FURNESS Tradition is marking its 20th year with a series of concerts leading up to next summer's annual festival.

The September guest will be the multi-award winning performer Rachel Newton, appearing at the Coronation Hall on Wednesday 20.

A member of The Furrow Collective and The Shee, she was voted BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year this year, and her current release, Here’s My Heart Come Take It, was nominated for Scottish album of the year.

Joining her in stage will be her own live band of acclaimed musicians, consisting of Sarah Hayes on keyboards, fiddler Lauren MacColl and percussionist Mattie Faulds.

Singer and harpist Rachel specialises in interpreting traditional folk songs in both English and Gaelic as well as writing and arranging her own music.

She also plays fiddle and viola and works across a range of performance platforms including theatre and storytelling.

Her third solo album Here's My Heart Come Take It was released in 2016, adding to her two previous full-length records, The Shadow Side and Changeling.

Last year, she received a Hands Up for Trad Ignition Award for Innovation, and was awarded Instrumentalist of the Year 2016 at the Scots Trad Music Awards, as well as her two BBC Folk Award successes.

Rachel is a founder member of all-female live band The Shee, and also plays with the Scottish/Norwegian group Boreas, in addition to the two other bands that she's bringing to Cumbria.

The show at the Coronation Hall on Wednesday 20 starts at 8pm, and tickets are available from the venue's box office.

The Furness Tradition festival returns in July 2018. For a full programme of concerts throughout the year, visit furnesstradition.org.uk