NEARLY 30 years after his apparent suicide, the work of singer-songwriter Nick Drake is as popular as ever - and a Salisbury-born man is helping keep the flame alive.

Keith James, already an established songwriter and performer in his own right, was first exposed to Nick's delicate, haunting songs in the mid-1990s and the effect was immediate.

James, now in his mid-40s, has developed a project touring with a group of musicians to bring the songs of Nick Drake to a larger audience.

This Friday you can see him at Forest Arts in New Milton. He remembers vividly hearing one of Drake's songs for the first time: "It was a song called River Man. That was the song that got me hooked," said James.

"I was completely in awe of it - both Nick's voice and the unusual guitar tunings." James made several collectable vinyl albums under his own name in the early 1980s, and still maintains a parallel career as a singer-songwriter and guitarist.

James's enthusiasm for Nick Drake is being reciprocated by increasingly large audiences.

"We've played four pilot concerts so far and we are reaching a really large audience - people from 16 to 60 generally. We will be touring with this show throughout next year.

"I'll be releasing my own album, Outsides, and a single in January 2003."

James's show at Forest Arts also features Matt Round on double bass, Jerry Playle on guitar and drummer James Davis. For tickets, call 01425 612393.