Kornastone Plus Support

Kornastone deliver a distinctive blend of cross-genre, finely crafted original songs, built on decades of songwriting, friendship and musical collaboration.

Led by Wolverhampton singer-songwriters Dave Lawrence and James “Jamie” Davey, the Kornastone story began after the pair left school in the late 1970s. They formed a band, began writing original material and performed a number of live shows. Following demo sessions at Zella Studios in Edgbaston, their songs attracted interest from EMI Records. However, as circumstances changed, the project was placed on hold.

Dave and Jamie continued to write and perform together as a duo, often appearing alongside established artists including Raymond Froggatt. Jamie also formed a friendship with renowned songwriter Clifford T. Ward, performing many shows with him and collaborating on songs. Dave continued developing his own songwriting, receiving several awards for his work.

Despite pursuing individual musical ventures, Dave and Jamie never stopped writing and recording together, maintaining a creative partnership that would span more than 30 years.

In January 2018, the pair were invited to record a selection of their songs with acclaimed producer Gavin Monaghan. Two of these tracks were released on social media in spring 2018 and received an exceptional response, with BBC Introducing Shropshire naming “Taxi Rank” its Record of the Week in March 2018.

Dave and Jamie were subsequently joined by fellow Wolverhampton musicians Stuart Ward, Martin Ratcliffe and Keith Allen, helping to shape the Kornastone sound during an important and successful period for the band.

Their debut album, Oh My Days, was released in summer 2018. Every track from the album received support from BBC Introducing West Midlands and BBC Introducing Shropshire, as well as airplay from numerous independent radio stations across the UK.

The band returned to the studio in December 2018 to record the five-track EP Beautiful Day, released in April 2019. The EP earned Kornastone their second BBC Introducing Shropshire Record of the Week.

Spring 2020 saw the release of the EP Spin Me the World, followed in June 2022 by the single “Look to Tomorrow.”

As life brought change for several members, Kornastone entered a quieter chapter, stepping away from live performances while Dave and Jamie continued writing new material behind the scenes. During this period, Keith Allen relocated to Japan, while Martin Ratcliffe’s commitments with his other bands and musical projects gained real momentum.

Martin remains a much-valued part of the Kornastone story, and the band are hugely grateful for the musicianship, friendship and creativity he has brought over the years. Although his other commitments mean appearances with Kornastone will now be occasional, he will always be warmly welcomed whenever the opportunity arises.

Now, with a wealth of new material and renewed creative energy, Kornastone are back. In spring 2026, Dave and Jamie returned to the studio to begin recording their new album, Breathe. Joining them for this exciting new chapter is keyboard player Rick Benton, whose outstanding musical pedigree and creativity are already bringing a fresh new dimension to the Kornastone sound.

The current Kornastone line-up is Dave Lawrence, James “Jamie” Davey, Stuart Ward, Rick & Sharon Benton — four musicians looking forward with fresh energy, new songs and a shared passion for creating and performing original music.

With a rich history behind them and an exciting new chapter ahead, Kornastone are back — refreshed, inspired and ready for what comes next.