| Bobby Long | |
|---|---|
Bobby Long performing in Los Angeles |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | England |
| Genres | Folk rock, Folk, Country, Blues |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica |
| Labels | ATO Records |
Bobby Long (September 18, 1985) is a British singer-songwriter whose largely acoustic body of work has its roots in folk. Born Robert Thomas Long in Wigan, near Manchester, he moved at age 4 to Calne in Wiltshire, where he grew up, though he still holds deep roots in Wigan.
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He learned cello as a child, guitar at age 17, and started writing songs when he was 18. His earliest performing experience was as lead guitarist in a local grunge band. Long moved to London in 2005 to attend London Metropolitan University where he studied sound and media for film. He began playing open mic nights at local clubs, meeting his manager, Phil Taylor of Up All Night Music, on one such occasion. Regular gigs on this circuit involved Long with a coterie of likeminded young musicians, among them Sam Bradley, Marcus Foster and Robert Pattinson, whose career as an actor was just beginning. Long’s career trajectory took a major leap when Pattinson performed the song “Let Me Sign”, co-written by Long and Foster, in the 2008 blockbuster vampire film Twilight'.'
Long graduated from London Met in June, 2009, earning his degree after writing his senior thesis on The Social Impact of American Folk Music, and commenced performing full-time. A spring series of showcase dates introduced him to American audiences in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, and, by July, he embarked on the critically well-received “The Dangerous Summer”, named for Ernest Hemingway's book The Dangerous Summer, a favorite of Long's. Long's fans, some of which first discovered his music via the Twilight soundtrack, turned out for shows throughout the U.S. and Canada and pushed his MySpace page past one million page views in July 2009. Bobby Long’s debut appearance at Arlene's Grocery in New York on April 14, 2009 was recorded for a live independent CD.
Long recorded the 10-song collection Dirty Pond Songs in his London bedroom, traffic noises and all. “Left to Lie” from Dirty Pond Songs, became an iTunes favorite, topping the site’s “Unsigned” chart and reaching #8 on its Folk Music chart. “The Bounty of Mary Jane” from Dirty Pond Songs and a live version of his “Being a Mockingbird”, recorded at Arlene’s Grocery in New York City, were also released via iTunes. “The Dangerous Summer” tour continued until the end of 2009, logging some 80 performances in all.
Long embarked upon the “Left to Lie” tour of Europe in early 2010 and began to record his first studio CD with producer Grammy winner Liam Watson at Toe Rag Studios in London. He also released a collection of live performances from the Dangerous Summer 2009 tour. "My Darling Belle" from that collection went to #2 on iTunes' Singer-Songwriter chart.
On April 23, 2010, Long officially signed on to the roster at ATO Records, the label co-founded by musician Dave Matthews, which is home to such artists as Radiohead, David Gray, Ben Kweller, Liz Phair, and more. They released his debut album, "A Winter Tale", on February 1, 2011. During 2010, he toured with Matt Pond PA during which time he met the Kalob Griffin Band, also known as KGB, who would become his backing band for subsequent U.S. dates that year, including the Mile High Festival in Denver, the xPoNential Music Festival in Philadelphia and the Troubadour in Los Angeles. He did a solo tour of Europe in the fall, followed by North American dates in support of Michael Franti. He ended the year with a fund-raising event at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in Manhattan where he debuted his new touring band.
Long has spent most of 2011 promoting the album "A Winter Tale," which began with a tour in North America. He also made an appearance on The Tonight Show on February 3, 2011 and on The Early Show on August 8, 2011. During the summer, as part of the legendary Bonnaroo Music Festival, he played on the Cafe Stage. The Dave Matthews Band Caravan included him in the line-up in Atlantic City, NJ and in Chicago, IL. He played on the BMI stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival in September. Long made "another live" recorded EP called "The Backing Singer" in July, 2011, with the producer, Jesse Lauter, that has only been available for purchase at shows. In October, 2011, he kicked off "The Losing My Brotherhood Tour" with shows in Canada, the United States, and Europe.