A SINGER/songwriter from Cleobury Mortimer is a step closer to achieving his dream of earning a living out of music after being awarded a grant by the Prince's Trust to set up his own record label.

Jake Flowers is in the process of setting up a folk music-based record label called Shackled Ram Records after obtaining £1,000 of funding from the organisation fronted by The Prince of Wales.

The 22-year-old graduated from the University of Warwick with a degree in philosophy and literature last year and intends to release his own debut acoustic album later in the year.

The musician, who plays the acoustic and classical guitar and cites Nick Drake and Donovan among his influences, then hopes to be able to help other folk-influenced artists make careers out of music.

He is also on a mission to spread the word that he is currently available to perform gigs.

"The Prince's Trust has given me £1,000 to set up with and will, hopefully, help out in the future as well," he said, adding he was also in the middle of talks with pubs in Stourport and Bewdley about future concerts.

"My debut CD should be out this summer and I'm also planning to play some local gigs and have a couple coming up."

"I was in a band when I was a teenager but, for the last three to four years, I've been playing on my own in cafes and bars in Leamington Spa and at student events and now I'm back I'm trying to establish myself in the local music circuit."

He added: "I've got quite a lot of friends in London and would like to play some gigs there and further afield but, for the next 12 months, I'll be concentrating on the local music circuit."

He explained he was not setting up a record company but a label, which meant he would be responsible for promoting the artists he took on and their CDs would bear his label.

He added: "I've been writing songs since my early teens and it has always been my dream to earn a living out of music.

"The record company thing has been a means to an end of achieving this, which has grown in significance over the last year or so, which I have found more and more exciting."

He added: "In the past, I've played at a lot of cafes and restaurants and I feel I'm reasonably suited to it because most of my music is quite laid back and music to listen to in a relaxed place."

Anyone interested in booking Jake can contact him on 01299 270318.