SEASONAL GREETINGS

Hi there.

I would just like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thank you for your continued support and I hope to see you somewhere in 2009.

It?s been a pretty good year for me and my music. I was delighted to sign to Navigator Records earlier in the year and have been very pleased with how Whisky Hearts has been received and for all the great reviews it?s had. It even made the end of the year top ten at www.spiralearth.com 

I?ve been lucky enough to play some fantastic shows this year around the country. I especially enjoyed my shows at The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh and opening for both Eddi Reader and Joan As Police Woman.

I?ve heard some great records too this year ? Fleet Foxes, Gramercy Arms, Joan As Police Woman, Sun Kil Moon and possibly my favourite of all - the re-issue of an old album from the sixties by Rodriquez called Cold Fact. A great record.

I know it?s been a very tough year for so many who have been hit by job losses and the credit crunch. Seems the rich can still get away with pretty much anything while the poor have to pay for their mistakes.

On a positive note it looks like the US may have got the right guy this time in Barack Obama. Though time will tell.

So on we go into to 2009.

I?m really looking forward to hearing my song Whisky Hearts in Irvine Welsh?s new film Good Arrows and to my Celtic Connections show in Glasgow, both in January. Also in January Navigator will be releasing Raining In Glasgow as a single.

In February I'll be at the Darvel Lesser Town Hall in Darvel near Kilmarnock on the 6^th. This is a solo show as part of the Acoustic Nights & Electric Evenings series. Info available at - www.darvelmusicfestival.org

Then in March I will be starting my UK tour which should take me through to the end of April with possibly a few shows in France too.

Details of towns and venues will be up on my website and Myspace very soon.

As always, if you?ve any suggestions of venues near you that I may have not thought of then please drop me a line and I'll pass the information onto my agent.

Well that?s it for another year.

Merry Christmas and all the best for 2009

Cheers

Dean

JOAN AS POLICEWOMAN DATES!!

I've just found out that I will be opening shows for the fantastic Joan As Policewoman next month in Edinburgh and Newcastle. I'll be at The Sage in Newcastle on the 12th December and The Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh on the 13th.

Joan is a great artist. I'm a big fan so it will be fab opening the shows for her. Tickets available at all the usual places.

Be great to see you at the shows if you live in those areas.

All the best

Dean

December News

December is now upon us.

It?s been a busy November for me. I played some great gigs with Eddi Reader in England, plus my own ondon show at the Slaughtered Lamb. I was playing the night of the big US election so it was back to the hotel after the gig to keep an eye on the news. Hopefully they?ve got the right guy now in Obama, fingers crossed. Mind you he can?t do any worse than George W! It all reminded me a bit of Blair getting in to power back in 97. I hope Obama turns out better than he did. I?ve been in the studio this week recording a track for the forthcoming Navigator compilation of the songs of Scottish songwriter Sandy Wright.  Lot?s of great artists have covered Sandy?s songs over the past few years including Kris Drever, Eddi Reader and Boo Hewerdine to name just a few.  I?ve recorded his song Can?t Win, Can?t Lose for the album. I recorded in a great wee studio in Glasgow run by Mark Freegard.  Playing on the track  I had John Douglas from the Trashcan Sinatras on Ukulele , ex Proclaimer Stuart Nisbet on guitar/dobro and my old mate from The Felsons and now a very much in demand session player Kev McGuire on double bass. Look out for the album in the new year. Just one more show for me this year. It?s a hometown gig for me here in Edinburgh at The Voodoo Rooms on the 3^rd  December. Looking forward to it as it?ll be the first gig with Kim Edgar on piano.  Kim?s a singer/songwriter and great musician. She?ll also be opening the show. We are planning to tour together in 2009. Booking shows now for the Spring in the UK and France.  I?m also doing a short instore performance and signing at Coda in Edinburgh on the 13^th December. 2008 has been a very positive year for me. I was delighted to sign with Navigator Records and get Whisky Hearts out properly through Proper. I?ve had some fantastic reviews for the album and some great support from well known faces ? Irvine Welsh and Russell Brand etc. In fact Irvine is using the title track from Whisky Hearts in his new film that will be on our screens in January. It?s called Good Arrows. Look forward to seeing that. Heard some cool, interesting records this year. Some new and some older discoveries. I?ve enjoyed the Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver records (like everybody else it seems) and the latest Nick Cave. Also Joan As Policewoman and the fantastic Gramercy Arms albums, but one of my favourite records I heard for the first time this year is a record from around 1969 by Sixto Rodriguez called Cold Fact. I love this record. Check it out. I also have to say that the forthcoming Eddi Reader record sounds lovely. Here?s hoping December is a good month, stress free and full of just the right amount of festive cheer. Here?s to a fab 2009. Cheers Dean

GIGS, JOHN PEEL AND ANOTHER ELECTION

GIGS,JOHN PEEL AND ANOTHER ELECTION

Hi there.

I just wanted let you know that on December 3^rd I will be playing my final Edinburgh show of 2008 at The Voodoo Rooms. My very special guest will be singer/songwriter Kim Edgar. Kim will open the night with a set of her own material from her new album Butterflies and Broken Glass and she?ll also be playing piano with me. Once again Stuart Nisbet will be on guitar. The gigs at the Voodoo Rooms in August were great so I hope you can make it along again in December. It?ll be a festive free zone!! : ) Humbug.

Tickets �10 from ? Tickets Scotland, Ticketweb and Ripping Records or go to -

www.thevoodoorooms.com
www.myspace.com/thevoodoorooms

for more details.

You can check out Kim?s music by going to - www.myspace.com/kimedgar

Kim and I will also be doing some shows together in the new year.

I will be doing one final in-store appearance at the Coda Music Store on The Mound in Edinburgh at 3pm on December 13^th so if you?re out doing you?re Christmas shopping why not pop in for some extra stocking fillers! I believe there will be mulled wine and mince pies laid on by Coda. I'll be signing copies of Whisky Hearts and performing a few songs. It?s free so if you?re in the area pop in to say hello. For more information visit - www.codamusic.co.uk or call 0131 622 7246.

I?ve just had confirmation that I will be taking part in the excellent Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow in January. I'll be doing a show at the City Halls on January 24^th with Kathy Mattea. For details go to ? www.celticconnections.com/whatson/event/79235

I hear the City Halls is a great venue. Really looking forward to it.

I can?t believe it?s four years since the sad death of John Peel. I was touring Australia at the time he passed away and this week was reminded by my friend out there, Chris Swann from Blue Wren Records, about my little improvised version of John Peel?s favourite song - Teenage Kicks that I was asked to do by Stuart Coupe on his show on Sydney?s FBI Radio station. Stuart who also runs Laughing Outlaw Records was a huge John Peel fan and asked me if I could play something by way of a tribute. This performance was captured by Chris on camera and is now up on Youtube. It was quite an emotional day for us all. Check it out - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xOZt-LAUnk4

In the next few days there will also be a live acoustic version of Raining In Glasgow up on Youtube.

A wee reminder that next Monday 3^rd November I have my London show at the Electroacoustic Club at The Slaughtered Lamb with the excellent Nels Andrews. Tickets I believe are still available at �10 from www.wegottickets.com/event/31934
www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=270568&interface=
or Phone: 0870 600 100

Info -www.electroacousticclub.com

Of course this is the night of another US election. Let?s hope they get the right guy this time!!

You can now buy signed copies of both Whisky Hearts and my previous record My Town direct from my website. Get your orders in for Christmas : )

That?s all for now. As ever please keep an eye on www.deanowens.com or www.myspace.com/deanowenspace  for other news.

For more album news you might want to join the Navigator Records mailing list at www.navigatorrecords.co.uk

Hope to see you somewhere in the next few weeks. Wrap up warm. It?s getting cold out there.

Cheers

Dean

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER NEWS

DEAN OWENS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

Hi everyone.

What happened to our British summer??

I hope you managed to find some sunshine somewhere.

I just wanted to fill you in on what I?ve been up to the past few weeks and what lies ahead in the next wee while.

That?s me at the end of my run of dates in August.

Big thanks to those of you who came out to the gigs.

I had a fantastic time at the Southern Fried festival in Perth at the start of the month, first of all kicking the festival off on the Friday night at Perth Concert Hall opening for Nanci Griffith. The show was sold out and it was a wonderful audience. Nanci was very sweet and said some very kind things to me after the show. I had fun hanging out with her manager ? the legendary Phil Kaufman talking about the wonders of the desert and Airstream trailers!

After my set I had rush off to the Concert Hall foyer to take part in the live broadcast of BBC Radio Scotland?s Brand New Opry show (as I prefer to call it) with Bryan Burnett. It was great to be asked to take part in this show as it was one of the very last programmes. Sadly ?The Opry? is no more. It?s a real shame as Bryan and the various producers over the years have been big supporters of me and my music.

Bryan had asked me if I would be ok with playing a Felsons song  - Born To Lose You - for old times sake and also one from Whisky Hearts.

On the Saturday night it was the Hank Williams tribute concert
Lost Highway which was an absolute blast. The excellent house band was led by Stuart Nisbet on guitar and a whole host of great guest singers including Eddi Reader, Justin Currie (Del Amitri), Slaid Cleeves, Monica Queen, The Hazey Janes to name just a few. They delivered some brilliant versions of Hank songs. I opened the show with There?s A Tear In My Beer. We singers even had our own bar and barman onstage. You can?t beat that!

My London show at The Electroacoustic Club at the Slaughtered Lamb was great. It was good to finally meet Jon Redfern and see him and Mary Hampton play live. It was also good for Stuart (Nisbet) and I to get a gig under our belts.

After London it was on to Brighton, Tynemouth, Glasgow and then back home to Edinburgh for my first of two shows at The Voodoo Rooms.

This was a great gig. There were lots of familiar faces there and the author Irvine Welsh came along with his wife Beth. It was good of him to make it as he?s on a pretty hectic schedule just now promoting his new book - Crime.

I had Stuart with me on guitar and we were joined by my good friend Kevin McGuire on double bass. It was fab having Kev back with me.

The second show at The Voodoo Rooms was every bit as good. It?s a great little venue. I plan on being back there towards the end of the year

 There are more shows planned for September and the Autumn/Winter.

I will be at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen on September 21^st. Visit www.boxofficeaberdeen.com  for details.

I will also be back in London at the Electroacoustic Club at the Slaughtered Lamb on November 3rd doing a show with Nels Andrews.

Tickets available at �10 from

www.wegottickets.com/event/31934
www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=270568&interface=
or Phone: 0870 600 100

Info - www.electroacousticclub.com

As ever please keep an eye on the website or www.myspace.com/deanowenspace  for other news.

For other album news join the Navigator Records mailing list at www.navigatorrecords.co.uk

Remember that Whisky Hearts is released on Navigator Records on September 15^th.

Look out for the limited edition gatefold LP in RED vinyl (with cd and bonus film inside)

Also check out -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ez_yCBnWMw

for a solo acoustic video of me performing Sand In My Shoes and a video for On The Edge from The Droma Tapes ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr4PAyI7FHw

This was shot on Super 8 film up at Loch Droma in the Scottish Highlands by my wife Nicki.

I hope to see you somewhere over the autumn and winter months. Enjoy what?s left of the summer : )

All the best.

Dean

summer gigs

Hi there.

Just had it confirmed that I'll be heading back to Crete this summer to play two solo acoustic shows at the Artemis Apartments, Stavros (just outside Chania). The dates are Saturday the 12th and 19th of July. The Artemis Apartments are lovely to stay in if you're looking for a relaxing holiday in the sun. Check out www.akrotirivillas.com for details.

I'm also doing a show in Perth, Scotland at the Concert Hall with Nanci Griffith on the 1st of August as part of their Southern Fried Festival - www.horsecross.co.uk for details.

There are some other dates in the pipeline. I will keep you posted.

Off to see Grant Lee Phillips this week in Glasgow. Been a long time since I last saw him play. Just a solo show. Should be good.

Currently loving the new Sun Kil Moon album April. Hey and the new REM record isn't bad either. A bit of a return to form for them.

Enjoy the Spring.

Cheers for now.

Dean

Happy Easter

Hi there.

This a very brief update just to check all this blog stuff is working properly.

I just got back from London where I was having some new pictures taken for the repackaged re-release of Whisky Hearts. News of this will follow soon. There are some really cool things on the horizon.

While in London I met up with my old mate Jamie Sives. Jamie is a movie and TV actor. He can be seen at the moment playing John in The Passion on BBC1. We had a good night out with some of his friends including - Jessica Hynes (The Royle Family, Spaced, Harry Potter, Shaun Of The Dead, ) and Sendhil Ramamurthy who is one of the lead characters in the  NBC series Heroes. Lovely folks.

Nothing much more to report just now, but I will be back here very soon with an update on the record and shows.

Cheers for now and Happy Easter

Dean

whisky hearts reviews

Happy New Year everyone.

Hope you had a good festive season.

I wanted to let you know the great news that Whisky Hearts has just received positive reviews in Uncut, Q, Word and Rock “n” Reel magazine, plus lots of other publications and websites including a four star review in, wait for it….The Sun newspaper!!

And listen out for the new single Years Ago on a radio station near you from the end of January.

That’s it for now – all the best for 2008…
Cheers,
Dean

Whisky Hearts reviews

Happy New Year everyone.

Hope you had a good festive season.

I wanted to let you know the great news that Whisky Hearts has just received positive reviews in Uncut, Q, Word and Rock “n” Reel magazine, plus lots of other publications and websites including a four star review in, wait for it….The Sun newspaper!!

And listen out for the new single Years Ago on a radio station near you from the end of January.

That’s it for now – all the best for 2008…
Cheers,
Dean

Whisky Hearts reviews

DEAN OWENS ANNOUNCEMENT JAN 2008:


Happy New Year everyone.

Hope you had a good festive season.

I wanted to let you know the great news that Whisky Hearts has just received positive reviews in Uncut, Q, Word and Rock “n” Reel magazine, plus lots of other publications and websites including a four star review in, wait for it….The Sun newspaper!!

And listen out for the new single Years Ago on a radio station near you from the end of January.

I'm trying to get over a horrible bout of flu at the moment. Hope to be back on my feet soon.

Currently listening to The Smiths (various albums).

That’s it for now – all the best for 2008…
Cheers,
Dean