Charlie Dore

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Charlie Dore with Julian Littman

"An amazingly astute, moving, intelligent and connected songwriter...a voice like Kate McGarrigle meets Dory Previn. Wonderful." Mike Harding

"A gift for melody, brave, poignant, entertaining, original" Guardian

Multi award-winning singer-songwriter Charlie Dore plays Malvern Cube for the first time on 13th Feb 2022 with her long-time collaborator Julian Littman of Steeleye Span. Expect an evening of 'intriguingly other' eclectic contemporary folk with crunchy lyrics as the pair swap guitars, mandolin, harmonium, piano, ukulele, autoharp and lots of banter. They'll showcase her brand new album, out June 19th, dip into live favourites from the past 6 albums including the double award-winner Dark Matter as well as sharing original acoustic versions of hits she has written for others, including George Harrison, Celine Dion and Jimmy Nail. They may even do a new version of Charlie's classic hit, Pilot of the Airwaves, still a national radio favourite.

Although best known as a respected songwriter for others, Charlie enjoys a multi-faceted career that includes acting, comedy-improvisation, writing for radio and composition for film and TV as well as performing live with her band. After drama school, regional rep and a stint in childrens television Charlie formed a bluegrass band playing Monday nights in a west London pancake house.

The band, with school friend Julian Littman graduated to the pub circuit from where she was signed by Island Records in 1978. She made her first album in Nashville and London and released a single, Pilot of the Airwaves, which became a hit in the US.

Since then she has made eight albums, one per decade for the 80s (Listen for Chrysalis) and 90s (Things Change, Black Ink), during which time she also returned to acting and started writing for other artists. She became one of a handful of UK songwriters to have success across diverse genres with songs covered by George Harrison, Tina Turner, Lisa Stansfied, Ricky Ross, Sheena Easton (US No 4), Celine Dion, Black, UB40, Status Quo, Paul Carrack and a UK No 1, Aint No Doubt for Jimmy Nail. In 1996 she had a surprise European Club hit with an Italian remix of Time Goes By from the Things Change album, which reached No 6 in Italy.

She starred opposite Jonathan Pryce in the award-winning film The Ploughmans Lunch, worked in theatre, appeared in two shows with the iconic People Show company, television and radio with Eric Idle and co-founded and performed at London comedy-impro venue The Hurricane Club for seven years, working alongside many comedy icons including Bill Bailey, Harry Hill and Robin Williams.

Five of Charlies albums have been released since 2005 on her own label Black Ink, which have seen her rediscover her own voice and return to her earlier folk-roots influences. She considers herself a fairly late starter in terms of resuming her own recordings and so intends to keep touring until she drops. Her songs have won two Ascap awards, an Ivor Novello nomination, both the Overall Grand and the Folk Prize from the International Acoustic Music Awards and in 2012 Best Album Lyrics from the Indy Acoustic Project for her album Cheapskate Lullabyes. Charlie's current album, Dark Matter, her 9th has won both Album of the Year and Best Lyrics from the US Indie Acoustic Project. It is described as "Metaphysical themes versus small dramas with humans routinely baffled by their own inner space. Zen Folk for the curious". Another home-grown project, the album was recorded and mixed in Charlie's room with co-producer-writer-schoolfriend Julian Littman, who plays guitars, Dobro, mandolin, banjo, lap steel, piano and percussion (house keys make a return appearance) while Charlie plays guitar, piano, ukulele and harmonium.

The album features Gareth Huw Davies on 5-string Double Bass ">https://youtu.be/dBNUafZ9AjE

"An amazingly astute, moving, intelligent and connected songwriter...a voice like Kate McGarrigle meets Dory Previn. Wonderful." Mike Harding

"A gift for melody, brave, poignant, entertaining, original" Guardian