Seth Lakeman was catapulted into the music mainstream when he was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2005 for his album ‘Kitty Jay’. Inspired by the legends and stories of Dartmoor where Seth grew up, it was produced by his elder brother Sean Lakeman and cost just £300 to record in his kitchen in a Dartmoor village. The Guardian noted his inclusion in the Mercury Prize shortlist at the time as “the biggest surprise” as he was up against a raft of well-known pop artists. Through Kitty Jay Seth brought folk music to a new, younger audience and he has been widely credited with breaking down perceptions and barriers often associated with folk music.
2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the album’s release and after a sell-out February tour, Seth will be back out in October with the band – Benji Kirkpatrick, Ben Nicholls, Cormac Byrne and Alex Hart – playing the album and other favourites.
Seth’s thrilling solo performance of the eponymous title track on live television at the Mercury Awards won him unanimous praise and started him on an incredible solo journey which has included record deals, 11 album releases (including 6 Top 40), BBC Radio 2 playlisted singles, a clutch of awards and touring all over the world.
After a limited vinyl pressing for Record Store Day 2023, ‘The Somerset Sessions’ was released in July this year on Signed CD & Clear Vinyl on Seth’s own Honour Oak Records, on the same weekend he played a run of four SOLD OUT shows at the Minack Theatre in Porthcurno. The ten-track album features original, unreleased session recordings from Seth featuring Ethan Johns and other guest musicians.
Seth was also part of the ‘Sea Song Sessions’ in 2022 – a collection of British maritime folk songs and sea shanties performed by Jon Boden, Seth, Ben Nicholls, Emily Portman and Jack Rutter. He was also delighted to be asked in late 2022 to record on Van Morrison’s new album ‘Moving On Skiffle’ which was released in March 2023 and has been performing with Morrison and his band in the UK and Europe including at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Seth has previously worked and toured extensively with Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) with his band the Sensational Space Shifters.