&nbsp; Check out www.living.scotsman.com/music.cfm?id=1777562007 . Raise Your Banners.  Last night we had Dick Gaughan, Chumbawamba, Tracey Curtis and the Oysterband.  Tonight I'm playing with Roy Bailey, Alistair Hulett, Claire Mooney and Scarlet Heights.  The festival has quite an amazing line-up and the atmosphere is electric.  I am launching the Not In Our Name CD at this festival too.  Yesterday I sold about 45 copies, so it's doing really well.  There was a fantastic article in The Scotsman about the album and protest music in general.  Check out www.living.scotsman.com/music.cfm?id=1777562007 .]]> Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:28:20 GMT 5E4BB2C56E80DE0E5A6AC162A039DBA3 Not In Our Name CD Available http://davidferrard.com/blog.cfm?feature=17518&postid=18772 The Not In Our Name CD&nbsp;is now available!&nbsp; It sounds and looks fantastic.&nbsp;&nbsp;I've been working on it for over a year, so I'm very pleased to be&nbsp;releasing it finally.&nbsp; The launch will be on Tuesday 6th November at 8pm in the Netherbow Theatre, Edinburgh, with Roy Bailey, Jez Lowe and several local artists present.&nbsp; You can now buy it&nbsp;from <a href="http://www.songsforchange.com">www.songsforchange.com .&nbsp; I'll also be launching it at the Raise Your Banners festival in Bradford later this week.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; I sold 30 copies of the CD at&nbsp;the People and Parliament Against Trident march on Saturday.&nbsp; It was a very successful rally with about 3000 participants.&nbsp; We ended up at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens where I sang Visions of Our Youth with Karine Polwart, a wonderful Scottish singer-songwriter who features on my&nbsp;own debut&nbsp;album (soon to be released).&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Not In Our Name CD is now available!  It sounds and looks fantastic.  I've been working on it for over a year, so I'm very pleased to be releasing it finally.  The launch will be on Tuesday 6th November at 8pm in the Netherbow Theatre, Edinburgh, with Roy Bailey, Jez Lowe and several local artists present.  You can now buy it from www.songsforchange.com .  I'll also be launching it at the Raise Your Banners festival in Bradford later this week.    
I sold 30 copies of the CD at the People and Parliament Against Trident march on Saturday.  It was a very successful rally with about 3000 participants.  We ended up at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens where I sang Visions of Our Youth with Karine Polwart, a wonderful Scottish singer-songwriter who features on my own debut album (soon to be released).       

]]> Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:37:51 GMT 95127BAF2B09899F4431671883083CF1