Gloucester-based musician Murray Gardiner says he’s ‘counting down the days’ until his performance at the Gloucester Guildhall on 12th May.

Murray, a self-taught musician, will be playing songs from his debut album ‘Barebones’ as well as tracks from his eagerly anticipated second album which he hopes to release later this year.

“This is a performance I’m really looking forward to, especially because it’s in my hometown,” said Murray. “The Guildhall is such a great venue, hopefully there will be a good crowd in which will make it even more special. I’ll be joined on stage by a live band, including one of the best guitarists I’ve had the pleasure of working with – the Stroud based guitarist Ross Gardiner – no relation!” he added.

Murray has achieved plenty in his music career so far, his passion for performing is clear to see. He said: “I’ve been lucky enough to have played at some amazing venues all over the world. Playing in South Africa and Zimbabwe was an experience I’ll never forget. I’ve played in several countries in Europe as well, all of them I’ve loved.”

Murray, 37, says his early years were spent listening to The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Chuck Berry. You can pick up on those influences in many of the tracks from his debut album, a mix of rock, country and blues shines through. Performing is only a small part of the job of a professional musician though, he also writes and produces his own material. “I love writing. I get a lot of my inspiration from listening to artists like Bob Dylan, he’s such a great lyricist,” added Murray. Having studied alongside the renowned guitarist Gilbert Biberian, Murray was inspired to produce his own debut album, which was released back in 2014. “I released it on my own record label, Silly Dog Records. The album was recorded inside my studio. I was really proud of it, I can’t wait to get back in the studio and record my second album,” said Murray.

Murray expects to spend most of the summer in the studio recording tracks for his new album. He said: “It’s what I love doing, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It sounds incredibly clichéd but I’m really living the dream. Writing, producing and performing is what keeps me happy. The best part of my job is when I receive messages from people on the other side of the world who have listened to my music and taken time out to send me feedback. It’s heart-warming to find out my music has been listened to in New Zealand, the USA and Japan.”