SINGER Andy Duerden turned his back on being a lawyer to follow a dream.

And now that dream is about to become a reality as he launches his first album Masterpiece and prepares to perform at the three-day GuilFest festival.

Andy, who gained a law degree at Manchester University, decided working in a courtroom wasn’t for him.

He moved down to Surrey and became a session musician and music teacher, singing and playing the piano.

The son of former Fence village bobby Michael Duerden, Andy began writing background music for children’s TV programmes and penning motivational tunes played in football stadiums.

But now, at the age of 37, everything could be about to change for the dad-of-three, as he releases his first album, Masterpiece.

The culmination of 20 years’ hard work in the music industry, the record showcases Andy’s brand of melodic rock and folk.

And in July he will appear at the three-day festival GuilFest, alongside the likes of Roger Daltrey, James Blunt and Razorlight.

However, things could have been very different for Andy if he had followed the path laid out in his youth.

He said: “I grew up in Fence and went to Wheatley Lane Primary School in Nelson, then St Wilfrid's High School in Blackburn before doing my A-Levels at Nelson and Colne College before studying at Manchester University."

Once he moved to Surrey he began to work with the likes of ex-T'Pau singer Carol Decker, exploring different genres and gathering together his own band.

Andy, who lives in the former home of both author Charles Dickens and classical composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, eventually decided to form a company to showcase his own songwriting, with backers Rod and Mary Fountain and producer Glenn Keiles.

He said: “Musically I’ve been around a bit and I kind of think that helps. It’s been a long time coming. The first song I wrote in New Zealand in 2004, so it's been a bit of a labour of love.

“We released the first single a few weeks ago, X Marks The Spot, which is me venting my spleen about the bankers.

“We’ve had a really good response, so it's been a good start.”

Andy still returns home to East Lancashire to see his family and to watch Burnley play.

However, he will soon be travelling abroad to perform at festivals and is set to appear at an Explosive Unsigned event in London next Sunday, which is due to be shown on Sky television.

For more information visit www.andyduerden.com