The Coal Porters
The Coal Porters claim to be the world’s first “alt-bluegrass” act, demonstrating the power of fiddle, mandolin, banjo, acoustic guitar and doghouse bass when matched with four-part harmonies and memorable melodies.
They have taken this sound around the world being featured on NPR’s Morning Edition in the USA and having recorded a live session for Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2.
The Coal Porters are;Kerenza Peacock – fine fiddle and vocals;
Paul Fitzgerald – banjo and vocals;
Sid Griffin – vocals, mandolin, harmonica and autoharp;
Andrew Stafford – bass;
Neil Robert Herd – guitar and vocals.
“Sid Griffin was playing Americana years before the term was invented and that pioneer spirit shines on with his current band, the Coal Porters.” ~ Billy Bragg
“Great harmony singing and memorable songs that often recall a British Flying Burrito Brothers or a back porch Ronnie Lane” ~ Mojo Magazine
“The Coal Porters whisk together a hugely listenable cocktail of bluegrass, folk and country” ~ Uncut
Music
Press Photos
Click on the images to download high resolution press photos.
Videos
The Day the Last Ramone Died from The Coal Porters latest album 'No. 6'.
The Coal Porters play The Only Ones' Another Girl, Another Planet at London's historic Betsey Trotwood. Video by Alex Barnes - Apple and Biscuit Recordings.
The Coal Porters playing New Cut Road live on stage at London's Green Note. A fine Guy Clark song about a long road in south Louisville where Sid used to work.
No. 6
The Coal Porters latest album, No. 6, is produced by John Wood, the legendary British folk-rock mastermind who recorded the classic albums of Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, Beth Orton and Squeeze. No. 6 is a bit of a departure for the Coal Porters as it pushes their musical boundaries further than ever before.
This album features Kerenza quadruple tracking herself into a string quartet, Andrew on a ukulele, Sid on trusty autoharp and mandolin, both Neil and Paul on dobro, a Byrdsy acoustic 12-string guitar, and very emotional, long, sweet trumpet solo by Cuba’s noted “son y mambo” music virtuoso Eikel Venegas. There has never been music like this before. And already, the album’s opening track, Sid’s “The Day The Last Ramone Died,” is being hailed as a classic).
Recorded in two creative bursts in late 2014 and in 2015 this is the Coal Porters album which took three years to incubate. Four new Sid songs, three new Neil Bob Herd originals, and Kerenza Peacock contributed her first recorded lead vocal on a very personal song with Play A Tune while also gracing the record with a totally catchy instrumental, Chopping The Garlic. The album goes out on a high note with the band’s warm-hearted cover of The Only Ones’ classic hit Another Girl, Another Planet.
The Coal Porters No. 6 Cover Art
The Coal Porters Live Show Poster
For more on The Coal Porters visit SidGriffin.com/the-coal-porters/