The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Wednesday 13th January 2016
This is a past event.
Headline Act: Lee Willz
Melodic rapper singer-songwriter Lee Willz bringing acoustic music and hip hop together, with gritty verses and soufully sung hooks that are hard to forget.
Find him on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and YouTube.
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson is a 14 year old singer/songwriter. Since the age of 9 she has played guitar which now accompanies her voice. She is an experienced performer having performed at venues such as The Royal Albert Hall and The London Palladium. Jessica is happy to play anywhere, for anyone; her main aim is to share her talent and love for music. As well as the bigger gigs she does smaller ones too. This could be for charity events, at cafes/restaurants or family gatherings such as weddings or parties. When Jessica was 12 she did her first gig which was a two hour set on the back of a lorry; since then she has always been busy doing something to do with music whether it be performing, writing or recording.
As well as covers Jessica has a strong set of originals where she draws influence from her every day experiences when writing and singing. All her songs have their own unique sound and vary in style. Jessica writes in a few styles: Country, Folk, Pop and Jazz. Sam Smith, Bastille, The 1975 and quite a few artists who aren't quite as mainstream, such as The Wayward Daughters, Etta Bond and Tori Kelly inspire Jessica as she appreciates the rawness of their music. However she is mostly self-influenced as she pushes herself to do her best.
Second Helpin'
Second Helpin’ were formed in 2011 after John S Grant and Robert Harmer met on the Internet ! following Rob answering an Ad that John had put on “Kent Gigs” and it seems they got on well.
Rob had been playing Electric guitar in bands playing Rock and Roll / Rock covers for years but had been brought up as well on listening to Country Music. He is influenced by this style of music but credits guitarists such as Eric Clapton and Joe Bonamassa as influences as well.
John began his musical ventures with Acoustic guitar with early influences such as Loudon Wainwright and Bruce Springsteen but like Rob he is influenced by many music genres. He is perhaps more of a late developer in performing but began with an Acoustic duo, then a blues/rock covers band.
Second Helpin’ began with playing covers at Jam nights around the Tunbridge Wells area and linked up with the Acoustic Valium Project where they were encouraged to write their own material. Their music is difficult to put in to a defined category but there is Country and Blues (John’s Harmonica really lifts this) and bits in between.
Vocal harmonies form a big part of what they play and so too does humour and this is evident in their first 11 track CD, ”The Road.” Following a very difficult period of non-music related issues in the last 12 months they are now re-emerging and gigging.
Josh Renton
Josh Renton is a performing songwriter based in Brighton. After having been frontman for Clockworks, and having spent 2014/15 writing and co-writing for other artists, he's stepping out on his own as a solo performer.
Fusing a love of Pop, Country and Americana, his sound focuses on sharp, earworm melodies; heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics and soaring choruses. Debut tracks, ‘Where The River Goes’ & ‘Lost My Way', as well as new single, ‘I Want You To Stay’ are available now on iTunes, Apple Music & Spotify.
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