“The Wayne Drury
Project’ in London, during September 2011
From the Troubadour, U.K. website under
Programme
Programmed event – 22nd September
2011
The
Wayne Drury Project
is not
a band
is not
looking for gigs
is not
looking for a label
This is
one of only four live London performances of the work of gifted US songwriter
Wayne Drury, written between 1970-1985 and mostly
never played in public.
‘One of the great
undiscovered talents of the alt country generation.’
Don’t miss this. It won’t come again.
US
singer-songwriter Wayne Drury generated a dedicated following in the state of
Oregon in the early 70’s, performing his own unique take on acoustic folk/alt
country developing at the time.
His continuing battle with MS made playing
and singing progressively more difficult until the late 70s when it came to a
complete halt. His reputation stalled,
but his creative output
continued even though the songs were
unheard. Until now. His later work is arguably his best. He is currently bedridden in a care facility
in Oregon.
His 70s singing partner recently unearthed
rough recordings of some early work, and inspired by the quality of both lyrics
and melodies, has launched a campaign to bring the songs to the
surface with the help of a
number of talented London-based musicians and an American singer songwriter
from the period.
They will be performing four evenings of
these songs as “The Wayne Drury Project’ in London, during September 2011. None of the musicians are taking fees. These gigs will be recorded
and any money generated
will go to producing a CD of the material as well as creating a website where
the lyrics and songs can be downloaded.
Any further profit will go to the MS
charity of Wayne’s choice.
The
project includes:
Wizz
Jones
The
Flynn Brothers
Laddie
Ray Melvin (first UK tour!)
Geri
Van Essen
Mark
Langmead
Alan
McMahon
Rob
Anderson
Wizz
Jones
Cited as an influence by the likes of Eric
Clapton and Keith
Richards, Wizz is an “…influential 60s
acoustic performer, who
combines emotive songs with lightning-fast blues-boogie
and a
great guitar technique.” Time Out
The
Flynn Brothers
“Breathtaking, ultra-close harmony singing,
sparkling guitar
arrangements and musicianship as good as any
you’ll hear this
Year – an absolute delight” Time Out
Laddie
Ray Melvin
“The sweet grit of his expressive baritone
and the rich imagery of his lyrics have a genuine and immediate impact on his
listeners. There’s raw tenderness and strength in Laddie
Ray’s style that seems uniquely masculine, yet universally human.”
Marilyn O’Malley, Victory Review