About Serious Sam Barrett
I am a touring folk singer/songwriter from Otley, West Yorkshire. I tour the UK three times a year and have toured the USA twelve times and Europe and Ireland twice. I began performing in and around Leeds in 2004, with word spreading further afield after the release of my 2009 debut album Close To Home. I was awarded a grant from the Department of Trade and Investment in order to perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas in 2010. I performed at SXSW as part of a showcase for "Yorkshire Music", an organisation specifically set up to champion talent from the Yorkshire region at the festival.
Since then I have released 7 highly critically acclaimed studio albums, two of which were collaborations with Alabamian fiddle player and singer songwriter "James The Fang". These albums have explored genres of country, old time, and even pop influences as well as folk. Three of these albums were composed entirely of original material. My latest solo album "Where The White Roses Grow" was a mixture of traditional and original songs and tracks from it were played on many folk radio shows across the country including Mark Radcliffe's folk show on Radio 2. The traditional songs on my first and most recent solo album were particularly focused on material from Yorkshire and the North East of England. Sense of place is deeply important in my songwriting and arrangements.
I have shared stages with the likes of Martin Carthy, Dave Burland, Katherine Tickell, Lucero, The Young Un's, Frank Fairfield, Deer Tick and Karine Polwart, and received airplay and praise plaudits from the BBC’s Bob Harris, Gideon Coe and Marc Riley. I have performed at many of the UK's highest profile festivals such as Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Deer Shed, Beacons, Kendal Calling as well as SXSW and The WC Handy Music festival in Alabama. My worldwide following has grown continuously over the years through relentless touring and recording and I have regularly played sold out shows at prestigious venues both in the UK and the United States such as the Brudenell Social Club, The Cluny In Newcastle and The Garage and Green Note in London.
Here are some review quotes illustrating the critical acclaim my releases have been met with by some of the most prestigious publications in the music press and in radio:
“The sustained brilliance of this playing is really something to behold.” Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2
“Songs that rattle with the ghosts of Appalachian folk, and southern blues, yet sound emphatically English.” Uncut Magazine
“Old before his years country-folk fellow who mixes intricate John Fahey finger-picking with confessional tales of dirty old Leeds” The Guardian.
“Excellent stripped back folk” Maverick Magazine
“His well crafted original songs are accompanied by his own sparkling clawhammer banjo or dextrous 12 string guitar picking.” Froots magazine.
In addition to my work as a touring musician and singer/songwriter I also give folk music workshops in primary schools across Yorkshire. These sessions have been developed in partnership with teachers and in collaboration with Barnsley Civic. I have been giving them across the region in schools and at music festivals such as Deer Shed for around 10 years.