Talented musician Chantel's journey from Harrogate's tiny Blues Bar to national awards and British tour
From early gigs at Harrogate’s tiny Blues Bar to national music awards the talented Chantel McGregor’s journey has been more memorable than most.
As her current UK tour wends its way towards Ripley for a charity show for Parkinsons, the acclaimed blues singer and guitarist told the Harrogate Advertiser it’s going to be a terrific show at Ripley Town Hall.
"I’ll be playing a bit of rock, a bit of prog, maybe a bit of acoustic and a bit of guitar shredding.
"It’s going to be an epic night.
"But I have such lovely memories of playing the Blues Bar when I was a youngster.”
The Bradford-born Chantel may have British blues music awards since she was first compared to Hendrix and Zeppelin as a teenage prodigy in Yorkshire’s smaller venues but she is very far from being musically one dimensional.
Her five original albums run a gamut of influences and styles.
In 2020, Chantel released a cover of Lady Gaga’s Stupid Love and she’s currently enjoying Taylor Swift’s new album The Tortured Poets Department.
Her Ripley show on July 20 with regular bassist Colin Sutton and drummer Thom Gardner is part of a tour which will see this incredibly gifted musician and her small band travel by van from Aberdeen to London.
Such are her all-round talents, Chantel is actually doing the driving.
"My dad broke his hip when he decided to tackle a shoplifter,” she said.
"I’ve never driven the van before. It’s keeping the band on edge!"