Songwriter Simon creates gem of a song

However, it’s one that is paying off for Pateley Bridge songwriter Simon Surtees (the music name for Simon Goodall) who has just released his first pop song with his co-writer – the producer SmashHarry.

The track, entitled Diamond Shoes, is disco-funk and influenced by artists such as Bruno Mars and Jamiroquai and features the vocals of the young talent Ishy Dee.

Simon said: “We’ve aimed to write a feel-good track that hopefully makes you immediately want to get up and dance.

“The live bass player put in a Nile Rodgers-type groove that we feel kicks the track along nicely.”

Simon moved back to Pateley three years ago after a 17-year stint in London in the Civil Service.

However, it was the sudden loss of his mother in 2011 that finally gave him the push he needed to follow his dreams.

He said: “My job was very demanding, and I didn’t have enough time in my private life to work on my music. I began to miss the country lifestyle that I’d had growing up, and I was growing tired of London and thinking increasingly about returning to Yorkshire.

“My mother’s death made me completely re-evaluate my life. When such a significant event like suddenly losing a parent happens to you, you re-assess everything.

“You realise how important it is to really get what you want out of life and that spurred me on to deciding to take some calculated risks and follow my dream of being a song writer. So I took the plunge and moved back to Pateley so that I could pursue my song-writing dream full-time.”

The official music video for Diamond Shoes will be released on YouTube and other music video platforms soon.

Simon added: “Diamond Shoes is the first single from an EP, which we are planning to release early next year.

“I’m also busy with other music projects, but this is by far the most exciting one at the moment.

“But we’re are also very open to attracting a bigger music name taking the song and covering it themselves.”

People can listen to Diamond Shoes by SmashHarry (featuring Ishy Dee) via the www.smashharry.com website.