Lots going on!

There is a lot to catch up on so I will try and keep it brief!

I had a wonderful time hosting Johnny Coppin at our gig in Lanivet Church last month. We filled the church and it was a real honour to get to perform four songs with Johnny too. A very special moment!

Photo by Steve Hobden

Photo by Terry Harry

I am writing after a very busy weekends of gigs and partying!

Friday the 18th was supposed to be a ‘cosy night out’ on board The Lady Daphne in Charlestown but following the failing of the harbour flood gates the evening had to move! I decided to make it a fundraiser for The Old Lady as all her events for the winter have had to either be cancelled or rearranged.

Thankfully, St Austell Library stepped in to help host a cosy night out which included bring your own cheese and wine to share, a log burner, lamps, candles, slippers, and more cheese and more wine! I was joined by Molly Biscoe and Jamie Sterritt with songs and Harp music and we also watched several of my films. It was a really lovely evening!

Photo by Steve Hobden

Photo by Steve Hobden

After a lovely evening spent with friends on Saturday (more wine) Sunday saw the launch of “Sons of Cornwall” my new release of two tracks inspired by Cornishmen (or adopted..) who did incredible things. William Stephens (1740 - 1822) who gave Leek Seed Chapel at St Blazey it’s unusual name and Richard Jose (1862 - 1941) who left Cornwall as a child to provide for his family and went on to become one of the world’s finest singers!

It was also the launch of my film ‘The Old Gardener ‘ which tells William’s story so what better place to launch it than to return to Truro Plaza Cinema where we drank bubbly and watched all my films before I sang the two new songs and then let everyone watch some of the outtakes!

Linocut artwork by Nic Zuppardi

Photo by Steve Hobden

Photo by Steve Hobden

I also launched lots of lovely new merchandise using Nic’s wonderful design. I have some beautiful enamel mugs made by “Cut by Beam” in Cornwall as well as new tea towels, tote bags and an art print complete with lyrics and free download of the new songs!

The art prints are available from my bandcamp page HERE as well as the tracks to download individually if preferred. I am keeping the other merch for live gigs for the moment. I just don’t want to let it go yet!

I have already had radio play from Celtic Radio FMas well as 3B’s radio and as I type I am waiting to hear Forest FM play Richard Jose tonight too!

There is so much more to write but I am going to keep the bubbles flowing again tonight instead!

Richard


Exciting Gig Announcement!

Get tickets HERE

I am thrilled to announce that Johnny Coppin is going to make a rare appearance in Cornwall at Lanivet Parish Church!

Just two minutes off the A30 and blessed with an abundance of free parking Lanivet is the perfect gig location!

Johnny’s effortless vocals have graced the folk-scene since the emergence of Decameron in the early 1970s. An experienced solo performer, he is a talented songwriter and a fine interpretative singer.

Johnny has recorded over fourteen albums including The Winding Stair, Borderland, Edge of Day with writer Laurie Lee, his latest album River of Dreams, and he recently celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the release of Forest & Vale & High Blue Hill – his first album of Gloucestershire songs.

 Playing guitar and piano, his songs are always melodic and evocative.

For many years Johnny toured as a duo with Phil Beer (Show of Hands). He now works solo, in a duo with Paul Burgess (ex John Kirkpatrick Band), and as a trio for an annual Christmas tour with Paul Burgess and Dik Cadbury (ex Steve Hackett, and Decameron).

 “A gifted songwriter”- Daily Telegraph

Johnny has performed at many festivals, and venues large and small and for over twenty years he presented an Acoustic Music programme on BBC Local Radio across the West.

TV appearances have included his own programme ‘Song of Gloucestershire’ for the BBC, ‘Stars in a Dark Night’ for Channel 4, and ‘Between Two Rivers’ for ITV.

I am also thrilled to say that I will be playing a solo set supporting Johnny Coppin on the night, performing some of my best loved songs and showing some of my films too!

Get Tickets HERE

Bringing the Harvest Home - Video Out!

After it’s premiere at last nights ‘A night at the Movies’ at Truro’s Plaza Cinema, I am thrilled to publicly share my brand new video ‘Bringing the Harvest Home’ .

The Kea Plums of Cowlands and Coombe are renowned, and the area is one of the most beautiful and timeless places in Cornwall. Large orchards of plums and apples grow, as well as in gardens and even along the river banks. It has long been a personal family favourite place to visit. I read a beautiful description of the plum harvest being brought in from David Mudd’s 1989 book ‘Around and About the Fal’. There was a particular description of people arriving at the creek on foot, in boats and on steamers to visit the famous orchards that caught my imagination and inspired this song.

Huge thanks to all who worked on this whether musically or as part of the filming and production!

Two Halves Album Sampler!


Here is the album sampler for 'Two Halves'! Thanks so much to Grace Fox Films for putting it together and to all the musicians who joined me in the making of this album. Wish we had captured more photos and film of everyone in the studio but I think we were too excited recording!

Fun news - I sold out Plaza Cinema Truro! Because we sold out screen 3 with over a month to go we have moved Richard Trethewey – A Night at the Movies! Plaza Cinema - Truro to Screen 2 which is a bigger screen and features the original stage and screen position from the original cinema! Don't delay in purchasing your tickets if you haven't got them yet as when they're gone they're gone!

You can pre order through the shop on this site or Bandcamp!

Unveiling the 'Two Halves' album artwork!

Here tiz!

Here is the beautiful album artwork made by Lisa Wisdom.

You can buy it at the SOLD OUT album launch at Malpas in March or at the Plaza Cinema event in Truro in April. Tickets available HERE.

Pre ordering for postage in March is now possible via bandcamp HERE. It is also possible through the shop section of this website but if buying multiple products I would probably recommend bandcamp as the postage options are more straightforward!

A Night at the Movies!

I’m very excited to share the news that I am going to be hosting an event at The Plaza Cinema, Truro on Thursday the 25th of April 2024 at 7.30pm.

We will watch the four films I have made for the songs ‘Hope in a Jam Jar’, ‘Queen of the Cornish Rhine’, ‘Frenchman’s Creek’ and not yet released ‘Bringing the Harvest Home’ (and maybe some outtakes too!).

I will also be joined by Steve Hawker and Neal Jolly on piano and double bass respectively to play the album ‘Two Halves’ live for those that missed out on getting tickets for the launch at Malpas Village Hall in March.

Book early to avoid disappointment. Get your tickets HERE.

https://snappytickets.co.uk/events/richard-trethewey-movie-night-at-truro-plaza-cinema/

There will be refreshments available from the bar and I will be selling vinyl, CDs, Books, and other merch on the night. Card payment possible.

Tickets on sale for 'Two Halves' album launch!

Photo by Tom Philp

Tickets for "Two Halves" album launch (Sunday 17th March) have just gone on sale!

The venue is the beautiful Malpas Village Hall overlooking the Truro River. We will be using their historic St Andrews Church building as well as their modern hall with balcony overlooking the river.

There are only 60 tickets available so pre ordering is essential to avoid disappointment. Every pre order will be in with a chance to win a very rare vinyl test pressing.

I will post information about the tracks, the artwork, merchandise and guest musicians over the coming weeks!

Tickets available HERE

New Single 'Frenchman's Creek' launched today!

I am hugely excited to share the latest single and video from my forthcoming album ‘Two Halves’.

Two Halves was first imagined for vinyl. It presents one side of songs and music inspired by stories from Cornwall’s wonderfully evocative river estuaries. The second half is more akin to my debut album ‘Dig Where You Stand’ and tells stories associated with Cornwall’s industrial heritage. I am joined by a wonderful selection of guests, representing some of the inspiring musicians and friends I have been working with since my first album came out in 2012.

Earlier in the year I released ‘Queen of the Cornish Rhine’, the nearly true story of Queen Victoria’s trip down the river Fal (see below for much more info!). This then is the second estuary inspired song from the album.

 I was so inspired by Daphne Du Maurier’s 1941 novel that once I finished it, I decided to walk the coastal footpaths around Menabilly, where Du Maurier lived in the house and landscape  which of course partly  inspired ‘Manderley’ in Rebecca. As I was walking, the entire tune and arrangement for this song arrived in my head and I had to record it as soon as I got home.

Photo by Grace Fox

I reunited with film makers Grace Fox and Rob Moth who edited the video for my song ‘Hope in a Jam Jar’ (also see below!) and who filmed, directed and edited ‘Queen of the Cornish Rhine’ as we headed towards the Helford river to film ‘Frenchman’s Creek’.

I am joined onscreen and on the track by Sam and Baz from ‘Aggie Boys Choir’ as well as by my good friend Nicola Edwards who not only sound fantastic but look the part as some of the pirates gathered on a beach near the helford river. Jamie Sterritt, Tom Philp, Rob Moth and my dog Clemo complete the raggle taggle crew!

Photo by Grace Fox

The idea behind the music was that the track builds up (anchored by Freya Jonas’ piano), layering interweaving fiddle parts inspired by the storyline of the novel, introducing different characters and story lines. In the novel, the pirates are hidden away in Frenchman’s Creek whilst their notoriety spreads around Cornwall, but no one really knows where they hide out. We reach the middle of the track and this is the moment that we ‘find’ the pirates in song form. From this point on a batterie of military snares get ever closer as the fiddle parts fall away again, replicating the military closing in on the pirates until a dramatic ending!

Photo by Grace Fox

Photo by Grace Fox

Photo by Grace Fox