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"Can I call you back, John? I'm just about to do a live interview for Channel Five news."

Since Dartmoor singer-songwriter Seth Lakeman found himself nominated in the 2005 Mercury Music Awards, his feet have hardly touched the ground. Everyone wants a piece of him.

But between planning for the release of his next album, packing for a tour of Libya (of all places) and various TV, radio and press interviews, he somehow finds time to invite me to his Dartmoor home for a chat over a coffee.

"It's been quite a whirlwind really, since that Mercury nomination," he says.

"I've been up and down to London a lot, sold quite a lot of records and I've really been enjoying it."

Seth performs 'Kitty Jay'

Seth was pipped at the post for the award by Anthony and The Johnsons but does he think things would be much different now, had he won?

"No I don't think so. There was quite a lot of media attention about the genre I'm coming from, because it doesn't really get included in music awards, plus coming from this part of the world they latched on to it being a Dartmoor record and they really liked that," he told me.

"I can't believe it's still happening, but with the new record, 'Freedom Fields', coming out in March, there's another local connection so I think it's going to get a lot of attention again. It's going to be an exciting year, I think."

Freedom Fields is an area of Plymouth where one of the most important battles in the Civil War took place. It's this that inspired the title track of the album and one or two others besides. But Seth says his love of local history is relatively new and doesn't stem from his schooldays.

"No not at all. I tell you what inspired me about this record, was watching a TV series called The Band Of Brothers.

"I've just generally been inspired by things around the area. But for this album it's more the whole of the Westcountry instead of just Dartmoor."

Music and Ale

Seth's last album, Kitty Jay was launched in front of an audience of inmates at Dartmoor Prison. The new CD is to be launched at the Princetown brewery.

"It's going to be great. Jail Ale has been going for years but they've just built an extension so it's going to be a sort of joint launch. A lot of free beer will be flying around that night!"

Just as the new album hits the shops, Seth is off for a 10 date tour of Libya.

Seth entertains at the Awards

"The British Council has invited us to go out as ambassadors of the UK traditional music scene and play to four universities. We're taking Dartmoor to Libya!"

Seth's also touring with Billy Bragg on his 'Hope Not Hate' tour in the spring and a new single - taken from Freedom Fields - The White Hare is due for release on 20th February.

So will the Dartmoor musician ever get a chance to relax?

"I'm trying to find a space in 2008 when I can have a holiday at some point!"