Wolfren Riverstick - Acoustic Guitarist / Vocalist | Midlands

Description

I perform classic covers - Americana being a speciality - in varying genres such as rock'n'roll, blues, folk, easy-listening, rock, pop and soul, either upbeat or ballads (from the 1950s to mid-1970s mostly), with electro-acoustic guitar, vocals and harmonica accompaniment... Whilst adhering to riffs created by great musicians such as Bob Dylan and Neil Young when covering their hits, I sometimes create my own arrangements too, simply to fill 'lead' sections for a fuller sound while maintaining rhythm guitar. I am known to use a looper on occasion and can also play some slide guitar. During my ... gigs I tend to add humorous banter, often at my own expense by polking fun at myself, together with supplying facts such as dates and interesting information regarding musicians. However, being as audiences do obviously vary, this approach does not always work well; therefore, I can generally gauge an audience and tailor my gigs to suit. Neither do I usually have a particular set list, because I have a good memory that has the capability of recalling songs without repeating any of the 120 songs memorised thus far, thus enabling me to pick and choose in order to appease audiences. Read More

Set-List

5-4-3-2-1 (The Manfreds) 1964
A WHITER SHADE OF PALE (Procol Harum) 1967
AIN'T GOT NO (Nina Simone) 1968
ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER (Bob Dylan/Jimi Hendrix) 1967
ALWAYS ON MY MIND (Willie Nelson/Elvis Presley) 1982/1972
AMERICAN PIE (Don McClean) 1971
AN AMERICAN TRILOGY (Elvis Presley) 1972
ANGEL FLYING TOO CLOSE TO THE GROUND (Willie Nelson) 1981
BABY PLEASE DON'T GO (Them) 1964
BAD MOON RISING (Creedence Clearwater Revival) 1969
BE-BOP-A-LULA (Gene Vincent) 1956
BLOWING IN THE WIND (Bob Dylan) 1963
BLUE BAYOU (Roy Orbison) 1963
BLUEBERRY HILL (Fats Domino) 1956
BLUE EYES CRYING ... IN THE RAIN (Willie Nelson) 1975
BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY (Elvis Presley)
BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX (Glen Campbell) 1967
BYE BYE LOVE (Everly Brothers) 1957
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS (Willie Nelson) 1971
COUNTRY ROADS (John Denver) 1971
COUSIN NORMAN (The Marmalade) 1971
CROSSROADS (Robert Johnson/Cream) 1936/1966
CUPID (Sam Cooke) 1961
DIRTY OLD TOWN (Traditional/The Pogues) 1968
DOCK OF THE BAY (Otis Redding) 1968
DOWN ON THE CORNER (CCR) 1969
DOWN THE DUSTPIPE (Status Quo) 1970
ELENORE (The Turtles) 1968
FOLSOM PRISON BLUES (Johnny Cash)
FOR THE GOOD TIMES (Kris Kristofferson/Willie Nelson) 1968
FREEBIRD (Lynyrd Skynyrd) 1973
GASOLINE ALLEY BRED (The Hollies) 1970
GENTLE ON MY MIND (Glen Campbell) 1967
GEORGIA ON MY MIND (Ray Charles) 1960
GIMME SOME LOVING (Spencer Davis Group) 1966
GOT MY MOJO WORKING (Muddy Waters)
GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME (Tom Jones)
HARVEST MOON (Neil Young)
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE RAIN (CCR)1971
HE AIN'T HEAVY [HE'S MY BROTHER] (The Hollies) 1969
HEART OF GOLD (Neil Young) 1971
HELLO MARYLOU (Ricky Nelson) 1961
HERE COMES THE NIGHT (Them) 1965
HEY JOE (Jimi Hendrix) 1965
HIGHWAY STAR (Deep Purple) 1972
HI HO SILVER LINING (Jeff Beck) 1967
HONKYTONK WOMEN (The Rolling Stones)
HORSE WITH NO NAME (America) 1971
HOTEL CALIFORNIA (The Eagles) 1976
HOUND DOG (Elvis Presley) 1956
HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN (The Animals) 1964
I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU (Ray Charles) 1962
I SAW THE LIGHT (Todd Rundgren) 1972
I WISH I WAS A SPACEMAN (Don Spencer+Barry Gray Orchestra) 1963
IF I WERE A CARPENTER (Tim Hardin) 1967
I'M CRYING (The Animals) 1964
IN DREAMS (Roy Orbison) 1963
IN HELL I'LL BE IN GOOD COMPANY (The Dead South) 2014
IN MY CHAIR (Status Quo) 1971
ISLAND OF DREAMS (The Springfields) 1963
IT NEVER RAINS IN CALIFORNIA (Albert Hammond) 1972
JOHNNY B. GOODE (Chuck Berry) 1958
JOHNNY, REMEMBER ME (John Leyton) 1961
JUMPING JACK FLASH (Rolling Stones) 1968
KEEP ON RUNNING (Spencer Davis Group) 1965
KITES (Simon Dupree and The Big Sound) 1967
KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR (Bob Dylan) 1973
LAWDY MISS CLAWDY (Elvis Presley) 1956
LEAVING ON A JET PLANE (John Denver) 1966
LET IT BE ME (The Everly Brothers) 1955
LIKE A HURRICANE (Neil Young) 1977
L'IL RED RIDING HOOD (Sam The Sham and The Pharoahs) 1966
LITTLE OLD WINE DRINKER ME (Dean Martin) 1967
LONG AS I CAN SEE THE LIGHT (CCR) 1970
LOVE GROWS WHERE MY ROSEMARY GOES (Edison Lighthouse) 1970
LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDID THING (The Four Aces) 1955
LOVING HER WAS EASIER (Willie Nelson) 1971
LYING EYES (The Eagles) 1975
MACK THE KNIFE (Bobby Darin) 1959 [original 1928]
MASSACHUSETTS (The Bee-Gees) 1967
MAYBE BABY (Buddy Holly) 1957
ME AND BOBBY McGEE (Kris Kristofferson) 1969
MELTING POT (Blue Mink) 1969
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (CCR) 1969 [Leadbelly 1934]
MISTER TAMBOURINE MAN (The Byrds) 1965
MORNINGTOWN RIDE (The Seekers) 1966
MOTORHEAD (Motorhead) 1975
MUSTANG SALLY (Wilson Pickett)
MYSTERY TRAIN (Elvis Presley) 1955
NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN (The Moody Blues) 1967
NORWEGIAN WOOD (The Beatles) 1965
OH BOY (Buddy Holly) 1957
OH, PRETTY WOMAN (Roy Orbison) 1965
OUT OF TIME (Chris Farlowe) 1966
PAINKILLER (Turin Brakes) 2002
PAINT IT BLACK (Rolling Stones) 1966
PEGGY SUE (Buddy Holly) 1958
POLK SALAD ANNIE (Tony Joe White) 1969
PROUD MARY (CCR) 1969
PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON (Peter, Paul and Mary) 1963
RADAR LOVE (Golden Earring) 1973
REFLECTIONS OF MY LIFE (The Marmalade) 1969
RETURN TO SENDER (Elvis Presley) 1962
RHYTHM OF THE RAIN (The Cascades) 1962
ROADHOUSE BLUES (The Doors) 1970
ROCKING IN THE FREE WORLD (Neil Young) 1989
ROSE OF CIMARRON (Poco) 1979
RUNAROUND SUE (Dion) 1961
RUNAWAY (Del Shannon) 1961
SAN FRANCISCO (Scott McKenzie) 1967
SEVEN SPANISH ANGELS (Ray Charles/Willie Nelson) 1984
SLOOP JOHN B (The Beach Boys) 1966
SMOKE ON THE WATER (Deep Purple) 1972
SOMETHING ELSE (Eddie Cochran) 1959
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW (Israel Kamakawao'ole) 1990
SORROW (The Merseys 1966) [original The McCoys. Also: David Bowie]
SPACE ODDITY (David Bowie) 1969
SPIRIT IN THE SKY (Norman Greenbaum) 1969
STAGGER LEE (Lloyd Price) 1958 [original 1923]
STAND BY ME Ben E. King) 1961
STRANGER ON THE SHORE (Acker Bilk) 1961
STREETS OF LONDON (Ralph McTell) 1969
SUSIE Q (CCR) 1968
SUMMER BREEZE (Isley Brothers) 1976
SUKIYAKI (Kyu Sakamoto) 1963 [sung in Japanese!]
SWEET CAROLINE (Neil Diamond)
SWEET CHILD OF MINE (Guns 'n' Roses) 1987
SWEET HOME ALABAMA (Lynyrd Skynyrd) 1974
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (Rolling Stones) 1968
TAKE YOUR MAMA (Scissor Sisters) 2004
THAT'LL BE THE DAY (Buddy Holly) 1957
THAT'S ALRIGHT (MAMA) (Elvis Presley 1954) [original 1949]
THREE LITTLE BIRDS (Bob Marley) 1977
THE END OF THE WORLD (Skeeter Davis) 1962
THE GUITAR MAN (Bread) 1972
THE LEGEND OF XANDADU (Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich) 1968
THE LETTER (The Box Tops) 1967
THE MAN COMES AROUND (Johnny Cash)
THE NATIONAL EXPRESS (Divine Comedy) 1998
THE RAINBOW CONNECTION (Willie Nelson) 1979
THE RIVER (Bruce Springsteen) 1980
THE SUMMER WIND (Frank Sinatra) 1966
THE WEIGHT (The Band) 1968
TIME IS TIGHT (Booker T and The MGs) 1969
UNCHAIN MY HEART (Ray Charles) 1961
UNCHAINED MELODY (Righteous Brothers) 1965
UP AROUND THE BEND (CCR) 1970
VENTURA HIGHWAY (America) 1972
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD (Louis Armstrong) 1967
WHAT'D I SAY (Ray Charles) 1959
WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE (Pete Seger) 1955
WHISKEY IN THE JAR (Traditional/Thin Lizzy 1973)
WICHITA LINEMAN (Glen Campbell) 1968
WITHOUT YOU (Harry Nilsson) 1972
YELLOW RIVER (Christie)
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Biography

Born in Northamptonshire, England, I am currently based in Worcestershire, and confess to having had possibly more careers than are listed in Yellow Pages... including holding down a job for six months as a welder, although never welding anything before, during or after that period! Aside from having been an international truck driver, printing compositor, construction worker, and acting theatre stage manager (amongst others), these days I am mostly a musician, children's book author and storyteller. Having gained much experience as an open mic/acoustic event compere at a top Midlands music ... venue, I have also managed music events and spent the last two years providing musicians for specific venues whilst working as an entertainment manager. Something of a latecomer to the music scene, I am making up for lost time performing classic covers (as well as more obscure but memorable tunes also) from the 1950s to mid-1970s mostly, and have memorised 120 songs thus far, whilst this is gathering momentum presently at the rate of one addition per week. I am capable of projecting well, thus being able to perform either acoustically or amplified, and I do not make use of backing tracks. Besides gigging in pubs and clubs , I often perform in residential care homes, at music festivals and similar events, and am a regular acoustic street busker. Read More

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Experience

I have several years' experience performing for a range of audiences in music venues including bars/pubs/clubs, care homes, and as a street entertainer/busker. Aside from working as a musician during this time I have also been employed as a regular compere and warm-up act at a well-known Midlands music venue, whilst also compering open mics, private parties and such similar ilk, together with a two-year stint as booking/entertainment manager for a local pub.

Suitable for

Birthday Party (Adult) Casinos Christening Christmas Party Club Party Corporate Event Cruise Ships Dinner Party Private Party Product Launch / Promotion Restaurant / Bar / Pub Event Trade Show / Exhibitions

Additional Information

I do possess an Enhanced CRB, which is required when I visit schools as a children's author, although this is probably out of date in the eyes of many being as it was issued in 2008. (I was recently informed, however, that the document is still valid as long as the person to whom it applies has other adults in attendance.)