A Lanarkshire musician who feared he may not be able to perform again after a bad road accident has announced the release of his debut single.
Blantyre -based singer-songwriter Stephen Kelly says he is lucky to be alive but knew he wanted to bounce back with his new music as a solo artist.
The accident left him with permanent deafness in one ear, but Stephen has quickly overcome his personal challenges and is now fulfilling his dream of making his debut album.
Stephen's first single titled Tears Run Dry will be released on Friday, August 12.
The track has an upbeat and uplifting sound which explores the more serious and sombre themes of the changes people go through after the breakdown of a relationship, something which was personal and relevant to Stephen at the time of writing in 2018.
The Blantyre musician began writing songs in his teens and performed with local bands around Glasgow and Lanarkshire.
He then went on to perform solo acoustic shows, before taking the opportunity in 2012 to perform abroad.
Speaking of his upcoming single and overcoming recent hurdles, Stephen told Lanarkshire Live : “I’m a huge fan of beautiful vocal harmonies and I’ve included a lot of them on this track, along with a stunning string arrangement by Seonaid Aitken and a great rhythm track driving the song along.
"I think I’ve managed to capture a really summery, shimmering vibe that takes you to another place.
"I’m hoping the simple subject matter and catchy melody will be easily accessible for anyone listening to the track and leaving them looking forward to hearing the album.
"The songs that will follow on the album all have a strong connection with one another - they really capture the feelings and emotions I was going through at that time.
“After the accident I knew I was lucky to be alive and started thinking about trying to do something serious with music.
"I started writing the material that would eventually become my debut album. I hope that this material will show that I still have something to offer as a songwriter, recording artist and performer.”
Recorded between two studios in his home town, Chem 19 Studios and Derek O’Neill Private Studios, Tears Run Dry features a number of talented instrumentalists accompanying Stephen’s guitar and vocals.
That sees Derek O’Neill on keys and bass guitar, Peter Lyons and Stephen Summers on guitar, Don Wilson on drums, Seonaid Aitken on first violin, Katrina Lee on second violin, Patsy Reid on viola, and Alice Allen on cello.
Tears Run Dry will be available to download and stream from all the usual services from Friday, August 12.