British-born roots phenom Jake Bugg joins us this week on Beale Street Caravan. Jake’s new record Shangri-La is a collection of amazingly well-crafted tunes that belie his 19 yrs of age and it’s resonated with music lovers in a big way. His journey to Shangri La began in no small part here in Memphis, so naturally he came back through town to wrap up his latest tour. Also on the program, BSC contributor Adam Hill drops in for another episode of Made In Memphis. This week he discusses the story behind Sid Selvidge‘s Cold Of The Morning.
About the artist:
Raised on a steady diet of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and the brothers Gallagher, English singer/songwriter Jake Bugg blends the melodious, working-class swagger of the La’s and the primal, bluesy simplicity of the White Stripes with the wry, weathered romanticism of Jens Lekman. Born in Nottingham, Bugg picked up the guitar at the age of 12, and within a year he was composing his own songs. Disinterested in the hip-hop and grime that dominated the listening habits of his peers, he turned to the classics for inspiration. Bugg’s first brush with recognition came at the age of 17, when a local DJ began spinning one of the cuts he uploaded to BBC Introducing, a program that supports “unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar musicians.” An invitation to play Glastonbury arrived shortly thereafter, and before he knew it, he was supporting acts like Lana Del Ray, Example, and Michael Kiwanuka, and had inked a deal with Mercury. His first single, “Lightning Bolt,” arrived in early 2012, while his eponymous debut album appeared in October of the same year and featured production work from former Snow Patrol collaborator Iain Archer. In a whirlwind year, Bugg went on to tour extensively across the U.K. while receiving nominations for awards, including a Brit Award for Best British Newcomer and also the coveted Mercury Music Prize. In the summer of 2013, Bugg traveled to Malibu to record sessions for his sophomore record, Shangri La, with legendary producer Rick Rubin. The record again featured contributions from Archer and was released in November of 2013.
