Bobby Long

Before he was a pale, sparkly vampire, Robert Pattinson was an aspiring musician, sharing open mics with his drinking mate Bobby Long. Pattinson of course went on to star in Twilight, while Long continued to pursue his original dream, touring aggressively and self-releasing albums until he landed a home on Dave Matthews’ ATO Records, where he released his 2010 EP Stranger Songs and his 2011 full-length A Winter Tale, a collection of folk stories told through Long’s crude vocals and emotional guitar playing. Long’s British brogue saturates his American-style folk songs, but that juxtaposition only adds to his appeal, lending his music the outside-looking-in perspective of a wistful immigrant or a candid observer.