Sunday Mornings with Reina del Cid

……or as it’s known in in our house, Sunday teatime with! I first stumbled across Reina when flicking through YouTube one day a few years ago. A past time I spend way too much time doing but have discovered many new (to me) artists and songs this way. Incidentally the utterly amazing Walk Off The Earth was another satisfying discovery in the very same way. On this particular day ‘Jambalaya’ showed up in the recommendation section, so I hit it. Got to be honest, the first thing that impressed above all else was the girl playing the other guitar; she was just incredible on the strings with both hands.

We then spent the next few days going through every Reina video we found on YouTube who already had a good number of views against most clips. She choice of covers was really interesting and they did some wonderful versions but the joy was actually Reina’s songs and the clever, intelligent, witty observed lyrics that appealed. Turned out the guitar wizard was called Toni Lindgren and not only was she amazing on an acoustic guitar she was just as competent on banjo, electric, bass, mandolin and even harmonica. Reina’s secret weapon!

Clearly this talented female has video’s to make, songs to write and albums to record. At time of writing she has just released her fourth album ‘Morse code’, another fine collection of songs. As with the previous three albums she keeps progressing lyrically as well as in musicality.

Reina continues to grow, probably in part due to the sheer amount of live gigs plus wide variety the songs, styles and genres they seem to enjoy playing. Credit also needs to go to her own band and particularly Toni. Certainly getting to see them play live is a pleasure we have had a couple of times in Leeds on their last two tours. They sell gig tickets, merchandise, and hang out for a chat which is all positive, no idea if a trip to Europe makes them rich or poor! She is an independent artist not signed to a major label so Reina credits the funds from fan patreon contributions as being a massive factor in how she is as an artist, how she works, what she produces and how she lives as a person.

Have I mentioned her other band yet? A brilliant bluegrass band called ‘No Tents’, definitely worth checking them out, very impressive. Have to thank Reina for also introducing us to the uber talented Carson Mckee and Josh Turner individually brilliant but who also go by the duo ‘The Other Favourites’ and produce wonderful covers of interesting songs.

So for anyone who doesn’t know about Sunday’s with Reina on YouTube please go and check them out and for the rest of us…..well it will soon be time for the next video, we always try to guess if it will be a cover or an original, but well worth the weekly wait.