Bob Harris Country - 15/10/2009

In session with Bob tonight is Maine-born, Austin-based singer-songwriter Slaid Cleaves, who performs songs from his latest album 'Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away' Slaid started his musical life playing in a high school band with his childhood friend, fellow singer-songwriter Rod Picott. Whilst he was in college he spent time in Ireland and earned money busking on the streets of Cork with the songs of Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Chuck Berry and Bruce Springsteen. Back in Portland, Maine he self-released his debut album, 'The Promise' in 1990, followed a year later by 'Looks Good from the Road', recorded with his rock band, The Moxie Men. When his solo career took over he moved to Austin Texas, winning the coveted new folk competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1992. He spent the 90s playing various clubs around Austin, touring and continuing to hone his craft as a songwriter. In 1997, he recorded and released his first national album, 'No Angel Knows' , followed by 'Broke Down' in 2000 and 'Wishbones' in 2004. In 2006 he released 'Unsung', a collection of songs written by other Austin-based singer-songwriters, and continued to tour heavily in Europe, gaining himself a loyal audience in the UK.