SCOTCOUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

Sad news from Albert Lee is that he has fallen in Paris and broken his elbow in 2 places and all gigs have been cancelled for the near future. We are hopeful that Albert will be active again soon and will return later in the year. I am sure that you will join us in wishing him a speedy recovery.
He was to have played at The Inn at Lathones on 16th May and 17/18th May at The Glenfarg Hotel.

Kenny Chesney was in obvious pain Saturday night (April 26) after bones in his foot were crushed during an equipment malfunction as his performance began in Columbia, S.C.
The sold-out concert before a crowd of 44,424 at Williams-Brice Stadium was the first stadium date of his current Poets & Pirates tour. Luke Bryan, Gary Allan, LeAnn Rimes and Brooks & Dunn had already performed before Chesney closed the show.
Chesney's stage for the stadium shows extends into the audience. As he's done in the past, Saturday's performance was to begin with him emerging via a lift that elevates him onto a section of stage in the middle of the crowd.
With the band playing the opening riffs of "Live Those Songs," Chesney's foot apparently became stuck between the lift and the stage. It took approximately 30 seconds for him to pry himself loose as he squatted down on the stage while the band continued to play an extended introduction of the song. When Chesney finally freed himself, he stood up and kept holding his hand on his knee as he began to sing.
No dates have been cancelled.

Chris Gaffney, a co-founder of the Hacienda Brothers, died of liver cancer on Thursday (April 17) at a hospital in Newport Beach, Calif. He was 58. One of the most distinctive bands in Americana music, they recently completed a new album, Arizona Motel, which will be released on June 24. Before founding the Hacienda Brothers with guitarist Dave Gonzalez in 2005, Gaffney was a member of Dave Alvin's Guilty Men and the Cold Hard Facts.

Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) has signed a deal to write a memoir scheduled to be published in spring 2009 by the Disney Book Group. "I hope to motivate mothers and daughters to build lifetimes of memories together and inspire kids around the world to live their dreams" she says. Cyrus and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, are currently working on a feature film.

Ricky Skaggs and the Whites picked up a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association on Wednesday night (April 23) in Nashville. They won in the bluegrass album category for their collaborative project, Salt of the Earth, released on Skaggs Family Records. Other winners include the Isaacs' Big Sky for country album, Austins Bridge's "He's in Control" for bluegrass recorded song and Point of Grace's "How You Live (Turn Up the Music)" for country recorded song.
Skaggs is the featured artist on this week's Celtic Country on Celtic Music Radio, Sunday 2-5pm UK time, on www.celticmusicradio.net and 1530 kHz in Glasgow.

Taylor Swift will accept the Superstar of Tomorrow Award at the 10th annual Young Hollywood Awards on Sunday (April 27) in Hollywood. She is the first musician to be recognized with the honor. The actor Gary Dourdan, who plays Warrick Brown on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (one of Swift's favorite shows), will present the award. Swift's future appearances include Good Morning America and Live With Regis and Kelly next week, along with the cover of the June issue of Seventeen magazine on stands May 6.

Emmylou Harris and Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman will be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame during private ceremonies on Sunday (April 27) in Nashville. Among those expected to attend the event at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum are Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin, Lucinda Williams, Phil Everly, Guy Clark and several Hall of Fame members, including Vince Gill, Earl Scruggs, Phil Everly, Charlie Louvin and the Jordanaires. Also attending will be musician and former Hee Haw cast member Roni Stoneman and other members of the Stoneman family. "Pop" Stoneman died in 1968. This year's inductions are taking place during two separate ceremonies. The Statler Brothers and Tom T. Hall will be officially inducted on June 29.

Paul Davis, a singer-songwriter who had two No. 1 country hits, died Tuesday (April 22) in Meridian, Miss., of a heart attack. He was 60. Davis first hit the top of the country chart in 1986 with a duet with Marie Osmond, "You're Still New to Me," which he co-wrote with Paul Overstreet. He had No. 1 success again the following year when he collaborated with Overstreet and Tanya Tucker on "I Won't Take Less Than Your Love,". He recently retired from music to return to his hometown of Meridian.

Irish entertainer Dominic Kirwan is coming to Alloa Town Hall on Friday October 24th.
Tickets are on sale now.

Country music in the Forth Valley in May kicks off with The San Quentin's meeting at Maddison Golf Club on Friday May 2nd, when Frank Welshman will be in town.
The following night The Wayne Stewart Duo entertain the folks at Alloa's Prairie Star. Tickets will be on sale that nigfht for the club's second Country cruise up the Forth from Alloa on June 27th.
On May 16th, linedancers will have a choice of entertainment, when the Polmont Linedancers meet in Maddison with The Buzzard Creek duo, and The No Angels meet at Stenhousemuir's Plough Inn with Ellis Country, on the same night.

This American bluegrass singer is currently on a lengthy UK tour, and has Scottish dates next week. Catch her at The Abbott House Heritage Cenre, Dunfermline on Apr 16th and Rutherglen Town Hall on the 17th.
She'll have the featured album on this week's Celtic Country on Celtic Music Radio.

The British Country Music issued it's 40th Anniversary Yearbook this week, with the sad news that it will be the last. The fan association was set up in 1968, and organised an annual trip to the USA, as well as producing a regular bulletin and the yearbook. Whilst the bulletin will continue until next year, September will be the association's final Stateside trip.
Whilst I wouldn't criticise Jim Marshall and others for the sterling work they've done over the years, I dont think an organisation of it's nature should have been run be the same people for all these years. New blood during it's life, could have resulted in a healthier, more positive outlook today.

Kathy Mattea's new album was released in America this week. "Coal" is a concept album devoted to songs of the miner and the coal communites of WEst Virginia and Kentucky. Produced by Marty Stuart, the album also features Patty Loveless and Tim & Mollie O'Brian
The album gets a UK release at the end of the month.

Tift Merritt is back with a new album, "Another Country" on april 14th. The album will be featured on next Sunday's (apr 20th) Celtic Country programme on Celtic Music Radio. The singer songwriter will be undertaking a solo UK tour next month, with one Scottish date, Sunday May 11th at Edinburgh's Pleasance Bar.

Dont forget Bronco's Festival goes ahead at Springwood Park, Kelso next weekend, April 18th-20th. A good mix of acts, some not so well known, will be appearing.
Check out the festival website www.broncosfestival.co.uk

Congratulations to the Prairie Star C&W Club in Alloa, who celebrated it's 20th birthday last Saturday, at their regular Weirs Club venue.

Roll's Boys, the acclaimed Czech bluegrass band are back in Scotland this month, with dates at Bathgate's Glenmavis Tavern on Thursday April 17th ; The Birnam House Hotel, Dunkeld on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th at The Greenock Arts Guild.

Paul Brandt won the Country Recording of The Year Award at this week's Juno Awards in Calgary, for "Risk". He was also presented with the inaugural Allan Waters Humanitarian Award.

There's been plenty of new CD's issued in the UK recently, including "Good Time" from Alan Jackson ; George Strait's "Troubadour" and "Another Country" from Tift Merritt.
On the reissues, "Stand By Your Man- The Best Of Tammy Wynette" has been released to mark the 10th Anniversary of her death.
The Humphead label have issued a "Love Songs" collection from Trisha Yearwood, featuring 14 tracks from her MCA catalogue. The label have also issued a "2 on 1" on Lee Ann Womack, which features "I Hope You Dance" and "Something worth Leaving Behind".
Later this month Sugarland's "Enjoy The Ride" album gets it's UK release, and Canadian singer songwriter Kathleen edwards will release her new album, "Asking For Flowers".