Dave Dove is a very talented songwriter and performer from Congleton in Cheshire. He has a classical background in the guitar as well as playing the blues, rock, and folk styles in various ensembles playing the bass and the Acoustic Guitar since 1993. Dave won various competitions including the Songwriter of the year for the Northwest in 2005 and also came runner up in the BBC Gloucester Folkqest Songwriting Competition. He also went to Le Jeuss in Northern France on songwriting course with Harvey Andrews. Notable performances. He has supported Seth Lakeman on the main stage in Middlewich Festival in 2007 as well as John Tams in Biddulph Town Hal and Spiers and Boden. He has performed at various festivals throughout the UK including Dorset Steam Fair, Alsager Festival, Middlewich Festival and Congleton Jazz and Blues. His style is a mix of heartfelt lyrics with catchy melodies played in a contemporary folk style. As a duo they have produced their first album called The Players.
Amy Wakefield has a classical background in the Violin and pianist where she studied at Chetham's School of Music in 1999 and was offered a scholarship at Birmingham Conservatoire. She developed her skills in accompaniment ensemble skills and solo performing in concerts and various master classes with prestigious musicians such as Murray Mclachlan, recording with Micro Jazz Christopher Norton. She has accompanied shows and concerts in the Midlands and the North West including Bridgewater Hall. She is a very talented performer, accompanist and teacher.
Rupert Davis is a keyboard player and lyric writer based in London. It was his enthusiasm and inspiration that really got Dave writing his own material and recording them. It was through these sessions Dave really learned how to hone and develop his craft as a songwriter and because it was spontaneous and the philosophy that every idea could be used allowed this freedom to develop. Rupert is also a fantastic lyric writer full of imagination, intelligence and emotion.
From an early stage Dave learned how to reflect the ideas of the song through the music and this really brought out the best in him as a songwriter and performer. At one stage there was a production line and in a week we had created a double album. Songs in the collection include Magnetic North, New Paint, Brian Wilson's Words, Jukebox in Heaven
Mike Lewis is a lyric writer based in Sandbach. Mike met Dave through the open mic at the Sandbach Unplugged sessions at the George. Mike's flexibility as a writer meant he could write lyrics and also write them to music. Together they've written songs such as Oliver Plunkett Street, Bright Lights and You Ask Me.
John Lindley is a poet and lyric writer based in Congleton. Dave met John through facilitating workshops at Visyon. John has a mastery of words and historical connections through his poetry that really inspired Dave. It was this high standard of lyrical content that have led to songs such as The Poacher, The Players and A Few Good Men. They've been collaborating for the last 3 years.
