Where: The Prince Albert, Stroud

When: Wednesday, February 20, doors open 8pm

Ray Cooper is a Scottish/English singer-songwriter living in Sweden. When Cooper left art school in Brighton he decided to follow where music took him.

He joined Oysterband, eventually recording 19 albums and touring in 27 countries. In 2013 he went solo and never looked back.

After setting up a recording studio in a small log cabin in Sweden he made his first album Tales of Love War and Death by Hanging in 2010; it has a strongly historical theme.

In 2014 he followed it up with Palace Of Tears which was about more recent, more personal history. His third album, Between The Golden Age & The Promised Land, released in April 2018, is a big sounding record with serious themes but is nevertheless simple, raw, joyous, and unashamedly romantic.

While Cooper continues to develop as a singer, on this album he plays all the instruments, in a stripped down production inspired by producer Rick Rubin's treatment of Johnny Cash's late recordings.

The familiar mandolin, cello, guitar and harmonica are all there but Cooper also makes his recording debut as a piano player.

Cooper tours extensively on the continent and comes to the UK once or twice a year to keep in touch with his English fans and to present his music to new audiences.

Tickets are £12.