ONE of the rising stars of British folk and blues music will be making his debut in Ulverston next month.

Sunjay will be showcasing material from his upcoming album with a series of tour dates across the country, including an appearance at the Sports and Social Club, in Priory Road, on Friday July 7.

The as-yet-untitled record is expected to have more of a country blues feel than his previous work, with live favourites such as Ghost Train and Crocodile Man set to be included.

The Derbyshire-born singer-songwriter rose to prominence with the release of his debut record, Seems So Real, in 2011, earning him a Young Folk Award nomination in the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. His versatility and wide-reaching style was recognised with a similar nomination at the British Blues Awards two years later.

Sunjay's earliest memories are, as a four-year old, learning Buddy Holly songs from his dad. His life-long love of the American icon came full circle recently when he was invited to play Buddy in the touring stage show of Buddy Holly and The Cricketers. The show's producers were impressed with Sunjay's singing and playing as well as his familiarity with Buddy's repertoire - and the fact that he is skinny and wears glasses was a bonus.

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Having performed regularly to ever increasing audiences from the age of seven, now, still only in his mid-20s, Sunjay has become a master guitarist, who has crafted his show to perfection.

He is also known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of his music, and a wicked sense of humour.

An evening with Sunjay is an evening of exquisite blues, country and folk music combined with a masterclass in guitar playing, interspersed with hilarious anecdotes, and, of course, the occasional Buddy Holly song.

Ahead of his visit to South Cumbria, he said: "I haven’t played Ulverston before and I understand it is a very beautiful area.

"I am looking forward to performing there. It's always great to play in front of a new audience - they don’t know what to expect."

Doors for the show open at 7.45pm, and tickets are available on the night, or can be booked in advance by phoning 07749 827488.