They’re joined by Show Of Hands, Lindisfarne, The Blockheads and Foy Vance, amongst others.
Scotland-born and Los Angeles-based, KT Tunstall came to prominence with her 2004 debut Eye To The Telescope, which earned her BRIT and Ivor Novello awards, in additional to Grammy and Mercury Prize nominations.
Her recent album, 2016’s KIN, exemplifies the very best of guitar pop. The diverse collection includes a duet with KT fan James Bay, the raucous rebellion of It Took Me So Long To Get Here, But Here I Am, the call to arms of Hard Girls, and lilting album closer Love Is An Ocean.
Newton Faulkner boasts two number one albums. His debut, Hand Built By Robots, knocked Amy Winehouse off the top spot in 2007, and he returned to the top again in 2012 with Write In Your Skin. His recent fifth album, Human Love, saw the once dreadlocked troubadour expanding his classic singer-songwriter influences with sounds from other cultures.
Eliza Carthy‘s The Wayward Band line-up features some of the UK’s very best acoustic and roots players, including musicians associated with the mighty Bellowhead, Mawkin, Blowzabella, Emily Portman Trio, and more. Their just-out debut album, Big Machine, is a big album from a big band, earning Eliza her highest chart placing!
Jon Boden is perhaps most recognisable as the lead singer (and one of the principal arrangers) of the multi-award winning Bellowhead, one of the most exciting live acts of recent years. The band played their last ever music festival show at Towersey in 2015 before retiring last year, allowing Jon to continue with his lauded and diverse solo career.
With founder member Rod Clements still at the helm, 1970’s folk rock pioneers Lindisfarne’s songbook features such tracks as Meet Me On The Corner, Run For Home, Lady Eleanor and Fog On The Tyne, while The Blockheads’ many hits include Reasons To Be Cheerful Part 3, What A Waste, and Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick.
Irish singer/songwriter Foy Vance has worked with such artists as Sheryl Crow and Ed Sheeran (co-writing several songs on Ed’s X album). Recorded in Nashville, Foy’s latest collection, The Wild Swan, was released via Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man Records, and lists Elton John as Executive Producer.
Other Towersey 2017 highlights include Gary Stewart’s stunning recreation of Paul Simon’s seminal Graceland album, and appearances from BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017 nominees Megson (Best Duo) and Jim Causley (Singer Of The Year).
Alongside the music, the festival - famed for it’s welcoming vibe, that ‘Towersey Magic’ - also boasts a varied programme of activities for the younger festival-goer. All About Children sees a wide range of good stuff designed for children aged 5-11 years, including Roller Disco, Storytelling, music making, Kindergym and Lantern Making (culminating in the famed Lantern Procession on Monday evening).
There’s also loads of activities and events for ages 12-plus, as well as workshops for adults, Street Theatre, Folk Sessions, Films, Stalls, and Site Art.
Look out too for some great Street Food vendors and well-stocked real ale bars (with a emphasis on local brewers).
Tickets for Towersey Festival, which runs from 25-28 August 2017 at Thame Showground in Oxfordshire, are available now with Adult Day Tickets from £30, Youth £21, Child £14, under 5 free. Tickets for the full festival are £126-£57 (Tier 3). For further information, and to book tickets, see: www.towerseyfestival.com
