Ward Thomas
are back with a new single, Lie Like Me
New album RESTLESS
MINDS drops 5th October 2018
Click here as we take a look at Ward Thomas’ 5-year journey and achievements to date
Click here as we take a look at Ward Thomas’ No.1 album CARTWHEELS and what it took to sell 12,000 copies in its first week
Click here as we take a look at Ward Thomas’ 5-year journey and achievements to date
Click here as we take a look at Ward Thomas’ No.1 album CARTWHEELS and what it took to sell 12,000 copies in its first week
Ward Thomas
(24-year old twins Catherine and Lizzy), will release their “eagerly
anticipated” new album RESTLESS MINDS (WTW Music/Sony Music) on Friday October 5th 2018.
It is available for pre-order where you instantly receive the
pregrat track Lie Like Me.
Lead single ‘Lie Like
Me’, is available on all
platforms and is described as “a glorious, addictive slice of their unique
sound”
Release Date: 5 October 2018
Label:
Sony Music CG
15
Tracks
Copyright:
(P) 2018 WTW Music Ltd
Under
exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited
Restless
Minds track listing:
1.
No Filter 2. Lie Like Me 3. One More
Goodbye
4.
It’s Not Just Me 5. Ain’t That Easy 6. Rather Be Breathing
7.
Hopeless 8. Never Know 9. Same Love 10. Changing
11.
No Fooling Me 12. I Believe In You 13. Little Girl Sorrow
14.
Deepest You 15. This Too Will Pass
On
Instagram Catherine and Lizzy
shared: BIG NEWS!!! Our
brand new album is now available to pre-order!! We have been working on this
for a long time and we are so excited to share it with you all soon. In a world
that is ever changing, we are being faced with challenges that seem very new to
all of us. We have poured our hearts into every one of these songs and written
when we have felt overwhelmed, overjoyed, terrified and fearless. This is why
the album is called "RESTLESS MINDS". Thank you to every one of you
for being so supportive and allowing us the time to make an album we are really
proud of!! We can't WAIT!!!
WORLD EXCLUSIVE
This picture-perfect paradise, this pretty lie I show and tell
‘Lie Like Me' received an exclusive first worldwide play on the Ken
Bruce Show on BBC Radio 2 just
after 11am on Thursday 5th July 2018. Ken was joined by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Matt Everitt and they spoke about Ward
Thomas; new music.
Hear Catherine & Lizzy's new single "Lie Like Me" on @BBCRadio2 tomorrow from 11am. pic.twitter.com/sQFD2J5o5y— ❤️ WardThomasFans ❤️ (@WardThomasFans) 4 July 2018
Additionally, “Lie Like Me” received its first spin on the mighty Chris Country Radio (CMA International CountryBroadcaster of the Year 2018 | See BLOG Features) on the Full Country Breakfast show and it has been added to Chris Country New Music List
“Personally, I Like it” – Chris Stevens
The Lie Like Me (WTW Music/Sony Music) lyric video for the track, which is described as ‘a biting indictment of lives faked online’, can be seen below:
Within a few hours “Lie Like Me” debuted at #17 on UK Country iTunes chart (#411 UK iTunes all-genres) and it climbed to #3 (#229 all-genres). On Friday (July 6) it was #2 (#182 UK iTunes all-genres) thirty-three places behind one of their early influences Carrie Underwood (“Cry Pretty”) before overhauling their former Sony labelmate climbing to No1 (#146 UK iTunes all-genres).
Lie
Like Me has been added to several playlists:
Spotify’s “New Music Friday”, Apple Music “Best Of The Week” and Amazon Music “Brand New Music”.
Ward Thomas on @AppleMusic's #BESTOFTHEWEEK Playlist, check it out. 💛https://t.co/u70syPmvLN pic.twitter.com/v2AoTLYl2w— ❤️ WardThomasFans ❤️ (@WardThomasFans) 6 July 2018
ABOUT RESTLESS MINDS
RESTLESS MINDS is the follow-up to
2016’s CARTWHEELS, the duo’s major label debut that debuted at number 1 on the
Official UK Top 100 Album chart.
According to the blurb the new album: “firmly
establishes Ward Thomas as leading exponents of new wave
country tinged pop”.
“We
never consciously tried to be country,” Lizzy says. “We love country but we’ve
always set out to simply write songs that suit the content. The country artists
we listen to now are the ones mixing it up and moving the genre on – Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves in particular. But we also love Lorde, Cardi B, Haim and Julia Michaels.”
RESTLESS
MINDS features 15 tracks written in Nashville, London and Hampshire with
previous collaborators Jessica Sharman,
Rebekah Powell and Martin Terefe (Shawn Mendes) in
addition to Ed Drewitt (Little Mix),
Rachel Furner (Craig David) and Steve Robson (Paloma Faith).
The
album was produced in London by Martin
Terefe and Joe Rubel (Ed
Sheeran).
The
lyrics of the songs cover topics such as pertinent observations on social
media, the women’s movement, what ‘the truth’ means in 2018 and mental health.
“As
soon as we started writing the album, it became obvious what the themes would
be,” says Catherine. “We were discussing current issues for us as
twentysomethings, in a world that’s scary because it’s changing so quickly, but
is also creating lots of exciting, new opportunities.”
It’s all
about change and working through transitions, being honest with every feeling
Instagram Live video:
A proud moment for Catherine & Lizzy. (Instagram Live) pic.twitter.com/KmBBiMEzZJ— ❤️ WardThomasFans ❤️ (@WardThomasFans) 5 July 2018
HMV interviewed Ward Thomas to talk all about our new album ‘Restless Minds’. How they named the album, the writing process and everything in between!
Extract:
How did you want this
album to move on from Cartwheels?
"We wanted this album to be different from
Cartwheels. We love Cartwheels as an album, but we have written it and it will
always be there, so now we can go somewhere else. We experimented with a lot of
new sounds and harmonies and pushed ourselves more in our songwriting and our
vocals."
When did you settle on
the title of Restless Minds? Were there any other titles in contention?
"We really wanted
the title to come from a lyric in one of the songs as we feel these lyrics are
so important to the whole story we are trying to tell. We were floating a lot of
very long title ideas about, until we sang 'It's Not Just Me', and after the
lyric "Because my restless mind keeps me up at night", we suddenly
both stopped looked at each other and yelled “RESTLESS MINDS”!"
 |
| Ward Thomas: Live New Forest Folk Festival 6 July 2018 |
Ward Thomas Live Dates
Sunday 15 July 2018
- Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time Hyde Park Paul
Simon + Very Special Guests James Taylor & His All-Star Band, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny
Flynn & The Sussex Wit, Tom Chaplin, Ward Thomas, Shawn Colvin, Callaghan, Night Flight, Sarah Darling, Jesca Hoop, Blueprint Blue & more to be
announced Ticketmaster UK | Event
Sunday 26
August 2018 - Cottingham Folk Festival, Cottingham (The Civic Hall, Market Green, HU16 5QG) with support Sarah Darling + Kerri Watt
+ Laura Oakes £35.62 Event
Playing a special intimate show
Sat 1 September
2018 - The Digbeth Entertainment District (Heath Mill Lane, Digbeth, Birmingham, B9 4AA) 8:00 Skyline Series
- Texas + Imelda May
Ticketmaster UK
Friday 7 September 2018 - The Long Road Festival (Stanford Hall in Leicestershire (Lutterworth, LE17 6DH) headliners
CONNECT with Ward Thomas:
ABOUT WARD THOMAS
They are an
English country/folk/pop music Hampshire duo, hail from Petersfield, UK who
comprise twin sisters Catherine and Lizzy
Ward Thomas.
Writing songs at 6th form their
singing teacher Ann “Thunderlungs” Bailey, who was a session singer in
Nashville, made the contacts enabling Ward Thomas to record a couple of songs
they had penned.
They represented
the UK at “CMA Presents The Aristo Global Show” in June 2013 in
Nashville
They Signed with BMI (Broadcast
Music, Inc) in November 2013. BMI was founded in 1939 by forward-thinkers who
wanted to represent songwriters in emerging genres, like jazz, blues and
country, and protect the public performances of their music.
Photo (Left)
(back row, l-r): BMI’s David Preston and producers Bobby Blazer and Chris Rodriguez; (front row, l-r): BMI’s Clay Bradley and Ward Thomas’ Lizzy and Catherine. (Photo by Drew Maynard).
Photo (Left)
(back row, l-r): BMI’s David Preston and producers Bobby Blazer and Chris Rodriguez; (front row, l-r): BMI’s Clay Bradley and Ward Thomas’ Lizzy and Catherine. (Photo by Drew Maynard).
They were invited and played at the C2C: Country to Country 2014 Festival Pop Stages.
They did
a Small market American Radio performance and went on a promotional
tour Oct/ Nov 2013 & April/June 2014 in Tennessee and Alabama and embarked
on their first UK tour in February 2014.
THE FOOTNOTES ERA
On April 6, 2014 they dropped a 4-track EP titled FOOTNOTES (iTunes). Their radio single “The Good and the Right “ was played
on Weekend Wogan on Sunday March 9th and they appeared on the show on Sunday
March 23rd!
The 4-song EP featured three
original songs co-written by the girls and recorded out in Nashville and a
cover of Dougie MacLean’s classic ‘Caledonia’.
Musicians include Dan Dugmore and Chris Rodriquez (Keith Urban) with guest
appearances from Michael Omartian and Vince Gill - Cows, chickens and goats
have the same language in rural Hampshire as they do below the Mason-Dixon
line!” they shared.
Catherine and Lizzy Ward-Thomas who the previous week played live
for Sir Terry Wogan, landed something remarkable at the time, when as a British
country act were subsequently playlisted by BBC
Radio 2 when “The Good And The Right”
(Official Video) was added and appeared on the “B” Playlist for 3-weeks.
In July 2014 the
Petersfield UK duo also secured a Radio 2 “B” playlisting for second single “Push
for the Stride” which was upgraded to the "A" list. It climbed
to the top of the UK Country iTunes
Singles chart.
In late
September 2014 their third Radio 2 single “Way Back Then” was added to the “B”
list and upgraded to the “A” playlist (11th Oct 2014).
THE FROM WHERE WE STAND ERA
On March
23, 2014, the
late Sir Terry Wogan introduced the
country twins to his BBC Radio 2 audience
on his Sunday lunchtime programme. They were interviewed
and played live on Weekend Wogan (BBC Radio 2 Archived
Live Session).
 |
| Ward Thomas & the late Sir Terry Wogan: Weekend Wogan 23 March 2014 |
As lovely classy 20-year old’s the twins waved the flag for British country music and became firm favorites on BBC Radio Two in 2014.
Their first full length album, FROM
WHERE WE STAND, made a debut at No.41 on the Official UK Album Chart selling 2,473 copies
having held a mid-week position at
No.20. The album charted on the top 100 for seven weeks after making a re-entry
at No.91 (chart week March 14, 2015) then climbing to #79 the following week
before falling off the chart .
On the Official UK Country Album Chart (Week Ending August 2, 2014) it
debuted at No.1 and went on to sell
over 27,000 copies.
They recorded their
debut album in Nashville
TN; musicians included: Dan Dugmore, Chris Rodriquez, Michael Omartian and
Vince Gill!
“Their debut album FROM WHERE WE STAND is packed with great songs, fantastic arrangements, tasteful instrumentation, superb vocals and top-notch production. Ward-Thomas are one of the most refreshing acts to come along in some time and in FROM WHERE WE STAND they have put together a beguiling debut album that is sure to charm all who come across it. They are the kind of act whose future literally seems unlimited” - Alan Cackett (Maverick Magazine Editor 2002 - 2014; Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award 2007)
Their first single "The
Good and the Right", first played on the late Sir Terry Wogan’s show was on the BBC Radio 2 “B” list for 4 weeks
(weeks commencing March 29, 2014 - April 19, 2014) with follow up single "Push
for the Stride" also playlisted (week commencing July 5, 2014) which
got upgraded to the "A" list from July 12th.
For the Strike Out ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (in which celebrities, sports
personalities and ordinary folk were doused with an ice-cold bucket of water to
raise money and awareness for Lou Gehrig’s disease) Ward Thomas’ effort was
on an industrial scale! >> Facebook Video
Sir Terry Wogan announced that
Ward Thomas would headline the BBC
Introducing stage at BBC Radio2 Live
in Hyde Park in September 2014.
As one of eight acts Ward
Thomas (joined Sister Sledge, T'PAU and more) to play The Country Life Fair
Royal Reception & Grand Ball event on Weds Sept 10, 2014 at the Natural History Museum in the presence
of HRH Prince Michael of Kent.
Released on Nov 10, 2014 Various Artists - BBC Radio 2's Sounds Of The 80s (Rhino) was a
unique collection of tracks recorded by some of the biggest artists around,
every track was a cover version of a song from the 80s and had been carefully
chosen by the artist specifically for this album. Ward Thomas recorded Man
In The Mirror (Michael Jackson) Disc 2 Track 11.
The
Shires & Ward Thomas
announced a co-headline UK tour in November
2014! The seeds for this tour were sown when the two bands ran into each other
in a road house in Nashville while they were both paying pilgrimage to their
spiritual home. The chance to take their shared message out on the road
together seemed too good to miss and the ‘Home-grown tour’ was born. “Even a
few years ago, the idea of British Country music spelt wannabe Dollys,
line-dancing seniors and unconvincing American accents. Now though, fresh
artists with country influences and the dexterity to create a credible
home-grown version of the music are emerging” – Sunday Times
THE CARTWHEELS ERA
On
2nd Sept 2016 Ward Thomas (Catherine & Lizzy ward Thomas) excitedly announced
that their 14-track second album CARTWHEELS (WTW/ Sony Music CG | Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com) was out.
It
had been two years in the writing and recording and they were so proud of it.
The album featured their two singles "Carry You Home" (>> Official
video; 3.3 Million YouTube plays) and "Guilty Flowers" (>>
Official
video; 1.02 million
YouTube views) as well as title track "Cartwheels" (>>
Official video; 354K Views; It was
shot in London over a few super hot days in July, starting out in a dizzyingly
high up apartment in the iconic Trellick Tower with some great views of London,
then filming skate parks, boxing gyms, rooftops and some seriously cool women!)
and 11 other songs written between Nashville, Hampshire and London.
The
album debuted at #1 on the UK Country iTunes Album chart as well as #1 on the
UK iTunes Album overall all genres placings.
The
very first song they wrote for the album was Cartwheels, in Nashville
back in 2014, and from that moment on they were inspired to write many songs.
The tracks on the album covered a whole host of different feelings, emotions
and perspectives, some of them as a result of their experiences in the music
world and some completely unrelated, but all things either they had gone
through themselves or they had observed others go through. Summing up the
project they shared: "Cartwheels is a portfolio of our experiences since
we released our first album over two years ago now. We hope that some of the
songs will end up meaning as much to you as they do to us".
The
album was recorded digitally but 4 songs which were recorded on tape.
Produced
largely by Martin Terefe (KT
Tunstall, Jason Mraz, Shawn Mendes) with three tracks by Jimmy Hogarth (Amy Winehouse, Paolo Nutini, Sia) and hailed as one
of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year. CARTWHEELS featured 14
self-penned songs that capture a range of emotions veering from the joyous to
the heartbroken and everywhere in between.
Recorded
in London, CARTWHEELS marked the arrival of two major talents,
who write as well as they sing, their trademark harmonies earning them new fans
wherever they go. “We have different voices that suit different sorts of
songs,” Catherine said. “We call Lizzy the trumpet and me the French Horn.”
Title
track CARTWHEELS was the first song they wrote for the new album and inspired
what was to come. ‘It established our new sound’, said Lizzy. ‘Lyrically it was
much more grown up than anything on our debut. Sonically it was a move away
from country to lots of other influences we grew up with-Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, KT Tunstall
and Taylor Swift’s Red album. We are
still influenced by country, we still adore the Dixie Chicks and Kacey
Musgraves but this isn’t just a country album’.
Battling
For Their First Official Number 1 album
Ward Thomas and indie rock star Jamie T battled for pole position on Official
UK Album Chart the week’s Official Albums
On
the midweek chart CARTWHEELS led the way at the halfway stage of the chart week,
just 750 combined sales ahead of their closest rival Jamie T's Trick.
The
stakes were high, as whoever held the top spot on the Friday Official Chart would
achieve their first Number 1 album.
Ward Thomas’ 2014 debut From Where We Stand peaked at 41, while Jamie T’s
previous three records have landed inside the Top 10.
Ward
Thomas' Cartwheels is this week's Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart and has
made history in the process.
The
second studio album from twin sisters Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas officially
became the first by a country act from the UK to reach the top spot.
CARTWHEELS opened atop the Official UK Top 100
Albums Chart (Week ending 15 Sept 2016) on sales of 12,127 copies (including 227 from
streams)
The
previous best showing for a country-flavoured release by a U.K. act was the No.10 peak for Brave (Decca; 9,516
sales; chart week March 14, 2015) Source Billboard (by Paul Sexton).
We literally don’t know how to find the words. This is completely crazy," explained Catherine and Lizzy to OfficialCharts.com. "We were just hoping for Top 40 and then here we are now! It’s been a crazy week and it’s been super tense.
1)
Ward Thomas Cartwheels (12,127
units; 11,900 sales + 227 streams)
2)
The Carpenters The Nation's
Favourite Carpenters Songs (11,154 units)
3)
Jamie T Trick (10,684 units)
4)
Barbra Streisand Encore - Movie
Partners Sing Broadway (9,352 units)
5)
Wretch 32 Growing Over Life (7,464
units)
Since
brothers John and Tom Fogerty topped the chart as members of Creedence
Clearwater Revival in 1970, there had been at least 40 instances of siblings
sharing the No.1 position, with The Carpenters, The Bay City Rollers, The
Bee Gees, AC/DC, Dire Straits, Spandau Ballet, The Jackson Five, Five Star, The
Christians, New Kids On The Block, Right Said Fred, Little Angels, UB40,
Cranberries, Ace Of Base, Oasis, Supergrass, Hanson, Embrace, The Corrs and
Radiohead including anything from two to five siblings in their chart-topping
line-ups in the last century. Things have speeded up since then, with All
Saints, Nickelback, Doves, The Coral, The Darkness, Embrace, Journey South,
Kings Of Leon, The Feeling, Paramore, Arcade Fire, Biffy Clyro, Disclosure,
Richard & Adam, Haim, Elbow and The Maccabees being added to the list.
Ward
Thomas was the first No.1 album act comprising only of twins. Four other
pairs of female twins have had Top 40 albums, these being Canada's Tegan & Sara, Australia's The Veronicas, France's Ibeyi and, most unfortunately,
Romania's Cheeky Girls - Monica
& Gabriela Irimia - who were just 21 when their debut album Party Time set
the previous high tide mark for sororial twins, peaking at No.14 in 2004, and
eventually selling 92,602 copies. Catapulted to fame via Pop Stars: The Rivals,
the two racked up four Top 10 singles from the album, reaching No.2 with debut
hit Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum), which sold 392,317 copies.
The
1091st No.1 UK Album by Ward Thomas'
success denied the first
sibling duo to have a No.1 - The
Carpenters - from securing their third. Comprising brothers Richard and
Karen - who died in 1983 from cardiac arrest after suffering from anorexia
nervosa - The Carpenters are the most successful male/female duo of all-time
and topped the chart with The Singles 1969-1973 - No.1 for 17 weeks in 1974 -
and again in 1975 with studio album Horizon spending five weeks at the summit.
Their new compilation, The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Songs, powers to a
No.2 debut (11,154 sales) following the screening of ITV's identically-titled celebration
of the group that aired the previous weekend.
Not
only as a UK act did Ward Thomas land an Album Number One but few country
related worldwide acts have achieved the feat.
The Civil Wars eponymous album fell
one place short debut at No.2 (9,825
sales; chart week Aug 17, 2013)
Lady Antebellum GOLDEN debuted at No.7 (11,784 sales; chart week May 18,
2013) NEED YOU NOW’s highest peak was #8 (15/5/2011) and OWN THE NIGHT peaked
at #4 (15/10/2011).
With
first week sales of 20,860 sales Dolly
Parton’s BLUE SMOKE / THE BEST OF debuted at No.6 and peaked at No.2 for
three weeks (13,602 sales; 14,998 sales & 16,665 sales).
Taylor Swift with FEARLESS (21.03. 2009) peaked at #5 (33,829 debut sales), SPEAK NOW (6/11/2010) peaked at #6 (28,223 sales). Her self-titled debut TAYLOR SWIFT (127,154 total at Nov 2014; #81 peak) sold only 38
copies the week of its release date and peaked 94 weeks later at #81(12/09/2009). The album released on
October 24, 2006 first appeared in the UK Chart at number 88 (05/09/2009).
The
963rd UK No.1 Album Taylor Swift’s RED
(Big Machine), 1 week at Number One (chart week 28 Oct 2012; 61,779 copies) was
eventually certified 2× Platinum. * Tagged Pop country rock unlike in America RED
was not recognized by the UK chart managers as a country release and hence did
not appear in the UK Country Album Chart.
The
1027th UK No.1 Album Taylor’s album 1989
(Big Machine), her first official POP album, reached #1 (week 2 Nov 2014; 1
week; 90,336 copies).
Swift's
sixth studio album REPUTATION (Tagged
POP) debuted at No.1, earning the 27-year-old singer-songwriter her third
straight No.1 (chart 23 Nov 2017) with first week sales of 83,648 (including
41,795 from paid-for downloads). Swift’s impressive UK overall sales were 2.82
million albums and 11,3 million singles. See her UK Chart history
Country Related UK No1s
No. / Artist / Album /
Label/ Date/ Weeks
68
Jim Reeves According to My Heart (RCA
International) 6 July 1969 4 weeks
70
Elvis Presley From Elvis in Memphis
(RCA Victor) 24 Aug 1969 (Soul, country, rhythm and blues, pop)
160
Jim Reeves 40 Golden Greats (Arcade)
25 Oct 1975 3 weeks
165
Slim Whitman The Very Best of Slim
Whitman (United Artists) 7 Feb 1976 6 weeks
177
Glen Campbell 20 Golden Greats (Capitol) 27 Nov 1976 6 weeks
180
Slim Whitman Red River Valley (United
Artists) 22 Jan 1977 4 weeks
188
Connie Francis 20 All Time Greats (Polydor) 27 Aug 1977 2 weeks (Rock, Pop)
189
Elvis Presley Elvis' 40 Greatest (Arcade)
10 Sept 1977 1 week (Pop, rock)
613
Shania Twain Come On Over Mercury (Mercury)
11 Sept 1999 11 non-consecutive weeks 11× Platinum
810
Traveling Wilburys The Traveling
Wilburys Collection (Rhino) 17 June 2007 (Folk rock, rock)
827
Eagles Long Road out of Eden (Polydor)
4 Nov 2007 1 week 2× Platinum (Rock)
963
Taylor Swift Red (Big Machine) 28
Oct 2012 1 week (61,779 copies) 2× Platinum
(Pop country rock)
At
the time RED was the first album by a female country singer to top the chart
since 1999, when Shania Twain's COME ON OVER reached #1, and was the first
number one album by an act that is “perceived as country” (but tagged Rock)
since The Eagles' reunion album LONG ROAD OUT OF EDEN topped the chart five
years previous (1 week at #1 chart dated 4 November 2007;
1027
Taylor Swift 1989 (Big Machine) 2
Nov 2014 1 week (90,336 copies) 3x Platinum
(Pop, dance-pop, synthpop)
1091
Ward Thomas Cartwheels (WTW Music) 15
Sept 2016 1 week (11,900 pure sales)
"Thank
you so much everyone for supporting us and supporting a great genre. We can’t
express our appreciation for the amount of support we’ve had. It hasn’t really
hit us yet and we really can’t believe it.”
Cartwheels
marked Ward Thomas' first Top 40 album and outplaced their debut album by forty
places; 2014's FROM WHERE WE STAND reached Number 41.
But
the situation has changed in recent years, thanks in part to the support of BBC
Radio 2 and the annual Country 2 Country festival which regularly brings some
of the genre's biggest stars to the UK.
According
to British Phonographic Industry (BPI) figures, country music represented 2.3% of the total UK
album market - its highest level in nine years.
CARTWHEELS
enjoyed a 16-week chart run on the Official Top 100
SALES:
#1 Debut 12,127 11,900
sales + 227 streams), 2nd frame #5 (9,153
sales), 3rd frame #5 (6,064 sales), 4th
frame #12 (4,287 sales), 5th frame #22 (estimated sales 3,500), 6th frame #31 (estimated sales 2,700), 7th
frame #45 (estimated sales 1,900), 8th frame #62 (estimated sales 1,600), 9th frame #52 (estimated sales 2,000), 10th frame #64 (estimated sales 1,600), 11th frame #50 (estimated sales 2,500), 12th frame #52 (estimated sales 2,800), 13th frame #58 (estimated sales 3,000), 14th frame #66 (estimated sales 3,800)
15th frame #77 (estimated sales
3,000) and 16th frame #81 (estimated
sales 3,000)
61,400
units estimated 16-week total.
The
album received BPI Silver Certification
(60,000 units) on 16 December 2016. * Streams now count towards both album and
singles certifications and are measured as per the chart eligibility rules set
out by the Official Charts Company.
ITV News
at 10 report on the Number One for the UK country music duo (Published 8th Sept
2016)
Filming with country singers Ward Thomas, at @vauxhallfarm, making British music history @itvnews @NewsAtTen pic.twitter.com/1OqPV66LU4— Nina Nannar (@NinaNannarITV) 8 September 2016
Ward Thomas shared the excitement of their #1 with their fans via a Facebook video Number 1!!!! NUMBER 1!!!!! NUMBER 1!! What! Thank you guys so so so so much!! We cannot believe it!!
Carry
You Home performed with frequent co-writers Rebekan Powell and Nashville Tennessee songwriter Jessica Sharman (the Nashville-bred
daughter of revered hitmaker Monty Powell)
Number 1!!!! NUMBER 1!!!!! NUMBER 1!! What! Thank you guys so so so so much!! We cannot believe it!!
Posted by Ward Thomas on Friday, 9 September 2016
Alan Cackett REVIEW: Cartwheels (Rating: 4.1/2 STARS Alan
Cackett) …Lizzy and Catherine are now set
to embark on an exciting new chapter of their career, having stepped up from
indie to a major label for their second album, CARTWHEELS, with songs that are
a compelling portrait of an act coming very much into their own. At once
effortless and adroit, Ward Thomas’ consummate hypnotic country-pop remains at
the album’s heart, though this time there’s room for a little experimentation,
incorporating influences of classic pop and lush string sections. Ward Thomas
are not reinventing the wheel, but taking the wheel in their hands and driving
the music down both familiar roads and out to new territory. The music on
CARTWHEELS can be described as harmony-based pop with subtle country
elements and great, and often grand, arrangements, but still with an acoustic,
occasional rootsy feel....The hummable melodies and, of course, heavenly
interplay of the voices wheedle their way into the consciousness and refuse to
let go
Music-news (Review: 4 STARS)…Having worked the country live scene for
several years, their harmony driven sound boasted an authentic contemporary
classic feel that was only
slightly undermined by their faux-American accents.
The first thing to note
when listening to their sophomore release Cartwheels is that this is not a
country album. It may be labelled as such, but this is essentially a
harmony pop record that has been shaped by a love of country music. While Ward
Thomas haven't gone full Taylor Swift and produced a pop record, they have
found a sound that they define rather than allowing a sound to define them.
That is the real strength at the heart of the album….While the up-tempo will
have you humming irrepressibly, the Ward Thomas twins are two of the most
compelling balladeers in the current music scene. Thankfully the spine tingle
factor has not been missed from the collection, with Where The Sky Is and Who
I'm Not hitting all the right notes, even if album closer Safe doesn't quite
reach it's full potential. Cartwheels as an album is a stunning body of work.
While there a couple of missteps, most notably it's most country cut, the paint
by numbers Dirt and Gold, it not only reinforces the foundations laid by their
debut album, but widens their reach and solidifies their sound. They may not
be a country duo, but they are a duo you need in your collection.
PROMOTING CARTWHEELS
What It
Took To Sell 12,000 copies in its Debut Week
RADIO:
They
appeared on Lakeland Radio (Aug 23,
2016), BBC Radio Gloucester (James
Thomas Aug 23), BBC Radio Bristol
(Martin Evans Aug 19) BBC Suffolk
Stephen Foster (Aug 11) BBC Sussex (Aug
18), The Bay (Tony Cookson; North
Lancashire and South Cumbria), BBC WM
95.6 (Sunny and Shay Aug 31), Eagle
Radio (Surrey & Hampshire) Aug 31.
Sunshine 106.8 (Dublin Sept 1, 2016)
with an exclusive performance on The Pat
Kenny Show (Newstalk Aug 31), and
BBC Radio Ulster (Gerry Kelly Show)
On June 8th 2016 it was announced Ward Thomas landed ‘Record Of The Week’ on BBC Radio 2 with their major label debut single ‘Carry You Home’ after signing with Sony Music. The single aired all week on the Ken Bruce & Alex Lester shows on BBC Radio 2.
There
was a world exclusive of ‘Carry You Home’ on the Ken Bruce
show on BBC Radio 2 on June 9, 2016 (BBC Page)
From
July 18 - July 22, 2016 Ward Thomas were guests choosing the Tracks of My Years on the BBC Radio 2 Ken Bruce shows with music from Bryan Adams and The Dixie Chicks (BBC Page)
Guilty
Flowers
received a world exclusive on Michael
Ball's July 31, 2016 Sunday show on BBC Radio 2.
Bob Harris Country gave ‘Carry You Home’,
an early spin on his June 9, 2016 and again on Aug 25, 2016.
For
the week commencing Wednesday 17th August, 2016 “Guilty Flowers” was added
to the BBC Radio 2 “A” playlist (*
Eventually Cartwheels was added to the "A" Playlist 29 Oct 2016
& Boomerang was "A" Playlisted on 14 January 2017)
They joined session guests Hollywood heavyweight Jonah Hill, sporting pundit turned quiz show host Jeff Stelling and actress Billie Piper on BBC Radio 2's Chris Evans (Fri 12 Aug 2016 BBC Page) and covered Carole King's 'You've Got A Friend' for "a beautiful live performance"
BBC Radio 2 made CARTWHEELS Album of the Week (week commencing Weds
Aug 24, 2016)
Where
Are The Women In Country Music? On Sept 1, 2016 Beverly Keel, former Nashville
music executive, and Ward Thomas talked on BBC
Radio 4 Woman’s Hour
On
Sept 6, 2016 they chatted with Magic FM
about the album Cartwheels.
Scott Mills played "Guilty
Flowers" BBC Radio1 (6 Sept BBC
Page) “This is pretty incredible they are on course to be
highest charting country act”.
They
joined Toyah Wilcox and actress Sadie Frost on Gaby Roslin's BBC London show on (Sept 4, 2016; BBC
Page) playing live session tracks Carry You Home, Cartwheels
and Guilty Flowers "That was really fantastic... I think you two are so
fantastic" I can see you dominating America Toyah Wilcox - Ooooooh that
was wonderful, goodness me that was beautiful girls - Gaby Roslin.
Michael Ball (OBE) presents his
Sunday show 11am on Sept 4, 2016 welcomed Ward Thomas for a live session! They
performed their single "Guilty Flowers" ('A' playlisted by Radio 2)
and an exclusive cover on the show!
Their
single “Boomerang” was promoted
across Europe on the February 2017 Hotdisc
#218 promotional disc and it topped the HotdiscTop 40 chart on Feb 19, 2017.
TV:
STV Glasgow (Aug 31)
ITV Lorraine (with Gaby Roslin Aug
19, 2016) talked about their chart-topping success, how their careers began,
and what was in store for the future.
Lizzy & Catherine spoke with presenters Jon Kay and Sally Nugent in a BBC TV Breakfast interview Aug 24, 2016:
MAGAZINE
FACEBOOK:
Ward
Thomas played "Guilty Flowers" and a cover of Jess Glynne's
"Don't Be So Hard On Yourself" live on The Box Plus Network (Sept 2, 2016 Fresh slices of pop culture).
Sony
Music labelmate Carrie Underwood tweeted and on Facebook posted: "All the best to
Ward Thomas on their new album"
LIVE:
They
performed at Beautiful Days Festival
(Aug 20)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FaceCulture (13/01/2017) spoke with Catherine and Lizzy about growing as musicians, Cartwheels, Fleetwood Mac, three stages of creativity, releasing emotions, Who I’m Not, having a number one record, and a lot more!
TV APPEARANCES
- On July 19, 2014 Ward Thomas performed “Push For The Stride” and a cover of George Ezra's Budapest on ITV’s Weekend (presenter Aled Jones)
- In June 2014 Ward Thomas appeared on BBC Breakfast to promote their debut album
- Nov 27, 2014 performed ‘Push For The Stride’ on Lorraine on ITV (Lorraine Kelly - "I think your fantastic")
- ITV Lorraine (with Gaby Roslin Aug 19, 2016)
- Aug 24, 2016 BBC TV Breakfast interview
- Oct 4, 2016: Appeared on BBC1 TV's The One Show
- In Nov 2016 Ward Thomas covered Dolly Parton on BBC Children In Need Rocks for Terry Wogan, a very special concert staged at the Royal Albert Hall to honour legendary broadcaster.
- June 2017 performed Material and Shine (Years & Years Cover) on ITV’s Weekend
NOTABLE LIVE
APPEARANCES
September 14, 2014. headlined the BBC Introducing stage at BBC Radio2 Live in Hyde Park. Tracklisting:
1. Push for the Stride 2. Heart of Glass
Weds Sept 10, 2014 - The
Country Life Fair Royal Reception & Grand Ball event on at the Natural History Museum in the presence
of HRH Prince Michael of Kent.
November 2014 - ‘Home-Grown
Tour co-headlined with The Shires
2015 UK Tour (Wed 11 March 2015 - Thu 2 April 2015)
Sat July 18, 2015 - Summer Tyne
Americana Festival 2015, Gateshead (Jumpin’ Hot Stage)
Thur. 23 July 2015 – Nashville Meet London (Canada
Square Park, Canary Wharf) compered by Baylen Leonard
Sat Aug 29, 2015 - Carfest South,
Basingstoke
Sat September 5th 2015 - Cottingham Folk Festival
Sun 13th Sept 2015 - BBC Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park performed
on the main stage alongside The Shires; a performance which was broadcast live
on BBC Radio 2.
Friday 24 – Sunday 26 March
2017 - CMC Rocks Willowbank, Ipswich
QLD Australia’s premiere Country and
Roots Festival. British acts Ward Thomas and The Shires joined the likes of US
acts Dixie Chicks, Little Big Town, Kip Moore, Tyler Farr, Craig Campbell, Charles
Esten and Eric Paslay as well as Aussie stars Lee Kernaghan, Morgan Evans, Adam
Harvey & The McClymonts
16-date Cartwheels UK Tour (Weds
5th Oct 2016 - Tues 25th Oct 2016; including 19th Oct 2016 Bush Hall, London) support from Sarah Darling (USA)
Tue 1 Nov 2016 - Royal Albert Hall, London playing BBC Children in Need Rocks for the late
Sir Terry Wogan joining Take That, Ellie Goulding, Olly Murs, Gregory Porter,
Michael Ball, Rick Astley, Alexander Armstrong and The Vamps.
In March 2017, Ward Thomas
were announced as the official opening act for the Country to Country 2017 festival.
2017 UK Tour (Fri 28 April
2017 - Tues, 30 May 2017) support guests Wildwood Kin, Lisa Wright
In
August 2017, they supported American country superstar Miranda Lambert on the UK leg of her Highway Vagabond Tour playing
Barclaycard Arena (Birmingham, 15,800 capacity), O2 Apollo (Manchester;
3,500 capacity), Clyde Auditorium (Glasgow; Capacity: 3,000) and
Eventim Apollo (London; Capacity: 5,100)
AWARDS
Ward
Thomas were sadly mostly overlooked
by the British Country Music Awards (BCMAward) panel in 2014 with a sole
nomination for Album of the Year (FROM WHERE WE STAND), which they won.
At the British Country Music Association Awards for 2017 they took home
the UK Album of the Year trophy for
CARTWHEELS and also snagged UK Country
Album Of The Year at the UKCountryRadio.com sponsored UK Country Music
Awards in September 2017.
OTHER
RELEASES
(31 March 2017) Ward Thomas - A Shorter Story (EP, Sony
Music CG)
A collection of some of their
favourite songs.
1. The Blower's Daughter
(Damien Rice)
2. What Goes Around...Comes Around (Justin Timberlake)
2. What Goes Around...Comes Around (Justin Timberlake)
3. Shine (Years & Years) 4.
Walls (Kings Of Leon) 5. Better Be Home Soon (Crowded House)
Press Blurb: After opening the
2017 C2C Festival at the O2 Arena on March 10th, Ward Thomas release their EP ‘A SHORTER STORY’ – a series of 5 cover
versions cherry picked by Catherine and Lizzy. Once again the release showcased
their stunning vocal harmonies, as well as seeing them put their own unique
stamp on some of their favourite songs.
Catherine and Lizzy said
’We’ve been playing around with cover versions as part of our acoustic Snug
Sessions videos for a few years now and mostly they have gone down really well.
We recorded the EP over two days and have tried to bring something new and
different to each song whilst at the same time respecting the original versions.
Hopefully people like them!’
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