Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel and Suede are set to rock Kent at the Hop Farm Music Festival. One of the county’s hotly-tipped acts, Dan Clews, will be flying the flag for the music scene in the Garden of England, writes Chris Price.

For an artist who has done so much travelling, there is something very homegrown about Dan Clews. The singer-songwriter has recorded in Sweden and Abbey Road studios but his heart-on-your-sleeve English country folk takes inspiration from the Kent strawberry farm he lives on.

He describes his rural home as among “some of the most picture postcard English landscapes there are” and in the video for his latest single Take One Away, he drives round the idylls of the Weald in a vintage Morris Minor.

Dan performs on the same day as Bob Dylan and Primal Scream at the Hop Farm Music Festival. The progression seems natural for a man whose records are released by Beatles producer Sir George Martin but there is a childlike, innocent enthusiasm from Dan at the prospect of performing at the same show as his heroes.

“It is not every day you get put on the same bill as Dylan,” he said after dipping out of his three-year-old son’s French lesson for a chat – a son clearly raised on good music, as he says Bob Dylan is his favourite artist.

Dan started making albums in Sweden in 2004, working with musicians and producers who had worked for Britney Spears, Lykke Li and Eagle-Eye Cherry.

“They have some of the best musicians in Europe,” he said. “Sweden is the third biggest exporter of music in the world.”

After making his self-titled debut album there, it got into the hands of Sir George, known as the Fifth Beatle for his work with the Fab Four in the 1960s. He agreed to publish Dan’s album and future works with his George Martin Publishing company, saying at the time: “I have always tried to support young musicians and Dan’s music impressed from the first listen. He is too great a talent to ignore..”

“He’s an absolute gentleman, one of the only gentleman left in the music industry,” said Dan of the producer, who has had 30 No1 singles in the UK and 23 No1 singles in the US.

“These days he does more political stuff for the music industry but he’s a really nice guy and very easy to talk to. You talk about anything and he has a story to tell about it but it is never done in a self-indulgent way. I’m always hearing stories about the Beatles as my manager works with Julian Lennon as well. There are a few outrageous ones I cannot tell.”

Despite journeying across Europe and the UK to make his first album, Dan’s forthcoming second effort was largely recorded in the barn on his family’s Pick Your Own strawberry farm, found between Sevenoaks and Borough Green. During the summer Dan hosts a free weekly live music night on the farm, Folking in the Strawberries, every Thursday.

“Tom Williams [of Tom Williams and the Boat] came out with that,” he laughed. “I have to give him credit for that.”

Like Tom, Dan is one of a group of acts who have become familiar on the Tunbridge Wells music scene. Many have had radio play on BBC and commercial stations and he reckons it is only a matter of time before one of them finally peaks the nation’s interest.

The Hop Farm Music Festival runs from Friday, June 29, to Sunday, July 1. Weekend tickets are £162. Visit www.hopfarmfestival.com. Dan Clews performs on the Bread & Roses stage on Saturday.