The Black Feathers

The Black Feathers

The Black Feathers in 2014
Background information
Origin Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
Genres Folk, Americana, Roots
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active 2012 (2012)–present
Labels Bird in the Hand Records
Website theblackfeathers.com

The Black Feathers are a husband and wife roots music duo based in Gloucestershire, UK who play a blend of Folk and Americana.[1] Their debut EP (Strangers We Meet, 2014) was listed in The Telegraph as one of the best Folk albums of 2014.[2]

Their sound has been likened to that of The Civil Wars, and Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings.[3] [4]

They are sponsored by Walden Guitars.[5]

History

Sian Chandler was born in Cirencester, while Ray Hughes is a native of Dublin.[6] They met in 2004 and played in a five piece Folk rock band called ‘Just To Annoy Ray’. When the band folded in 2008 they began playing together as a duo playing covers. In 2012 they started writing their own songs and formed as The Black Feathers. [7] [8] [9]

In 2013 The Black Feathers won two awards, the Folkstock award for best live performance ,[10] and The Five Valleys Folk award which saw them play main support to Spiers and Boden. [11]

They have been interviewed by Bob Harris on the "Under The Apple Tree Sessions" [12] and were featured in two documentaries on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 2 Country, as well as being interviewed in The Sunday Times. [6] [13] [14]

Their music video for their single 'Strangers We Meet' was premiered on American television network Zuus Country[15] In addition, they have performed on WDVX’s Blue Plate Special in Knoxville, Tennessee [16] and they have appeared in Grace & Tony’s green room sessions, recorded in Saint Joseph, Tennessee, and world premiered by TheBoot.com.[17] [18]

Touring

The Black Feathers have shared a stage with artists such as Heather Peace, Ward Thomas, Ben Ottewell (Gomez), Luke Concannon (Nizlopi), Jim Moray, Paper Aeroplanes, Kim Richey, and Gareth Dunlop. [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]

The band have toured nationally including venues such as Cambridge Folk Festival and St Pancras Old Church in London [11][24] They have toured internationally in Germany [25] and extensively in the United States, including The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee.[6][9] They have also toured with the duo Grace & Tony both in the US and the UK.[17]

Discography

Strangers We Meet EP

In October 2013, The Black Feathers launched a successful Kickstarter campaign,[26] hitting their target in less than 12hrs.[8]
The resulting Strangers We Meet EP was released on their own label, ‘Bird In The Hand Records’, in February, 2014. It received favourable reviews in national publications such as FRoots, The Telegraph, Acoustic Magazine and R2 (Rock'n'Reel).[1][2][27][28]

Songs from the EP have been played numerous times on regional BBC Radio, as well as BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio 2, and BBC Radio 2 Country.[13][14][29][30] In addition it was listed in Johnny Coppin’s ‘best acoustic albums in 2014’ on BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Martin Chilton’s “The best folk albums of 2014’ in The Telegraph and as the Sunday Mercury’s Number 1 Folk and Roots album of 2014.[2][31][32]

Track listing

  1. Strangers We Meet
  2. 10,000 Times
  3. Open Book
  4. You Will Be Mine
  5. All Came Down

Credits

Sian Chandler - Vocals

Ray Hughes - Vocals/Guitar/Piano

Anna Jenkins - Violin/Viola

Dzal Martin - Electric Guitar/Dobro

Evan John - Mandolin/Resonator Guitar

Mark Hodgson - Double Bass (Tracks 1, 3, & 4)

Patrick Farrell - Double Bass (Track 5)

Steve Lawson - Bass (Track 2)

Rupert Irving - Percussion

Recorded at Wincraft Studios and Strawhouse Studios

Mixed by James Towler

Produced by Richard Neuberg and The Black Feathers

Mastered by John Dent at Loud Mastering [33]

References

  1. 1 2 R2 (Rock'n'Reel), May/June 2014, p.118
  2. 1 2 3 Chilton, Martin. "The best folk music albums of 2014", The Telegraph, retrieved 2014-09-10
  3. ↑ "The Black Feathers - Tower of Song, Birmingham Wednesday 19th February 2014", Three Chords and the Truth, retrieved 2014-09-10
  4. ↑ Davy, John. "The Black Feathers: Strangers We Meet (February 23 2014)", Flying Shoes, retrieved 2014-09-10
  5. ↑ "The Black Feathers", Walden Guitars, retrieved 2015-04-03]
  6. 1 2 3 Sexton, Paul. "The Sunday Times Culture", May 4, 2014, p.33
  7. ↑ "Hear the wandering river, hear the birds overhead, The Black Feathers (January 22, 2013)", Popa's Tunes, retrieved 2014-09-10
  8. 1 2 Hawes, John. "Dirty Dozen: The Black Feathers (February 17, 2014)", Americana UK, retrieved 2015-03-09
  9. 1 2 "The Black Feathers at The Convent (August 27 2014)", SoGlos, retrieved 2014-09-10
  10. ↑ "Live Events Update, Love Folk LIVE (January 25, 2014)", Folkstock, retrieved 2015-03-09
  11. 1 2 "The Black Feathers at the Black Book (July 23, 2014 )", "Stroud News and Journal, retrieved 2014-09-10"
  12. ↑ "The Black Feathers cover Lady Gaga", WBBC, retrieved 2014-09-10
  13. 1 2 "Nashville UK (March 20 2014)", BBC iPlayer, retrieved 2014-09-10
  14. 1 2 "Paul Sexton - Country UK (March 7 2015)", BBC iPlayer, retrieved 2015-04-03
  15. ↑ "Americana Music Video Playlist|The Black Feathers|Strangers We Meet|ZUUS", ZUUS, retrieved 2015-04-03
  16. ↑ "Blue Plate Special 1416", PRX, retrieved 2015-04-11
  17. 1 2 "Grace & Tony Greenroom Sessions: ‘Open Book’ (Feat. Black Feathers) (August 15, 2014)", The Boot, retrieved 2014-09-10
  18. ↑ "Grace & Tony Debut Video for 'The Chameleon' on ZUUS Country (May 5, 2014)", Zuus Country, retrieved 2014-09-10
  19. ↑ "Heather Peace - The Thin Line - Tour Supports (November 1 2014)", Heather Peace, retrieved 15-04-03
  20. ↑ "Gig Review: Ward Thomas, The Black Feathers, and Jess Roberts at Green Note, London (July 25 2014)", 4000 Miles to Nashville, retrieved 2015-04-03
  21. ↑ "Treefest Performers - The Black Feathers (August 24 2013)", 4014 Project, retrieved 2015-04-03
  22. ↑ "Award-winning folk artist Jim Moray headlines Stroud Folk Festival (September 18 2014)", Gloucester Citizen, retrieved 2015-04-03
  23. ↑ "(October 6 2013)", Eventful, retrieved 2015-04-03
  24. 1 2 "Kim Richey + Gareth Dunlop + The Black Feathers (December 4 2014)", TimeOut, retrieved 2015-04-03
  25. ↑ "The Black Feathers - The Destille (February 2 2015)", Fatea, retrieved 2015-04-03
  26. ↑ "The Black Feathers Debut EP - Strangers We Meet", Kickstarter, retrieved 2014-09-10
  27. ↑ FRoots, April 2014, p.96
  28. ↑ Acoustic Magazine, March 2014, p.95
  29. ↑ "BBC Music - The Black Feathers", BBC Music, retrieved 2015-04-03
  30. ↑ "iPlayer Radio - Iain Anderson (February 26 2014)", iPlayer, retrieved 2015-04-03
  31. ↑ "Johnny Coppin - Best Acoustic Albums of 2014 (January 3 2015)", BBC Radio, retrieved 2015-04-03
  32. ↑ "The Festive 50 (December 28 2014)", Sunday Mercury, retrieved 2015-04-03
  33. ↑ "Strangers We Meet EP", Bandcamp, retrieved 2015-04-03
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