✪ ABOUT ✪
The Long Haul
hail from Brighton in the UK. Formed through a collective love of all things Americana and Country, the band play all over the UK and have just released album number 3.
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✪ THE BAND ✪
SIMON SPARROW
Simon plays acoustic guitar, sings and plays bass, although the later not in this band, and. along with Francois, he writes the band’s original material. A self-confessed country music enthusiast, Simon is a big fan of Texas country, Western Swing and singer-songwriters. His prize possession is a Martin D18 guitar which comes out to gigs from time to time (birthdays, special occasions, things like that...).
FRANCOIS DeVILLE
Pedal steel vocals. Starting his Long Haul journey up on his feet as the bass-player, Francois now enjoys sitting down in the pedal-steel seat. He came to playing steel relatively late but was lucky enough to study, all too briefly, with the late great Jeff Newman. An unexpected side-effect of becoming the band’s steel-player is he smiles much less often nowadays when onstage, sporting the ubiquitous steel-player’s slightly baffled look ! Francois is the other principal writer within the band. You’ll recognise him easily. He’s the one in the loud shirt...
ANDY ROBERTS
Lead guitar. Andy helped form poetry/rock group The Liverpool Scene in 1967.
A multi-instrumentalist, he has since performed with Pink Floyd, The Bonzo Dog Band, Plainsong, GRIMMS, Roy Harper, Billy Connolly, The Albion Band, The Hank Wangford Band, Twiggy and The Rutles. In addition, he’s appeared on record with all of these artists, plus such widely differing acts as Cat Stevens, Spitting Image, Monty Python and George Hamilton IV!
JAMES CHAPMAN
Drums. James performs all over the UK with many different musicians in a wide variety of genres. He developed his love of country music at a young age listening to the likes of Nanci Griffith, Vince Gill and Alan Jackson. ‘It’s really nice,’ he says, ‘to be involved with a country band playing both original material and covers as it’s a genre I reall enjoy and it’s great fun to play with musicians who share the same passion.’
SCOTT WARMAN
Double bass, vocals. Scott tours the UK with many musicians, including US touring acts, and has also toured America. He’s also a Whispering Bob All-Star, being part of Bob Harris’s charity re-release of Stand By Me 2020, alongside world-renowned players including Mark Knopfler, Duane Eddy and Rosanne Cash.