Kim Richey, Ben Glover

Two much-admired singer/ songwriters based over the Atlantic are perfect debutants for the grand opening show in the old Courtroom in Middlesbrough Town Hall.

This is a unique venue inside the Town Hall & will form a series of shows “The Courtroom Sessions” in 2019 jointly hosted by Jumpin Hot Club/ Middlesbrough Town Hall.

2018 is shaping up to be a significant year for Grammy-nominated acclaimed American singer/songwriter Kim Richey. She released her first album in five years, “Edgeland”, on Yep Roc Records in the spring, & that accrued heaps of attentive praise. The major league music mag /on-site American Songwriter premiered “Whistle On Occasion,” featuring Chuck Prophet and noted that “ Kim Richey is a veteran to the craft of poetry and storytelling.” In support of the album, the Nashville-based artist played a raft of dates with her friend Gretchen Peters.

As a songwriter, Richey has written two Country Number One hits for Radney Foster (“Nobody Wins”) and Trisha Yearwood (“Believe Me Baby”), the latter of which was Grammy-nominated, as well as tunes for Mary Chapin Carpenter & Patty Loveless. Her vocals also appear on Jason Isbell’s praised “Southeastern” album as well as albums by Ryan Adams and Shawn Colvin.

Ben Glover, the Northern Irish born, Nashville-based heartfelt singer/songwriter will be sharing the bill. As a songwriter, Glover’s fellow travellers include his co-writer’s, like Mary Gauthier to be sure, but they also include the characters that he crafts. On “Shorebound”, his latest album, the characters come fully formed, self-aware and self-possessed enough to keep their compasses set on True North even in the roughest of waters

“Soulful and thought provoking, the weaving of Irish roots and Americana, prove that Ben Glover’s an absolute winner.” ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE