Singer has been inspired by stars… and an airport

For our countywide leisure guide and TV listings, see your What’s On supplement

A Canadian singer with 14 albums under his belt and a collection of famous admirers will play in Ashford this month.

Ron Sexsmith will perform songs from his extensive catalogue at Revelations St Mary’s on Tuesday, October 27.

The songwriter, now aged 51, has been in the business since he was just 14 when he started his own band.

He then worked in a bar in his home town in Ontario at the age of 17, singing requests. He went on to record his own music, releasing his first album, Grand Opera Lane, in 1991.

He has since released 14 albums, with triggers and inspirations for them coming from the unlikeliest of places.

Forever Endeavour, for example, released in 2013, was born of a health scare while its predecessor Long Player, Late Bloomer was inspired by disillusionment.

However, the source of inspiration for his latest record, Carousel One, was the luggage retrieval belt at Los Angeles airport, where bags from Toronto inbound flights are delivered.

It has since been dubbed his most diverse album.

Opening track Sure As The Sky originated as a folky campfire song but it turned into more of a folk/rock number, while Saint Bernard is a tribute to an anonymous family dog from a photograph picked up in a second-hand shop by his partner, Colleen.

Over the years, he has won the admiration of leading songwriters such as Elvis Costello, Elton John and Paul McCartney.

He has also collaborated with many artists; a version of his song Gold in Them Hills from his 2002 album Cobblestone Runway features vocals from Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

Acknowledgement for his work came in 2011, when he won a songwriter of the year Juno Award for track Whatever it Takes.

His album Long Player Late Bloomer was also shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize in the same year.

Sexsmith will be supported by folk duo Trevor Moss and Hannah Lou at the town centre venue.

For more information or tickets, which start at £20 for adults in advance, go to revelationstmarys.co.uk

Ron Sexsmith will play in Ashford