Young British troubadour Connor Selby has revealed his cover of Ray Charles’ 1964 song, “My Baby Don’t Dig Me.” The song is taken from his upcoming album ‘Connor Selby’ (Deluxe Edition), released on Provogue/Mascot Label Group. You can listen to the song here.
He will also be joining soul legend P.P. Arnold for two special London shows at the Jazz Café on 25th & 26th February and Beth Hart for her full UK and Ireland tour from 3rd– 21st March. He will also be playing the Cheltenham Jazz Festival on 27th April – tickets will be on sale on 1 March.
Talking about the new song, Selby says, “I picked this song because, as anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m a huge Ray Charles fan and I wanted to pay homage to him. That being said, I wanted to choose a lesser-known song, that not many people will be familiar with, rather than one of his hits so that it will be fresh in people’s minds and people won’t automatically compare it to the original. It was important to me that, while staying true to the original song I wanted to put myself into it. I chose this song, as opposed to many of his other lesser-known B-sides because It’s a fun song with a great groove and a fairly humorous lyric that always appealed to me.”
Selby will be releasing ‘Connor Selby (Deluxe Edition)’ on 3rd March via Provogue. The album features four brand-new bonus tracks including the recent videos for “I Shouldn’t Care” and “The Deep End (lyric video).” There’s a timeless melancholic quality to his music. Relatable in its honesty and openness, he draws from anxiety and vulnerability but delivers it with a world-worn elegance. The album was originally self-released in 2021 and is getting re-released with extra love ad four new bonus songs by Provogue.
At this years’ upcoming UK Blues Award’s, he has received nominations for “Acoustic Act of the Year”, “Instrumentalist of the Year”, “Blues Vocalist of the Year” and “Blues Artist of the Year”. One of the brightest talents on the UK blues scene. He has already been voted “Young Artist of the Year” at the UK Blues Awards for the last three consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022). He has an impressive venue checklist, including Wembley Stadium, where he opened for The Who in July 2019 and has since gone on to play BST Hyde Park, London, on a bill with Pearl Jam, Stereophonics and Johnny Marr in the summer of 2022.
Raised in an Essex village, he has trodden a path less travelled. From early years in Connecticut, USA, as a young child to Dubai, UAE, aged ten to fourteen, and Essex either side, with those young eyes soaked up the travels and the changes passing him by. One thing that kept with him was his burgeoning love of American roots music. “I got interested in not just the music itself but the history and everything around it,” he says. “I wanted to learn and listen as much as I could. I think it’s important for someone who isn’t from that cultural background to treat it with the respect it deserves. You can’t separate the music from its historical context.” “I love the directness, the simplicity and earthiness of it,” he adds. “I’ve also always been attracted to the authoritative quality of the music. As a kid and teenager, I was quite shy and not very self-assured, so I think it was a place for me to find a sense of power.”
The sky is the limit for Selby, who, along with awards, has picked up numerous plays on BBC Radio 2. It’s easy to see why with his soulful blend of blues and his emotionally introspective songwriting, which sits alongside his impressive armoury of guitar playing. The songs on ‘Connor Selby’ are little vignettes of the different styles of music that inspire him.
Tour dates
Tickets available here: www.connorselby.com
25 Feb – The Jazz Café, London w/P.P. Arnold
26 Feb – The Jazz Café, London w/P.P. Arnold
03 Mar – Vicar Street, Dublin w/Beth Hart
05 Mar – Ulster Hall, Belfast w/Beth Hart
07 Mar – SEC Centre, Glasgow w/Beth Hart
09 Mar – Symphony Hall, Birmingham w/Beth Hart
11 Mar – City Hall, Sheffield w/Beth Hart
13 Mar – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester w/Beth Hart
15 Mar – City Hall, Newcastle w/Beth Hart
17 Mar – Palladium, London w/Beth Hart
18 Mar – Palladium, London w/Beth Hart
21 Mar – Dome, Brighton w/Beth Hart
27 Apr – Jazz Arena, Cheltenham Jazz Festival
