Newbald Live presents The Songs & Stories Collective

 The Songs & Stories Collective comprises three well-known acts from the UK country music scene – Donna Marie, Sarah Yeo and Tennessee Twin (Geoff & Victoria Meads).

The Collective was created during the long months of lockdown, when they would host a livestream every Sunday afternoon, playing a mixture of original songs and their own take on classic covers - and gaining a large following of loyal fans! 

Hailing from Devon, Cambridgeshire and Lancashire, Donna, Sarah, Geoff and Victoria rarely get the chance to perform together live – so this is a special occasion!

Find out more about the members of The Songs & Stories Collective …….

Donna Marie

A versatile singer-songwriter and music producer from North-West England, Donna Marie blends various musical styles with captivating storytelling. She began her career at 14, performing her first paid gig in a local bar. Since then, she has performed solo and with bands, gaining recognition for her soulful voice and genuine songwriting.

While studying Music Technology at university, Donna explored EDM and found international success. However, her country roots brought her back to the stage as a "Hurricane" in A Country Night in Nashville. During lockdown, she formed the studio-based duo Doveties with Patrick Jordan, releasing several tracks. Donna also co-founded "The Songs and Stories Collective," a "super group" that has played sold-out shows, released music, and supported The Wandering Hearts in 2023. Additionally, she has supported Amy MacDonald and Nashville's Elizabeth Cook. Some of her favourite artists include KT Tunstall, Brandi Carlile, Sara Bareilles, and Chris Stapleton.

As the founder of Climbing Mountain Records, Donna recorded, mixed, and produced her album IN TIME. She continues to record and perform solo and with her band, Donna Marie and the Cavalry, blending folk rock, Americana, blues, roots, and bluegrass while embracing her love for collaboration.

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Sarah Yeo

Sarah Yeo has been making an impression on the live music scene, performing in venues both large and small, throughout the UK. In recent years she has won fans in the USA, with live shows in New York City and California and a recent notable appearance at the Birmingham Symphony Hall. Sarah has shared stages with many artists who are celebrated performers and songwriters such as Ward Thomas and The Wandering Hearts. 

Devon-based Sarah has been a finalist in the 2019 and 2020 International Blues and Roots songwriting competition and a semi-finalist in the prestigious 2024 UK Songwriting Competition, with her “glorious” recent single ‘Leap Of Faith’ from the ‘Wisdom Of The Wind’ Album. 

Sarah has always had her roots in the Country, Folk and Americana genres drawing influence from artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Gretchen Peters and Show Of Hands. This is reflected in her insightful, versatile and sensitive songwriting, accessing a broad musical vocabulary that audiences find moving and relatable.

 Her “Beautiful Voice” (BBC Introducing) “soaring, soulful and rich”, is the perfect vehicle to express her engaging songs that captivate listeners across the globe. During her music career she has released five EP’s and Albums and several singles including a cover of Constant Craving, which received KD Lang’s approval. 

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Tennessee Twin

 UK Americana/Country duo Tennessee Twin, Victoria and Geoff, met in 1997 - a chance meeting in a studio that changed their course forever!

Today, celebrated as a well-loved singer-songwriter duo in the UK Country and Americana world, they are driven by a love of performance & storytelling through music. Inspired by the hit TV show "Nashville", 2016 saw the birth of their highly acclaimed project, Tennessee Twin, which took the country music scene by storm and earned them numerous prestigious awards.

Recent performances have included C2C Country Festival at London’s O2 Arena, Chris Evans’ CarFest, the prestigious British Country Music Festival at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens and Cambridge Folk Festival. They've also appeared overseas, including dates in Nashville, Denver, and Amsterdam and shared the bill with artists such as Ward Thomas, Chesney Hawkes and The Wandering Hearts.

Their debut EP ‘Tips In A Jar’ went straight into the iTunes UK Country Chart at No.1 back in 2019. Before ‘Tips In A Jar’, their 2018 song ‘Wings Of Red White & Blue’ won the British Airways/Nashville Music City song-writing competition, taking them to record in Nashville, Tennessee.

Other single releases include ‘Rear View Mirror’ which won the ISSA Silver Award for International Band Single of The Year 2023, and features Sarah Jory.

With their talent, charisma, and unwavering commitment to their craft, this duo continues to captivate hearts and minds, pushing the boundaries of the genre and leaving an indelible mark on the industry.