Biography
Sadie and the Hotheads Biography
Sadie and the Hotheads were born in 2007 when Elizabeth McGovern took guitar lessons from Steve Nelson. Steve encouraged Elizabeth to begin to write her own songs. After a collection had been composed Steve introduced Elizabeth to Simon Nelson who started recording the songs and put together a band of musicians to support the project.
Elizabeth says, "Your 'Sadie' is that thing inside you which makes you unique. Everyone has it." The songs which make up the band's repertoire could have come from various periods from the last hundred years. Victorian Parlour Ballads, to fractured , minimalist riffs to tango rhythms. Their debut album is called "I Can Wait" (2007). There is a strong country music influence throughout. However, the audience are kept on their toes with a surprise fusion of Spanish guitar and melodic piano chords that give this album a truly original sound which has been described by critics as: "A wonderfully unique sounding album", a "great pop record", "intriguing and very catchy" "a mesmerising debut from a band which brings together two very different worlds".
Sadie and the Hotheads are:
Elizabeth McGovern. Songwriter, vocals, acoustic guitar
Elizabeth began her career as an actress. She made her professional debut in Robert Redford's Ordinary People, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture of the Year. The next year, Elizabeth herself was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Milos Forman's Ragtime, also starring James Cagney. Since then, she has divided her time between theatre, film and television. Her films include, Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America," Curtis Hanson's "Bedroom Window," and the John Hugh's comedy: "She's Having a Baby"
Recently, she received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her role as Cora, Countess of Grantham in the multi award winning "Downton Abbey".
The Nelson Brothers
Simon Nelson: electric and acoustic guitars, dobro.
Dr. of music with a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology.
Session musician: Albert Hall, O2 Arena, etc - Joss Stone, Ms. Dynamite, Heather Small, Beverley Knight, Paul Jones (Manfred Mann), V. V. Brown, Des’ree, Lee Ryan (Blue), Alexandra Burke, Helen Shapiro, Big Country, Connie Talbot, Matt Cardle, Mavis Staples, Dana.
“It must be difficult for Simon thinking ‘oh, Eric Clapton did that on the album’, but I think a notable success, don’t you?” Dave Freeman - live session on Jazz FM
“Simon’s terrific... he really is.” Paul Jones.
Steve Nelson – acoustic guitar, bouzouki, banjo.
Music teacher, singer and songwriter.
THE NELSON BROTHERS have travelled the world playing gigs and writing songs; from the Midlands to the Isle of Dogs; the Arizona desert to Sydney, Australia ; Amsterdam to Bermuda.
Debut album Hometown (1993), from which the song ‘Stranger To My Heart’ featured in the film ‘The Innocent Sleep’.
From 2000 – 2004: The Nelson Brothers, signed to Los Angeles publisher Windswept Pacific, divided their time between Tucson, Arizona and Nashville, Tennessee writing songs with the likes of Troy Olsen and R J Jones and recording with such legendary performers as Bryan Sutton, Dan Dugmore, Jeff King, Dave Pomeroy and Kenny Malone.
2nd Album Places in the Heart released 2009.
Terl Bryant – drums and percussion.
Terl Bryant comes from Northamptonshire, England and started playing drums at the age of 8 years. He left school at 16 and went straight into a career as a drummer. His early years saw him playing with
Bedfordshire based rockers 'Stranger' who later saw success renamed 'Tobruk'.
In the early 1980s Terl spent time in California, USA and played with many respected artists including the late Chris Gaffney, Walter Trout, Daniel Amos, Common Bond, Darrell Mansfield and Steve Taylor.
From the mid 1980s Terl was based in London and continued to tour and record with a diverse range of artists and producers that include John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin (recording and tours), Faith Hill (USA), Peter Murphy X-Bauhaus (band member for 6 years with success in the USA with “Cuts You Up”), Steve Levine London producer, Tolga Kashif and the Northern Sinfonia, Iona (with whom he was a band member and recorded 5 albums), Matt Redman (CCM artist and Grammy Award Winner),
Roddy Frame (Aztec Camera), Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span (3 albums) and The Honeyz to name a few.
During the 1990s Terl helped establish and run a faith based network organisation called Psalm Drummers with whom he also recorded several albums and videos and gathered players for charitable events (well known drummers included Jerry Brown, Tommy Aldridge, Zoro, Gerald Heyward, Troy Miller and Gary Husband). Terl is the author of a book entitled 'A Heart to Drum' and is known to travel and teach on drumming in context of his Christian faith.
In 2005 he set up a recording studio in Sussex, UK where he and his family are based. Terl has co-writing credits for a number of commercial releases and has also produced tracks which he occasional
performs with his own band. Since 2010 he has continued to record for artists such as Graham Kendrick, Leslie Garrett, Pete Roth Band, Jim Kerr, Eden's Bridge and others.
Lizzie Deane - backing vocals
A classically trained singer turned soulful funk & blues songstress, Lizzie Deane’s voice emulates both the soft, sweetly emotive and raw, heartfelt belting lines associated with the classic divas.
Lizzie has performed and toured with many highly acclaimed artists including Pee Wee Ellis & Fred Wesley (JB Horns), Carleen Anderson, Martha High, Jocelyn Brown, Mica Paris, Kim Mazelle, Boy George, Belinda Carlisle and Howard Jones.
Growing up in the Midlands, Lizzie gained a BA (Hons) Music Degree and Advanced Acting Diploma at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Following classical training through her school and college years, her musical journey moved through choirs and musical theatre, before she fell into the world of function bands. This proved to be the catalyst in changing her music career-path as her voice evolved from classical soprano into the powerful, soulful instrument she now possesses.
Ron Knights - bass/producer.
Ron has had a diverse musical career which has seen him travel all over the world performing and recording in many different situations. He started playing bass as teenager and went on to obtain a BMus degree at the London College of Music, and from there he took to the ocean waves performing on cruise ships playing for shows and big bands, working with Las Vegas greats and members of the Ray Charles Band. After returning to the UK his interest in recording and production developed and led to working in creative projects with various artists such as Hamish Stuart, in a diverse range of styles from jazz to hiphop, as well as corporate work for o2, national adverts, television production music and the government. Ron has performed on television, at national festivals, west end shows, pretty much all of London's top hotels as well tours and recording projects in America, Europe and the Middle East. More info can be found at
Nick Lacey – piano, keyboards, penny whistle
Nick studied music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Since then he has been involved in performing a wide variety of music.
Recording credits include Billie Piper Honey to the B, Lulu Back On Track, Herbie Armstrong Real Real Gone, Paul Kimber The Dance and The Nelson Brothers Places in the Heart. He has worked for many years in theatre as a band member and an MD on a number of shows. Nick also has done some arranging for a variety of projects and also writes if pressed hard.
CORNBURY FESTIVAL
WYCHWOOD FESTIVAL
AUDLEY END
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