Willy Mason, the 20-year-old new voice of world-weary folk blues from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Are you aware of the publicity you're gaining in Britain with Elton John championing your Hard Hand To Hold EP?

"I've done two or three tours over there; I was last over with the 22-20s in October, and there's been a couple of articles here and there."

Your debut album, Where The Humans Eat, isn't officially out until February 28, but Virgin has given it the newly fashionable "soft" advance release. Here in York, it's on sale at Track Records. What's going on?

"The main idea is that over Christmas there's lots of competition but at the same time we were getting so much interest that we wanted to get it now in time for this tour."

Music critics have been banging on about your gift of being wise beyond your years yet not jaded beyond your youth. How do you account for that confidence and has your parents' bohemian musical background helped?

"At this point it's become pretty natural for me to be just me and my guitar on stage. It's definitely a big help to have seen music being made in a casual environment and playing with my mum in shows at Martha's Vineyard from when I was 13."

Has Martha's Vineyard the self-sufficient island off Cape Cod been an influence on your writing?

"It's hard to say but you have to make your own entertainment because there's not a lot of organised entertainment, especially for people under 21: a couple of bars and two main venues. The main thing was to get the chance to see the rest of the world outside that bubble. Certainly it's influenced the subject matters, like Hard Hand To Hold is totally inspired by my first visit to the city."

Willy Mason, Fibbers, York, Sunday, sold out.

Updated: 15:20 Thursday, February 03, 2005