Craig Bell

It’s true that Craig Bell didn’t pick up a guitar until he was into his forties, when he also quickly discovered he had a voice that could replicate the Americana songs he loved by the likes of Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt. From here Bell honed his craft at open mics and then by fronting various bands around the Carlisle area. Fast forward to twenty odd years later when Bell met acclaimed songwriter,musician & multi-instrumentalist Jude Davison ,whose career spans twenty-one albums with songs that have appeared in films and TV shows such as Baywatch. Struck by Craig’s emotive voice and potential in some of the songs he’d written, Davison made suggestions and polished one of these, ‘September Girl’ creating a finished track for Bell to sing to in his home studio. It was here that the genesis of the album began. The pair then began trading musical ideas and several new songs were quickly born. ‘As I got to know Craig,’ said Davison, ‘it became apparent his roots went deep in Cumbria. His grandfather was a coal miner here who, unfortunately, met a tragic end in one of the mines at Christmastime. These were powerful stories that helped us weave a narrative that I think is at the core of the album.’