The quite wonderful country singer/songwriter Elaine Palmer has a super new album out in May, ‘Half Moon Rising’, and she’ll no doubt be hitting us up with songs from it when she plays Newcastle (album launch) and Eaglescliffe.

First up: Elaine Palmer’s ‘Half Moon Rising’ is a special album. It was recorded mostly live at Half Moon Lodge up in the San Diego hills with a whole bunch of incredible musicians. And she’s also worked with producer and engineer Mike Butler, who has previously done the biz for the likes of Norah Jones, Ray LaMontagne, Phoebe Bridgers and The Pretenders, and the pair have produced a rich collection of classic country tunes that simply soar – Palmer’s warm and powerful vocals very much to the fore. Her 2021 album ‘The Land in Between’ won glittering notices and I expect ‘Half Moon Rising’ to receive similar acclaim. Hailing from the North Yorkshire Moors, Palmer spends a lot of time in the US, but it’s always great to welcome her back to these shores, particularly when she’s playing a whole bunch of dates. GM

Elaine Palmer: Sunday 12 May, The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe, 7pm, £12, thewaitingroom.uk; Friday 17 May (album launch), The Globe, Newcastle, 8pm, from £13, theglobenewcastle.bar