| Andrew Barton Vocals, Guitars
Sam Woodings Piano, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Percussion
Chris Challenger Bass, Acoustic Guitar
John Wright Drums, Vocals, Percussion
The Echo are a group of musicians and songwriters descending from various backwaters across Northern England. This is a brief history of how the band formed.
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, 2000- Sam Woodings and Andrew Barton met through a mutual love of the blues and mutual friendship with Barton’s next door neighbours. They began songwriting and playing the local circuit as an acoustic two piece with highlights including supporting slots to acoustic troubadour Rory McLeod and John Renbourne (Pentangle).
Barton and Woodings both went their separate ways in 2001 only to find they had both arrived in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Picking up where they had previously left off they began playing the Leeds circuit but felt they needed to expand the band both in size and musically.
In 2003 the two joined forces with a friend of Barton’s, Chris Challenger (Bass), formerly of Preston band “The Avenue” and Barton’s housemate John Wright (Drums) and The Echo was born.
The band continued to develop their songs and live performances dipping in and out of electric and acoustic sets. The first demo from The Echo “Cast Those Stones EP” highlighted the diverse qualities of the band and received critical local acclaim. The band’s second creation, “The Rice Jar Session”, an alcohol infused acoustic recording made in a house in Lincoln over 24 hours, showcased raw acoustic versions of some of the bands newer material.
The Echo back catalogue of songs ranges from the story of a Caravan in Ireland, to a war veteran returning to normal society, to a picture of the insensate and destructive inclination of the modern media.
The Echo continue to develop and diversify in their songwriting, lending creative inspiration from experiences, emotions and the surrounding sights and sounds.
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