WILL POUND ON BREAKFAST TV

Will Pound 2HARMONICA WIZARD & BBC RADIO 2 FOLK AWARDS“MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR” NOMINEE WILL POUND TO APPEAR ON BBC BREAKFAST TV

Recognised as one of the best harmonica players of his generation, 26-year-old Will Pound is due to appear on BBC Breakfast Television on the morning of the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (Wednesday, February 19) where he is nominated for the coveted Musician of the Year title .

Will, who lives on a narrowboat in Oxfordshire will contest the title against Sam Sweeney, Martin Simpson and Aidan O’Rourke and the winner will be unveiled at the Awards ceremony to be held at the Royal Albert Hall.

But first he will be a sofa guest on BBC One’s Breakfast at Salford’s MediaCity, chatting to presenters Bill Turnbull and Naga Munchetty and playing live.

An outstanding natural talent, Will has quickly made his mark on the acoustic scene against the odds, despite suffering from dyslexia and not reading music. Born with a heart defect and having to undergo several operations as a child, Will was encouraged to take up the harmonica by his father as a way of helping with his breathing and overall health – and it certainly worked!

Last autumn he released A Cut Above, a barnstormer of a debut solo album which has received widespread acclaim from the UK to South Africa, America and Australia. An effervescent, life-affirming album it acrobatically hops across bluegrass, folk and jazz to blues, rock, pop and funk featuring both new arrangements of trad numbers and inventive original material. Be it a sultry take on Amazing Grace, the jaunty title track written by Will and wife Nicky or the barely-time-to-catch-your-breath bluegrass fave Clinch Mountain Back Step, it is a compelling and dazzling display of virtuosity.

Just before Christmas Will guested on BBC Radio 2’s Folk Show, presented by Mark Radcliffe. In late 2012 the harp ace joined forces with the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Paloma Faith, Beverley Knight, Shane MacGowan, Glenn Tillbrook and Mel C on the Hillsborough charity single – the emotive cover of The Hollies classic He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – which became the Christmas No.1. Will also played a key role on the accompanying video, opening the song with a poignant harmonica solo.

Will has now formed his own Will Pound Band with renowned musicians Henry Webster (violin), the 2013 London Fiddle Convention Competition winner; guitarist Chris Sarjeant( Jackie Oates Band) and John Parker (double bass), one half of UK chart topping Nizlopi, who has also guested with Newton Faulkner, Ed Sheeran and Paper Aeroplanes.