GILL SANDELL’s life has turned upside down in the past few years. She has
played Wembley Arena and the Olympics Opening Ceremony with Frank Turner;
toured Europe, the UK and Australia as multi-instrumentalist in fast rising and
hugely praised folk quartet Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo and gained great
notices for her 2011 debut solo album TARRY AWHILE, which she released in
determinedly DIY fashion, on her own indie label Rowan Tree Records.
Gill even performed the intense, atmospheric pipe organ chords to open
acclaimed BBC drama series The Shadow Line (on the Royal Festival Hall’s pipe
organ, no less). After a decade of working mainly with other artists (including the
iconic Broken Family Band at their peak) Gill is increasingly recognised as a
wonderful, intuitive musician in her own right.
And you hear Gill at her stunning best on her own dark contemporary folk
songwriting. Tour dates with the likes of Roddy Woomble, Adrian Crowley and
Chris T-T have cemented her reputation, as did playing twice each night when she
toured as support and alongside Emily Barker.
Now, fitting around continued work in The Red Clay Halo, Gill’s second solo
album LIGHT THE BOATS is set for release in September, still on her own
Rowan Tree Records, though this time distributed by PROPER.