Rachael Sage and Carrington MacDuffie @ Tucker's Grave Inn
Rachael Sage and Carrington MacDuffie @ Tucker's Grave Inn, Faulkland, Somerset - 20th July 2019
Tuckers Grave Inn has a sense of being in the middle of nowhere yet attracts musicians and bands of all genres and nationalities to its open fronted barn most weekends; and this time two U.S. singer/songwriters had found their way to the Inn, a long way off from home, but warmly welcomed with a good crowd and an open fire which greeted them on a chilly July night with the sun setting over the Somerset hills.
New York native Carrington now splits her time between Austin and Seattle after a decade in Los Angeles; a singer/songwriter and renowned voice actor, she has wide ranging influences and is now globetrotting with her electric Ukele following the release of her new album, “Kiss Make Better” (2018), recorded last year in Nashville; and with an accompanying guitarist, Carrington sparkled in the early evening sunshine with her beautifully laid-back voice.
https://carringtonmacduffie.com/
Following Carrington was global coffee chain, Caffe Nero's artist of the month, Rachael Sage who gave a colourful performance into the twilight accompanied by a notable violinist. Rachael is also based in New York and has founded her own record label, “MPress Records”. Her songs have poetic lyrics and she has toured with some impressive company such as Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart, Sarah McLachlan, Judy Collins and Howard Jones.
Her latest album, “Pseudomyopia" is a collection of songs about getting out there, thawing things out(!) and unearthing the truth; and sometimes you just can’t do that in the dead of winter but when the sun is shining, even the murkiest future appears hopeful.
The legend of Tuckers Grave
Even lost souls could find their way to the vibrantly warm barn that night…
"Legendary pub, Tuckers Grave Inn was built in the mid 17th Century near the burial site of a local farm worker Edward Tucker who, on 5th June 1747, hung himself in a barn a few miles away. At that time, suicides were not permitted to be buried on hallowed ground but were to be buried in unmarked graves usually at a cross roads, supposedly so the soul would be confused & not find its way to Heaven. Edward Tucker was buried on the crossroads near the site of what was then a farmhouse and now a pub since 1827" ( Quoted from: https://www.tuckersgraveinn.co.uk/history)
The Inn now has a campsite and an open barn hosting live music throughout the fairer months and great sunsets. Interestingly, renowned band The Stranglers who are one of our all time favourites, also based themselves in the Faulkland area and wrote a song about the suicide. They are still heroes to many and earn respect from most even though a rumour has it that they were originally called The Stranglers because the neighbours said they were strangling the life out to the music when rehearsing in the early days!