This autumn sees the release of Robb Johnson’s latest album The Optimist Hotel. The songs on the album “are all linked by hopefulness,” says Robb. “Not everybody lives happily ever after in them, but these songs are about people who are hopeful, & who refuse to relinquish that hope.”

 
In the Optimist Hotel, there’s a man who makes roses out of paper napkins, a boy growing up in the 1960s, a man who didn’t teach Keith Richards how to play guitar, some soldiers who fought back at Bamber Bridge, a girl looking for her cat in Jenin, a woman who feeds the foxes, a woman who sells the Big Issue, the woman responsible for Animal Farm, & a couple sheltering from the rain.

Recorded at Room 13 Studio in Gent, the album features contributions by Flemish Folk diva Vera Coomans on vocals, Yves Meerschaut on piano & Saskia Tomkins on viola. Vera was the female voice on the original production of Robb’s WW1 Gentle Men song suite, Yves provided sublime piano on 2024’s acclaimed Pennypot Lane album, & Saskia has played with Robb in various bands & on various albums for over 25 years.

Robb’s widely recognised as one of the UK’s finest songwriters.  “An English original”, (Robin Denselow, the Guardian) ... “a national treasure” (Mike Harding)…  “one of this country’s most important songwriters (no argument!)” (fROOTS). He enjoys playing pubs, clubs, the occasional festival, art centres, benefits & picket lines. Before Brexit he toured regularly in Europe, & he has also visited the USA a couple of times.  Robb also gigs with The Irregulars, a full electric band, the Acoustic Irregulars, & the Xmas Irregulars when performing the festive whodunnit “Murder At The Grange”.

The album will be available as an LP & a CD, which features a bonus track ‘Mutualade’. The Optimist Hotel will not be available as a download 

TOUR DATES & TICKETS

24 September – Ropetackle, Shoreham

27 September – Toft House, Middlesbrough (with The Acoustic Irregulars)

4–5 October – Hartlepool Folk Festival

6 October – The Depot, Leith, Edinburgh (with Maggie Holland)

7 October – McNeill’s Bar, Glasgow (with Maggie Holland)
Tickets on the door

17 October – 21 South Street, Reading (with Roger Watson)

24 October – Farnham Maltings

6 November – Rosslyn Court, Margate

17 November – The Cellar Upstairs, Islington
Tickets available on the door

“in my view one of the best songwriters this country has produced in many a year… the appellation National Treasure is often over-used, but in Robb’s case it is entirely appropriate" (St Edith’s Folk)
 
“One of Britain’s finest songwriters, a genuine folk legend” (Twickfolk)

www.robbjohnson.co.uk

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