The Red Dirt Skinners

'The Red Dirt Skinners ask “Mr Paul Jones, what do we have to do to get played on your show?”

The Red Dirt Skinners have been nominated in the British Blues Awards for the last three years and The Country Music Association Awards for the last two – they are the first, and so far the only, artists to be nominated in BOTH genres and this year Sarah Skinner was awarded ‘Instrumentalist of the year’ in the British Blues Awards (nominated by the industry but voted for by the fans).
Paul Jones has played every one of the artists that won awards at the British Blues Awards – except one - and they would like to know why The Red Dirt Skinners cannot get on his playlist or do a live performance for him.

According to Sarah Skinner, “Although every other winner was given airplay after the awards on Paul Jones Radio 2 Blues show, the Red Dirt Skinners were noticeably absent. Not even a name check. Paul chose to play a track which featured one of the nominees in my category instead”.

The Red Dirt Skinners are not lying down and giving up. Sarah has emailed Paul Jones, as have many of the fans to play a track on his Radio 2 Blues show and has stated that they will happily play a live set for him on the show. There has been no response.
“You have to see the funny side of it” says Sarah, “We’ve been featured in every UK Blues magazine and our ‘Live In Aberdeen’ album was featured on dozens of radio shows – Bob Harris has even asked about a live set for his Whispering Bob TV show. We’ve been reviewed and featured in music magazines across Europe and North America.

The Skinners said “It’s not that we haven’t decided which genre we are, it’s that we’re pro-actively developing a whole new sound that incorporates all the music that we are capable of and without limiting what we can offer the listeners but surely there is enough Blues for Paul to play us?”

Gigging ceaselessly, they have played Blues shows, folk gigs, festivals and Country Music shows up and down the length and breadth of the UK, they have played all over Europe and are booked to go to the US & Canada for 2015.
The duo have just released their new album ‘Live In Aberdeen’, recorded on their recent Scottish tour, and are calling for listeners to make up their own minds.

“If you like the album and you think we’re Blues then write in to Paul Jones and ask him, ever so politely, to play us”