SIMPLY RED'S MICK HUCKNALL TO RELEASE SOLO ALBUM: "TRIBUTE TO BOBBY"

The Bobby in question is the enormously influential African- American singer Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, sometimes referred to as the ‘Lion of the Blues’. ‘Tribute to Bobby’ is a twelve track master class in soul, blues and R&B and a tribute to one of Mick Hucknall’s most important inspirations and musical idols. Along with such artists as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and Junior Parker, Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with blues and R&B. He sang classics such as big-band blues number ‘Farther Up The Road’ (US R&B top 10 hit in 1957) and perfected his craft in the 1960’s with a series of releases including ‘Cry Cry Cry’ and ‘I Pity The Fool’.

Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland perhaps achieved his greatest recognition much later in his career; in 1992 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1997 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.On the album ‘Tribute to Bobby’ Hucknall’s compelling vocals emphasise the sentiment of each of the twelve cover songs, whilst masterfully adopting the songs and making them entirely his own. The album is set for release in the U.K. on May 19th.

Here are the Mick Hucknall solo tour dates announced so far are:
29 June Bristol, UK - Colston Hall
30 June Wolverhampton, UK - Civic Hall
1 July Liverpool, UK - Summer Pops
3 July Manchester, UK - Apollo
4 July Newcastle, UK - City Hall
5 July Oxford, UK - New Theatre
7 July Leicester, UK - De Montfort Hall
8 July Ipswich, UK - Regent
9 July London, UK - Indigo 02 Arena
12 July Weert, Holland - Bospop
13 July Werchter, Belgium – Werchter Boutique Festival
16 July Munich, Germany – Tollwood Festival
18 July Zurich, Switzerland – Live At Sunset Festival
25 July Tuln, Austria – Danube Festival

All these UK dates go on sale at 9am on Friday 29th February. For more information click to www.simplyred.com and www.myspace.com/simplyred