British Country singer-songwriter Anna Howie releases her album ‘Good for Roses’ via the Absolute Label (Universal/Sony) on 18 April. The album was recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, and produced by Kris Wilkinson Hughes (My Girl The River). There is an album release show at the Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells on 19th April, followed by a UK Spring tour.

 

Anna initially came to prominence with her debut ‘The Friday Night Club’ which was born in lockdown, out of online sessions which garnered nearly two million views! As Anna says herself, she accidentally created a community, and she has kept it with her.

Anna says of ‘Good For Roses’, “This album is a personal one, songs about life-defining moments, good and bad mixed with songs about how I feel a lot of the time about myself and the world. If there is one thing I am sure about now I am older, it is that out of hard times good things come. There is a line in the first track on the album, Bring me Love, ‘Shit is good for roses, we just have to hold our noses on the way’. I wanted the title of this album to reflect the struggle and the joy. There is a pink rose outside my kitchen window and, as the rest of the garden dies away and there is frost on the ground, it blooms. I love its resilience.”

“I wrote these 11 songs sat in my van, over the space of a year. I went to Real World Studios, my band came too: Andy Evans on guitars, John Brooker on bass, Roger Nunn on drums, Harry Whitty on keys, trumpet, trombone and with Kris Wilkinson Hughes in the Producer’s chair we brought them to life. We brought in the fierce Aaron Catlow on the fiddle and Dan McConkey on sax and clarinet and, when my friend the wonderful Bella Collins, came for dinner one night we grabbed her for guest vocals. Such a team effort all mixed and engineered by super talented head engineer at Real World, Katie May.”

Anna Howie is a veteran live performer and has spent time in Nashville honing her craft. Whilst in Music City she took in a songwriting camp with legendary writer Gretchen Peters and also recorded her EP ‘An Idiot’s Guide to Love’, which was produced by Grammy Award Winning Producer/ Guitarist Bob Britt. Anna then teamed up with producer and multi-instrumentalist Lukas Drinkwater to create ‘The Friday Night Club’.

‘Good For Roses’ is the latest in a line of quality releases from Anna Howie that blend her lyrical verve, innate musicality and a simple ability to connect with her listener: don´t miss the chance to catch her live:

 

Friday 7th March - The Archway Theatre, Horley

Sat 8th Mar - The Royal Oak, TW

Fri 21st Mar - The Victoria Institute, Arundel

Fri 11th April - The Eagle Inn, Salford

Fri 18th April - Folklore Rooms, Brighton

Sat 19th April - Album Release Show, The Trinity Theatre, TW

Sat 26th April - Isbourne Arts Winchcombe -

Fri 2nd May - Chapel Arts , Bath

Sat 3rd May - Hen and Chicken, Bristol

Thurs 8th May - The Sound Lounge, Sutton

Fri 16th May - Colne Delta Blues Club, Brightlingsea

Sat 24th May - Woolton Farm, Canterbury

Mon 2 June - The Prince Albert, Stroud