Read about Owen Campbell’s new release ‘The Pilgrim’
Photo by Jim Jacob
I had the pleasure of seeing Owen Campbell a couple of days ago. It was at a great venue in Devonport, Tasmania, Australia – Red Hot Music.
Campbell has been playing guitar since he was nine years old and is a talented slide guitar player and songwriter, with his gravelly blend of blues, roots, soul and country, with a voice that belies his young age.
Photo by Jim Jacob
Like compatriot Shaun Kirk, Campbell combines a moving, gutsy, old-time sound that combines a bluesy drawl with a stomping, soulful slide guitar. His no-frills music reveals influences from The Band, Van Morrison, Townes Van Zandt and the raspy emotion of Ray Lamontagne.
Campbell has been touring non-stop, impressing audiences all over the globe, from Ireland and the UK, Denmark, Italy, India, Austria, Germany and Papua New Guinea! He was a finalist (with an attitude) in “Australia’s Got Talent” 2012, and has appeared at the highest blues festival in the world – The Himalayan Blues Festival in Kathmandu (2008 and 2010). His second album Sunshine Road was in the Australian Blues Radio Charts for most of 2011.
He has just released his newest – The Pilgrim and it is a very impressive collection. Recorded at 30 Mill Studios Brunswick in Melbourne, it was produced by the great Mark Opitz. Jeff Lang appears on the album, playing guitar and mandolin and the Wolfgram Sisters also add significantly to the material. Standout tracks for me are “Leave It Alone” “You Know I’m Gone” and “A Better Place”. I’d recommend you giving it a listen.
Now unfortunately I caught this gig at the end of his current tour, so there are no further dates to plug – but keep a watch on www.owencampbell.com.au for more live performances.
Photos included here are from the Red Hot Music gig on 29 June 2013.
