Dylan John Thomas, is back and better than ever with banjo-and brass-driven anthem, ‘Got You On My Mind’, out now via Believe Music.
‘Got You On My Mind’ weaves banjo, carousing brass blasts, and retro-futureproof singalong songwriting, carrying an easy, sunlit energy. Specifically, being on your friend’s shoulders at the main stage, belting from the top of your lungs: “I have got you on my mind! Got your love all the time!” Dylan muses, “I got into banjo two years ago, just after the first album came out. We went on a wee trip round Scotland, and I took it with us. We were just kicking around, playing all the old folk songs. It gives a different type of sound to the guitar. It’s still sticking within that bluegrass feel, I suppose, with the rolling fingerpicking. But I wanted to see if we could fit it into the new tunes”
Dylan John Thomas showcases his impressive live vocal on ‘Got You On My Mind’ with a stripped-back live arrangement video directed by Nicholas Afchain. In this intimate setting, Dylan and his band allow the song space to breathe, with stunning results.
Listen to ‘Got You On My Mind’ on Scotland Football Songs.
Dylan is a self-taught, multi-instrumentalist, mainlining the old-time rhythm of Johnny Cash, the high-picking melodies of Simon & Garfunkel and the lyrical poeticism of Leonard Cohen – all retooled with a twentysomething’s freshness, rigour and vigour, and the ardent fandom to match.
His word-of-mouth following has been built from the ground up, alongside the band of close friends who have played with him through years of grassroots gigging. In the mould of mentor Gerry Cinnamon, another Scottish success story who rose from the DIY scene and playing local shows to selling out Hampden Park (twice), Dylan has always let the live show do the talking. Behind the microphone is where he’s at his most direct, and where that connection with his audience hits hardest.
Those foundations came to the fore on his 2024 self-titled debut, Dylan John Thomas, a rousing, impassioned record that distilled everything from his upbringing in foster care to finding his voice through music. Hand-picked for arena support slots by the likes of Liam Gallagher, Sam Fender and Stereophonics, Dylan John Thomas’ rise has been driven by instinct, connection, and a growing audience that continues to spread the word, with the industry now firmly catching up.
Performing is where Dylan John Thomas has honed his craft and truly thrives. He previously sold out six nights at Glasgow’s iconic Barrowlands Ballroom, as well as a homecoming show at the 14,500-capacity OVO Hydro Arena. Now, after his longest break from the stage, Dylan and his band of mates are raring to go and get back on the road.
Another huge moment awaits this summer, with a homecoming appearance at TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow this June. Dylan will share the top spot of the bill along with Wolf Alice and Richard Ashcroft.
