Fife musician Cameron Barnes is bringing fans an unforgettable pop country anthem with the release of his new single Old Friend, out Friday 4 June.
The track travelled from Cameron’s hometown of Methil, to Glasgow, onto Nashville and then home again during its creation. The result is a rousing pop-rock song that marries a healthy dose of Tennessee charm with undeniable Scottish heart.
Cameron enlisted the mastering genius of US-based Ted Jensen who has worked with The Eagles, Green Day and Norah Jones, to name a few, to bring his vision for Old Friend to life.
Discovering a love of country music over lockdown, the Fifer racked up 70,000 followers and 430,000 likes on TikTok from fans who share his passion for combining contemporary Scottish and American sounds, even finding a new fan in American country star Clay Walker.
Old Friend sees Cameron explore a personal tale of childhood friendship and how best friends can grow apart but despite this, a lasting bond remains that means you can always reach out to one another for help.
Recorded in March 2021 by Scott Wood (Skerryvore) at Oak Ridge Studios in Glasgow, the new single features Charlotte Printer (bass), Jamie McGrory (drums), Mhairi Marwick (strings), Marco Cafolla (keys), Scott Wood (whistles), Jamie Adamson (guitar) and Naomi Stirrat (backing vocals), alongside Philippe Bronchtein (steel) who added his sound remotely from across the pond. Cameron can be heard on acoustic guitar, with his distinct, warm and spirited vocals front and centre.
Cameron Barnes said: “The story behind this track is very personal to me and it took me around two years to finish and get the sentiment just right. It’s about how sometimes best friends grow apart and can go down a bad path and need a little help. I wanted to share the message that it’s OK to ask for help and reach out. I felt it was really important to share this and hope people can relate with the concept and get comfort from the song.
“Having the track sent to Nashville and finished there was massive for me – there was no better place to send it than the home of country music and I’m chuffed with the result. I’m so excited to let people hear Old Friend and to see how it’s received.”
This new material from Cameron Barnes marks an exciting next chapter for the accomplished singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and actor, building on the success of his three singles to date which have all reached the top 20 of the UK iTunes singles chart and number 1 in the iTunes singer songwriter chart.
No stranger to performing live, Cameron has played bagpipes around the world with the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and as a solo artist, supported Tom Walker, headlined Glasgow’s King’s Tuts and more recently supported Skerryvore as part of a global livestream concert. He’s hoping to get back on stage this year with a sold-out show in Edinburgh and a gig in Aberdeen scheduled for October.
Cameron’s impressive musical and acting training includes spells at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music as well as The National Theatre both in London and in Scotland. He has appeared in productions of the acclaimed ‘Black Watch, ‘The James Plays’ and Pixar’s ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’.
Old Friend will be available to download and stream on all major platforms on Friday, 4 June and is available to pre-order now at threads.lnk.to/oldf
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