Daughters of Davis (DofD) are an inspirational example of what it means to give up everything and follow a dream. Sisters Adrienne and Fern are currently on the road with X Factor winner Sam Bailey and getting plenty of positive support from audiences all over the country. Having previously supported The Eels and Rebecca Ferguson, their unique blend of acoustic folk and soul is reaching a vast number of people, but of course it wasn't always big tours and sold out venues.
The beginnings of DofD all came about through a series of events that
spiralled into the girls going on the road. It wall stated when Adrienne and Fern were doing a music course in Guildford. Fern explains, "it was a bit random, I was in the middle of doing a fine arts degree and Adrienne had finished hers and decided to do a one year singing course. One fortuitous day they were having a jamming session under a bridge whilst sheltering from the rain. "We'd been there half a day and our voices had been echoing down this bridge to this big pub. A man came along and shouted down to us 'whose that singing down there?' " Fearing that they were going to get in trouble the girls packed up and were about to make a run for it when they heard five words that would be the start of their professional career: "I want to book you!"
The mysterious man was the landlord of the local pub and offered them £100 to play for an hour. Despite not having a proper set prepared, they took the gig and then started playing regularly. As time went on they continued to write songs and gig locally. One day Fern then made an off
the cuff remark about leaving their jobs, getting a campervan and travelling the country.
Adrienne took her sisters comments seriously. In an endeavour to give a career in music their best shot the sisters left their old lives behind, gave up their jobs, sold their belongings to raise the money for a camper-van and lived off tinned soup and porridge and travelled the county. Adrienne is pretty philosophical about their decision to strive for success. "When you are surviving off your art it's hard. You either go out there gig and work hard or don't eat." This determination has spurred the girls on to make a living from music and is an inspiring story of their steely determination in the face of adversity.
Today they can reflect on the old days with fondness and humour. "Sometimes I look back and I can't believe where we are." Adrienne tells me."I remember being freezing cold in our van, living off porridge and noodles for our dinner and showering in rivers! Fern adds laughing "that was a low point."Adrienne continues the tale. "We were getting ready for a show, and we had no money for a leisure centre - which is how we normally got ready - so we just pulled up at this river and decided to have a wash." She again lets out a hearty laugh "looking back I think it's hilarious, I can't believe we did that, it's been an adventure."
Adrienne says that one turbulent time that could have led to the girls packing up and going home. "We ran out of CD's to sell, we had no money, Fern was crying and saying 'I don't want to be in this van any more all we've got is ketchup for dinner' and I said lets do the gig have this meeting and see how it goes and after that we'll think about giving up." That fortuitous meeting was with their manager and after that everything changed for the duo. “Things snowballed,we made a DVD, two CD's and we've done lots of great tours. Its been a really exciting time."
In-between touring they let it slip that they are also working on a new album entitled Not Playing The Game. The inspiration for the album comes from the pressures in society to conform to a certain image and
standard of beauty. "It's about promoting the fact that there are other types of beauty out there." To actively encourage the fact that you can be an individual takes guts in this media-centric world, but Adrienne and Fern rarely let obstacles in their way.
Their positive, open and honest approach to life and their music adds to the huge appeal of DofD. You can't help admire these two for having the tenacious spirit to continue with their creative journey no matter how bad things got. This 'can do' attitude is something that is also a theme of their latest album British Soul. The title itself has a dual meaning not only does it encapsulate their love for soul music but it's also an ode to the British people they have met on the road and that fighting British spirit which has kept
Daughters Of Davis striving for their goals and helped them to never surrender!