SCOTCOUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

Services for George Jones - The Possum, will be held Thursday, May 2nd at 10am at the Grand Ole Opry House and is open to the public. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that contributions be made to the Opry Trust Fund or the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
RFD-TV and Rural TV will televise the service across the USA.

One of the most popular English Country music singers of the past 40 years passed away on Sunday.
Stu Page was born in Leeds in 1954, and has been playing since he was at school. He was featured in bands, both in England, Switzerland  and the USA, before he put The Stu Page Band together, one of the mainstays of the UK Country scene.
He was also the force behind The B'Eagles.
After a 13 year gap, Stu had recently returned to the scene in a duo with his son Tom, but was recently diagnosed with cancer, and passed away on Sunday morning.

Country Music Hall of Famer, Grand Ole Opry member, and Kennedy Center Honoree George Glenn Jones died Friday, April 26, 2013 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. He was hospitalized April 18 with fever and irregular blood pressure.
 Born September 12, 1931, Jones is regarded among the most important and influential singers in American popular music history. He was the singer of enduring country music hits including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Grand Tour,” “Walk Through This World With Me,” “Tender Years” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the latter of which is often at the top of industry lists of the greatest country music singles of all time.
Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas, and he played on the streets of Beaumont for tips as a teenager. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps before returning to Texas and recording for the Starday label in Houston, Texas. In 1955, his “Why Baby Why” became his first Top 10 country single, peaking at number four and beginning a remarkable commercial string: Jones would ultimately record more than 160 charting singles, more than any other artist in any format in the history of popular music.
 Jones’ first number one hit came in 1959 with “White Lightning,” a Mercury Records single that topped Billboard country charts for five weeks. He moved on to United Artists and then to Musicor, notching hits including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Race Is On,” “A Good Year for the Roses” and “Walk Through This World With Me.”
 Jones signed with Epic Records in 1971 and worked with producer Billy Sherrill to craft a sound at once elegant and rooted, scoring with “The Grand Tour,” “Bartenders Blues” and many more. By 1980, his solo career had cooled when he recorded “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” a ballad penned by Curly Putman and Bobby Braddock that helped Jones win Country Music Association prizes for best male vocal and top single. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” revived a flagging career, and Jones won the CMA’s top male vocalist award in 1980 and 1981.
 In late 2012, Jones announced his farewell tour, which was to conclude with a sold-out, star-packed show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 22, 2013. Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, Sam Moore, The Oak Ridge Boys and many others were set to perform at Jones’ Bridgestone show.

Zoe & Kenny, McKENZIE are back in Scotland, for a performance at Muthill Church on Saturday May 11th @ 7.30pm

Irish singer Mary Duff, usually seen supporting Daniel O'Donnell in concet, is back in Scotland on her own headlining tour with dates as follows:

May 2   PalaceTheatre, Kilmarrnock
May 4   Buccleuch Centre, Langholm
May 5   Ryan Centre, Stranraer
May 6   Mitchell Theatre, Glasgow
May 7   Lochside Theatre, Castle Douglas

This month's Meeting Place Acoustic gig at Rutherglen's Stonelaw Church will be held this Friday, when John Malcolm will entertain with his original songs and bothy ballads. Should be a great night!

If you were around in the 80's, you may remember a brilliant Scots Country rock outfit called Honest Sam & The Dealers. Well they're back. A reformed outfit will play Glasgow's Berkeley Suite on Wednesday 8th May.
The line up includes Alan McSwan-guitar/vocals, Anne McSwan-vocals, Steve Caban-lead guitar/vocals and Alistair Hogg-pedal steel

The Country Music Hall of Fame just added a little more fame to its halls with the pending induction of Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare and Cowboy Jack Clement. It’s country music’s highest honor, and the three join the ranks of artists such as Reba McEntire and Vince Gill.
Cowboy Jack Clement, who was added to the Non-Performer category, is a legendary musician and record producer, having worked with the legendary Johnny Cash and helped develop the music careers of Charley Pride and George Jones. After his home and recording studio burned down in a fire two years ago, this will definitely be an uplifting piece of news for him.
In the Veterans Era Artist category, Bobby Bare shows he truly is an ‘All American Boy’ with this terrific honor, and throughout his long career as a singer and songwriter, has proven that he’s a staple within country music.Bobby first charted in 1962 and notched up over 70 hits including "Marie Laveau", "Tequilla Sheila" and "500 Miles away From Home".
Kenny Rogers will be inducted into the Modern Era Artist category, which an artist becomes eligible for 20 years after he or she achieves national prominence — which the iconic artist has certainly done, with hits such as ‘The Gambler‘ and ‘Coward of the Country.’. Rogers first charted with "Ruby" in 1969, and is still recording today. He's still touring and will be in Scotland in July.
The 2013 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees will be celebrated at the annual invitation-only Medallion Ceremony later this year.

The sixth annual Southern Fried Festival of American roots music is shaping up. Tickets go on sale on Monday 8 April.  The Perth festival is held July 19-21st  with another fantastic line up of Americana artists from home and abroad.  Headliners include The Mavericks, Shelby Lynne, Patty Griffin, Bettye Lavette, the McCrary Sisters and Tom Russell, plus Brennen Leigh, The New Madrids and Bill Kirchen; with more to be announced.
www.southernfriedfestival.co.uk