Tim O'Brien with Naomi Bedford: The Appalachian Ballads

West Virginian Tim O’Brien has been a popular visitor to Glasgow since he played a mesmerising duo gig with Darrell Scott in the late 1990s. His singing and playing on guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo come straight from the bluegrass tradition and his songwriting expertly blends folklore with personal experience and honest expression. He will be joined by Transatlantic Sessions stable mates John McCusker, Michael McGoldrick and John Doyle, as well as Jan Fabricius on vocals.

Now a long way from her initial discovery by electronic dance music duo Orbital, Brighton-born Naomi Bedford has become established as a passionate upholder of folk and roots music and her latest project with Paul Simmonds finds her singing the often dark and haunting narratives of Appalachian folk tales with authority and deep feeling.