A Mansfield singer is part of a new band formed by a founder member of hit band Beautiful South, Dave Hemingway.

Laura Wilcockson plays the violin and is part of the vocals on Sunbirds’ debut album, Cool To Be Kind, to be released on 30th October on the independent label Nectar Records..

The other band members are Phil Barton on guitar and drummer Marc Parnell.

Having retired from the live scene at the back end of 2016, Dave has been keeping busy with guitarist, songwriter and collaborator Phil, with Cool To Be Kind signalling the arrival of the new band, new songs and a new sound.

The music Sunbirds make takes on board all of the bands and artists Dave and Phil have loved over the years. It chiefly blends the musical instruments of rural America with an occasional twist of grungy guitars and sets them against lyrics that remain very much at home in the towns and cities of England.

“Although a lot of the songs have a Country feel,” says Dave. “They’re still about life in England. You’re going to feel a bit daft singing about pick-up trucks and low down honky-tonks when you live in Yorkshire.”

Laura comes from a classical/orchestral, as well as folk background and has busked around Mansfield.

Marc has toured with Joan Armatrading, The Blockheads and Jethro Tull and can be heard on recordings by Girls Aloud, Pet Shop Boys and Gabriella Cilmi’s hit single Sweet About Me.