Diana Jones - Song To A Refugee

CAT NO - PRPCD157
BARCODE - 0805520031578
RELEASE DATE – 25th SEPTEMBER 2020
FORMAT – CD
GENRE: Country, Folk

Acclaimed for earlier albums inspired by the almost mystical connection to her birth family and the music of rural Tennessee, <strong>Diana Jones</strong> is known for giving voice to dispossessed people from the past. Song To A Refugee finds Diana looking into the wider world to shine a light on current issues close to her heart.

Produced by Grammy Award winning producer and musician David Mansfield, who also plays multiple instruments on the record, special guest artists include Richard Thompson,The Chapin Sisters,Jason Sypher on bass, Glenn Patscha on piano and Will Holshouser on accordion. The single "We Believe You" was added lastly with the help of Steve Addabbo (Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin) producing and guest artists Steve Earle, Richard Thompson and Peggy Seeger each singing a verse, Mark Hunter on piano and Joe DeJarnette on bass.

The song cycle Song To A Refugee artfully considers the times we live in, speaks for those often without a voice and encourages a humanitarian response. One of the record's strengths is Diana's ability to inhabit the characters about whom she is writing, from the woman walking miles to the US border carrying her child, to the young children separated from their parents fleeing their homeland, giving an immediacy to their stories whilst illuminating the more generic themes within.

Song To A Refuge, Diana's 6th solo recording, gives voice to the stories of asylum seekers worldwide; a testament to Diana's commitment to social justice through her gifts as a consummate songwriter and performer.

Track-listing
1. El Chaparral
2. I Wait For You
3. Song To A Refugee
4. We Believe You (feat. Steve Earle, Richard Thompson and Peggy Seeger)
5. Mama Hold Your Baby
6. Santiago
7. Ask A Woman
8. The Life I Left Behind
9. Where We Are
10. Humble
11. Love Song To A Bird
12. The Sea Is My Mother
13. The Last Words

Reviews/Features/Interviews:
Uncut 9/10 - Americana Album of the Month review “Moving song cycle from US singer and folk guitarist” + track included on covermount CD.

Folk North West magazine – Autumn 2020
“..a beautiful collection of songs which, hopefully, inspires you in your kindness to others.”
http://www.proper-records.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/dj-folk-north-west.jpg

Sunday Times and The Scotsmans reviews confirmed (publish date TBC)

The Sun – Q&A feature in Friday Music section (publish date TBC)

Interviews to run on Americana UK website, Lonesome Highway website and Crooked Road Radio.

More reviews expected in RnR, Maverick and online.

Radio:
Exclusive first play for We Believe You on Bob Harris Country (27 Aug): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000m15z
Spot play for We Believe You on Meridian FM (31 Aug)
Spot play for Humble on BBC Radio Scotland’s Another Country With Ricky Ross (1 Sept): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000m4vb

News:
Folk Radio – album news: https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2020/03/diana-jones-announces-new-album-song-to-a-refugee/
Americana UK – album news: https://americana-uk.com/diana-jones-announces-new-album-uk-dates
Think Country Music – album news: https://thinkcountrymusic.com/whats-new/news-diana-jones-announces-uk-tour-following-new-album-song-to-a-refugee-being-released-april-24/
Entertainment Focus – album news: https://www.entertainment-focus.com/music-section/music-news/diana-jones-to-release-new-album-song-to-a-refugee-in-april/
Uncut – Americana round-up (September issue): “Diana Jones’ excellent Song To A Refugee (Proper), postponed from earlier this year, is out in late September. A moving song cycle that addresses the necessity of giving voice to the voiceless, it has an impressive guest list including Richard Thompson, Steve Earle, Peggy Seeger and The Chapin Sisters.”
Think Country Music – album and single news: https://thinkcountrymusic.com/whats-new/diana-jones-to-release-new-album-song-to-a-refugee-on-september-25-new-single-humble-out-now/
Americana UK – We Believe You single news: https://americana-uk.com/diana-jones-feat-steve-earle-richard-thompson-peggy-seeger-we-believe-you-listen
Belles & Gals – single and album news: https://www.bellesandgals.com/2020/08/30/diana-jones-new-single-and-album-update/
Blues Town Music – Album news: https://www.bluestownmusic.nl/diana-jones-song-to-a-refugee/
NashvilleTV (NL) album news: https://www.nashvilletv.nl/2020/09/15/diana-jones-komt-met-album-song-to-a-refugee/

Online / Live streams:
Hearts & Homes for Refugees – online benefit concert (feat. Richard Thompson): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEElpMdNz9o
Virtually Green Note (Aug 19): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7krzJG8m9fY

Digital Singles:
17 July: Humble / I Can’t Breathe (Note: I Can’t Breathe is not featured on the album)
28 August: We Believe You (feat. Richard Thompson, Steve Earle and Peggy Seeger)

Advertising:
Print advertising: RnR half-page in next issue (out mid Sept)
Online advertising: Full online campaign including Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube and Amazon advertising

Tour Dates:
Rescheduled from May/June (may need to be rescheduled again)
Thu, 5th November Durham - The Old Cinema Launderette
Fri, 6th November Glasgow - Glad Cafe
Sun, 8th November Wakefield - Henry Boons
Mon, 9th November Birmingham - Kitchen Garden Cafe
Tue, 10th November Basingstoke - The Forge
Thu, 12th November Nottingham - The Running Horse
Fri, 13th November Biddulph - St Lawrence’s Church
Sun, 15th November Hebden Bridge - The Trades Club
Tue, 17th November Bristol - Hen & Chicken
Wed, 18th November Brighton - Prince Albert
Thu, 19th November Milton Keynes - The Stables
Sat, 21st November Liverpool - Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Sun, 22nd November London - Purcell Room