Simon Kempston Guests on Thank Folk It’s Friday

Simon Kempston is ‘one of Scotland’s very best songwriters’ (The Sunday Herald), a composer and leading fingerstyle guitarist based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

You can hear Simon talking about his new album, My Dreams Are Theirs on Thank Folk It’s Friday, 30th August from 8pm.

My Dreams Are Theirs is an exquisite reflection of one person’s creative talents, of which there seems no boundaries.  On this latest collection of songs, Kempston takes on the task of performing every single note, revealing multi-instrumental prowess alongside his renowned distinctive guitar style.  This music is intimate, passionate, literate, stunningly beautiful, and yet wonderfully relatable and accessible.  An Edinburgh Festival critic once opined that in Kempston, Dundee had produced one of Scotland’s most poetic and expressive musicians, listen to this record and find out for yourself.

There are very few artists who manage to create a sound on an acoustic guitar which is distinctive, instantly recognisable.  Simon’s complex finger-picking style, which draws from the disparate genres of classical, celtic and blues (amongst others) confirms he is certainly one such artist, his subtle style providing the perfect accompaniment for his rich, powerful and compelling tenor vocals.

His outstanding songs showcase thought-provoking, inspiring poetic lyrics which often sidestep the usual themes of love and attraction, in favour of offering crucial, important political and social commentary.  Fascinations with architecture, travel and English literature have all informed his impressive lyrical style, words which can stand alone as poetry in their own right apart from the music.

Live performances are well-known for their intensity, Simon’s true passion for music and songs shine through in his critically acclaimed shows.  With more than a decade of international touring behind him in 31 European countries, Siberian Russia, Uzbekistan (the first Scottish artist to do so), Canada (7 tours), New Zealand, Argentina and Brazil he has performed at a countless number of esteemed venues, festivals, and on a plethora of international radio and television stations.