Press

New Album Review from Pete Smith in the UK
The Advertiser” (UK) – 4 March 2011
Aubrey Lovejoy is one of Britain’s all-time great country balladeers. During his career, particularly during the early part, he was dubbed “Britain’s Charley Pride” something I could not understand. Aubrey is not black though he was born in India but of British parents. Maybe that was the link. The title though was and is totally unfair for Aubrey is “Britain’s Aubrey Lovejoy”. He does not need to ride on the back of any American star; he is a world talent in his own right. Lovejoy has a beautiful warm baritone (similar to Pride’s?) that evokes just the right emotion whatever subject or mood the song presents and this is especially true of his current album “Silence In The Wind” (Mosrite). But before we look at the album in a little detail let us remind ourselves of Aubrey’s journey in country music. He came to England in 1961 where he completed his education. He was involved in a nasty motorcycle accident when he was sixteen and during his year-long hospitalisation he became interested in country music. It was a visit to the Wembley Festival (oh how I miss those events) that convinced him he had to be a country singer. With the support and financial help of his parents Aubrey spent two years at the London School of Singing before embarking upon a solo career. In 1975 he began constructing a band that would eventually become the respected Tennessee Rain. Extensive tours of the UK and Europe followed headlining his own shows and supporting American stars such as Tammy Wynette, George Hamilton 1V, Tex Williams and many more. Lovejoy was the first British artist to make the American country charts and has long been associated with the noted producer/guitarist Mark Moseley (I remember bringing Mark and his band to the Rotherham Arts Centre some years ago). Mark, naturally, produced “Silence In The Wind” a collection of 13 superb old and new songs spiced with wonderful covers of country classics. Included are two Ronnie Milsap hits, “Why Don’t You Spend The Night” and “Almost Like A Song”, john Schweers tender “A Rose For Today”, the Johnny Rodriguez smash “Pass Me By” and, inevitable I suppose, Charley Pride’s “All I Have to Offer You Is Me”. Two Mark Moseley co-writes are also included; “Watchin’ Robin Like A Hawk” (with a contribution from the lovely Liverpudlian Marie Lester) and “He’s Getting All I Ever Wanted”. www.aubreylovejoy.co.uk