Pic; Singer/songwriter Jon Budworth
A poignant song about Yorkshire’s musical market town will provide the perfect opener for Otley’s Online Music Festival. (June 12).
Shadow of the Chevin, was written by musician Jon Budworth at the beginning of Lockdown UK.
The tune, inspired by a walk on the popular beauty spot, struck a chord with many in the area, as they struggled to come to terms with a life behind closed doors.
Within weeks Jon had written a second song, All is Quiet, after mourning the effects of social distancing in what was once a ‘bustling and vibrant town.’
Jon said: “I’ve wanted to write a song about Otley for some time and then in a short space of time I wrote two. Shadow Of The Chevin, came to me very quickly after the title ‘popped into my head’ whilst walking on The Chevin and looking down onto the town. It’s a song about travelling far and wide, seeing the world and yet at the end of the day finding a place that truly feels like home.
“All Is Quiet was inspired following a walk around the deserted streets of Otley one evening in early April. I was struck by how incredibly quiet and calm everything was -no traffic, no aeroplanes and no people. This song has gone down very well on social media receiving thousands of views and lovely comments coming in from all over the world from people who empathise with the song’s sentiment.”
Jon moved to Otley three years ago from Leigh in Lancashire.
He said: “When I was looking for somewhere to live in the Leeds area I remember driving into the centre of Otley and immediately falling in love with the place. The quaint buildings, the cobbled streets, the clock tower, the beautiful river and of course the abundance of pubs!
“After moving here I don’t think I’d live anywhere else. You don’t have to dig too far beneath the surface to uncover the incredible music and arts scene. Musicians are everywhere, live music is everywhere and on many nights of the week there are opportunities to get out and play and meet other like minded people.”
“I’m very exited to have been asked by Paul Briscoe to open up the 2020 Otley Music Festival. This is a fantastic opportunity for me and also a great way to make some money for several local charities. I’ll be collaborating with some extremely talented local musicians including Mags Elliot, Richard Currie and Simon Carey.”
Jon will open the festival here on June 12 at 7.30pm. Write it in the diary folks!
Otley Music Festival 