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Rachel Harrington

SIX months ago Rachel Harrington was working as a university admissions clerk back home in the States.

But thanks to the furore her 2007 debut album The Bootlegger's Daughter caused she is now a fully fledged singer songwriter and happily earning a buck or two by taking to the road with her trusty guitar.

Her current UK tour brings her to the Leigh Folk Festival this weekend and she is loving life on the road.

"I've bought a car navigation system now and it is the best thing since sliced bread," she laughs.

"It has been a crazy time," the singer admits, "but I can't think of a better way to make a living."

Guitar playing was something of a tradition among the women in the Harrington household as Rachel grew up in Oregon.

"Both my grandmother and mother played the guitar and sang but the never performed, Rachel explains. "I think at first I picked up that idea that you just played the guitar and sang at home."

In 2004 Rachel took the plunge to get her music heard outside the four walls of home.

Rachel will be performing with Zak Borden

"I did a few open mic sessions and had a small demo CD I recorded at home," she recalls, " the next thing I know I had some nice opening spots for national acts."

By 2006 Rachel was touring with her songwriting hero Guy Clark, winning national songwriting awards, and performing at large festivals.

It was all the wrong way round from the traditional way to break into the music business.

She had extensive radio play before performing her first live show, and she opened for Grammy winners and nominees before her debut full-length record was even a glimmer in her eye.

Three years after she hit the touring circuit Rachel finally released her first album.

"I know by most people's standards the debut was a long time coming." she laughs. "But it worked really well for me and I was able to cut my teeth performing and pay my dues to some extent."

It was worth the wait for many though, as the album has been critically acclaimed on both sides of the pond.

Not least from Radio 2's Bob Harris who described it as a brilliant debut' and added "I am absolutely enchanted with this record."

It was validation for Rachel as songwriting was something of a new endeavour.

"Bob's comments were fantastic and did no harm at all to the album's success," Rachel says " I stared out late in song writing really. I have always written in one form but it tended to be more short stories and I have an unpublished novel as well."

In keeping with her country and gospel roots, Rachel's songs tend to tell a tale "If anything, I think I'm actually a short story writer. The story always comes first," she admits about her songs.

"I feel like the world has plenty of love songs already and plenty of heartbreak songs as well so I prefer to write songs about different things.

"History really inspires me and in particular that wild west frontier mentality of America - a lot of my songs are inspired by that."

Despite the subject matter, Rachel believes her songs work just as well over here.

"There is a great appreciation in the UK for traditional American music," she says.

Rachel is currently putting the finishing touches to City Of Refuge, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to The Bootlegger's Daughter due to be released in later this summer.

Her current UK dates sees Rachel touring as a duo with by multi-instrumentalist Zak Borden on vocals, mandolin, guitar and various other instruments until August.

A solid songwriter in his own right, Zak has toured extensively throughout the US and UK having worked with, among others, Casey Neill, The Watson Twins, and his own platinum selling cousin, Willy Mason.

The pair will perform at the folk festival on Sunday afternoon in the Peter Boat car park at 2.15pm.

"People can expect to hear what we would describe as acoustic Americana I suppose," says Rachel, " combined of course with some folk and country.

"Basically we will offer something for everyone and we are really excited to be coming down there to see you guys."

11:37am Wednesday 25th June 2008

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