FOR most artists playing a solo set at the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival would be a big enough challenge.

But Richard Townend will be heading to Colne this August Bank Holiday weekend to educate as well as entertain.

For, in a first for the award-winning festival, he will be hosting a songwriting workshop at which he will attempt to write a song in the space of a couple of hours aided by members of the audience.

“Normally I would do day’s course for a maximum of eight or nine people,” said Richard who is know both for his solo work and with the Mighty Bosscats. “But we’re going to have a lot less time and hopefully a lot more people so it’s going to be fun to see how that all works out.

“l think a lot of people are confused by the art of songwriting and almost regard it as dark art. But you really just need a checklist and a subject matter then cut down the story of what you are trying to say. When you simplify it for people it can be a bit like a light going on in their heads.”

Richard, now regarded as one of the country’s leading independent songwriters with well over 150 songs to his name in the last five years, has had a fascinating career in music.

In his teens he studied light music at the Leeds College of Music.

“That’s basically music that wasn’t classical,” he said. “We were arranging for big bands rather than for an orchestra or writing for small jazz combos. It was basically a course teaching us how to be session musicians.”

One of his first jobs was playing in the band for a pantomime.

“It was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Southend and I ended up getting engaged to the evil queen,” he said.

As a result he moved to London doing some session work and forming his own band.

“I did gigs with Ronnie Corbett and the Platters who came from America but it wasn’t full time so I also had an office job,” he said. “I started my own band but I realised that at that time I just wasn’t very good. It’s difficult keeping a bunch of psychopaths together, which is really what musicians are, and after a while I’d had enough.”

Leaving London and the evil queen behind Richard moved to Yorkshire and started a family and it wasn’t until 2005 that he was tempted to pick up the guitar again.

“I went to a jam night in a local pub and I was terrible,” he said. “I was so out of practice but I really felt like I wanted to make music again.”

From there it was almost as thought he creative floodgates opened and the songs began to flow leading to solo and band albums.

“By then I’d got lot of life experience to call upon which helps when you’re writing songs,” he said. “I love the process of writing a song and songs can come in different ways.

“You may just have a riff which leads you to the rest of the song or a hookline.

“I did an album Seven Deadly Sins where I knew from the outset that I want to write a song which covered each of the seven sins, so I did my research and then just sat down and wrote it.”

Richard’s most recent album God Bless America was inspired by overhearing three businessmen celebrating Donald Trump’s election as president during a visit to America.

“I like to go to open mic nights and listen to people doing other people’s songs,” said Richard. “I’m fascinated by what it is that makes a song successful, When it’s just a guitar and voice what is it that makes a song so good. There are only really two or three chords, a melody and some words so how can one song be so good and other just aren’t.

“It will be great fun to share these ideas with the audience in Colne. I’m really looking forward to it.”

The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival, Colne, runs from Friday, August 24 to Sunday, August 26. Richard will be giving a songwriting workshop at the Little Muni on he Sunday. Details from www.bluesfestival.co.uk