Greg Hancock, Em Marshall and Ben Morgan-Brown are all Devon-based singer songwriters, each with a unique style and very different influences. And they are good friends. Greg and Ben first met doing open mics in and around the Exeter area. Ben also used to work in a guitar shop which is where he met Em Marshall, as a customer. It was later that he found out that Em was the partner of Tim Jones who he now writes and performs with. The first time the three of them met in the same room was in Exeter at Ben's wedding in November last year as Greg and Em both knew Ben, but hadn't yet met each other. Em was introduced to Greg and they'd actually been talking for a while before he realised that she was the very artist whose new album he'd been listening to and enjoying that very morning! "I really loved Em's rather haunting vocal and really unusual and interesting guitar arrangements" says Greg. "I've always enjoyed Ben's songwriting and his performance and confidence has transformed over the last two years and he's a truly compelling live artist.

Greg decided to get all three of them together as part of his new album tour. 'The State Of My Hair" was realeased in February this year and the gig at The Bridge in Topsham on June 1st is part of a nationwide tour. All three will be on stage at the same time, taking turns to sing songs and swap stories. This songwriter circle format is highly entertaining and there is bound to be plenty of good banter, alongside some brilliant and often very moving songs.

Tickets £8 advance and £10 on the door are available from https://www.wegottickets.com/event/462494 and from The Bridge itself (behind the bar). Music from 7.30pm at The Bridge Inn, Bridge Hill, Topsham, Exeter EX3 0QQ

GREG HANCOCK www.greghancockmusic.com Based in the South West, Greg has built a strong reputation as a songwriter and performer over the last few years. His 2017 album "A303" was widely acclaimed for its highly original songwriting and rich lyrics dealing with many aspects of the human condition in modern life. This gig is part of his latest album tour: "The State of My Hair". "An intoxicating musical and lyrical cocktail of Al Stewart and Ray Davies, infused with his own unique brilliance as a guitarist and songwriter, Hancock mines memories from childhood to middle age, from hanging out with fellow teens playing at being grown ups drinking Thunderbird wine to seeing the creases and marks slowly appearing in the mirror. Reflective and wistfully melancholic, but suffused with the warm glow of a life lived, his songs speak of lessons learned, hearts broken, people lost to time and of dreams that refuse to fade with the years. It may be very personal, but the feelings and experiences strike universally recognisable notes." Mike Davies (Folking.com)

EM MARSHALL www.emmarshall.com ‘Em Marshall is a singer songwriter who lives on the fringes of Dartmoor in Devon. Alongside arrangements of traditional material, her songs are snapshot chapters of her story so far; from the life spent growing up in an ex-mining town in the Midlands, the twists and turns of the heart, to the tangled roads that led far and out into the wider world. She has also played extensively throughout the UK with Devon folk duo Crow Puppets, and Tim Jones and the Dark Lanterns. Recently, the title track to the album has been sung live in session on BBC radio’s Devon and Cornwall, promoting a show supporting west country folk legend Geoff Lakeman. Her vocal style carries a rare richness of sentiment, and with it conveys a sense of tenderness, longing and reflection.’

BEN MORGAN-BROWN www.benmorganbrown.co.uk Ben Morgan-Brown is a folk-singer with a small ‘f’ – though there may be traces of Bert Jansch, Nick Drake & Michael Chapman in his dextrous guitar playing and gently lulling voice, his music is distinctly his own. Named by FATEA as one of the ‘Top Ten Future Stars of 2018’, since the release of his debut E.P. ‘Cold Rooms’ in December 2017 Ben has been performing extensively across the South West and beyond, with appearances at ‘How The Light Gets In’, ‘Bridport Folk Festival’ ‘Cornwall Folk Festival’ amongst others, and has opened for established and upcoming artists including John Bramwell (I Am Kloot), Harbottle & Jonas, Daria Kulesh, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage and Tim Jones & The Dark Lanterns. With new music already described by BBC Introducing as ‘reassuring… comforting… and yet challenging’ Ben has just released his new EP 'Nameless Gold'. “sheer understated brilliance… this is class…”– BBC Introducing “absolutely beautiful…”John Bramwell (I Am Kloot)