A music lover “blown away” by the vocal talents of a singer-songwriter from New York has turned rock promoter to bring him to his local club – in Lightcliffe.

Sales manager Ian Stafford, 40, and wife Helen, 41, were stunned by blues singer and guitarist Jarrod Dickenson.

Ian was so impressed he went to watch him perform twice more – and then decided to stage his own gig.

Ian, who has two daughters Jessica, seven, and Olivia, four, told how he and Helen went to Holmfirth Picturedrome in heavy snow last March.

“We had never heard of this guy. He was a 6ft hillbilly with a big ginger beard and trilby and we thought it would be a waste of time.

“Given the weather we nearly decided to give it a miss.

“But we went along and found he was phenomenal.

“As soon as he started singing we were blown away. We both looked at each other and just said: ‘Wow!’”

Ian was so wowed he bought both Jarrod’s CDs and a T-shirt.

“I had never heard anything like it,” he said.

The couple went to see Jarrod again in Manchester and Leeds and struck up a friendship with him by e-mail and Twitter.

“He is a really quiet guy, very introverted for someone who gets up on stage in front of so many people,” said Ian.

“Eventually we asked when he was coming back to Britain and he asked us to promote him!”

Ian teamed up with a friend Nick Spencer, 49, of Leeds, and they both set about organising a gig.

“We’ve never done anything like this before,” said Ian. “It’s something completely new to both of us.”

The rookie promoters have booked Ian’s local, the Lightcliffe Club, for February 22 and have signed up Brighouse singer Roger Davies for the same bill.

It’s a big venue with 120 tickets available.

“Jarrod has quite a big following in New York,” said Ian. “And he has also just sold out a gig in Belfast and added a second date.

“I am confident we are going to put on a good show.”

Such is their dad’s enthusiasm, Jessica and Olivia want to get in on the act.

While they can’t go to the gig they hope their dad can pull a few strings and get them a private concert at home.

Tickets at �7.50 are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/87511