Edwina Hayes, Ian MacMillan

"That’s the clearest singing voice I’ve heard in here,’ was a comment overheard during Edwina Hayes’s Old Ship Inn gig, 6th February. A discerning Warthog audience was treated to numbers that Edwina had written herself mixed with classic covers. Along the way she referenced artists collaborated with or opened for, including Ralph McTell, Boo Hewerdine and Bobby Wood (who has played with Elvis and written for Crystal Gayle and Leanne Rhymes among others).

Described as gentle folk Americana, vocalist and guitar player Hayes sat somewhere between Joni Mitchell and Suzanne Vega. Self-penned songs were mostly about unrequited love or, as she put it, ‘fancying people who don’t fancy you back!’ Hence, titles like, Leave A Light On For You, Nobody’s coming Round and Tell Me So. Pour Me A Drink, was in honour of her Dad, a likeable rogue who, now in Argentina, has been well travelled, hard drinking, and had several wives. In Open The Show For You, she dreamt of supporting Bob Dylan.

Between tracks Hayes entertained with a range of conversational anecdotes about her Mother’s Bridlington chip shop, travels around America, and men longed for from afar. This included Richard Thompson whose songs also featured. Hayes delivered fine renditions of, From Galway to Graceland, and, Waltzing’s For Dreamers. Add to this Donovan’s Catch The Wind, Leonard Cohen’s Famous Blue Raincoat, Don McLean’s Vincent and perhaps the most upbeat, Joe South’s Games People Play, it really was a complete musical feast"

- Mark Salter, Nottingham Evening Post