WANT to get your band and the cream of British rock music promoted in the notoriously harsh US market? Then hiring a classic red double-decker bus ought to do it.

That’s exactly what Hythe-based songwriter Julia Jones has just accomplished with some high profile business support from the likes of Virgin and Land Rover.

The 32-year-old former lecturer at South Kent College has used her marketing nous acquired on a business masters degree to whip up interest in some of the UK’s finest music acts.

With a shoe-string budget she someone managed to reach an audience of millions.

"It started when I saw a government report which said that British bands were struggling to be promoted in America," said Julia. "We had 25 artists being promoted during our tour including bands like Doves and Embrace.

"Katie Melua came over to join us in New York where she played a set - the whole point of it is to raise interest in up and coming bands who people have never heard of over in the US."

As Julia explained, the process proved painfully slow at first, but after two years cajoling a number of major UK firms, she eventually got the green light for the project.

She ended up on BBC’s breakfast TV to promote the event, which went on to receive wide-scale audiences in America as they travelled round the country.

"The Brit Bus tour was amazing as everywhere we went people would stare at the bus and just go oh my god! We managed to reach over 10 million people through our travels."

Julia actually moved out to New York briefly before the epic adventure to seek some inspiration for her own music.

Though she has already recorded an album over there, she was not entirely pleased with the results and is starting on a new set of song back in Kent.

One of her highlights from her adventures was meeting one of her musical heroes, Blondie in the Big Apple.

"That was very exciting and a bit strange talking to them back stage about my music," she said.

Although she was born in Wales, she has spent more than 10 years in the county and has previously promoted dance events at the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone.

Her band will be playing a free acoustic show in Hythe on Sunday, August 14 at the canal bank stage from 7.30pm. Support comes from American songwriter Sylvie Lewis.

"I know I could make this a very cool annual thing and bring in lots of other people from LA and New York," added Julia.

For more information see the website www.juliajones.com.