Farmer Phil’s Festival is delighted to confirm that WORRY DOLLS will be joining us for our 21st birthday celebrations in Ratlinghope this summer!
Worry Dolls are a compelling duo born out of the joint talents of multi-instrumentalists Zoe Nicol and Rosie Jones. Serendipity brought them together at an open mic night when they were 18, both studying music in Liverpool. Both redheads with guitars, on their chosen path of becoming solo singer songwriters, and both falling under the spell of ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’. Paired by their teachers for an opportunity to have their songwriting critiqued by Paul McCartney, they were inspired to start co-writing, and could now be described as an almost telepathically linked songwriting force.
They set off from University together, making music as Worry Dolls. It was a new sound, blending the tender urgency of Zoe’s Irish-influenced voice with the fiery integrity of Rosie’s vocals and rhythmic guitar. Zoe transferred her fingerpicking skills to ukulele, followed by Earl Scruggs-style banjo, motivated by players like Emily Robison (Dixie Chicks). These days playing piano has been added to the live performances and Worry Dolls frequently perform with a band. They have also started touring in Europe spreading the special blend of UK Americana folk rock.
The duo signed to Bread & Butter, who released their debut LP, Go Get Gone, 2017. A ‘Song of the Year’ nomination lead to them performing at London’s historic Hackney Empire with Ethan Johns at the UK Americana Awards earlier this year, alongside Robert Plant and Mumford and Sons. The duo will flying back to Nashville to showcase at AmericanaFest this September in support of their album release Stateside this summer 2018.
- “Zoe Nicol’s fleet banjo picking and warm, country tones weave into Rosie Jones’ grittier, pastoral-punk overtures on nostalgic songs of longing hearts and leaving trains” – MOJO
- “London duo Worry Dolls lit up the main stage with their harmony driven indie-pop in their most prestigious performance to date” – Rob Bridge (Folk Radio UK), Cambridge Folk Festival
- “Felt lucky to be there” – Helen Jerome (Country Music Magazine), St Pancras Old Church Album launch
- Gorgeous harmonies and sassy lyrics – Laura Cooney (Entertainment-Focus) C2C 2017
- “Worry Dolls combine a great sensibility of American Country music with their own English folk influences to create a warm and infectious sound” – Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2