Richard Hawley lines up special gigs

Richard Hawley is to close 2006 with a big show in his native Sheffield.

The singer has made a host of new fans this year, culminating in a Mercury Music Prize nomination for his 2005 album ‘Coles Corner’.

After playing the V Festival this weekend (August 19/20), Hawley will play two winter shows. There will be a date at London Shepherd's Bush Empire on November 29, while the Sheffield show takes place at the City Hall on December 12.

For availability go to NME.COM/Gigs.

Hawley releases a new single, ‘Hotel Room’, on CD and 7” on September 4. The track, which features on ‘Coles Corner’, has been remixed with additional strings. It’s backed by a live acoustic version of ‘Young And Beautiful’ written by fifties songwriting team Aaron Schroeder & Abner Silver.

The 7” will feature Hawley’s cover version of ’s song ‘Some Candy Talking’.