Claire Hamill

My latest Album,'Over Dark Apples' has at last been released and I'm happy to say that everyone loves it! Even my daughters! Which is saying something as they are my sternest critics (and most devoted fans).

We finished the recording in early July and My producer, Kevin Jones, then mixed it for an August release date.

My band, who feature on the album, were unable to accompany me at the launch at such short notice so my daughter Susannah and her husband Tom stepped in at the last minute.

The reason it was a rushed release was that Su and Tom were expecting their baby mid-September and I wanted to be available for any emergencies! His delivery was a safe one and now baby Wilbur has established himself firmly in the Hamill/Austin Clan.

I hope he grows up to be a superb singer like both of his parents!

I must make apologies for the lack of gigs in the book, but I''m very preoccupied with promoting the album and will follow it up soon with a songbook to accompany it. The first of many I hope.

I do have two up and coming gigs, one supporting Wishbone Ash on November 16th and just recently I have agreed to go back to my local on December 29th to sing a few songs with Susannah and Tom.

David Sansbury the landlord was quite taken with our performance at the launch and has asked us to go back...gosh...better book the babysitter!

This was our first day of recording,at Savage sounds in St.leonards,East Sussex,where I live. We only have a small budget so the boys in my band worked extra hard at getting the tracks down quickly. We managed to record 9 tracks in 7 hours!!! That must be a record!

I'm doing overdubs and vocals at East River Studios in Hailsham where I'm working with a wonderful Sound Engineer called Kevin Jones. My friend Bob Mazzer will be taking a few pics there soon so I'll post as soon as I get them.

Some of the songs are old and some are new but they are all songs that are close to my heart with a couple of light-hearted ones in there for good measure.

They've never been released before so don't worry that I'm collecting songs already released.I'd love to make a collection of my Irish sounding ones but that's a project for the future.

Yes as the years go by I wonder why I keep making albums,but why not? It was a donation by a freind ,Barrie Hicks, that kickstarted this one.I had already recorded a couple of tracks with Andy Warren so the project seemed to organise itself.

Now it looks like these new shoots will be harvesting soon!

Watch this space!

Fondest love

Clairexxxx