Sarah writes:
Here it is, February already! My autumn tours in the USA and UK seem a distant memory (although you can still look at photos from them on Facebook and Instagram if you’re so inclined), and I’m well into what other people keep referring to as my “year off” (as in “Are you enjoying your year off? Having a good time putting your feet up and taking it easy?”).
Well. It’s a year off from touring as such (although I’m still taking short trips away for festivals and occasional concerts – see the full list on the Tour page here or on my Facebook Events page), but I’m busier than ever ....
Mostly, I’m working very hard on writing songs for my fifth solo album, which I’ll be recording next May. The producer this time round will be the great Michael Chapman, legendary singer-songwriter and guitar sage, who was recently profiled in the Guardian in the wake of his superb new album 50 – you can read the article in full here.
I first met Michael back in 2014 when we both played the Village Pump Festival, and since then he’s become a staunch friend and supporter, even performing as my opening act at a concert he and his wonderful wife Andru organised for me at their local cricket club! He’s also very generously given me his beautiful Ibanez electric guitar on long term loan, so you can expect to hear some interesting new sounds on the new album, which he kindly offered to produce during my last visit to his and Andru’s house in Cumbria. Martin and I will be heading up there again next weekend, after my gig at the Pavilions Teignmouth, in order to work through the material I’m proposing to record – so the pressure’s on as I type!
I’m also busy booking gigs for my 2018 album launch tours in the UK, Ireland, Continental Europe and the USA – if there’s a venue where you’d particularly like to see me, please do drop me a line and let me know.
Having said all that, I’m very much enjoying getting to spend more time with my family this year. It’s good to be home.
Do check out my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages for lots more chat, updates and photos. If you’re able to make it to one of the shows, it would be great to see you there, and please do help spread the word if you can.