‘A Fine Voice from a Fine City!’ Interview/Feature in January Issue of Norfolk Suffolk Life Magazine

Happy New Year! Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and productive 2024.

“A fine voice from a fine city!” Such an exciting start to the year – I have a lovely in-depth interview/feature in the new January issue of Suffolk Norfolk Life magazine. Available in WH Smith, local shops, from their website or call 01728 622030 to buy a copy for £3.50 (plus postage).

It was really nice to speak to John Kerrison about my music career, songwriting, private teaching, music courses & well-being sessions for Adult Learning, as well as my work as a supporting artist in some Norfolk and Suffolk films and TV shows.

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Do you know anyone who would like to learn to play guitar or ukulele in 2024? Or have you always wanted to learn how to sing? I am running one-to-one and small group lessons in Norwich NR2 at the beautiful Christ Church. Fun sessions tailored just for you with flexible times. A safe and welcoming space, no previous experience needed! Please contact me at parrotrecords@gmail.com

Creativity & Wellbeing Week – Ukulele Taster Session, Gig with The Weeping Willows

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The Weeping Willows UK/Switzerland Summer Tour

After a lovely gig together last year, I’m so looking forward to playing another show with these incredible friends – award-winning Americana/bluegrass duo The Weeping Willows next month for Steve Howlett, Grapevine For Music, Norwich on Sunday June 18th – the same day that I’ll be playing First Light Festival. This will be a very special intimate show. Don’t miss these super talented Australian friends on their UK/Switzerland summer tour! For tickets, please DM: www.facebook.com/GrapevineForMusic

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Norfolk Creativity and Wellbeing Week – Ukulele Taster Session with Lisa Redford

I love teaching my ukulele courses for Adult Learning, and if you’d like to learn more about playing this joyful instrument, I’m running a ukulele taster session at Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library on Tuesday 16th May for #creativityandwellbeingweek – come and have a strum and also find out about all the music courses I run for Adult Learning. More details here

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

Guitar and Ukulele for Beginner Courses, Community Singing

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Adult learning courses at Wensum Lodge, Norwich

I’m really excited to be running beginner ukulele and guitar courses at Wensum Lodge for the first time starting April 25th. They are part of a programme of new and exciting creative, language and wellbeing courses which include Stained Glass; Botanical Art and Architectural Drawing; Latin; Philosophy; Textiles upcycling and alterations; Yoga; Polish language; Photography and Creative Writing. Here are some nice new flyers from Adult Learning for the courses and there are also taster sessions happening next week. To find out more details and to book, please visit here

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Introduction to Guitar and Ukulele Taster sessions
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Community Singing Sessions – Warming up

How joyous is this photo! The community singing sessions I have been running at Earlham Library and The Millennium Library in Norwich have been lots of fun to do and so rewarding too. To hear comments from people saying that I’ve made their day and really cheered them up means such a lot. I’ve also had some great song requests and it’s been lovely to see people coming back each week to sing classic songs together. Thanks so much to everyone who has come along to a session and all the kind words. There are video clips of some of the singalongs at The Millennium Library’s Facebook Page

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A community singing session at Earlham Library, Norwich
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Singing at the The Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library
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A lovely piece at Folk Features on why singing and music means so much to me

I’m also looking forward to playing some gigs and festivals soon. Check out the shows page where I will be posting details of live shows.

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Live at the Canopy Theatre, Suffolk. Photo by Rodney Kidd

Fun Community Singing Sessions, Running Music Courses, TV Roles, New Live Videos

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Free Community Singing Sessions

I’ve been wanting to do something positive and inspiring for awhile that reflects my passion for music and singing and could really make a difference to those who are struggling with their mental health or loneliness at the moment. I’m really excited to be running some free, fun and informal community singing sessions at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library starting Tuesday 22nd February 2.30pm – 3.30pm – also at Earlham Library at 11.00am – 12pm on the same day – and then every Tuesday for 6 weeks.

Try these new singing sessions to boost your wellbeing where we’ll be singing a selection of classic, well known songs to uplift, connect and make you smile. No previous experience is required and there is no need to read music. All are welcome – feel to come along and drop in on the day. Here’s a piece I’ve written about the sessions for my friends at All Things Norfolk on why singing and music is so important to me.

Come and join me to have fun, connect with others and improve our wellbeing through a shared singing experience!

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Teaching Guitar for Beginners starting in April

I’m also really excited to be running two 10 week beginner courses in guitar and ukulele at Wensum Lodge in Norwich starting in the summer term for Norfolk County Council. I can’t wait to share my passion for teaching both instruments and to help you learn the basic skills to get you started with playing chords and strumming. More information about the guitar course is here

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Teaching a Ukulele for Beginners Course – Starting in April

It has been really fun, and a new creative challenge, to try some acting and work as a supporting artist recently on a variety of drama and documentary programmes. It’s really exciting finally seeing some of the TV projects that I’ve worked on finally hitting the screen. Now on britbox, “Magpie Murders” which was filmed in beautiful Suffolk and where I played a nurse:

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Also on Netflix is “Catching Killers” – being a cop!

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Now showing on American subscription streaming service Acorn TV is the brand new series of Emmy Award-nominated mystery drama “Queens of Mystery”. It was a lot of fun to appear in episode “The Modern Art of Murder” Pictured here on set in London with brilliant actresses Julie Graham, Siobhan Redmond and Florence Hall.

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“Let Go” Live at the Canopy Theatre, Suffolk. Jason French on fiddle

I’ve been going through some live performances from the past few months when it was great to play again to audiences. Thanks to Rodney Kidd for filming original song “Let Go” live from The Canopy Theatre, Hungate Church, Beccles, Suffolk for Martello Promotions~ a lovely headline show in September 2021. Jason French on fiddle.

Performing original song “Carolina Rain” from a lovely Women in Music Day at The Brickmakers Norwich. Jason French on fiddle. Thanks to Liz for filming.

A live solo performance this time. Always really nice to perform at Deepdale Festival in beautiful Burnham Deepdale, North Norfolk. Thanks to Karl for getting some footage of the show on iPhone.

Lisa Redford “Here Alone” Live at Canopy Theatre, Suffolk

Another performance from Canopy Theatre, Suffolk: “Here Alone” with Jason French on fiddle. More live performances on my YouTube channel.

BBC Music Feature, Songwriting Magazine Article, IWD Broadcast, New Videos

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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
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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

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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.

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BBC Upload
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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

Happy New Year! Online Music Lessons

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

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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.

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.

Courtney Marie Andrews Interview, Maverick, Reepham Festival, Radio Playlist

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Lovely to interview and chat all things music and songwriting with the brilliant Courtney Marie Andrews for Songwriting Magazine ahead of her fantastic show at Norwich Arts Centre. Look out for the piece coming up here

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My full review of Saturday’s Maverick Festival is also at Songwriting Magazine. A wonderful day of Americana. Feature now includes Danny & the Champions of the World, James Hodder, Anna Tivel and Jeffrey Martin. Thanks to Michael Kingston for some great photos. View this post on Instagram

Clip from today’s show at Reepham Festival. Lovely returning to perform at St Mary’s #church #weekend #music #festival #gig #acoustic #americana #country #folk #songwriter #nashville #guitar #live #singing #songwriter #artist #musician #countrymusic

A post shared by Lisa Redford (@lisaredfordmusic) on Aug 11, 2018 at 2:59pm PDT

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Had a lovely weekend playing the always welcoming Reepham Festival. Thanks to Tim Moll for filming:

Huge thanks to the brilliant Future Radio for selecting me for their September playlist.

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So looking forward to my next festival – returning to stunning Burnham Deepdale for Deepdale Festival. Many amazing artists performing including Alden Patterson and Dashwood, The Vagaband and Shackleton Trio. I’ll be performing on the Orchard Stage on Saturday 29th September at 6pm.

Hygge Festival, New Videos, Chris Country UTAT Radio

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Following my recent acoustic session for Whispering Bob TV, it was lovely to have one of my live tracks “I Just Can’t Forget” included on a great playlist on UTAT Radio, Chris Country.

I also recorded a live session and interview for Park Radio, a lovely community radio station with an eclectic playlist. There’s been such a great response when I performed for the live feed that there have been orders for my releases! Thanks so much to all of those of you who have listened and ordered my material.

More live videos have been added to my YouTube channel including “Carolina Rain” live from Norwich Waterfront:

Had a lovely time performing at Hygge Festival in Burnham Deepdale. Playing a cover of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down”

Looking ahead, am really looking forward to performing on the EarBelly acoustic stage at Ramblin’ Roots Revue. Included on a lovely Americana playlist on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/noelcornford/playlist/3vq3jB9qukf6rsY4QNT6ba%3Fsi%3DH4cBBsMIRHuN1vHV5KfqCA

And in July I’m excited to be performing at Stradisphere festival. Included on their Spotify playlist which includes headliner Badly Drawn Boy:

https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/bingo794/playlist/1vdLb3vnYWGZxhko6hCDY6%3Fsi%3D_Ijt1jT8SYi_GzCPt0wmsg