Dear Readers,

With great sadness, I must report that my April/May tour of Germany and Switzerland has been cancelled in its entirety.  Looking further ahead, it is highly likely that the June tour of the Netherlands and Northern Germany will be a further casualty to this wicked virus.  For those of you planning to attend shows which were on either tour, please check this website, we are working hard to reschedule all dates where possible, these will be announced here in the first instance.

When world-renowned epidemiologists and political leaders cannot predict the future, this humble troubadour most certainly cannot.  I remain hopeful that my July and August commitments will take place as scheduled, though for overseas dates if there is a requirement to go into quarantine on arrival this will render them impossible to fulfil.

In the meantime, I am trying to take advantage of the opportunities that this lockdown has given, not least to write.  In the hectic world of the globetrotting troubadour, finding a concentrated time to focus, reflect and write has proved immensely difficult, often resulting in an inspired day or two in disparate locations whilst on tour.  By its very nature, it can be interruptive and not conducive to allowing a continual stream of thought, so in many ways this additional time has been a much sought blessing.  The quiet, ghostly streets and forbidden social life combine to create the atmosphere for writing I’ve long sought for at home.

I have no idea when these new compositions will see the light of day, we are approximately halfway through recording work on the next album yet here in Scotland all non-essential businesses are closed (sadly for me, this includes the studio) therefore this project is on hiatus.  But I am strongly of the belief that one can never have too many songs or ideas, and it is far better to have a surplus of songs than a deficit.

The knock-on effect of the virus will mean a delay to all future projects, inevitably, from both a practical and an economic perspective (the substantial number of cancelled shows and tours has deprived me of my income stream for the foreseeable future).  Hopefully this is understandable, if one cannot tour then the money is not there to pay for the recordings.  And if musicians cannot physically go into the studio to record, then no progress can be tangibly made – all work essentially being on hold.

I know, of course, that lives are far more important than livelihoods, and that this is a global public health emergency we are facing as a global community.  And above all, we must all follow the government guidance to keep us safe and well in these unprecedented times.

However, from a personal note, not to have the opportunity to tour ‘In Gratitude of Solitude’ is a bitter disappointment.  I will, of course, investigate the possibility of live streaming a performance, but as we all know, this really just isn’t the same – the whole idea of live performance is a combined effort between the audience and performer in one space, where the interaction and involvement on both parts is completely unique to that moment, to that one event.  It is what we as performers live for – it’s the ultimate expression of our chosen art form.

In the meantime, I would like to express a heartfelt thank you to all those who have supported me at this incredibly hard time for us all, every single purchase has helped me greatly right now. And if you haven’t already done so, please consider purchasing my latest album, which sadly I can’t tour for the foreseeable future, here.  Lockdown is the perfect time to discover new music, so why not gift someone you love the gift of music, eight of the thirteen titles from my recording career are still available here?

Or if you’re also suffering greatly from loss of income and still wish to show your support, then why not follow me on Twitter ; Instagram (featuring many pictures from my travels)  or subscribe to my YouTube channel here?

Many thanks again to all friends, fans and followers, thank you for listening and reading, and above all, stay safe and healthy please.

See you all down the road wherever, I hope.

SK x