The twist of fate that marks out a favourite son or daughter to rise from the depths of a small seaside community in the North of Wales is hard to fathom. Duffy seems to have been chosen to sing. From her earliest memories, she just knew her destiny. She was going to be a singer.In August 2004, Duffy came to the attention of Rough Trades Jeannette Lee who became both her manager and her mentor. Just as Vicki Wickham guided Dusty Springfield to the best musical collaborations of the day; or Jerry Wexler and Ahmet Ertegun helped Aretha find her true voice in the Muscle Shoals Memphis studio; Rough Trade pointed Duffy in the direction of Bernard Butler in Londons Crouch End.The fruit of their very first musical session is Rockferry which set the tone and musical direction of the album. Duffy spent the next couple years honing and developing her songwriting skills all the while discovering hidden musical gems that inspired her.The results will be unveiled with her forthcoming album next year but for now we have the single Rockferry available to download from November l9th and released as a 2-track 7 vinyl December 3rd on A&M.The Observer Music Monthly said of Rockferry it makes the hairs on the back of your neck prickle with its bewitching grace. Duffy says Theres a side of me thats trying to hold it together but then theres a side of me that just wants to scream, run out onstage and say Im here! Duffy will tour in 2008:
16 January - Pigalle, London (residency) 23 January - Pigalle, London (residency) 30 January - Pigalle, London (residency) 06 February - Pigalle, London (residency) 21 February - Thekla, Bristol 22 February - Ruby Lounge, Manchester 23 February - King Tuts, Glasgow 24 February - Cluny, Newcastle 26 February - Brudenell Social, Leeds 28 February - Clwb ifor Bach, Cardiff 01 March - Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, Wales 05 March - Central Station, Wrexham 07 March - Bodega, Nottingham 09 March - Academy, Oxford 10 March - Komedia, Brighton 11 March - Glee Club, Birmingham
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