Emily Barker is best known as the writer and performer of the award-winning theme to the hit BBC drama Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh. Growing up in rural Western Australia, Barker fell in love with American roots music from the soul of Aretha Franklin to the country of Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris. Her travels led her to settling in the UK, where she has released a succession of critically acclaimed albums with her former band The Red Clay Halo, side-project Vena Portae and country-folk trio Applewood Road with Amy Speace and Amber Rubarth.
Her new solo album Sweet Kind of Blue was recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis with Grammy winning producer Matt Ross-Spang (Margo Price, Jason Isbell, Mary Chapin Carpenter). From country-soul ballads to the unfettered joy of the bluesy 'Sunrise', the album has been lauded as Barker’s best yet and features contributions from some of Memphis' finest musicians.
For this UK tour, Emily has brought together a band of some of the best young musicians in the UK - Pete Roe (keys, guitar, vocals), Lukas Drinkwater (bass, vocals) and Rob Pemberton (drums, vocals).
Pete Roe will also play a solo set to open.
Praise for Sweet Kind of Blue:
"the arrangements are exquisite and the clear love [Barker] has for this music brings its own integrity" The Times ????
"country-soul with luminous warmth” Mojo ????
“finally sets out her true claim for stardom” Q ????
"the sweltering funk of Sunrise and the title track sound like lost Muscle Shoals gems” UNCUT 8/10
"powerful, expressive voice” Mail on Sunday ????
“a truly towering achievement” RnR ?????
Sunday Express ????
EMILY BARKER ONLINE
VIDEO
Sweet Kind of Blue (official video)
Sister Goodbye (official video)
Over My Shoulder (official video)
Sunrise (official video)