TALENTED songwriter Dave Paterson has a contract with a Nashville recording company, but few outside his Teesside housing estate have heard of him.

Self-employed Dave, 30, said: "I've been writing and arranging songs for as long as I can remember. It's my only interest.''

And the 30-year-old has certainly struck the right note with local business advisors.

Adrian Beadnell, enterprise officer with the West Redcar Single Regeneration Budget team, has advised Dave, of Dormanstown, Redcar, to apply for a grant from the Northern Arts' Cultural Business Venture Scheme.

Bass guitarist Adrian, who was in Chris Rea's first band and now plays with the Teesside Fettlers, said: "He played me a CD of the stuff he has been writing and I was genuinely impressed.

"I've been in the music game a long time, but he knocked me sideways with the stuff.

"Alongside all that, he can change mode from 1930s jazz numbers to heavy metal.

"I come across lots of people of a reasonable quality but this guy is something else.'