Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds

Event information

Naomi Bedford is an English singer working in the folk and country genres. She has made four acclaimed albums; most recently ‘Singing It All Back Home’, a collection of Appalachian ballads which was a Guardian Album of the Month in 2019. Her previous albums have featured contributions from UK music legends such as Justin Currie, Andy Summers, Alasdair Roberts and Paul Heaton. She regularly performs and records  and writes with Paul Simmonds, chief songwriter and mandolin player with The Men They Couldn’t Hang. 

Naomi and Paul have toured together widely throughout the UK and appeared at many prestigious Festivals including Glastonbury, Cambridge, Celtic Connections, Sidmouth and Wickham. They has also appeared in session for Mark Radcliffe on Radio 2 and on BBC Radio Scotland. Among Naom'is  many supporters are; Iggy Pop, "Amazing. Naomi pulls no punches", Shirley Collins, "The best singer of Appalachian ballads that I know’ and Del Amitri’s Justin Currie, "An English Emmylou".

Naomi’s latest album, ‘Strange News Has Come To Town’, a folk/Americana fusion- came out  in July 2024 to high praise from the music press 

5 stars The Arts Desk
5 stars The Morning Star
4 Stars Mojo Magazine
4 Stars RnR Magazine

"UK Spangled Americana" (Jude Rogers in the Guardian, 2024).
"This is true roots music in every shape and fashion" (The Real Easy Ed: Americana and Roots Music Daily June 28th 2024).
"Bedford has a way with betrayal .....her version of The Blacksmith is an eerie scorching tour de force" (MOJO Magazine June24).
"Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds remain as vital a musical force as ever". (KLOF - Folk Radio UK June 2024).
"There are hints of the two Trio albums Harris recorded with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt " 5 Stars (The Arts Desk June 24).
"In Naomi and Paul you have two of the finest interpreters of songs" (Fatea August 2024).
"nothing is obvious and everything demands your attention" (RnR Magazine September 2024).
"Bedford possesses one of our greatest female voices and it’s deployed marvellously on this album......possible album of the year in it’s genre and beyond possible" (LOUDER THAN WAR  April 24).