Bag of Bones
La La La Blues
from new Riverboat Soul album due for release on Free Dirt Records in January

Born in St. Louisf
from the album 'Beat Move and Shake'

When the Pokey LaFarge travelling show glides into town, the ladies swoon and legions of new fans fall for his unique brand of songcraft, sharp personality, whiz-bang guitar pickin’ and natty line in showmanship.

At a crossroads where Blind Blake, Bessie Smith, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Townes Van Zandt intersect the songs are influenced by all that he admires from bygone days, yet turn out to be a wonderfully fresh and quirky kind of pop that combines delta-meets-appalachia writing with a big, big beat.

Following his debut in Glasgow, Sandy Semeonoff of Celtic Music Radio said: “This guy is unique - a guitar whizz, a blues & ragtime connoisseur, a mock trumpeter, AND a writer of unforgettable melodies.”

Reviewing his Edinburgh Fringe outing for The Herald, Rob Adams said: “Pokey is a throwback to the days of medicine shows and guitar-picking troubadours - a dapper bantamweight in a pork pie hat who has acquired the voice of a man three times his age and four times his size”.

Influential magazine, The List, said: “When you hear the ragged glories he knocks out on his acoustic six-string you know there’s more than just showbiz glitz to this critter. Like all genii, there’s a little bit of madness in there too, and LaFarge is a sweet singer and a dextrous instrumentalist – harmonica, guitar, banjo and kazoo all take a beating – as he throws out a timeless sound that could date from any period in the last 80 years. Go, be delighted."

Writing for Americana UK, Paul Kerr said Pokey possessed “the pathos of early Loudon Wainright and some of the vocal mannerisms of Michael Hurley”, and added: “This was a great show, similar in style and excellence to Justin Townes Earle’s solo performances. Pokey expects to return next year with his full band. Book your seats now.”

Spread the news: Pokey and The South City Three - Joey Glynn (upright bass/vocals), Ryan Koenig (washboard/harmonica/vocals) and Adam Hoskins (guitar/vocals) will indeed return to the UK in 2010.