Internationally acclaimed American blues duo Erin Harpe and Jim Countryman are set to bring their distinctive country blues sound back to the Isle of Man this November.

As part of a UK tour celebrating their new album, ‘Let the Mermaids Flirt with Me: A Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt’, the duo will perform three concerts at three different venues across the island.

Peel Centenary Centre (Atholl Room) will host the first concert on Thursday, November 6, while the Erin Arts Centre in Port Erin will host concert number two a day later. The final gig on November 8 will then take place at the Institute in Laxey.

Released on October 24 through Boston-based blues label Vizztone, the new album pays homage to legendary acoustic bluesman Mississippi John Hurt.

The project is particularly meaningful for Erin, who grew up immersed in Hurt’s music through her father, Neil Harpe - a respected Washington DC blues guitarist and historian.

‘Making this album has been a wonderfully nostalgic journey,’ Erin said. “My father played so many of Hurt’s songs and taught me his fingerpicking style. Sharing this music abroad keeps the tradition alive while giving it a fresh, new life.’

Performing as the Erin Harpe Country Blues Duo, the pair deliver a mix of traditional blues and contemporary flair, with Erin on guitar, foot percussion, and kazoo, and Jim on acoustic ukulele bass and train whistle.

The album is accompanied by a detailed songbook featuring lyrics and tablature, underscoring Erin’s commitment to preserving and teaching traditional fingerstyle blues.

‘Let the Mermaids Flirt with Me’ is now available on major streaming platforms, in select record stores, and at https://erinharpe.com/. The album’s first single, ‘Candy Man’, debuted on September 12 to critical acclaim.

More information and ticket links are available by visiting https://linktr.ee/LiveRootsMusicIoM