The South Devon based songwriter Nicky Swann sent us an interesting e-mail about the award nomination of her song Because of You. Inspired by the Victorian theatre architect Frank Matcham, from Newton Abbot, it's one of a number of her songs whose themes draw on Devon historical topics, particularly relating to Newton Abbot.
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An acoustic singer-songwriter, Nicky Swann won the Best Acoustic Act category of the South West Music Awards 2011. The Album Lyrics & History page describes the historical inspirations for the songs on her second album How Does Your Land Lie?
They include the role of Devon sailors in the Newfoundland cod fishing industry; the life of Frank Matcham, born in 1854 in Newton Abbot; the salvage diver John Lethbridge, born in Newton Abbot in 1675; the tragic story of the suicide victim Kitty Jay; the rope in the Newton Abbot Museum collection, made in the 1920s from the hair of Maude Albrighten; the work of John William Ley, campaigner for workhouse reform; the Luftwaffe attack on Newton Abbot Railway Station on 20th August 1940; the artist David Stuttard; the hanging of Thomas Campion following the Ilsington Bread Riots of 1795; Newton Abbot's horse racing history; and a celebration of the traditional malthouse Tucker's Maltings.
See nickyswann.com for more information and track samples. The song Because of You (which is on SoundCloud) has been nominated Best Original Song in the 2013 Spiral Earth Awards: visit here if you'd like to vote.
- RG
They include the role of Devon sailors in the Newfoundland cod fishing industry; the life of Frank Matcham, born in 1854 in Newton Abbot; the salvage diver John Lethbridge, born in Newton Abbot in 1675; the tragic story of the suicide victim Kitty Jay; the rope in the Newton Abbot Museum collection, made in the 1920s from the hair of Maude Albrighten; the work of John William Ley, campaigner for workhouse reform; the Luftwaffe attack on Newton Abbot Railway Station on 20th August 1940; the artist David Stuttard; the hanging of Thomas Campion following the Ilsington Bread Riots of 1795; Newton Abbot's horse racing history; and a celebration of the traditional malthouse Tucker's Maltings.
See nickyswann.com for more information and track samples. The song Because of You (which is on SoundCloud) has been nominated Best Original Song in the 2013 Spiral Earth Awards: visit here if you'd like to vote.
- RG