Bobby Long (musician)
Encyclopedia
Bobby Long is a British
singer-songwriter
whose largely acoustic body of work has its roots in folk. Born Robert Thomas Long in Wigan
, near Manchester
, he moved at age 4 to Calne
in Wiltshire
, where he grew up, though he still holds deep roots in Wigan.
in 2005 to attend London Metropolitan University
where he studied sound and media for film. He began playing open mic
nights at local clubs, meeting his manager, Phil Taylor of Up All Night Music, on one such occasion. Regular gigs on this circuit involved Long with a coterie of likeminded young musicians, among them Sam Bradley, Marcus Foster and Robert Pattinson
, whose career as an actor was just beginning. Long’s career trajectory took a major leap when Pattinson performed the song “Let Me Sign”, co-written by Long and Foster, in the 2008 blockbuster vampire film Twilight
'.'
Long graduated from London Met in June, 2009, earning his degree after writing his senior thesis on The Social Impact of American Folk Music
, and commenced performing full-time. A spring series of showcase dates introduced him to American audiences in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, and, by July, he embarked on the critically well-received “The Dangerous Summer”, named for Ernest Hemingway's book The Dangerous Summer
, a favorite of Long's. Long's fans, some of which first discovered his music via the Twilight soundtrack, turned out for shows throughout the U.S. and Canada and pushed his MySpace page past one million page views in July 2009. Bobby Long’s debut appearance at Arlene's Grocery
in New York on April 14, 2009 was recorded for a live independent CD.
Long recorded the 10-song collection Dirty Pond Songs in his London bedroom, traffic noises and all. “Left to Lie” from Dirty Pond Songs, became an iTunes
favorite, topping the site’s “Unsigned” chart and reaching #8 on its Folk Music chart. “The Bounty of Mary Jane” from Dirty Pond Songs and a live version of his “Being a Mockingbird”, recorded at Arlene’s Grocery in New York City, were also released via iTunes. “The Dangerous Summer” tour continued until the end of 2009, logging some 80 performances in all.
Long embarked upon the “Left to Lie” tour of Europe in early 2010 and began to record his first studio CD with producer Grammy winner Liam Watson
at Toe Rag Studios in London. He also released a collection of live performances from the Dangerous Summer 2009 tour. "My Darling Belle" from that collection went to #2 on iTunes' Singer-Songwriter chart.
On April 23, 2010, Long officially signed on to the roster at ATO Records
, the label co-founded by musician Dave Matthews, which is home to such artists as Radiohead
, David Gray
, Ben Kweller
, Liz Phair
, and more. They released his debut album, "A Winter Tale", on February 1, 2011. During 2010, he toured with Matt Pond PA during which time he met the Kalob Griffin Band, also known as KGB, who would become his backing band for subsequent U.S. dates that year, including the Mile High Festival in Denver, the xPoNential Music Festival in Philadelphia and the Troubadour in Los Angeles. He did a solo tour of Europe in the fall, followed by North American dates in support of Michael Franti. He ended the year with a fund-raising event at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in Manhattan where he debuted his new touring band.
Long has spent most of 2011 promoting the album "A Winter Tale," which began with a tour in North America. He also made an appearance on The Tonight Show
on February 3, 2011 and on The Early Show
on August 8, 2011. During the summer, as part of the legendary Bonnaroo Music Festival
, he played on the Cafe Stage. The Dave Matthews Band Caravan
included him in the line-up in Atlantic City, NJ and in Chicago, IL. He played on the BMI stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival
in September. Long made "another live" recorded EP called "The Backing Singer" in July, 2011, with the producer, Jesse Lauter, that has only been available for purchase at shows. In October, 2011, he kicked off "The Losing My Brotherhood Tour" with shows in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
whose largely acoustic body of work has its roots in folk. Born Robert Thomas Long in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, he moved at age 4 to Calne
Calne
Calne is a town in Wiltshire, southwestern England. It is situated at the northwestern extremity of the North Wessex Downs hill range, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty....
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, where he grew up, though he still holds deep roots in Wigan.
History
He learned cello as a child, guitar at age 17, and started writing songs when he was 18. His earliest performing experience was as lead guitarist in a local grunge band. Long moved to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 2005 to attend London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University , located in London, England, was formed on 1 August 2002 by the amalgamation of the University of North London and the London Guildhall University . The University has campuses in the City of London and in the London Borough of Islington.The University operates its...
where he studied sound and media for film. He began playing open mic
Open mike
An open mike or open mic is a live show where audience members may perform at the microphone. Usually, the performers sign up in advance for a time slot with the host or master of ceremonies. These events can be focused on poetry and the spoken word, music, comedy, and the open format of open...
nights at local clubs, meeting his manager, Phil Taylor of Up All Night Music, on one such occasion. Regular gigs on this circuit involved Long with a coterie of likeminded young musicians, among them Sam Bradley, Marcus Foster and Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson
Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson is an English actor, model, musician, and producer. Born and raised in London, Pattinson started out his career by playing the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...
, whose career as an actor was just beginning. Long’s career trajectory took a major leap when Pattinson performed the song “Let Me Sign”, co-written by Long and Foster, in the 2008 blockbuster vampire film Twilight
Twilight (2008 film)
Twilight is a 2008 American romantic vampire film based on Stephenie Meyer's popular novel of the same name. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the film stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. It is the first film in The Twilight Saga film series...
'.'
Long graduated from London Met in June, 2009, earning his degree after writing his senior thesis on The Social Impact of American Folk Music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, and commenced performing full-time. A spring series of showcase dates introduced him to American audiences in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, and, by July, he embarked on the critically well-received “The Dangerous Summer”, named for Ernest Hemingway's book The Dangerous Summer
The Dangerous Summer
The Dangerous Summer is a book written by Ernest Hemingway published in 1985, which describes the rivalry between bullfighters Luis Miguel Dominguín and his brother-in-law Antonio Ordóñez during the "dangerous summer" of 1959...
, a favorite of Long's. Long's fans, some of which first discovered his music via the Twilight soundtrack, turned out for shows throughout the U.S. and Canada and pushed his MySpace page past one million page views in July 2009. Bobby Long’s debut appearance at Arlene's Grocery
Arlene's Grocery
Arlene's Grocery is a bar and music venue in the Lower East Side, Manhattan. It is located at 95 Stanton Street, and has been a bar/venue since 1996....
in New York on April 14, 2009 was recorded for a live independent CD.
Long recorded the 10-song collection Dirty Pond Songs in his London bedroom, traffic noises and all. “Left to Lie” from Dirty Pond Songs, became an iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
favorite, topping the site’s “Unsigned” chart and reaching #8 on its Folk Music chart. “The Bounty of Mary Jane” from Dirty Pond Songs and a live version of his “Being a Mockingbird”, recorded at Arlene’s Grocery in New York City, were also released via iTunes. “The Dangerous Summer” tour continued until the end of 2009, logging some 80 performances in all.
Long embarked upon the “Left to Lie” tour of Europe in early 2010 and began to record his first studio CD with producer Grammy winner Liam Watson
Liam Watson
Liam Watson is a Grammy Award-winning British record producer and owner of Toe Rag Studios. Watson is perhaps best known for his work engineering and mixing the White Stripes' Elephant, receiving the 2004 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album...
at Toe Rag Studios in London. He also released a collection of live performances from the Dangerous Summer 2009 tour. "My Darling Belle" from that collection went to #2 on iTunes' Singer-Songwriter chart.
On April 23, 2010, Long officially signed on to the roster at ATO Records
ATO Records
According to Our Records was founded in early 2000 by Dave Matthews , Coran Capshaw, Chris Tetzeli, and Michael McDonald as a division of RCA Records...
, the label co-founded by musician Dave Matthews, which is home to such artists as Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, David Gray
David Gray (musician)
David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
, Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life:Ben Kweller was born in San Francisco, CA in 1981. In 1982, his family relocated to Emory, Texas, where his father, Howard Kweller, became the town's first doctor. In 1986, the Kwellers moved to a much larger city,...
, Liz Phair
Liz Phair
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
, and more. They released his debut album, "A Winter Tale", on February 1, 2011. During 2010, he toured with Matt Pond PA during which time he met the Kalob Griffin Band, also known as KGB, who would become his backing band for subsequent U.S. dates that year, including the Mile High Festival in Denver, the xPoNential Music Festival in Philadelphia and the Troubadour in Los Angeles. He did a solo tour of Europe in the fall, followed by North American dates in support of Michael Franti. He ended the year with a fund-raising event at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in Manhattan where he debuted his new touring band.
Long has spent most of 2011 promoting the album "A Winter Tale," which began with a tour in North America. He also made an appearance on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
on February 3, 2011 and on The Early Show
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
on August 8, 2011. During the summer, as part of the legendary Bonnaroo Music Festival
Bonnaroo Music Festival
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an annual four day music festival created and produced by Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment, held at Great Stage Park on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. It hosted its tenth annual event June 9–12, 2011...
, he played on the Cafe Stage. The Dave Matthews Band Caravan
Dave Matthews Band Caravan
Dave Matthews Band Caravan is a series of concert festivals headed by the Dave Matthews Band. The four festivals, occurring during the summer of 2011, will take the place of DMB's usual summer tour, after the band announced its intentions to take time off from touring last year. The first festival...
included him in the line-up in Atlantic City, NJ and in Chicago, IL. He played on the BMI stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day American music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas at the city's central public park, Zilker Park...
in September. Long made "another live" recorded EP called "The Backing Singer" in July, 2011, with the producer, Jesse Lauter, that has only been available for purchase at shows. In October, 2011, he kicked off "The Losing My Brotherhood Tour" with shows in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Albums
- 2009: Dirty Pond Songs (self-released)
- 2009: Live at Arlene's Grocery (self-released)
- 2010: Dangerous Summer 2009 (self-released)
- 2010: Stranger Songs EP (ATO Records)
- 2011: A Winter Tale (ATO Records)
- 2011: The Backing Singer EP (ATO Records)
Singles
- 2009: Left to Lie
- 2009: Being a Mockingbird (Live)
- 2009: The Bounty of Mary Jane
- 2010: My Darling Belle
External links
- http://www.bobbylong.info website
- Bobby Long on MySpace
- MusicBobbyLong website