Newspaper Feature Interview Now Online

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Lisa Redford. Photo by Denise Bradley

Really nice to see my recent interview with the Eastern Daily Press newspaper is now online.
The link is here

As the interview mentions, I’ve been really invested in my teaching and sharing my passion for music, with beginner guitar and ukulele courses and community singing, I’ve recently finished teaching my first Singing for Wellbeing courses and look forward to running more inspiring singing sessions and music courses next year. Wishing you all a Wonderful Christmas and happy and fulfilling 2023!

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Lisa Redford. Photo by Denise Bradley

New Shows and Festivals Announced, More Community Singing and Acting

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Lisa Redford – Community Singing Sessions at the Millennium Library, Norwich

When I started the fun and free #community #singing sessions in Norwich libraries earlier this year, I didn’t think it would continue to grow. I’m excited to be starting a new #online singing group from June 6 – July 11 for Viewpoint – a mental health service user charity based in Hertfordshire.

I’ve also been really enjoying running my beginner ukulele and guitar courses at Wensum Lodge this summer term. It’s been so rewarding and fun to teach in-person again after so long and share my passion for both instruments. I’m also resuming my one to one music lessons in-person and have a new teaching venue: the beautiful Christ Church, just off Mile End Road at NR2 2AQ. If you would like to find out more, please get in contact.

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Viewpoint Singing Group

I’m also continuing to enjoy a mixture of acting roles. I had a great time recently filming in a beautiful North Norfolk beachside location, part of a fascinating true story and playing a glamorous party girl. It’s exciting to finally see projects coming on to the screen and I’m really looking forward to seeing ‘This England’ on Sky TV later this year in which I play a journalist in one scene. Kenneth Branagh looking and sounding remarkably like Boris Johnson!

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Playing a party girl in upcoming crime documentary
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Upcoming Gigs!

Really excited that I will be performing on Thursday 30th June at The Reindeer Norwich with wonderful award-winning Americana duo, The Weeping Willows from Melbourne, Australia. The free gig will be part of their upcoming UK tour which also includes a performance at this year’s Maverick Festival.

I’m also looking forward to returning to the lovely Reepham Festival; performing at Whitwell Station on Sunday, August 6th. More details on their official website and the shows page.

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Neal Casal

Beautiful tributes coming in for Neal Casal. Been feeling heartbroken at the loss of someone who was a huge musical inspiration to me. World class musician, singer/songwriter, photographer and such a warm, kind soul.
He provided huge encouragement when I was starting my career. I loved his music so much I would perform and cover his beautiful songs. He said it meant a lot to him that I covered his amazing track ‘Fell on Hard Times’ and put it on one of my albums.
A true artist – I can’t believe he’s gone. 
https://jambands.com/…/jay-blakesberg-shares-memories-of-…/…

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A message I’ll treasure from Neal who wrote these lovely words to me about my album ‘Clouds with Silver.’ It meant the world to me.
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Sweet memories of seeing Neal and his amazing band  performing in Europe. Good times.
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Such an honour to be photographed by Neal in London.
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Just some of Neal’s amazing releases.
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Cool feature in French magazine Crossroads
Live one-off performance I did of his wonderful and emotional song “Fell on Hard Times” at Norwich Arts Centre – such great and powerful lyrics – during a UK headline tour.

An Update on my Pledge Campaign

As you may have read, PledgeMusic has been dealing with financial issues that have resulted in late payment to artists whose fans have pledged money via the direct-to-fan and crowdfunding platform. I am very disappointed to report I have had no direct response regarding my project. It now means that the release of my upcoming EP “Edge of Love” is being disrupted and delayed. An initial statement from the company was issued last month as an increasing number of artists went public about the late payment issues and the impact they are having on them. Up until now my first experience using PledgeMusic has been very positive. Thanks to my fans, I have had huge amounts of interest in the EP and was thrilled to have exceeded my target. As part of the campaign I offered special rewards such as signed guitars, CDs, handwritten lyrics and gig posters, as well as unique experiences such as voice and guitar lessons and VIP tickets to the EP launch. Unfortunately I haven’t yet received any payment or concrete information from Pledge and I am not alone. Many artists and managers with current Pledge campaigns are eager for news as soon as possible, so that they can decide whether or not to call off those campaigns and find an alternative way to take pre-orders and allow fan-funding. As an independent artist I am relying on these payments so I can fulfil all fan purchases – this has been out of my hands. 

Here is the most recent statement from them: https://www.pledgemusic.com/blog/a-statement-from-pledgemusic?referrer=carousel_article_

There has been uproar from musicians who have been united in finding it unacceptable that PledgeMusic has failed to pass on the funds raised by fans to the artist. Lots of major artists have also been affected, including Jesus Jones and Fastball. The Cardigans, The Dandy Warhols, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Ladytron have also been running campaigns. The company is now looking for a strategic partner or buyer which could safeguard the future of the Pledge business, while also assuring that all artists currently owed money would get paid in full. I truly hope Pledge will meet its obligations. I will keep you updated as much as I can. Thank you so much for all your support and patience. It really does mean a lot.

February 6 – Following on from this, today I received a general message from Pledge reiterating what they have stated on their website:

Thank you getting in touch, and please accept my sincere apologies for the continued inconvenience.

As I’m sure you can appreciate we are experiencing a high volume of enquiries at the moment. We appreciate the frustration you must feel and sincerely apologise for any delay in responding to you.

Our team is working round the clock to get this situation resolved and we hope to have some positive news for you in the near future.

To update you on some of the progress being made:
● We are in discussions with several interested parties about a potential partnership with or acquisition of PledgeMusic. These conversations, if successful, would lead to a transaction which would allow us to meet all of our outstanding obligations.
● We are also in the process of appointing a third-party company to manage all artist payments going forward.

We do ask you for your continued patience even though we appreciate that this must be running extremely thin.

Once again, we do hope to have some positive news for you shortly and as soon as we do we will share it.

For the moment though, please accept our assurances that we are fully focused on resolving these issues and that your enquiry has been logged.

Another BBC Radio Interview, The Big Country Show. iSing Magazine Article. Christmas Show & EP

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Had a lovely time returning to BBC Radio Norfolk at The Forum to be the studio guest of Keith Greentree on The Big Country Show. We had a great chat talking all things country and favourite artists such as Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss. Two of my tracks were also played.

The show is also broadcast on BBC Suffolk, BBC Essex, BBC Radio Northampton, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and BBC Three Counties Radio and is available to Listen Again from 21 minutes in, after Garth Brooks:

Delighted to have written my first article for iSing Magazine. The ultimate resource for singers. I’ve written about country music, some of the great artists and its history and how to sing in a country style. Issue 21 out now and available here

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“just a beautiful number which touches on the emotional aspect of the festive season. Lisa has a brilliant ability to convey that emotion perfectly to give an enchanting performance” Huge thanks to excellent country music blog Belles and Gals, who have been such a great support, feature my Christmas EP and make “St Benedict’s Christmas Fair” as a Song of the Day here

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Special fun Christmas show announced! Looking forward to singing my festive originals and also some covers at the cool Blue Joanna in the Golden Triangle.
Out now! my 5 track acoustic Christmas EP with 3 originals and 2 covers. Available on SoundCloud  

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Original festive singles “When Christmas Comes Around” and “St Benedict’s Christmas Fair” available on BandCamp Also my entire digital discography for sale at a special price on BandCamp
Have a lovely Christmas!

Deepdale Music Festival and Upcoming Gigs

Lovely time playing Deepdale Festival at the weekend. Such a friendly relaxed atmosphere and thanks to drummer Terry for joining my set impromptu!

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Huge thanks also to Jon Clifton Photography for these great live shots:

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Live video from the festival, performing a cover of the Cat Stevens classic ‘First Cut is the Deepest.’

My latest column for All Things Norfolk previews more of my upcoming gigs including Oxjam.

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Nashville In the Round Show, Buckle and Boots Festival

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Honoured to be asked to support three wonderful #Nashville based singer songwriters, Sarah DarlingJenn Bostic and Michael Logen at Norwich Arts Centre on Tuesday, 23rd May. Will be performing with the amazing dobro player Noel Dashwood who played on the latest EP.

I preview the concert and also the Norfolk and Norwich Festival in my latest music column for  All Things Norfolk 

The Show page has also been updated to include my upcoming festival appearances at Buckle and Boots Festival in Manchester and Reepham Festival. Sarah Darling and Jenn Bostic will also be performing at Buckle and Boots, a festival celebrating country music, as well as many other other renowned country artists.

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My column on #Crowdfunding a creative project features in the new Spring issue of Songwriting Magazine. Cover star is Sheryl Crow. You can order the magazine here

Huge thanks to Basement Tapes for creating this beautiful pendant for me! Including my used Taylor guitar strings, it follows on from my personalised necklace. They’re both available to order via their website.

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BBC Look East, Art of the Song Interview, Song of the Day, Merry Christmas!

Some shots from a great time Breeze and I had filming for BBC Look East. Cool to see some close ups of my Baby Taylor! Thanks so much to the BBC for putting together such a lovely festive video for our performance.

The performance is now on iPlayer and YouTube:

Thanks so much to Art of the Song for making ‘When Christmas Comes Around’ ‘Song of the Day’. I was also just interviewed for their excellent podcast following on from One Republic’s Ryan Tedder.  Talking music, songwriting & more in detail here. Thanks for listening xx

My article on ways to do a cover song creatively is in the new winter edition of Songwriting Magazine. Tons of features and interviews including the excellent Billy Bragg and the art of the protest song. Plus The Lumineers, Katie Melua, Tom Chaplin, Wild Beasts, punk and more. Something to cool to read over the festive period, you can order it here

Thanks so much to all the radio shows for supporting the festive single and to everyone for getting it, really means such a lot xx

Merry Christmas to you all and a music filled 2017!! 

Latest Music Column, ‘Time to Grow’ Video on YouTube

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Happy September! My latest column is in the Evening News and as well as talking about my new video ‘Time to Grow’, there’s lots of cool gigs coming up including one of my favourite songwriters Boo Hewerdine coming to the Octagon Chapel in Norwich and Uke East, a ukulele festival at Norwich Arts Centre. Being a ukulele lover I’m looking forward to that.

I also talked about some great music workshops and masterclasses that I recently attended for Musical Keys at Create Norwich and also Take Note Summer School at The Garage. Really inspiring stuff!

Thanks so much for the kind words about my new video. ‘Time to Grow’ is now also on YouTube so really appreciate any watches and shares.