North East singer-songwriter Craig John Davidson is being championed by indie legend Badly Drawn Boy and recently supported the chart star.
Mercury Prize winner Badly Drawn Boy, who has racked up three top 10 UK album hits, has hailed Craig as ‘a supremely talented musician’.
Badly Drawn Boy, aka Damon Gough, was so keen to see Craig perform live he personally invited him to support him on the Glasgow leg of his tour.
It was a welcome surprise for Craig – as he had already bought a ticket for the show to see the musician who has been an inspiration to him for two decades.
Badly Drawn Boy began listening to Craig’s music three years ago and has raved about the Udny singer-songwriter ever since.
The musicians struck up a friendship online and then spent hours chatting backstage when they met up at the St Lukes show in Glasgow.
Craig revealed there are plans to work together again in the future.
Craig said: “Damon has been supporting my music since just before the coronavirus pandemic.
“He shares my music and tries to get it more exposure.
“Damon had a support for his whole tour but he spoke to his management to personally get me to do the Glasgow gig.
“He says he loves my music and wanted to see me live.
“I had already bought a ticket for the gig to see him in Glasgow.
“But then I got an email from Damon’s manager asking if I would be interested in supporting him at that show.
“I was going anyway!
“It was an honour to support him and it went really well.
“There are definitely plans to work together again in the future.”
‘It was surreal hanging out with him’
Badly Drawn Boy won the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2000 for hit album The Hour of Bewilderbeast.
He beat acts including Coldplay, Doves, Richard Ashcroft and Leftfield to secure the award.
Craig is one of the most of the most beguiling, creative voices in Scottish music and deserves a wider audience.
Having been a huge fan of Badly Drawn Boys since his mid teens Craig said it was surreal to play on the same show.
Craig is a supremely talented singer songwriter and musician. He’s opening tonight’s show with me in Glasgow. Get there to see him if you can. I’m really looking forward to seeing you Craig !! 🎸 https://t.co/4iLUN3Gu2f
— Badly Drawn Boy (@badly_drawn_boy) March 29, 2023
Craig said: “We had been speaking online for a few years and I felt like I knew Damon already through his music.
“I have been listening to Damon’s records since I was 15 or 16-years-old.
“He is in my top three artists and I have met him a few times over the years.
“But never on that level of being backstage for hours, exchanging phone numbers and things like that.
“In Glasgow we hit it off straight away and Damon came up and hugged me.
“We got on like a house on fire as we are really similar people.
“Having been a big fan of Damon’s music for almost two decades it was surreal hanging out together and opening the show for him.
“He’s been so supportive of my music over the last few years.
“You couldn’t meet a more modest and kind person.
“He texted me and said he was humbled and flattered that I hold him in such high regard as he is quite a humble, self deprecating guy.”
Tour of the United States beckons
Craig, from Udny, has released a string of critically acclaimed albums, starting with his 2008 debut Soaked in Harm.
Released last year, Tickets To The Sea was the follow up to 2020’s Queen Compulsion.
Tickets To The Sea was named ‘Album of the Week’ by BBC Radio Scotland.
Craig recently released single Sixty Shades of Blue exclusively on audio platform Bandcamp.
The singer songwriter will headline The Blue Lamp on Friday before jetting out to America for a series of shows later this month.
It will be the first time Craig has toured the USA since an extensive 15-date coast to coast trip in 2015.
That tour in 2015 was in support of rockers Lotus Crush, the band fronted by Craig’s USA based close friend Terry McDermott.
Aberdeen born Terry finished runner-up in hit television show The Voice USA in 2012.
Craig also has plans for a European tour later this summer.
He said: “All of the American shows will be in the state of Louisiana.
“There is a show with Terry at a festival called CrownFest in his home city of New Orleans.
“I have played in New Orleans before. In the last American tour I played a lot of states.
“Before I head out to America the show at The Blue Lamp will be my last local performance.
“I’ll be joined onstage by Matt Duncan of The Malpaso Gang playing pedal steel/ electric guitar.
“Support will come from David Angus.”
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