On November 4, 2014, Stephen Doster’s new record Arizona will be released internationally on Atticus Records. On release day, Doster will be in the first week of a month long tour of the UK in support of the record, joining his friend Bob Cheevers, who is supporting his own new record On Earth As It Is In Austin on Private Angel Records.
“Bob has been touring over there for years and I’m grateful to be invited on this journey. I spent a lot of early days in England and it will be cool to get back,” Doster says of the upcoming tour.
The tour is a partnership between Doster and Cheevers who perform regularly together in Austin throughout the year, and will cover 17 shows throughout England and Scotland in November, and will also include a few days off for a jaunt to Paris to celebrate Stephen’s birthday.
Returning to the UK will be somewhat of a minor homecoming for Doster, who first trekked to England in the early seventies, when he went there to check out the British folk scene and to track down Nick Drake. After learning of Drake’s passing, Doster made his way to Austin, Texas, where he later met and befriended Pretenders’ guitarist, James Honeyman-Scott. who was set to helm Doster’s debut release, but tragically died during the pre-production stage of the record.
“Although Arizona’s release date was a happy coincidence, it was one of great significance to me. November 4th is also the birthday of my friend and mentor James Honeyman-Scott. James’ lifespan was not long enough for him to get many records out, but what did get released was very influential to many guitarists throughout the world, including me. Like Hendrix, his work is just as powerful today as it was back then.”
Upon Doster’s return to the US, he will take December off, before beginning the US promotion of Arizona in January.