Chris Brain
Chris Brain’s songs are embedded in the folk tradition and the pastoral, with a contemporary resonance. Chris explores distinctive fingerpicking patterns and alternate tunings in his sound, drawing inspiration from the outdoors and song writers such as Bert Jansch, Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell, His critically acclaimed 2022 album Bound to Rise reached 22 in the Official UK Folk Charts. Chris’ second album Steady Away released in October 2023 has received a very positive response and has been played on BBC 6Music with Cerys Matthews and on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe.
Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning
Chris says: “It is my favourite track and certainly one that rings true for me. Lyrically and melodically. I like the pacing of the guitar and the message at hand. I certainly feel the rest and calm of a Sunday each week and feel the song personifies that.”
Chris say “The first time I went to a folk club whilst I was studying music in college, I heard a musician playing ‘Angie’ and I was mesmerised. I asked the musician ‘what piece of music did you just play?’ with intent to learn the piece and wow an audience at a future date. When I arrived home, I listened to the piece played by Bert and it’s safe to say that I was hooked, in the following weeks I went through his catalogue trying to soak up as much information as possible and to this day it has had a lasting effect.
As I moved on to other folk fingerstyle guitar players, I soon learnt that all of my inspirers had been influenced in some way or another by the ability and innovation of Bert’s song writing and guitar playing.”
