The headliners include global superstar Lionel Richie – and it turns out the support acts are pretty fine too.
The three-day York Festival comes to the city in June, with Madness and Westlife headlining too.
Today (Friday) event promoters Cuffe & Taylor revealed the support acts for Lionel Richie on the Sunday night – Macy Gray and Lighthouse Family.
York Festival director Peter Taylor said: “We are delighted to add both Macy Gray and Lighthouse Family to our debut line-up.
“Together with the global icon that is Lionel Richie this is going to be an amazing and unforgettable night.”
Soulful stars
Macy Gray first broke onto the scene in 1999 with her debut album On How Life Is. Inspired by the stylings of Billie Holiday, the American R&B and soul singer-songwriter is revered for her wonderful and unmistakable voice.
Her hit song, I Try achieved global acclaim and delivered her a Grammy while debut album On How Life Is sold an incredible seven million copies around the world.
In the 20 years since, Macy has amassed a global fan base, appeared in many films and TV shows and released 10 studio albums — most recently 2018’s Ruby. As well as sold-out live shows and her own hit albums, she has featured on songs with such artists as Dolly Parton and Ariana Grande.
Lighthouse Family became one of the most successful British bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s, selling more than 10 million albums and producing such timeless hits as Lifted, High and Ocean Drive.
The Newcastle-based duo – singer Tunde Baiyewu and keyboardist Paul Tucker – released their first single Lifted in 1995. The uplifting pop-soul classic went on to become one of the defining songs of the era.
Six-times platinum debut album Ocean Drive was followed by Top 10 albums Postcards From Heaven and Whatever Gets You Through The Day. After an 18-year hiatus, Tunde and Paul reunited last year to record Blue Sky In Your Head, their fourth studio album, which saw them matching the chart success of their previous releases.
York Festival’s opening night headliners Madness will be joined by indie chart-toppers Lightning Seeds, Craig Charles with his famous Funk and Soul Club DJ set together with Leeds indie rockers Apollo Junction and York’s very own Violet Contours.
Joining Westlife on the Saturday night will be superstar pop group All Saints, Brit singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis Bextor, indie rock band Scouting for Girls and Take That’s Howard Donald, who will be spinning the discs for a very special DJ set.