Sian Chandler and Ray Hughes aka The Black Feathers have released a video for 'Holy Water' the first single from their upcoming second album due in the spring of 2018. 'Holy Water' will be released on October 13th and is a stunning track which will be familiar to those of us who've been lucky enough to catch the duo live. If 'Holy Water' is anything to go by then the new album can't come soon enough. In the meantime the duo are setting out on a UK tour which starts on September 13th in Nottingham. More about The Black Feathers, those tour dates and the new video for 'Holy Water' follows:

Hailing from the Gloucestershire countryside, award-winning Americana duo, The Black Feathers announce the release of a new single Holy Water, the first to be taken from their eagerly awaited second album, due for release in the spring of 2018; the band will also embark on a tour across the UK through September.

The Black Feathers UK Tour Dates
Wednesday 13th September - The Running Horse, Nottingham
Thursday 14th September - Stroud Subscription Rooms
Friday 15th September - Cafe #9, Sheffield
Saturday 16th September - Town Hall Live, Kirton In Lindsey
Sunday 17th September - Castle Hotel, Manchester
Saturday 23rd September - The Sound Lounge, London
Thursday 28th September - Acoustic Couch, Bracknell
Saturday 30th September - The Bear Club, Luton
Friday 13th October - The Friends Meeting House, Oxford
Saturday 21st October - The Railway, Winchester

The ability to write songs that sound both ancient and modern is a rare thing; weaving in traditional influences so thoroughly that they become the very fabric of fresh creations. The Black Feathers, Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler, are two such talents. Americana, folk and acoustic sensibilities coexist comfortably in their musical world, with Hughes’ guitarwork buoying the kind of gorgeously seamless vocal harmonies often heard only in family bands.

New single, Holy Water, is probably the duo’s most personal and revealing song to date; written following a deeply powerful performance in the chapel of a rehab facility for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts in Nashville TN during their recent US tour – the extraordinary experience being made all the more poignant as it fell on the same day as Ray celebrated six years of sobriety.

The music industry has a long and difficult history with addiction. What starts out as an exciting and liberating experience – creative, even – can all too easily become an obsession, leading to a downward spiral of self-destructive behaviour and isolation. And whilst some, like Ray, are lucky enough to realise that they’re falling, others simply don’t see the ground coming, and then struggle to come to terms with what has happened.

“Many turn to God or religion at such times, but not everyone has that choice, Holy Water tries to highlight the fact that you don’t need to be religious to be ‘saved’.”

— Ray Hughes - The Black Feathers

Holy Water follows an incredible year for the band; their debut album Soaked To The Bone met with critical acclaim, breaking into the Top 10 iTunes Country chart and the Official UK Americana Chart. Lead single Down By The River received an exclusive first play on BBC Radio
2’s Bob Harris show; and the band headed on tour throughout the UK & US winning over audiences from The Bedford in Balham to the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.