UK ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Americana UK Readers Poll 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Award winning troubadour Dean Owens is one of Scotland’s finest exports, with fans including authors Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin (whose fictional detective Rebus has Dean’s songs on playlist), and BBC legend Bob Harris.
His new album (his 12th) Spirit Ridge was recorded in Italy (the land of his lion-tamer ancestor) with renowned producer Don Antonio. Following directly on from his highly acclaimed collaborations with Calexico, the songs on Spirit Ridge are both monumental and deeply personal, rooted in a half imagined hinterland connecting the lush Italian hills, the US desert states and post industrial Scotland. A thrilling, unique blend of Scottish roots and rocky Americana, with added desert noir.
2024 highlights included standing ovations at Cambridge Folk Festival, sold out tours in the Netherlands and USA, with 2025 kicking off with the launch of Spirit Ridge at Glasgow’s legendary Celtic Connections before heading off to Australia for a series of dates including the prestigious Port Fairy Folk Festival.
"The pulse of all our lives…" Irvine Welsh
"One of my favourite artists" Bob Harris (BBC)
"Owens sings with a dark majesty that matches the gigantic emotional pull of his songs… " **** Mojo
"More intoxicating than the most treacherous of mezcals…" **** Rolling Stone
"One of the happiest and most life affirming shows of the year…" Americana UK
"Dean Owens is right up there with Scotland’s finest artists…" Your Life in a Song
"One of the most interesting and innovative artists in Americana…" Lonesome Highway
"Music that is varied, vibrant and thoroughly fascinating…" American Songwriter
"Visionary and rewarding; don’t hesitate in exploring… "Folk Radio UK
"Owens is a class act, superb songwriter and guitar player, excellent soulful singer and a true troubadour… brilliant in all respects… " Americana UK
Americana UK Readers Poll 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Award winning troubadour Dean Owens is one of Scotland’s finest exports, with fans including authors Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin (whose fictional detective Rebus has Dean’s songs on playlist), and BBC legend Bob Harris.
His new album (his 12th) Spirit Ridge was recorded in Italy (the land of his lion-tamer ancestor) with renowned producer Don Antonio. Following directly on from his highly acclaimed collaborations with Calexico, the songs on Spirit Ridge are both monumental and deeply personal, rooted in a half imagined hinterland connecting the lush Italian hills, the US desert states and post industrial Scotland. A thrilling, unique blend of Scottish roots and rocky Americana, with added desert noir.
2024 highlights included standing ovations at Cambridge Folk Festival, sold out tours in the Netherlands and USA, with 2025 kicking off with the launch of Spirit Ridge at Glasgow’s legendary Celtic Connections before heading off to Australia for a series of dates including the prestigious Port Fairy Folk Festival.
"The pulse of all our lives…" Irvine Welsh
"One of my favourite artists" Bob Harris (BBC)
"Owens sings with a dark majesty that matches the gigantic emotional pull of his songs… " **** Mojo
"More intoxicating than the most treacherous of mezcals…" **** Rolling Stone
"One of the happiest and most life affirming shows of the year…" Americana UK
"Dean Owens is right up there with Scotland’s finest artists…" Your Life in a Song
"One of the most interesting and innovative artists in Americana…" Lonesome Highway
"Music that is varied, vibrant and thoroughly fascinating…" American Songwriter
"Visionary and rewarding; don’t hesitate in exploring… "Folk Radio UK
"Owens is a class act, superb songwriter and guitar player, excellent soulful singer and a true troubadour… brilliant in all respects… " Americana UK
