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Presented by Jumpin' Hot Club and Live Theatre

Support Martha Healy

Years before Rolling Stone was praising Carson McHone’s rule-breaking roots music, the Austin, Texas native played local bars entertaining late-night crowds. It was a rare, raw education and her music is full of details from an early adulthood spent in the company of the heartbroken and high-toleranced.

In 2015, McHone released 'Goodluck Man', which earned her a cover story in The Austin Chronicle, and hit the road, touring the US (and beyond) as her music evolved. Her new album 'Carousel' captures this period of remarkable growth, shining a light not only on her honky-tonk roots but also her development as a modern, alt-country storyteller. It features newly written songs and updated versions of tracks that first appeared on 'Goodluck Man', pushing traditional sounds and themes into a modern context. 'Carousel' is inspired by diverse sources like Dylan, the Velvet Underground and American novelist Thomas Wolfe and wears its eclecticism proudly, with McHone singing each song in a voice that is worldly-wise and woozily gorgeous.

Growing up, McHone rode her horse bareback along the side streets of south Austin, weaving through traffic and empty parking lots to find space to “open up”. For any motorist driving past, she must have been a wonderfully unusual sight to behold: a messy-haired young woman riding down the street, bridging the country and the city, the past and the present, the Wild West and modern Austin. 'Carousel' builds a similar bridge - purposeful, pointed, poignant - it is a compelling ride.

Watch this video of Carson McHone

Carson McHone

  • Arts Council England
  • Community Foundation
  • European Regional Development Fund
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