Deborah Rose

“Deborah Rose casts a spell with her songs and her voice. Her music brings you to another place, a place of calm, a place of wonder, a place of mystery. She has dedicated her life energy to service and music, and the result of her hard work is this collection of beautiful songs for us to savour, a gift to the world. She’s a gem, as are these songs. Please give a listen!” Mary Gauthier

“When I heard Deborah sing her beautiful music felt like a tuning fork of the soul. You could feel it in the room, we were all in a place of one heart beat and I was reminded of a line from Mahatma Gandhi when he said ‘politics should be sacred.”
Marianne Williamson, author and activist, democrat candidate currently running for President of the USA.

“Deborah Rose is a fine singer whose voice reveals an inherent quality that seems to transcend musical genres. I have had the pleasure of making music and sharing the stage with her…she has a bright future.” Dan Cassidy, violinist and brother of Eva Cassidy

“Deborah’s voice and music reaches deeply into the soul. Her music is exceedingly beautiful, achingly romantic, a real burst of wild-flowers and all their scents.” Math Jones, RSC

Deborah Rose is a Welsh singer/songwriter whose emotive, timeless voice has been described by folk legend Judy Collins as “one of the finest I’ve heard”.

Deborah supported Judy Collins on the UK leg of her world tour in 2011 after meeting her at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2009 where Deborah opened the Big Top Stage. Her recent career has also seen her perform with Ralph Mctell, Julie Felix, Boo Hewerdine, Dan Cassidy, Kenny White, 10CC, Rod Argent, Colin Blunstone, Raghu Dixit, Thea Gilmore, The Medieval Baebes and Rickie Simpkins of the Emmylou Harris band.

Deborah’s debut album, “Song Be My Soul” is now available to purchase via this website. The title track fuses self-penned words with Welsh folk song Calon Lan. It was composed by Deborah Rose and Martin Riley who is Musical Director for classical group ‘Blake’ and sets the tone for the rest of this enchanting album. It frames Deborah’s purity of voice with classic folk and a whisper of the mystic energy gained from her celtic roots.

Deborah’s album includes an unrecorded poem, “Springtime” written by Deborah’s greatest inspiration, Eva Cassidy, set to original music. Deborah describes the moment she heard Eva’s voice as “I had to pull over and stop the car, her music moved me to tears”. Its maybe no wonder then that the universe conspired to bring her together with Eva’s brother Dan Cassidy in 2010, who has now become a friend and plays violin on the album. Deborah performed live on Terry Wogan’s show on Radio 2 to commemorate Eva’s 50th anniversary last February. Following this Deborah performed in Maryland, Eva’s hometown at The Maryland Renaissance Festival, and she had the privilege of staying with Eva’s parents. While in Maryland Deborah undertook interviews with friends and family for a BBC documentary she made honouring Eva’s music. This was broadcast on BBC Hereford and Worcester on New Years Day, with tributes from Roberta Flack and Judy Collins.

Deborah’s music reflects her love of myth and legend with the hauntingly dramatic “Lady of Shalott” inspired by Tennyson’s epic poem. Deborah welcomed the original Waterhouse painting to the Midlands, UK from the Tate, London when she performed the song at the opening of the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition ‘Love and Death’ at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Celebrating her Celtic roots, her album features the Gaelic inspired folk song “Taigh Allain” which distills the romance of the Scottish landscape. “The First Day’’, is an ethereal reverie to lost love, inspired by Christina Rossetti. “A Child’s Hymn” has been described as an eternal lullaby and contrasts with the dynamic and powerful ‘Tyger Tyger’ inspired by William Blake’s poem, recorded with tabla, bansuri flute and other world instruments.

Deborah was born in Newport, South Wales before moving to Worcestershire. Her talent was apparent from an early age along with her desire to make music. She grew up listening to John Denver, John Williams, and Diana Ross. At the age of 10 she traipsed the streets of South Wales, washing cars in order to buy her first classical guitar. On a long road trip across America with her grandparents, age 13, she found her voice singing in the back of the van and it was then discovered that singing was in her soul.

Soon after, she discovered Joni Mitchell, Sandy Denny, Buffy St. Marie, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan and her musical direction was given form and shape. She formed her own duo, then trio, and various bands before giving up full time work as a Journalist and Communications Manager to study for an MA in Songwriting at Bath University, followed by an MA in English Literature at the University of Worcester.

Deborah’s love of song and poetry combined has guided her compositions. Inspired by Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott, and Charles Dickens she shares a deep love of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, and has performed in many National Trust and historical houses that are linked with the poets and painters referenced on her album. She has performed at John Ruskin’s home ‘Brantwood’ in the Lake District and ‘Dimbola’ the home of pioneering Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, on the Isle of Wight.

Her versatile voice has allowed Deborah to experiment with different genres of music and she has appeared as a guest with Dan Cassidy’s Swing Quartet on his UK Tour, performances with the Tom Hill Blues Trio, Bluegrass band “Grey Wolf’ and Jazz virtuoso guitarist Remi Harris. Venues performed at, include Worcester, Hereford and Liverpool Cathedral, Queen Victoria’s home, Osborne House, Eastnor Castle, Kings Place, London, and Symphony Hall and Town Hall, Birmingham.

Deborah has been the music host for several venues in the Midlands, organising shows for worldwide artists touring in the UK, as well as supporting local talent. She regularly offers music therapy workshops to adults suffering with dementia, performs at hospices in the West Midlands and in Wales and teaches and mentors young singers. Deborah’s guiding light is to serve others by using her voice to reach out, inspire, and touch that place deep in the soul of her audiences, whether in the living room of a hospice, a wedding ceremony, or a Cathedral concert.

For Deborah music is a gift, and her joy is in sharing it.

MORE TESTIMONIALS

“Deborah’s voice is enchanting… like the low door in the wall in Hesse’s ‘Steppenwolf’… or the bright door in the hillside in the Pied Piper, she took me away from the winter streets of a Midland’s town to a bright and lovely place. Deborah’s voice is a blessing, a light shining at the solstice.”
Jonathan Day, author and songwriter

“Deborah’s voice resides between the walls of the traditional and the contemporary… 
with the refreshing lack of even one melismatic flurry, 
you are drawn by charm and restraint only, never by heavy-handedness.”
Kenny White, singer-songwriter (New York)

“Deborah is a true delight. Her whole approach to singing is unique and rare. The way she relates to people with such deep feeling and care is a gift. When she performs at our day centre, she touches something within all of us. We are so appreciative of her time and all genuinely love her and her music.”
Pat Simmonds, founder of The Reaching Out Project Wyre Forest, working with people to alleviate loneliness and promote friendship.