"One of Scotland's best troubadours... fabulous" - Bob Harris (BBC Radio 2)

2017 is turning into quite a year for acclaimed Scottish troubadour Dean Owens. He is delighted to be returning to one of his favourite cities – Nashville, USA – in September 2017, as the first Scottish musician to be invited to officially showcase at the prestigious Americanafest (organised by the Americana Music Association). His trip is supported by PRS Foundation’s International Showcase Fund and the Saltire Society.

Americanafest is the key event in the global Americana music calendar, bringing together fans and music industry professionals alike, offering six days of celebration through seminars, panels and networking opportunities by day, and raw, intimate showcases each night. The lineup includes legendary artists and the next generation of rising stars.

Dean: It’s a huge honour to be invited to showcase at this amazing event, and to be flying the flag for Scottish roots music, alongside some of my musical heroes.

Dean has recently signed with up and coming UK record label At The Helm Records who will release his next album (Southern Wind, his 7th official release) in Feb 2018. Southern Wind was recorded in Nashville, with the same team who produced his widely acclaimed 2015 release, Into the Sea, including producer Neilson Hubbard (currently working with Jason Isbell and John Prine) and award winning guitarist (and long term collaborator) Will Kimbrough (recently on tour as one of Emmylou Harris’s Red Dirt Boys band).

"Scotland's most engaging and haunting singer songwriter" - Irvine Welsh
Dean Owens is regarded one of Scotland’s finest singer songwriters, with fans including Bob Harris, Ricky Ross, Irvine Welsh and Russell Brand. His songs, including Raining in Glasgow and Man From Leith, have been hailed as classics of Scottish songwriting.

Summer 2017 saw him performing at various UK festivals, including Maverick, Tiree and as part of Southern Fried Festival’s finale concert Scotland Sings Canada (with an allstar lineup including Justin Currie, James Grant and Karine Polwart). At the end of August Dean was delighted to be invited on tour with Grant Lee Phillips (of Grant Lee Buffalo (Fuzzy, Mockingbirds), and the popular TV show Gilmore Girls), with gigs at Borderline (London), Whelan’s (Dublin) and Cyprus Avenue (Cork), opening for the US singer and joining him on stage for several numbers.

Dean’s plans for the rest of the year include Glasgow Americana Festival and a special date at Eden Court, Inverness to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passing of his lion tamer great great grandfather (buried in Tomnahurich Cemetery, Inverness) – who migrated to Scotland from Italy, with a travelling circus and a dancing bear. He will finish the year on tour with award winning Liverpool singer-songwriter Robert Vincent and indie pop duo, the Worry Dolls, as part of a Nashville style touring Roots in the Round Songwriters Circle.

Meanwhile he is releasing a brand new single - 10 Miles to Saturday Night - on Fri 8 Sep. Recorded at Slate Room Studio (Pencaitland), with his Whisky Hearts band (Jim McDermott (drums), Brian McAlpine (keys), Craig Ross (gtr), Mike McCann (bass) and Amy Geddes (fiddle)), it tells the story of a loner with the “bad road blues” - with a typically catchy chorus. (Video here: https://youtu.be/x3V9687Kud8 )

For more press information, interviews, hi res photos, CDs, MP3s etc, please call Morag Neil on 0771 288 0965 (email info@scarybiscuits.com)
Dean Owens website www.deanowens.com

DATES

• Fri 15 Sep, 5.30pm The Family Wash, Nashville, USA (Wild Ponies Happy Hour (Dollartone Records))
• Fri 15 Sep, 11pm The Country, Nashville, USA (Official Americanafest Showcase)

UK DATES

• Thu 28 Sep - Glad Café, Glasgow (as Redwood Mountain)
• Sun 8 Oct - CCA, Glasgow Americana Festival (with Jill Jackson and Grant Dunlop)
• Sat 14 Oct - Eden Court, Inverness
• 29 Nov–10 Dec - Roots in the Round UK Tour (with Robert Vincent, Worry Dolls)
• Mon 11 Dec - Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (with The Whisky Hearts band)