When 60/70’s hit makers Vanity Fare reinvented them selves as the leading British exponents of West Coast Power Pop, their loyal fans have followed them willingly into this new world of Americana, in the main due to efforts of Mark Dean Ellen the bands drummer and otherwise yodelling Community Radio Broadcaster. Vanity Fare have always sited The Beach Boys, The Bryrds and The Band as influences and covered their music in the show and now in a very evident way this love has fuels their latest evolution.
They now, with the help of Marks brother Promoter & also Radio Presenter Rob Ellen of The Medicine Show have the perfect National and International stage to display that love , their new creativity and their credentials as interpreters of the great music of our time, in one highly anticipated day in June at Americana Cavalcade as part of Perth Racecourse Gold Cup Weekend on June 6t and every Sunday afternoon (after Church) on The Wayward Ellen Boys Riding Point Show on Sheppey FM.
Rob Ellen says "I'm delighted for them, and this event is such a joy to do, knowing they have our backs covered in a musical sense, there is nothing I can throw at them they can't handle . Last year they backed Minnesota Country Star Charlie Roth on nothing more than some sheets and lyrics changing hands across the ocean and a run through in the sound check on the day, it was amazing. They have always been a great 4 part vocal harmony Pop Group, they were know as the UK Beach Boys in the 60's, While I was growing up they even toured with The Beech Boys, but gradually got backed into their sweet Sixties Pop cul-de-sac as the hits came.
However I'v been witness to some really hard edge performances over the years, and they have had to become one of the most versatile bands on the planet to sustain what has been an amazing 40+ year career. I'm sure they will forgiven me for pointing out, on only a few hits. All of their surviving contemporariness had way more than that, but never had to work to hard, because they just followed the goat trails around the nostalgia circuit never much having to change the set. Vfare however had to work harder, they had to learn everyone else's songs too, to pad out the show for the inevitable transition from concert halls to the Cabaret circuit.
This now holds them in very good stead and they are now reaping the rewards as backing band of choice for all the 60's and 70's Stars they have been covering for years, back now with their help and love reclaiming their place as concert theatre fillers across the world again.
Pictured here with the Solid Silver Sixties tour before a sell out Albert Hall gig
Then with this new confidence they set out to record their career defining masterpiece West Coast and some of those artists, including the otherwise reclusive Peter Sarstedtd collaborated out of love (and then went right back into retirement) and the great and best of them all Chris Farlow offered to help out too. They arrived back on the radio again, just in time for Americana Cavalcade 1, not Pirate Radio as inthe first time but the modern equivalent, Free Form Community Roots Music Radio across Europe. The CD and Americana Cavalcade set about showing the none 60's crowd and hipsters just what that dedicated section of music fans and I have always know, just what a great band they are" .
Rob continues: Picture here with Charlie Roth last year
Brother Mark and I have always had convergent tastes, he made sure of that by bullying me into listening to what he was listening to as a boy and also in fairness taking me to gigs all over London when I became 16. So we've always been close, lately we've been collaborating on Marks local Community Radio Station Sheppey FM where every week we have 3 Hours for "Riding Point" with The Wayward Ellen Boys (there's a story behind the name, regular listeners will know Mark likes to tell a story and some of them are true) Riding point is our Sunday afternoon Community Roots Music Radio Show and mechanism by which Mark has as a matter of course converted those said 60's fans around world, around to the music we both love so much too.
We've also been collaborating on stage at The Wayward Ellen Boys, last year we were the Sunday Head-liners on The Saloon Stage at The Y-Not Festival and the same again on The Potting Shed Stage Belladrum Festival.
Americana Cavalcade is our thank-you to our loyal listeners and to the acts we champion on Riding Point for their friendship and music"
Last year as well as playing the hits and songs from West Coast Vanity Fare paid tribute to The Byrds, this year it is the turn of The Band and with the help of special international guest the current Queen of Tex/Mex Stephanie Urbina Jones she and VFare are planning to also pay tribute to Linda Ronstadt .
Mark Dean Ellen Vanity Fares Drummer and 40 year veteran member and occasional yodelling guitarist says.
“My favourite ever drummer was Levon Helm. My favourite ever drummer/ singer was Levon Helm. I missed out on the Dylan/Band stuff but when the Band came into their own right I like many of my generation particularly the musicians found a brand new influence in the Band. In the 60s' I was more into The Byrds and Credence Clearwater than the Beatles or the Stones. Then came Gram Parsons, Poco, Pure Prairie League, New Riders of the Purple Sage etc. Country Rock , Now we call it Americana, whatever”.
“When the Band came along I was ‘primed’ I bought all the Albums, Cahoots, Music From The Pig Pink etc. Levon’s' drum groove and the way he sang to it was an inspiration to this singing drummer. I am really excited that Vanity Fare will be paying tribute to The Band at Perth Americana Cavalcade June 6th. I shall be singing two songs attributed to Levon from the drums. The other guys will be singing the "others". Just hoping my renditions will indeed pay tribute to the MAN. Levon Helm R.I.P your music will live on forever and thank you”.
Then Vanity Fare invite Tex/Mex star Stephanie Urbina Jones (who has flown over to take part in Americana Cavalcade and BBC Music Day) to join them in her tribute to Linda Ronstadt
Stephanie Urbina Jones www.stephanieurbinajones.com
KERRVILLE NEW FOLK FINALIST/ Texas Music Chart Hit with COMO SE LLAMA MAMA with AUGIE MEYERS OF TEXAS TORNADOS and the first ever Hispanic Female artists to stay at #1 for 5 weeks. Sang at Linda Rondstadt Tribute in Los Angeles in Feb 2015/ SANG Duet with WILLIE NELSON at WILLIE NELSON 4th of JULY PICNIC, she co-wrote "My Baby's Got a Smile on Her Face". With Loretta Lynn's son-in-law, Mark Marchetti for The Voice winner Craig Wayne Boyd. Only the second song in history to début at no 1 in the Country chart. Garth Brooks has the other one.
The Bill - All artist are championed on The Wayward Ellen Boys (Rob & Mark) now world renown “Riding Point” radio show ever Sunday afternoon on Sheppey FM in the south of England (north Of Kent) and to the world at www.medicineshowradio.co.uk
Invited to be Head-liners are Perth Transatlantic country soul band The New Madrids http://thenewmadrids.com/
Local Heroes back by popular demand, and headlining their first festival, fitting its ours and on home soil in the Scottish home of Country Music Perth. It’s been a wind bucking bronco ride for The New Madrids since the release of “Through The Heart Of Town” collecting accolades, featuring in end of year lists, selling out venues across Scotland and being invited back to Belladrum Festival for a high profile spot on The Grass Roots Stage.
Americana Cavalcade however were first to offer them a Festival stage and The Wayward Ellen Boys are delighted to invite them back to close out this year’s event.
Martin Stephenson http://daintees.co.uk/ '
Rob shared a born again bachelor pad with thumpick poet Martin Stephenson in The Ellen Boys home town of Nairn for 3 years which culminated in an epic tour from Shetland to West Cork and the production of Martins Basement Tapesesque classic album "Beyond the leap Beyond The Law.
Rob says, "Martins life vision and his mastery of intuitive travelling inspire the formation of The medicine Show as ta concept. Love that man hes walking wave of positivity and hidden national treasure".
Des Horsfall http://www.kuschtyrye.net/
In the 1990s Des was to be seen in hit videos on Country Music TV and as opening act for Joe Ely, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Chuck Prophet and many others. After a decade of studio engineering and production work at his own analogue recording facility (Valve Studios), Des has ‘re-emerged’ with his new ‘Rustic Rock n Roll’ outfit ‘Des Horsfall’s KUSCHTY RYE’ and critically acclaimed (Ronnie Lane/Slim Chance inspired) album ‘The Good Gentleman’s Tonic’.
” This a killer record…KILLER! ”
Pete Townshend
Rob says "Both Mark and I have had Des on our Radio shows and hosted gigs for him, he's the consummate traveller entertainer"
The David latto Band Celtic-tinged Country Power Pop from Fife, www.thedavidlattoband.com
The David Latto Band have won over fans and festival goers the hard way: one by one, gaining a devoted following. Touring Europe with North Carolina legend Phil Lee led to a mutual admiration and now it can be heard on David’s cover of Phil’s ‘We Cannot Be Friends Anymore’ on the new EP ‘Here Today, Ghost Tomorrow’
Alt-country? Americana? Whatever. It’s just beautiful songs about love, loss and drinking.
Colin Clyne & The Carrons www.colinclyne.com
A native of Stonehaven, Scotland, Colin ended a 10 year stay in Southern California a few years back, where along with Scotland he has a sizeable following. He is now based in the NE of Scotland, however plans to tour the US in 2015 are underway.
His current hit CD The Never Ending Pageant Recorded in Santee, CA & mixed and mastered by long term cohort & Grammy award winning Engineer Alan Sanderson garnered both critical and chart success with it reaching a peak of #6 in the UK iTunes Country album charts in amongst country greats such as Dolly Parton & Johnny Cash.
Mark says " I love this album, it was my album of the month last novemeber and remains my most played cd on my show, can't wait to see them play live"
Dark Green Tree
Dark Green Tree is the music of Ross Cockburn, Jay Brown and Cera Impala. Tipped as ones to watch in 2015 by BBC Radio Scotland’s Janice Forsyth (already played a sessions for her Culture Cafe Show) and championed and produced by pop svengali writer Boo Hewerdine – the album Secret Lives will be out on May15 -
Rob Says "I predict they will be the buzz band and this the Buzz album of the summer on Community Roots Radio.
The Federals Ullapools Highland Hillbillies will be in charge of the atmosphere and PA in the Hog Roast Saloon Micro Brewery Bar and Bar Bee Q and will bring their normal Ye Ha Math Tha
The (Up & Coming) Carloways are the hot new band in Perth, they will be releasing their first record with Medicine Show Records, and are bringing their unique exuberance & take on classic Country and indie Americana.
Rob says "what's really encouraging about the scene now is the number of young bands playing the music, The Carloways have all just turned 18 and they know as much as I do about this music and play it great".
And once again our master of ceremonies, recently returned from his whistle stop tour of America & Canada, (where his whistle seldom stopped) Scotland’s leading Country Music personality (after Sidney Devine of course)
Fash Stewart
"The man's a genius" - Brother Mark & Rob Ellen agree :-)
Free camping, free for kids and only £15 for the day, with an additional discount for your days racing on Sunday June 7th (£30 for the weekends entertainment) Click Here
Americana Cavalcade 1
The Ellen Boys Mum goes to the Gig.