Rachel Harrington is a roots musician in the purest sense whose unique artistry captures the deep links between country, gospel and soul. Her songs tell of personal and mythical stories from the American West.
Championed by Bob Harris of BBC Radio 2, her two acclaimed Americana albums both hit the top spot of the Euro-Americana Chart.
She is currently touring the UK with her performances augmented by master guitarist and ex-Lindisfarne hitmaker ROD CLEMENTS whose consummate musicianship and illustrious folk-roots credentials ensure the perfect accompaniment to Rachel’s haunting songs.
Rachel was reared among the Pentecostal pines of Oregon and recalls her earliest musical memories there;
“Hearing Loretta Lynn changed my life. Finally, I had someone I could actually sing like. First time I heard Hank Williams I knew he was coming from the same place as Ray Charles – you can just hear it. As a little girl I’d turn out all the lights and put on the Otis Redding records and stand in front of the big window in the living room, singing into this broken little microphone.”
This love of music blossomed and before long she was performing live shows, opening for Grammy winners and nominees and eventually released her first record – the critically acclaimed 2007 debut ‘The Bootlegger’s Daughter’.
In 2009, after two years touring internationally including headline spots at Glasgow Americana Festival and the Maverick Festival, Harrington was touted as ‘the hardest working woman in Americana’.
After meeting up and playing together at various festivals last year, Rachel invited Rod Clements to join her for this tour. Rod’s illustrious credentials read like a who’s who of the folk-roots world and his consummately sensitive musicianship and spine-tingling slide guitar adding mood, depth and colour to her timeless material. He is no stranger to The Processed Pea in his own right having played there many times during and after his years with Lindisfarne.
Processed Pea Organiser Martin Peirson added
“We are delighted to have been picked as a venue for the tour – not sure if Rod put in a good word, but either way it’s an honour. There’s something very honest about Rachel’s lovely songs– no pretences, just the real deal beautifully performed.”
The pair were featured last week on BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris show and said the tour was going exceptionally well.
Date: Tuesday 7 September 8.30pm – Tickets (£10) are available in advance from Beverley Tourist Information Telephone reservations 01430 810669.