Andy Fairweather Low

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This British surname is barrelled, being made up of multiple names. It should be written as Fairweather Low, not Low.
Andy Fairweather Low
Fairweather Low at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2015
Fairweather Low at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2015
Background information
Birth nameAndrew Fairweather Low
Born (1948-08-02) 2 August 1948 (age 75)
Ystrad Mynach, Wales
OriginCardiff, Wales
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Guitar
  • vocals
  • bass
Years active1966–present
LabelsA&M
Formerly of
Websiteandyfairweatherlow.com

Andrew Fairweather Low (born 2 August 1948)[1] is a Welsh guitarist and singer. He was a founding member and lead singer of 1960s pop band Amen Corner,[1] and in recent years has toured extensively with Roger Waters, Eric Clapton and Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings.

Professional career

Fairweather Low was born in Ystrad Mynach, Wales, to working-class parents. The family, including his two brothers, lived in an "unheated council house" on an estate; his father, a road sweeper, was unable to afford a car. Fairweather Low's first opportunity to play guitar came when he took a Saturday job at a music shop in Cardiff.[2][3][4]

He achieved fame as a founding member of the pop group

UK Singles Chart, including the number-one single "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" in 1969.[5][6] In the description of AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann, the band's overnight success and Fairweather Low's teen idol looks "put his attractive face on the bedroom walls of teenage girls all over Britain".[1]

Amen Corner split in two in 1970, with Fairweather Low leading Dennis Bryon (drums), Blue Weaver (organ), Clive Taylor (bass) and Neil Jones (guitar) into a new band, Fair Weather. The band's "Natural Sinner" peaked at No. 6 in the UK in July 1970, but their albums, Beginning From An End and Let Your Mind Roll On, failed to chart.[7]

After twelve months, Fairweather Low left to pursue a solo career. He released four albums up to 1980 on

Warner Bros.[1] These spawned further single chart success with "Reggae Tune" (1974), and "Wide Eyed and Legless", a No. 6 Christmas-time hit in 1975.[7] Welsh group Budgie covered "I Ain't No Mountain" off Fairweather Low's 1974 album Spider Jiving on their 1975 release Bandolier
.

In the late 1970s and 1980s he worked for numerous artists as a

Richard and Linda Thompson
.

1978–99

In 1978, Fairweather Low sang backing vocals on the album Who Are You, from The Who, specifically on the tracks "New Song", "Had Enough", "Guitar and Pen", "Love Is Coming Down", and "Who Are You". On the Who's 1982 album It's Hard, he played rhythm guitar on the song "It's Your Turn". Fairweather Low later appeared on Townshend's 1993 album Psychoderelict and the accompanying concert tour.

In 1995, Fairweather Low played rhythm guitar on Joe Satriani's self-titled CD, along with Nathan East on bass and Manu Katché on drums. One reviewer commented that "this backup band of extremely gifted backup musicians sincerely adds a diverse range of textures and colors, bringing out a much-needed live feel to an otherwise bland album of blues-oriented jazz-rock."[9]

For 22 years he was a guitarist for

Dark Side of the Moon Live world tour in 2006[1] and 2007, but was not able to perform with him in 2008.[10]
His role was picked up by session guitarist Chester Kamen.

In 1992, he began working on projects alongside

From The Cradle
.

In the same year, he was present on tours with the 1999 Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris collaboration. In December 1991, he played guitar on George Harrison's Live in Japan tour and album, along with the rest of Clapton's band,[1] and in 2002, he played several of the lead guitar parts for the Harrison tribute Concert for George, on some songs playing Harrison's famous Fender Stratocaster "Rocky" and Harrison's gold Fender Electric XII. In 2004, he appeared in the Stratpack concert, celebrating 50 years of the Fender Stratocaster.

Work since 2000

Fairweather Low with Roger Waters at Roskilde Festival, Denmark in 2006.

From 1998 to 2002, he played in

In the Flesh tour. In 2001, Fairweather Low accompanied Eric Clapton on his world tour and is featured on the 2002 album One More Car, One More Rider, which also features accompaniment by Billy Preston, Steve Gadd, Nathan East and David Sancious
.

In 2002, Fairweather Low featured on From Clarksdale to Heaven – Remembering John Lee Hooker with, among others,

Tsunami
Appeal.

In 2006, Fairweather Low toured with Roger Waters once more, this time for the latter's

trombonist, Bob Hunt. Also in 2006, Fairweather Low released Sweet Soulful Music, his first solo album in twenty-six years. The song "Hymn for My Soul" became the title track of Joe Cocker's 2007 album
. Cocker's tour of 2007/08 bore the same title.

Andy Fairweather Low on stage as support act to Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood at London's Royal Albert Hall; 27 May 2011

In 2007, he continued touring with Roger Waters' Dark Side of the Moon Tour. Later that year he was on the road with his own Sweet Soulful Music tour, performing at venues such as the Stables in Wavendon, The Ferry in Glasgow and the Library Theatre, Darwen, Lancashire.

In May 2008, Fairweather Low & the Lowriders started a UK tour, the Low Riders being Paul Beavis, Dave Bronze and Richard Dunn. In 2009, he joined Eric Clapton's band for a series of 11 concerts held at the London's Royal Albert Hall. He became part of Clapton's touring band with drummer Steve Gadd and keyboardist Tim Carmon throughout May 2009.[11] In 2011, Fairweather Low joined Clapton for another series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.[12] He also performs with Edie Brickell, Steve Gadd, and bassist (and fellow Welshman) Pino Palladino as The Gaddabouts; their eponymous album was released in early 2011,[13] and their second album, Look Out Now!, was released in 2012.

Also in 2011, Fairweather Low made a guest appearance on

50 Words For Snow, singing on the chorus of the album's only single, "Wild Man".[14]

In 2013, he opened Eric Clapton's shows with his band the Lowriders on Clapton's European tour and, later that year, Fairweather Low & the Lowriders released the album, Zone-O-Tone.[15] In April 2013, he appeared at the Eric Clapton Guitar Festival Crossroads in New York and featured on two tracks of the DVD of the concert. On 13–14 November, he was also part of Eric Clapton's band on the occasion of Clapton's two concerts during the "Baloises Sessions" in Basel, Switzerland, where he was featured singing "Gin House Blues".[16] In November 2015, Fairweather Low made a guest appearance on Kevin Brown's album Grit.[17]

Between September 2021 and April 2022, Fairweather Low & the Low Riders undertook an extensive UK tour, billed as 'On The Road Again', playing over 50 dates and ending at the Flowerpot in Derby on 30 April 2022. On 31 December 2022/1 January 2023 he appeared as a guest artist on Jools' Annual Hootenanny show on BBC2 to welcome in the new year.

During the coronavirus lockdown, Low recorded a new solo album, Flang Dang, at Rockfield Studios, on which he played every instrument except the drums. The album was released in February 2023 under The Last Music Company label.[18]

Personal life

Fairweather Low is married to Barbara,[2] sister of his Amen Corner and Fair Weather band-mate Neil Jones.[19]

Solo album discography

Andy Fairweather Low on stage with Eric Clapton at London's Royal Albert Hall, 23 May 2009
  • Spider Jiving (1974)
  • La Booga Rooga (1975)
  • Be Bop 'N' Holla (1976)
  • Mega Shebang (1980)
  • Wide Eyed And Legless: The A&M Recordings (First three albums on a double CD release) (2004)
  • Sweet Soulful Music (2006)
  • Best of Andy Fairweather Low – Low Rider (2008)
  • Live in Concert (DVD) 2008
  • Lively (Sold at concerts exclusively) (2012)
  • Zone-O-Tone (2013)
  • Live From The New Theatre, Cardiff (Limited Edition 2CD/1DVD set) (2015)
  • Lockdown Live (2021)
  • Flang Dang (2023)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Biography by William Ruhlmann". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Me and My Motor: Andy Fairweather Low, musician and Amen Corner star". Driving.co.uk. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Interview: Andy Fairweather Low – How I Got Started". Guitar.com. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Profile". Walesonline.co.uk. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  5. ISBN 1-904994-10-5
    .
  6. ISBN 0-85112-250-7
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 1-904994-10-5
    .
  8. ^ "Helen Watson : Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  9. ^ "Joe Satriani". AllMusic. 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  10. ^ "Pink Floyd news :: Brain Damage – Roger Waters 2008 mini-tour band – line-up change". 7 March 2008. Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Eric Clapton & His Band: Royal Albert Hall, London". 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Albert Hall website". Royalalberthall.com. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  13. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "The Gaddabouts". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  14. ^ "Kate Bush Signs to ANTI-, Releasing "50 Words For Snow"". ANTI. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  15. ^ "Andy Fairweather Low & the Lowriders release Zone-O-Tone". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  16. ^ "Eric Clapton live from Basel on SRF3". Ehereseric.com. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  17. ^ "Kevin Brown Trio – Kevin Brown Trio, Black Mountain Jazz, Kings Arms, Abergavenny, 25/10/2015. | Review". The Jazz Mann. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  18. ^ Brakes, Rod (11 November 2022). ""When I Hear This Track, I Hear Rockfield": Listen to Andy Fairweather Low's Vibey New Release, "Somebody Wants My Soul"". Guitar Player. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Amen Corner guitarist Neil Jones dies aged 70". Bbc.co.uk. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

External links

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