For what began life as a side project for Michael Weston King & Lou Dalgleish, a labour of love, a homage to the classic country duets, My Darling Clementine is now very much part of the country and Americana landscape, courtesy of 3 critically acclaimed albums, over 350 shows across Europe and N. America, and numerous awards

The debut “How Do You Plead?” was produced by Neil Brockbank (Nick Lowe, Tift Merritt). Released in 2011 It was highly acclaimed on both side of the Atlantic – Country Music People called it the “greatest UK country record ever made” and American Songwriter stated “As authentic as anything out of Nashville or Texas…A batch of superb C&W corkers.”

Such praise led to a US record deal and invitations to appear at the Americana Music Association in Nashville and SXSW in Austin in 2013

2013’s follow-up, “The Reconciliation:, produced by Colin Eliot (Richard Hawley, Duane Eddy) received a similar response. Uncut exclaimed “The husband-and-wife duo serve up more countrified duet thrills…on this form, it’s a winning formula that looks set to run and run.” In the States Popmatters chose the album as one of their Top 10 Country Albums of 2013.

in 2015 Michael & Lou collaborated with best-selling crime writer Mark Billingham on an audiobook, stage play and album called The Other Half. which featured guest appearances from the actor David Morrissey and Graham Parker. BBC Radio 4 Front Row described it as “A convincing world of barflies, peeling paint and characters on bar stools with very dark secrets.” while America’s Americana bible No Depression wrote; “With The Other Half, My Darling Clementine reaffirms the fact that they are the U.K.’s strongest and most assured purveyors of authentic traditional Americana. A superb collection of stories and songs”

Re-uniting with Neil Brockbank, the new album, Still Testifying, was recorded over the summer of 2016 and will be released on May 26th. Stylistically, it is a further shifting away from classic country to embrace gospel and country soul. “More Delaney & Bonnie than George & Tammy” But if the musical landscape has changed then the message and tone of the songs stay pretty constant. 2 adults, a man and woman, singing to each, about each other, for and against each other.

“It was theatre, it was country music, it was rock ‘n’ roll.”Maverick *****5/5

“MDC mix country gloom with excellent musicianship and very fine songs”.

The Guardian

The support for the evening is Boltonian born, Manchester based poet, Oliver James Lomax. Oliver’s new first-collection, entitled 18 Poems, will official launch on Friday 7 April and is available to order online.