Giltrap teams up with his friend Carrie for village gig
SEASONED performers Carrie Martin and Gordon Giltrap will be combining their musical talents for a show at Alstonefield Village Hall next weekend.
The duo will take to the stage as part of the village’s In Concert series, and tickets are on sale for this next date in the busy calendar, due to begin at 8pm on Saturday, May 14.
Singer-songwriter Carrie picked up a guitar at the age of four and made her first public performance at the age of nine for a school concert. Her fellow Alstonefield performer is a revered guitarist, whose playing is admired by the likes of Ritchie Blackmore and Pete Townshend.
From Carrie’s humble debut, her teenage years were defined by music. By the end of her teens, inspired by bands such as the Bangles, Transvision Vamp and Heart, she dropped the guitar and fronted a band called Foreign Affair.
A chance meeting with Gordon in 2011 when he invited her onstage during one of his shows when the support act backed out led to her picking up the guitar again and she quickly developed her technique under his mentorship.
They became great friends and occasionally share a stage together.
These days, Gordon only performs at venues he enjoys, often intimate spaces where he can connect with the audience. His musical styles cross many genres, including folk, blues, folk rock, pop, classical and rock.
He has made more than 25 albums, worked with an array of musicians including Rick Wakeman, Cliff Richard and Brian May, and has had several hits, including Heartsong, which became the theme tune to the BBC’S Holiday programme.
His single Fear of the Dark was the first 12-inch colour picture disc to be released in the UK and in 1996, he wrote much of the music and performed alongside Cliff Richard in the West End musical Heathcliff.
In 2000, Gordon was invited to become a member of The Grand Order of Water Rats - the oldest showbusiness charity in the UK, with members including Queen’s Brian May.
Next weekend’s concert will offer a live bar, and tickets are priced at £14 on the door, or £12 if bought in advance by calling 01335 310322.