Todd Sharpville
| Todd Sharpville | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
9 April 1970 London, England |
| Genres |
Blues Rock Pop |
| Instruments | Guitar, piano |
| Labels |
Red Lightnin' Records Cathouse Records Revolver Records MiG Music |
| Website |
toddsharpville |
| Notable instruments | |
| A variety of original 1950s Fender Stratocasters and Gibson Guitar Corporation "custom shop" acoustics | |
Todd Sharpville (born 9 April 1970 as The Hon. Roland Augusto Jestyn Estanislao Philipps) is the younger son of the 3rd Viscount St Davids[1][2] and younger brother of 4th Viscount St Davids. Sharpville is a British musician, singer-songwriter and lead guitarist, mainly in the blues field. It is claimed that he is "the world's first blue-blooded bluesman, being a titled member of one of the UK's oldest aristocratic families, descending from royal lineage".[3] In 2010, the Conservative Party asked him to stand for election as a Prospective parliamentary candidate, but he declined the offer.[3]
Career
Sharpville first came to public prominence with his 1994 debut blues album release, Touch of Your Love (Red Lightnin' Records – RLCD0095). The album achieved critical acclaim, winning "Best Album" in 1994 in the British Blues Connection awards (Britain's equivalent to the W.C. Handy Awards). At this time, Sharpville was putting together European backing bands for visiting American blues artists (such as Hubert Sumlin, Ike Turner, Chuck Berry and Byther Smith). He won the British Blues Connection "Best UK Guitarist" award in 1995 (beating fellow nominees Eric Clapton and Gary Moore according to the April 1995 edition of British Blues Connection's Blueprint magazine) and became a mainstay on the European blues circuit as a solo artist.
His second blues album, The Meaning of Life (CRCD0057), was released in 2001 on Cathouse Records and featured guests Leo Sayer, Eugene "Hideaway" Bridges, Snowy White, Paul Lamb, Keith Dunn, and ex-Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor. In support of this release, Sayer and Taylor toured extensively,[4][5][6] as part of the Todd Sharpville Band. Sharpville can also be found on more than 35 compilation albums, and at least five Dana Gillespie releases. He additionally appeared on The Mick Ronson Memorial Concert (Citadel Records – recorded at the Hammersmith Apollo in 1994), Albert Hammond's 2006 release Revolution of the Heart (Sharpville was Hammond's guitarist and musical director) and Leo Sayer's Voice in My Head (2005). Live performances include appearances with Robbie Williams, Van Morrison, Peter Green, George Michael, Taj Mahal, Albert Collins, Georgie Fame, Kim Wilson, Joe Louis Walker, Tommy Castro, Brian May, and the reformed version of The Yardbirds.
Between 2005 and 2007, Sharpville was the European opening act for Pink, Joe Cocker, and B.B. King. He is still due to release his singer/songwriter album Diary of a Drowning Man . This is a "confessional" album, inspired by his divorce. It features a duet with British vocalist Sam Brown ("Sweet Redemption"), and was co-produced by ex-Stone Roses record producer Dave Hyatt and Robbie Williams producer Steve Power. His new blues double album, Porchlight, was released on 29 October 2010 by the MiG Music record label. This was produced in Rhode Island by Duke Robillard and features guests: Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, & Kim Wilson (of The Fabulous Thunderbirds).[7]
Viscountcy of St Davids
Sharpville is the heir presumptive to his brother, Rhodri Philipps, 4th Viscount St Davids, and currently the only person eligible to succeed to the Viscountcy of St Davids. In addition to the Viscountcy, Sharpville is also the sole heir to the current Viscount's Barony of St. Davids(1908). He is next in line but not the only living eligible heir to three baronies and a baronetcy that his brother also holds.
Image gallery
Tab Benoit and Sharpville; US - 2007
Sharpville and B.B. King - Luxembourg - 2006
The Todd Sharpville Band at the d'Coque arena - 2007
Berlin, Germany - 2005
Sharpville, Tommy Castro and Earl Thomas; US - 2007
References
- ↑ "Person Page 5883 : Hon. Roland Augusto Jestyn Estantislao Philipps". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ↑ "Viscount Saint Davids". The Telegraph. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
- 1 2 Archived 24 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Mick Taylor ex Rolling Stones biography". Micktaylor.free.fr. 1949-01-17. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ↑ Archived 21 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Shropshire - BBC News". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
- ↑ "MIG". Migmusic.de. Retrieved 2015-11-15.