blues @ temperance | True Strays // Demi Marriner

2023 saw the lifelong friends and americana, roots rock n roll duo from Bristol take their songs further afield than ever before. Armed with their crowd funded debut album ‘Heart of the Matter’ and latest release ‘Live from White Noise;’ they toured the UK, supported Lukas Nelson & the Promise of the Real, rocked the Joe Bonamassa Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Mediterranean Cruise alongside the man himself, completed their first tour of Sweden all whilst paying the bills with their day jobs.

True Strays love modern and retro sounds. They are currently recording and self producing their next album in their home studio shed, aptly named Little Pink (A nod to The Band and Bob Dylan’s legendary house studio), giving them time to hone the sounds they love and desire. High voltage blues guitar riffs and melodic soul driven bass lines; tied together with harmonic vocals, surging 70s rock Hammond and shimmering psychedelia that takes you down the highway to the sunset and beyond….

James Cameron and Joseph James (A primary school teacher and roofer by day) who met in a sand pit in rural Wiltshire around aged 5, have supported bands as diverse as My Baby, Cam Cole, Holy Moly and the Crackers, Elles Bailey, Wille and the Bandits, Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra, Black Water County and Mad Dog Mcrea, been jump started by Keith Allen, had radio support from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 4 and Planet Rock, played in Europe and Scandinavia, survived 100+ festival shows at prestigious festivals like Black Deer, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues, Green Man, Boom Town, Larmer Tree, Glastonbury and Shambala, featured on the Spotify’s Nu-Blue and Modern Blues Rock playlists, performed for Bob Harris’ Under The Apple Tree Sessions and showcased at the prestigious UK AmericanaFest and the UK Blues Federation’s Blues Challenge.

Their songs focus on the dirt that life throws at you and how struggle can be transformed into something better. The prolific songwriting duo draw influences from classic sounds such as Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Fleetwood Mac and modern retro inspired acts like Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark Jr and the Black Keys.

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