'one of our finest singer/songwriters' Bob Harris. Acoustic, Americana. Vocal coach, guitar/ ukulele tutor. Music columnist Evening News/Songwriting Magazine. DJ at Future Radio
Lisa Redford ‘Anything But Easy’ | Under the Apple Tree Session
Ahead of some live concerts, I’m excited to share this never seen before live session for Whispering Bob Harris #UnderTheAppleTree which has been uploaded to my YouTube channel. Performing ‘Anything But Easy’ awhile back. The brilliant musician and dear friend Alan Cook on dobro. Thanks to Bob & all at #UTAT for the lovely memory & their support of #indieartists Thanks for watching.
My first headline show in a long, long time is next month. Performing in Beccles, Suffolk for Martello Promotions who promote the finest acoustic music in the North Suffolk area. Tickets are available online here It would be lovely if you can join me for what will be a very special night. I’m also booking other gigs – all details will be on the show page.
I’ve been continuing to record and perform live acoustic covers for Rob Butler’s show on BBC Radio Norfolk. Some of them have been uploaded to my SoundCloud page and here’s a live video of me playing Bruce Springsteen’s anthem ‘Dancing in the Dark’
My various creative activities have included doing some more writing for Songwriting Magazine. My my recent feature is a review of Gary Barlow’s songwriting course for BBC Maestro. Check out the review here
I’ve also been doing some acting! It’s been really fun to be part of the cast for various shows including a history and music documentary series. Will be sure to reveal more details when they are broadcast. More photos on my Instagram
Part of the cast in a history documentary series. Details to follow.
Playing a rock chick in upcoming music documentary series
BBC Radio Norfolk music feature for Rob Butler’s show
It’s been really fun to be part of a new regular music feature for Rob Butler’s show on BBC Radio Norfolk where I’ve recorded live acoustic covers from the 80’s and beyond, as well as Britpop tracks and Pride anthems. Rob previously featured the Future Radio fundraising single ‘This Fine City’ and interviewed me about it for Norwich City fanzine show The Scrimmage. So far I have performed six brilliant songs: the classic pop of Erasure’s ‘A Little Respect’, Tom Petty’s anthemic ‘I Won’t Back Down’, ‘Slide Away” by Oasis, ‘Inbetween Days’ The Cure and most recently ‘So in Love’ by OMD. I’ve also covered ‘Jolene’ by the one and Dolly Parton and you can see a live performance on YouTube as well as hear the version on my Soundcloud page Keep listening to Rob’s show (Monday – Wednesday evenings) for my next covers challenge!
Dolly Parton ‘Jolene’ acoustic cover
Broadcast for International Women’s Day
It was lovely to be part of a very exciting and creative broadcast being played across the U.K. for this year’s International Women’s Day. I was among 30 female artists from across the country invited to write & recorded a brand new piece in under a day to be broadcast on community radio stations around the country, including Future Radio. The full #internationalwomensday broadcast is now available to listen to online at SoundCloud – my original piece written ‘Wings to Fly’ is at 11:30 https://soundcloud.com/soundart-radio
Safe Rescue for Dogs feature for All Things Norfolk
I wrote about the IWD broadcast in one of my recent columns for All Things Norfolk. I also shared details of ‘One in the Crowd’ – acoustic charity single for Safe Rescue for Dogs – and it was lovely to receive airplay on various radio stations for the song as well as getting to talk about it and introduce it on a BBC Upload show – a show that showcases local creative talent of all kinds. Thanks also to Belles and Gals for this lovely article about the song and for having me perform recently for one of their #UKCMSA live-streams.
BBC Upload
After writing a feature for the winter issue, it’s lovely to have contributed another new article ‘Lessons Learned in Lockdown’ to the brilliant spring issue of Songwriting Magazine. The new issue is packed with tips, news, reviews, gear and interviews featuring Diane Warren, Teenage Fanclub, Hailey Whitters, Tom Grennan, Newton Faulkner, Peggy Seegar and more. Available at Pocketmags here
Please take a moment to watch this touching video that charity Safe Rescue for Dogs have put together, giving an insight into the amazing work they do rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs from the UK and abroad.
I have written and recorded the music in the video to the words by one of the team Kelly Hare. On reading her touching and heartfelt poem I was moved to help them raise funds and awareness for all the hard work this very small team do to save dogs in dreadful conditions in the shelters.
If you would like to find out more and donate, take a look at their Facebook page. As a small charity they rely solely on the kindness and generosity of people to enable them to carry on rescuing and caring for the dogs. So lovely to see that there has been some money raised already.
I’ve also done a live acoustic performance from home on YouTube and written all about the inspiration and charity in a feature for All Things Norfolk
It was lovely to talk about the song and hear it played on BBC Radio Norfolk this week. Listen again to Rob Butler’s show here at 1.17. Also next week I’ll be part of a fun brand new music feature on his show, starting Monday with an 80’s cover.
Lisa Redford in Songwriting Magazine for their #keepsongwriting pledge
I’ve written articles and interviewed acclaimed artists for the brilliant Songwriting Magazine. I have also written a feature in the latest Winter issue. Songwriting is the UK’s only publication dedicated to writing songs. Aimed at songwriters and their fans alike, expect up-to-date music news, reviews and artist interviews as well as lots of practical, hands-on advice.
Very proud to be a part of their #keepsongwriting campaign where they are sharing tips and quotes, as well as highlighting the importance of creativity through these difficult times and championing those who have vowed not to stop creating original music in 2021.
Happy New Year! wishing you all a very happy and safe new year. Thanks so much for supporting me. Here’s a little version of original song New Year’s Day all about getting through a difficult time and looking to the future with hope. Full live studio version available on Spotify and Bandcamp Thank you for watching and here’s hoping for a brighter 2021
Huge thanks to Vanilla Magazine for this lovely new interview about my passion for teaching music and online music sessions 🎸🎤
Fancy having some vocal lessons or learning guitar or ukulele? I can also provide songwriting classes and help you develop any ideas. I would love to hear from you and am also offering special block booking deals.
So excited that fundraising single “This Fine City” was released on Friday ~ a heartfelt, anthemic celebration of #Norwich that I have written especially for Future Radio featuring a whole host of talented friends and musicians: Ecky Limon from the Blue Joanna (name checked in the song!), Scott Mathieson, Andrew Todd (amazing production!), Owen Sennitt, Yve Mary B, Callum Morgan from Morganway, Chad Mason, Hannah White, Russell McNamara and Teresa Gibbon. Thanks so much to all the talented friends and artists – including many Future volunteers – who were a part of this very special project. Huge thanks of course to all the hard working team at Future Radio. Please listen, donate and share the Bandcamp link below – all funds raised from the single will help Future to relocate to a new home – let’s help them find a new studio!
Already been receiving lots of great press for the single. Was lovely to be Story of the Day at Folk Features – Uplifting stories for Norfolk and Suffolk, brought to you by Emma Outten:
Article at Folk Features
I’ve also written a column for my friends at All Things Norfolk about the making of “This Fine City” read the article here
So lovely that the song has already touched people and really resonated. Here’s a beautiful review from Richard Shashamane for his Norwich: Music City, UK Blog:
Immediately upon my first listening to this rousing celebration of Norwich and hope for the future I felt renewed optimism as well as being quite moved by the heartfelt love of the city so sincerely expressed in song. Joyous and triumphant in its hope.
This Fine City video still
There has also been some lovely BBC airplay for ‘This Fine City’ over the weekend! Thanks to BBC Music Introducing in Norfolk and BBC Music Introducing in Suffolk plus the single was played on Stephen Foster’s BBC Radio Norfolk and BBC Radio Suffolk show on the week from 6pm. Listen via BBC Sounds. I have been recording a few interviews including one with Good Health Radio in Australia. This will available on Monday October 19. I have also been doing some interviews for local television including That’s TV East – video here Also this Tuesday October 20 Ecky Limon and I talked about the single on ITN News Anglia and played a snippet of the song outside the Blue Joanna.
Interview on ITV News Anglia
Playing “This Fine City” outside The Blue Joanna, Norwich with Ecky Limon on guitar
Been doing lots of radio interviews to promote the single and it was lovely to chat to David Eastaugh for arts and culture show Platform, all about the inspiration for the song. You can hear the interview at: https://futureradio.co.uk/futureplayer/mixcloudplayer/3632
Huge thanks to Jamie at Grapevine Live Magazine – remember performing for the Grapevine Live stage at Ipswich Music Day – for a lovely interview all about the single here
As you know, I love to have my songs remixed and it’s been wonderful to work again with Neil Timbers who has done a brilliant electronic remix of ‘The Edge of Love’
I’ve been busy with a few creative projects and excited that I have written an original song for Future Radio in Norwich. The photo above is from a video shoot for the #fundraising single release. “This Fine City” will be released to coincide with #LocalRadioDay & features a host of talented friends and artists from Norfolk. More news soon!
I love to collaborate on music projects and also to perform other artists’s material – it really inspires me and my own writing – so I’ve really enjoyed interpreting this lovely, heartfelt song written by Kate Raison, a talented songwriter who I met during Chris Difford’s Songwriting Retreat last year. Here is also an acoustic demo of the song that I’ve recorded: https://soundcloud.com/user-466575967/dont-tell-me-that-you-love-me-tonight-demo-sung-by-lisa-redford
Thrilled to be in the beautiful new video by artist Megan O’Neill for her single Fire with Fire — a powerful and amazing celebration of women and women in music – alongside incredible female artists, please watch: Thank you Megan for this incredible message
“heartfelt lyrics, beautiful vocal harmonies & a gentle melody. Lisa brings out first class lyrics alongside haunting string instruments & scenic visuals.” Huge thanks to worldwide platform Music Crowns for a brilliant review of Edge of Love:
Really enjoyed the recent Sheryl Crow BBC Radio 2 #livefromhome#festival performance ❤️🎵 always loved this fantastic song of hers “Sad Sad World” from a special edition of her self-titled album released in 1996.
Not long before #lockdown my CD’s were made available to buy at HMV Norwich – check them out now and support #liveandlocal brilliant how they’re supporting local independent artists.
I hope that you’re keeping safe and well. As many of you know from my social media posts, I’ve been continuing to keep creative with various projects and live streams and I really enjoyed putting this special clips video together for my song “Summer on the L” – all about my time living in New York City – making friends and memories, the highs and lows, and performing and recording there as an artist.
Footage includes clips from inside and outside the Dakota Building, Times Square, Brooklyn, Central Park, 4th of July fireworks, Governors Island, the short film ‘Q to the 6 Train’ (for which I wrote the original score) as well as recording in the studio and live performances from The New York Songwriters Circle and Alive with Clive TV show. Thanks so much for watching this very personal video and all the love for this particular song during my recent live streams.
I always love collaborating with other artists and also hearing my songs remixed. Thanks to Phillip Coady – who has remixed tracks of mine in the past, on SoundCloud – for this gorgeous, dreamy electronic mix of ‘Edge of Love’ ❤️ the title track of my latest EP. Thanks for giving it a listen and huge thanks to Park RadioBBC SuffolkBBC Music Introducing in Suffolk for the airplay.
Country in the Kitchen podcast
It was lovely to be interviewed for Country In The Kitchen Podcast last week; a great podcast that features guests from the UK independent country music scene. I talked to host Tessa-Leanne Snart about being creative during lockdown with the release of ‘From Afar’, being an independent artist and arts/music columnist, the UK country music scene and more. The episode, Volume 15, is now available to listen to and download at PodbeaniTunes and Spotify
I’ve also recorded a live acoustic session for Russell Hill’s Country Music Show. This will be broadcast on Sunday August 9th between 11am and 2pm.
Live acoustic session for Reepham Festival
Live stream gig at Facebook
Talking of live music, I’ve been doing some acoustic live streams from my own Facebook and also for festivals including Buckle and Boots and SW20 spring festival. I’m planning more and always love to hear your requests. This weekend on Saturday August 8th I’m doing a special acoustic live session for Reepham Festival between 6pm and 9pm I’ve also been continuing to play acoustic requests at my YouTube channel including this beautiful and timeless Sandy Denny song.
Cover of Sandy Denny “Who Knows Where the Time Goes”
I’ve still been getting lots of love for lockdown single ‘From Afar’ and recently posted a ukulele version – thanks so much to those of you who have purchased the song from my Bandcamp page
This is such a difficult time for us all. 💔 I do hope you are keeping safe and healthy. Dealing with cancelled & postponed gigs and heartbroken that my upcoming trip to Nashville for meetings, radio sessions and shows has been cancelled. However, I am continuing to share my passion for music. 🎶 Teaching guitar, vocals and ukulele via Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom and FaceTime. Please go to the teaching page to find out more and to read testimonials. You can also email parrotrecords@gmail.com The show page will also be updated with any rescheduled dates. Please keep safe everyone. 💕
My CD’s are looking pretty in HMV Norwich! Instagram post from HMV Norwich Chapelfield – On sale now in our store, are 5 releases from the amazing Lisa Redford in our live and local section!
Thanks to Simon Moore, Breadknife Music for filming ‘Why’ live at BFR Presents at the Bowling House. Jason French on banjo. More live clips at https://www.instagram.com/lisaredfordmusic/
Live at the Reindeer Norwich for Tilting Sky Presents Songwriter Sessions. Photo by Dickie Hartt.
“I literally fall for the nostalgic and melancholy of The Edge of Love. The chords and arpeggios marry beautifully with Lisa’s fragile and emotional voice.” Claude Scébat Rock’n’Reviews “creating a melancholic melody that is captivatingly beautiful.” Build Our Own Nashville
It’s been a busy and creative start to the year – made a little video for the title track of the latest EP ‘Edge of Love’ – huge thanks Keith Greentree and The Big Country Show for playing it 🎵Listen again via BBC Sounds here
Thrilled that latest single “I Just Can’t Forget” has been chosen for Ditty Dozen at Ditty TV – a US Spotify playlist dedicated to sharing twelve of the most exciting emerging artists in Americana & Roots music! 🎵🎸Here’s the link to the playlist
Been booking some great headline shows and festivals for this spring and summer. Among the gigs is a lovely headline intimate totally acoustic concert on May 2nd in Beccles. Tickets are now available online here Upcoming gigs and festivals are at the show page
Also going to be playing some lovely festivals – excited to be back at the brilliant Reepham Festival in August and heading to Stockport, Manchester in May for Buckle & Boots 2020
Really enjoy getting fan requests – playing an incredible Maria McKee song ‘Panic Beach’ especially for Michael Park at The International Americana Music Show
“Your new single is a beautiful song. I really like the traditional country sound, the musical arrangement is hair raising! Your voice has a real Jennifer Nettles feel too.” Tessa-Leanne Snart. Huge thanks to Sound & Country Vision for recently making new single ‘I Just Can’t Forget’ Track of the Week and to all the other radio stations that have played it and anyone who has streamed, download and purchased it – so so appreciated.
“Vocally and lyrically the song is so blissfully authentic and smooth to listen to which is a recurring theme from the EP that has a real strong feel of warmth and honesty..‘I Just Can’t Forget’ incorporates this exquisite use of musical talent with glorious harmonies to accompany Redford’s vocal prowess and beautiful songwriting.” Thanks also to Think Country for this beautiful review.
I’ve made a little video for the single featuring clips from a lovely trip to the South of France and my Under the Apple Tree Session for Whispering Bob TV, where I performed the song live.
“I Just Can’t Forget is the prize track on the EP Edge of Love by British country singer Lisa Redford. That EP was released last May, and I reviewed it on these pages at the time. And I still stand behind what I said back then: it takes real talent to make a tearjerker like this sound moving but not overly sentimental, and Redford pulls it off with ease.” ’I Just Can’t Forget’ a Favourite Song of the Month! Thank you to Slim Chance in The Netherlands
More European reviews. Huge thanks to French music blog Alongside Nashville for this lovely feature about ‘Edge of Love’ – hope to perform there again soon ~ European tour for 2020?
Check out the brand new November/December issue of Maverick Magazine – out now! Tons of wonderful artists are featured including Lady Antebellum, Kelsea Ballerini, Ashley McBryde plus ‘I Just Can’t Forget’ is included on the brilliant free CD. Available via their website www.maverick-country.com & select WH Smiths.
New Interviewand Feature “Edge of Love has 5 self-written songs that are a blend of styles that I’m inspired by: Americana, country, folk, soul and pop…” Huge thanks to Merryn Music for this cool interview
“Lisa Redford has been a long time favourite of ours here at Belles and Gals – she was one of the first UK artists we ever featured and one of the first we ever interviewed too!” Huge thanks to my friends at Belles and Gals for also featuring new single “I Just Can’t Forget”
Enjoy Music More Interview and Live Acoustic Session – Five minutes with Lisa Redford
Here’s a brand new interview and live acoustic session with the Eastern Daily Press Newspaper. Playing an unplugged version of Edge of Love the title track of the new EP. Link and video here
Leaving Traces – Celebrating Neal Casal
I was very honoured to recently perform at Leaving Traces – a beautiful and moving celebration of the music, life and photography of the incredible Neal Casal alongside some wonderful musicians at The Betsey Trotwood in London. All proceeds from the sold out concert went to Music Minds Matter – more information regarding their work here.
Below are a couple of Neal’s amazing songs that I performed on this truly emotional evening – one of my absolute favourites ‘All the Luck in the World’ from his stunning album ‘Rain, Wind and Speed’ and the incredible ‘Fell on Hard Times.’ Thanks to the brilliant Alan Cook for joining me on pedal steel and to Pierangela Manzetti for filming this truly special night. It was also lovely to perform a duet with the brilliant Danny George Wilson (Bennett, Wilson, Poole/Danny and The Champions of the World)
‘All the Luck in the World’ Live at The Betsey Trotwood
