What do Yorkshire and Texas have in common? If you’re struggling for an answer, don’t fret, if you read on I’ll give you one for free.
On June 8, Yorkshire-born Tony Wright and Texas-bred rocker Ryan Hamilton will release their debut collaborative album, ‘Grand Ole Otley’.
The pair represent the most unlikely of partnerships, with Wright’s role as the frontman of English rock band ‘Terrorvision’ contrasting Hamilton’s musical education of country classics such as Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Dwight Yoakam.
However, they’ve combined to create a ten-track transatlantic piece of magic. The album is made up of country classics, re-worked to an unforeseen yet impressive folk-Americana sound.
This includes the Don Gibson, and later Johnny Cash, track, ‘Oh Lonesome Me.’
The song has a dark, melancholy feel, uncharacteristic of the two artists and their quick-witted reputations. Hamilton’s Terrorvision persona is unrecognisable, as the pair ably pay homage to music it is clear they share a passion for. Indeed, it was their shared love and discussion of what they termed ‘good music’ that led to the album being created.
The initial takes of the album were recorded in Wright’s coffee/screen printing shop, Bloomfield Square in Otley, Yorkshire, hence the album’s name. The shop, a renovated 18th century building, contributes its spacious acoustics to add to the record’s raw, grass-roots sound.
Hamilton said:
“There’s something really magical about Tony’s Bloomfield Square.
“Talking through, deciding on the tracks, and doing the initial recordings in the back of that beautiful old building definitely lent itself well to the vibe and direction of the album.”
The duo are touring the album with a string of five intimate live shows across England, including the official release of the record on June 8 at London’s St. Pancras Old Church.
So, there you have it. One unlikely union, five live dates and ten impressive country tracks. That is what Yorkshire and Texas have in common.
Find tickets and further information here.
