Damian Lewis has released his first single ahead of his upcoming debut album, Mission Creep, which will be out this summer.
The 52-year-old British actor, best known for starring in TV dramas including Band Of Brothers and Homeland, released the soulful track Down On The Bowery on Thursday.
He will follow this up with his first studio album, which is due out on June 16, amid a number of live performances scheduled for the summer.
The record is described as a “thoughtful collection of rootsy, rock and jazz-tinged songs that reveal a deep love of music, and a deep need to communicate”.
Reflecting on the album, Lewis said: “I suddenly had a lot to say. People will judge if it’s any good or not, but for me, it felt entirely natural.”
Its origins go back to when the actor left school and took to the road with his guitar and went busking through continental Europe.
This experience is said to have impacted the upcoming album, which came about after Lewis rediscovered the guitar during the lockdown.
As his acting schedule freed up due to the pandemic, he began playing and writing songs and later teamed up with various musicians including Italian-American Giacomo Smith.
“I wanted the album to give a sense of a journey to this point, from busking ‘til now,” Lewis added.
Smith also introduced him to some musicians from his jazz outfit Kansas Smitty, and together they formed a group who have been performing gigs.
Lewis previously performed at Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire last year as well as gigs at London venues including Omeara, Koko, Tabernacle and Hoxton Hall.
He is scheduled to play Cheltenham Jazz Festival on May 1 and Black Deer Festival on June 16.
His biggest headline show to date will be at Union Chapel in London on July 11, with more live dates expected to be announced soon.
Lewis has signed to Decca Records for his upcoming debut album.
Co-presidents of Decca Label Group, Tom Lewis and Laura Monks, said: “We are so delighted that Damian chose Decca.
“His songwriting is poetic, poignant and deeply personal. The album, recorded just down the road in Kentish Town, has a raw and refreshing honesty to it.
“Damian really opens his heart and invites us in. It is a thing of great beauty.”
Damian Lewis’s debut album Mission Creep will be released on June 16 on Decca Records.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here