'This beautiful little song will live long in the memory.'  FATEA MAGAZINE

'I loved it!' Chris Baxter, BBC RADIO across the West (Acoustic Track of the Week on The Late Show with Chris Baxter)

'A captivating story song.' FOLKING.COM


The 2nd release from THE HOMEBIRD SESSIONS, presents a collaborative project between co-writers Elaine Lennon, John Stamp & US Country artist Will Kimbrough.

Both Title and Instrumental tracks are performed by Will Kimbrough, best known for his own solo projects & work with Willie Sugarcapps, DADDY & Emmylou Harris' Red Dirt Boys.

BEHIND THE SONG & SONGWRITERS

'A Boy and His Guitar', released in line with 'National Tell a Story Day' was inspired by elements of John's own life story blended with his work as a music therapist in Children's care homes and later as Director of a National children's care company: John said 'The kind of children we worked with were the most vulnerable kids around. These children didn't arrive on the planet in a broken state. The parenting issues they had and the lack of love and support has been something that has created in them a sense of trauma. We dealt with young people who've been placed and moved 20, 30 plus times; they've been moved because of anger, aggression. Trying to find a stable placement for them, in order for our staff to work with them and try to unlock the reasons behind this.'

John first picked up a guitar as a teenager and music has been his go-to ever since. His years as a music therapist and company director have taken him to many different places geographically and spiritually. Having co-written with artists like Nashville's Leigh Nash (Sixpence None The Richer), Boo Hewerdine and Stephen Hindalong, John approached Elaine to work together on this one.

Award winning singer songwriter Elaine said 'I connected straight away with John’s warmth and was captivated by his inspirational journey. This song was born out of lengthy conversations on the many life stories of children he had met within the care system & how all he wanted for them was to find the security and self-belief that they could go on to fulfil their full potential in the world’.

The song is written from the perspective of the guitar, an unusual and (some would say) risky angle to take…but The Homebird Session collaborations are all about taking creative risks and growing artistically, nurturing the songwriting community.

Writing from the perspective of the guitar also gives the song an element of being ’The Observer’ in this story…the one thing that the boy can count on, depend on, be himself with without judgement. Finding the music is like finding yourself, your life’s purpose, what makes you happy…and knowing that no matter how much career success you may achieve in life, how much money / status / position you may hold, the wise never let go of the simple things that make them happy - life’s little gifts that ground us, remind us how far we have come and continue to inspire us to be the best we can be each day...whatever that personally means to you.

Will was the perfect choice of artist to perform this song - his wise & soulful vocal blended with the authentic musical landscape of his instrumentation brings a depth to the song that we feel is pretty special - and we hope you do to!