Conversations with Colin – October

31 October 2025 76

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Colin catches up with some big names this month!

The month of October was yet another busy month for our very own Colin Palmer who has been catching up with some big names in the world of Rock and Roll which you can hear on air every Tuesday evening on The Rock Vault.

Chuck Prophet

The acclaimed singer-songwriter and former Green On Red guitarist, has spent more than three decades blending rock, country, blues and folk into his distinctive storytelling style. Since his 1990 debut Brother Aldo, he’s built a respected solo career while also working with artists like Alejandro Escovedo, Warren Zevon and Kim Richey.

Speaking to Newport City Radio ahead of his Cardiff show, Prophet reflected on his early days in San Francisco, playing bar gigs with future wife and musical partner Stephanie Finch. “It was a magical time,” he recalls. “We’d play anywhere that would have us.”

Recently, Prophet faced a major personal battle, being diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma. After months of treatment, he thankfully recovered — and that journey shaped his new album Wake The Dead.

Created with his band and Latin-rooted group ¿Qiensave?, the album merges his Americana foundation with cumbia influences discovered during lockdown and treatment. “Music has always been my saviour,” he says. “Listening to cumbia helped me get out of my head.” Meeting and collaborating with ¿Qiensave? offered new energy and creative connection, eventually leading to the blended-band project.

Now cancer-free and touring again, Prophet is excited to return to the UK. “British audiences are the best — they get a pint, stand on a sticky floor, and give it to the band,” he laughs.

Wake The Dead stands as both a celebration of resilience and a testament to music’s healing power.

https://www.newportcityradio.org/in-conversation-with-colin-chuck-prophet/

Kara Grainger

Quietly and without fanfare, Kara Grainger has completed her fifth full-length solo album. Recorded at the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis with producer Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, the album features members of the iconic Hi Rhythm Section alongside her own touring musicians Marcus Finnie and David Guy on three tracks.

Speaking from her Nashville back porch, Grainger told The Rock Vault she originally planned to record locally. “I told Marcus and David I’d involve them, and they’re huge fans of Memphis soul. When they came down, Boo loved them — it worked out fantastically well.”

Born in Australia and now based in the U.S., Grainger has built a career across rock, Americana and Texas blues, supporting artists including Peter Frampton and Buddy Guy. Her debut Grand and Green River spent 38 weeks in the Americana Top 30, while 2018’s Living With Your Ghost reached the Billboard Blues top three. That’s How I Got To Memphis may be her most assured work yet, showcasing not only her slide-guitar finesse but rich songwriting and emotional vocals.

Royal Studios, founded by Boo Mitchell’s grandfather Willie Mitchell, retains its historic character. The vocal booth and equipment used on the album are the originals used by Al Green, an experience Grainger calls “incredible.”

The record features Reverend Charles Hodges on Hammond organ, Leroy Hodges on bass, the Norman Sisters on backing vocals and the modern-day Memphis Horns. Although Mitchell was initially hesitant to bring in outside players, he ultimately blended Nashville talent with Royal’s historic sound. “Boo pushed it in a traditional Royal Sound way,” Kara says. “And I have no complaints.”

From her start in Sydney’s Balmain clubs to touring with Muscle Shoals legends in Japan, Grainger continues to evolve. On her new album, tracks like “Mama Said” and the opening “Texas Blues” — a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Freddie King and Smokin’ Joe Kubek — underline her deep respect for roots music while keeping her voice front and centre.

https://www.newportcityradio.org/in-conversation-with-colin-kara-grainger/

Written by: Luke Lewis

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