The Blues Bands' co-founder Gary Fletcher releases his latest album, 'River Keeps Flowing
GARY FLETCHER – River Keeps Flowing (Repertoire REPUK 1384)
“If Nashville is the spiritual home of Americana, this is a splendid European repost” (Pete Feenstra, Get Ready To Rock!)
CD, Download available on most platforms, including Spotify & Amazon and from https://www.garyfletchermusic.net/sounds_&_shop.htm
Co-founder and continuing member of the Blues Band with Paul Jones, Tom McGuinness and Dave Kelly, Gary Fletcher has contributed many original songs to the band’s output, notably ‘Greenstuff’ and ‘So Lonely’ but has emerged in the 21st century as an artist in his own right.
Gary plays and sings a compelling mix of original songs and choice covers, incorporating elements of the Blues, Americana and Folk, reflecting Gary’s song writing influences outside of the Blues Band - using guitar, slide, banjo, mandolin and ukulele. He’s released several albums featuring both electric and acoustic line-ups, beginning with ‘Human Spirit’ in 2007, as well as the acclaimed ‘In Solitary’ solo offering, which along with the electric ‘Giant From The Blue’ album, secured 4-star reviews from Maverick and R2 magazines. Bob Harris has featured Gary live in the studio on his BBC R2 show several times and in session for his YouTube channel ‘Under the Apple Tree’.
Gary has appeared and/or recorded with such notables as Peter Green, Maggie Bell, Van Morrison, John Mayall, Long John Baldry, Guy Barker, The Memphis Horns, Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody, Kim Simmonds, Zoot Money and Nat Adderley – to name but a few.
Less known is that Gary has also been a member of Linda Gail Lewis’ band alongside Jerry Donahue and Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull) and one third of The Hard Travellers – a criminally short-lived band that also included Dave Sharp of The Alarm and the late, great Henry McCullough (Joe Cocker, Paul McCartney & Wings, Frankie Miller).
‘I Couldn’t Be Asking’ from ‘River Keeps Flowing’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzUI_xefxss&feature=youtu.be
Featuring 12 new songs, bookended by short instrumental ‘Intro’ and ‘Outro’ tracks ‘River Keeps Flowing’ is the new album from Gary Fletcher., produced by Gary and Bill Gautier. ‘River Keeps Flowing’ is his sixth offering (one of which was released as by the Relatives) and benefits from contributions by a number of very fine players including, from his road band, Alan Glen (the Yardbirds, Nine Below Zero) on harmonica, Tom Leary (Lindisfarne, Feast of Fiddles) on violin, Sam Kelly (Tom Robinson, Circulus) drums, Jack Fletcher (Aphid) on bass and Nick Ritchie (Mud, Canto) lead guitar plus guest appearances from Paul Jones on harmonica, Charlie Hart (Slim Chance) on accordion, Amanda Guy on alto sax and Lol Plummer on piano. The material straddles roots, Americana, folk as well as blues, and reflects Gary’s song writing influences outside of the territory occupied by the Blues Band. As has been the case with previous releases the lyrics are an important contributor to the listening experience.
“One of this year’s finest albums, without a doubt”. (Roy Bainton, Blues Matters!)
Here’s what the press have said about Gary in the past:
“Gary Fletcher has emerged from the shadow of the Blues Band and has proved that he is a seriously talented singer/songwriter in his own right. His well-crafted and emotional songs, bolstered by the various guest artists and musicians, are very, very good and in places so very honest that they assume brilliance.” (Fatea)
“Perhaps less celebrated than some of his more high-profile bandmates, Gary Fletcher has nevertheless been quietly nurturing a rather profound songwriting talent for some years now. Using blues music as a jumping-off point, Fletcher deftly avoids any of the stylistic limitations to which the genre is often prone by keeping the melody quotient high and the lyrical content sincere. Like an animated J J Cale, this is rootsy fare, with impeccably underplayed musicianship, at its most effective (Dorset Echo)
