AN EXCITING new chapter has opened for Taunton’s teenage guitar-playing talent Darren Hodge.

The finger-picking dynamo and Bridgwater College student has signed a deal with Bristol-based record company Jelli Records.

This year has proved an exciting one for Darren, who is endorsed by Tanglewood Guitars, and has been tipped by his music peers as being one of the UK’s top up-and-coming artists.

Among Darren’s incredible highlights, is beating 1,800 entrants to the BBC2 Young Folk Awards’ semi-final, sharing the stage with Irish trad-folk star Cara Dillon, and becoming a regular on the hectic summer festival circuit, including Watchet Live.

After making the announcement on Facebook, Darren thanked his supporters for helping him get to the next level of his career.

He said: “To the many people – too many to mention but you all know who you are – who have supported me throughout the last three years, a huge thank you and look forward to seeing you all in 2014.

“It’s going to be a fantastic year, of that, I am sure.”