Former Pulp guitarist Richard Hawley is to headline East Anglia’s popular Red Rooster Festival - as it prepares to return to Euston Hall, near Thetford, for 2020.
Former Pulp guitarist Richard Hawley is to headline East Anglia's popular Red Rooster Festival - as it prepares to return to Euston Hall, near Thetford, for 2020.
The three-day event, featuring the best of American Roots music with cajun, soul, rock 'n' roll, blues and country music, is set to place in beautiful parkland on the Norfolk and Suffolk border between May 28 and 30.
Mr Hawley has been named as the headline act as he celebrates his 20th anniversary as a solo artist, having just released his ninth studio album.
In the two decades that have elapsed since Hawley jettisoned band life, first with The Longpigs and then as Pulp's guitarist, the 52-year-old songwriter has forged one of the most singular and diverse careers in modern music.
Talk to him about his blues heroes, and he is likely to list Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup ("the master!") and Freddie King as personal favourites. At heart, though, Hawley remains in love with rock'n'roll in its purest form and he sports the quiff to prove it. "People often ask me why I still have a quiff. I always tell them it's because I still can," he says.
Also on the bill for next year are some Mississippi royalty in the form of Grammy nominated North Mississippi Allstars. This critically acclaimed second generation band are the sons of legendary producer Jim Dickinson. Luther & Cody Dickinson learnt their craft with the crème de la crème of North Mississippi Hill Music musicians including Otha Turner, Junior Kimbrough and RL Burnside. The Allstars new album "Up & Rolling" captures this history, while looking to the future, with the brothers playing with Cedric Burnside, the grandson of RL and Sharde Thomas, the grand daughter of Otha Turner, plus recording tracks with Jason Isbell, Mavis Staple and Duane Betts.
Luther will also play a special solo set on The Little Red Rooster stage.
The Sheepdogs will headline the mainstage on Thursday night and will be looking to blow the roof off with the twin lead guitar attack of their contemporary take on good time Southern boogie in the vein of Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Allman Brothers. But, instead of originating from Alabama, the five piece have headed south from Saskatoon in Canada. Expect Euston Hall to be jumpin' on the Thursday night.
Also on the 2020 line-up are: Nicole Atkins who was described as the de facto Queen of Ashbury Park, New Jersey, until she relocated to Nashville, two-time Grammy winner Jim Lauderdale, a symbol for creative integrity over 32 albums which run the gamut of American roots styles, there's also the sax driven rock and roll of MFC Chicken, the explosive high energy of Sister Suzie , the non stop grind-a-go-go of The Fuzillis and the Brighton sleaze of Mudlow.
Red Rooster tickets are now on sale. Tickets for the weekend are priced at £69.50 plus booking fee, which includes three nights of camping and parking. Kids under 12 go free. You can book online here
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