Folk Bands and Artists
Rosie Nimmo
Rosie Nimmo is an Edinburgh singer/songwriter who also performs other peoples’ music in a jazz/blues band with whom she has won many fans both local: "...the guitars melted into the background and the purity of her voice really came to the fore - Edinburgh Evening News" and national: "...´a dynamic singer with a smooth band - The Guardian".
Having been raised on a mixed diet of solo performers including Neil Young, James Taylor and Carole King, Rosie’s musical tastes also encompass the varied genius of Paul Simon (superlative ‘farewell tour’ gig in Glasgow in the summer of 2018), Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Joan Armatrading, kd laing, Nick Cave, Dusty Springfield, Jacques Brel and John Martyn among others. Blues and rock favourites include Led Zeppelin, and Taste with Rory Gallagher as well as Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
It should therefore come as no surprise that a few years ago, Rosie, who had been quietly working away on her own songs for some time, decided that she wanted to share her thoughts and musical musings with a wider audience. Serendipity led to a meeting with Marc Pilley of Hobotalk (and now Arksong) who was keen to become involved as the producer of the music and Marc has now been instrumental in producing four albums for Rosie in the space of the last 12 years. Not only did Marc produce these albums he also plays on most of the tracks on them (and does some backing vocals too). Marc’s talents on all four albums combined beautifully with many other outstanding musicians who played on the different albums. These include Ali Petrie (the keyboard wizard from Hobotalk and the Nell Brydon band), Stuart Allardyce who lends his guitar magic on the first three albums, Martin Lennon played bass on some songs on ‘Lazy and Mellow’, and the international star, Mairi Campbell plays gorgeous and highly praised fiddle and viola on several tracks on three out of four. The young and gifted Emma Turley lent her sensitive cello playing to the collection as did Tommy Nimmo on bass. A few backing vocals from Debbie Nimmo and some sterling guitar work from Graham P. Smith to finish up with on the latest album, Where Time Suspends, which will be released in early 2021 and that about covers it.
The first three albums, Lazy and Mellow, Home and Scrapbook all went on to garner many glowing reviews and to be played by various radio shows, including BBC Radio Scotland’s Iain Anderson Show. Rosie performed some of her songs live on the Janice Forsyth Afternoon Show on BBC Radio Scotland in January 2016 as Scrapbook was launched. The latest album, although not officially released, has already had national BBC airplay on the Roddy Hart show.
For Rosie one of the most important positives (and there are many – including her developing guitar skills) to come out of this process is that she and Marc have become good friends and musical collaborators – they co-wrote two of the songs on Scrapbook together. Marc’s intuitive ear and sensitivity to her music has meant that it has been a huge pleasure to go on this musical journey with him. A journey that shows no sign of stopping as they are continuing to work together even as the fourth album is finished and ready for distribution.
