NOW, just over a year after quitting Oxford and turning professional, Stroud based singer songwriter Hattie Briggs is set to release her debut album Red & Gold.

It comes out on April 6 via her own label Wise Dog Records. The album includes a cover of Eva Cassidy’s version of Fields Of Gold, produced by Eva's brother, Dan Cassidy, who also plays a violin solo on the record. Dan got in contact with Hattie a few months ago, saying he loved her cover of his sister’s song and was very happy to feature on her debut album. Red & Gold entered the iTunes singer songwriter charts on the first day of pre-order sales this Monday and reached the top 20, and her EP My Shepherd’s Hut also re-entered the charts the same day.

Her new single A Beautiful Mind was inspired by Peggy Seeger's tribute to her half brother Pete Seeger at the Albert Hall last year, which Hattie heard at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards ceremony. The track has already been played on the BBC by Sam Bonham, Mark Radcliffe on his Radio 2 Folk Show and by Clare Balding last Sunday on her early morning show.

Hattie's national support tour starts on Saturday with a gig at The Convent in South Woodchester. She will be opening for Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, elder brother of Seth, who she supported last year. Tickets are available via https://theconvent.netgig.co.uk/event/kathryn-roberts-sean-lakeman/.

Hattie recently played as part of the Stroud Fringe Showcase at the Sub Rooms alongside Hot Feet and the Ones. With recent invitations to play at the London Folk Festival, and Milefest 2015 in addition to the Cheltenham Jazz Festival on May 4, Bushcraft and Guiting Power, Hattie's forward gig diary now has 44 events in it and is filling up fast. Catch her when you can! She will be featured in the May edition of Cotswold Life, followed by a lifestyle feature in Psychologies magazine in June.