Sian Chandler and Ray Hughes are the two halves that make up The Black Feathers.

The couple, who live in Cirencester during the rare periods that they’re not out on the road, released their debut album ‘Soaked To The Bone’ in 2016. The album broke into the Top 10 on the iTunes Country chart, and also reached the UK Americana charts.

Not a bad start for the duo who before then had never really tackled the genre.

“We’d been working together since about 2005,” said Ray. “But ‘The Black Feathers’ began in 2012.

“We were in folk rock bands to begin with,” continued Sian, “Now we’re a bit of Americana, folk, roots. ‘Roots’ is probably the best way to describe our music.”

Ray added: “When we started writing our own stuff we found a home in that kind of sound.

“It really opened doors for us and before long we were buying ourselves cowboy boots!”

The Black Feathers enjoyed a busy 2018, which included a four-month tour of the USA, an experience they both enjoyed.

“It’s a good thing we can cope with living out of a suitcase,” Sian laughed.

“It was a lot of fun,” Ray added. “We got to see a lot of the country, places like Nashville, North Carolina, New York.

“I think they’re more open to our style of music over there, the market is a bit bigger.”

The duo are set to return to the States this month, with plenty more destinations planned for the year, including a homecoming for Dubliner Ray.

He continued: “We’re going to loads of places around the UK, as well as Europe and back to America.

“I’m looking forward to going back to Ireland. I’ve not really been back much, and it’ll be a chance for Sian to see it properly for the first time too.”

New music is also on the cards for 2019. The pair both write, and Sian, who has lived in Cirencester all her life, admits the process can be a long one.

She said: “It can be a little bit frustrating! We both write in completely different ways, our routines are so different.

“We’re both busy writing at the moment but we don’t get much spare time to do it when we’re out on the road.”

Ray added: “Sometimes we have to be in completely separate buildings when we’re writing!

“But I think it’s going really well at the moment. Watch this space!”