SCOTCOUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

Phil Mack, producer & presenter of The Phil Mack Show & Keep It Country video programmes, has announced that he has taken contol of a Sky TV channel , and will be launching it as the first 24 Country Music TV station across Ireland , The UK and the rest of Europe from Sunday 24th January 2016 .
With contacts across the USA supplying his team with top class videos from the very best artists and also with the artists worked with across Ireland & the UK, we can watch out for an unbeatable combination that will be bringing Country music to our screens 24/7 .
For all show info re videos on the show and unbeatable advertising opportunities on what will be the Number 1 and most viewed Country channel in Europe , call Veronica on UK 01708 733110

The Northern Nashville Caithness Festival have confirmed that there will be NO festival in 2016.
The annual Easter event has taken place annually since 2004, and attracted a variety of US, Irish and European artists, includding Michelle Wright, James House, David Ball and Highway 101.
Reasons for the decision include lack of support from local fans, and the local businesses (who gain from the visitors to the area during the event), as well as lack of available grants this year.
The festival, which was won the BCM Award for Best British Festival in 2014, was the only UK festival to get nationwide TV coverage, as part of BBC Alba's Ceol Country series.

The Austin, Texas based Ameripolitan Music Association have announced their nominees for the 2016 awards, which will be presented February 16th. The Ameripolitan tag is given to acts considered too Country for the CMA Awards, including Honky Tonk, Western Swing and Rockabilly.
Amongst the nominees are recent Caithness Festival visitors Justin Trevino (DJ), Kelly Spinks (Western Swing male), and Jeff Woolsey & Dancehall Kings (Honky Tonk Group),
A full listing of nominees, and how you can vote, at  http://www.ameripolitan.com/awards.html

Irish favourite Shawn Cuddy brings his Christmas show to Scotland with dates at The Christ The King Hall in Carmunnock Road, Croftfoot, Glasgow on Friday 18th December, Tickets from 0141 637 2882.
The next night, he's at the Monikie Hall, near Dundee. Tickets available from Margo 01382 350250,

The legendary Kris Kristofferson is back in Scotland in the new year, playing 3 concerts :
Jan 16th Queens Hall, Edinbutgh
Jan 18th Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
Jan 20th Town House, Hamilton

Nashville act Brantley Gilbert has cancelled his European tour, whuch was due to begin Tuesday night in Glasgow. The decision follows the recent events in Paris.

More than 25 years after he launched his career with "Country Club", Travis Tritt, has topped the SoundScan Top 200 Catalog Country Albums chart for 50 consecutive weeks with 15 weeks spent at No. 1 and 33 weeks notched in a Top 5 position.
Tritt’s compilation album, Very Best of Travis Tritt, which was released in 2007, saw a resurgence of sales that started in Nov. 2014. The 20-track album features some of Tritt’s biggest hits, including “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive,” “Here’s A Quarter,” and “Anymore.”

The Wabash County Historical Museum in Wabash, Indiana has named its theater the “Crystal Gayle Theater” to honour her influence and connection to the small town in Northern Indiana.
The youngest of eight children, including Loretta Lynn, Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb in Paintsville, Kentucky. As the coal mines closed, her family left the area to find work and moved to Wabash, Indiana.
 The updated exhibit features a replica of Gayle’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 1986 American Music Award for Favorite Female Country Vocalist, “When I Dream” gold album, tour gown and tour book, 2005 Indiana Living Legend Award along with various pictures and memorabilia.

and Crystal's big sister , Loretta Lynn is back with a new album. FULL CIRCLE, is her first new studio album in over ten years.  Produced by daughter Patsy Lynn Russell and John Carter Cash, and recorded at the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, FULL CIRCLE takes listeners on a journey through Loretta's musical story, from the Appalachian folk songs and gospel music she learned as a child, to new interpretations of her classic hits and country standards, to songs newly-written for the project.
The album is due for release in March 2016.

This month's Acoustic night @ the meeting place presents...Alan Jones, making a welcome return to the Meeting Place- singer songwriter, poet, musician, entertainer...
Alan Jones is an experienced traditional musician, starting on guitar many, many years ago. After discovering the magical world of the folk club and being exposed to the vast range of instruments being used in traditional folk music, he has since embarked on a mission to own and play as many instruments as he can. His collection includes concertinas, mandolins, bouzoukis, cittern, mandola, tenor guitar, guitars (usually open tuned) banjos, ukuleles, whistles …………… and the list goes on.
And, of course the fabulous Mairs Family Band will be there too, with copies of their new live CD on sale.
The Meeting Place is at Stonelaw Church in Rutherglen, and it all kicks off @ 7.30pm on Friday 27th November.

So sad to report that the Scottish Country music scene has lost a real character and champion of Country music.  Brian O'Reilly, best known as Bronco,sadly  lost his battle with cancer. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him, Bronco has run Country and Western Clubs in Fife and Falkirk areas, as well as the twice a year Kelso Country & Western Festival.,

Newcomer Chris Stapleton was the big surprise at last night's CMA Awards in Nashville, winning three awards including Male Vocalist, Newcomer and Album of the Year award for "Traveller", which will get it's UK release on Nov 13th.
Other winners include "Girl Crush" by Little Big Town , which won Single and Song awards.
The full list of winners :
Entertainer of the year: Luke Bryan
Male Vocalist of the Year: Chris Stapleton
Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert
Song of the year: "Girl Crush"
Single of the year: Little Big Town, "Girl Crush"
Album of the year: Chris Stapleton, "Traveller"
New artist of the year: Chris Stapleton
Vocal group of the year: Little Big Town
Vocal duo of the year: Florida Georgia Line
Music video of the year: Maddie & Tae, "Girl In a Country Song"
Musical event of the year: Keith Urban featuring Eric Church, "Raise 'Em Up"
Musician of the year: Mac McAnally

Talented Scottish Country music singer-songwriter Brian Hughes lost his baby granddaughter, Amy, earlier this year after a brave battle against the odds and he is organising a gig in her memory with all proceeds going to the Neo-natal Unit at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow.
Concert for Amy will be held on Sunday November 29th November at Glasgow's Grand Ole Opry. Supporting Brian and his band will be Raintown and   Luke & Mel.
Tickets from brianhughesmusic.com

Texas Gun will be entertaining the folks at The Prairie Star C&W Club this Saturday, November 7th. The venue, as usual, is Weirs Social Club, Alloa.