Richard Dawson

A Northumbrian singer/songwriter with a flair for shambolic psych-folk and exploratory rock, Richard Dawson is a fixture in the underground folk scene with his distinctive blend of traditional English folk music, Sacred Harp-kissed North Country blues, jazzy psych-folk, and progressive rock. He flirted with mainstream success on the acclaimed outings Nothing Important (2014) and Peasant (2017) and teamed up with Finnish experimental rockers Circle on 2021's nature-themed art rock opus Henki. His rock and folk influences meshed on 2022's The Ruby Cord, a dark, compelling meditation on a blighted future, and he stripped his songs and style down to their essence on 2025's End of the Middle.