A few weeks ago I went into the BBC’s HQ on a frosty January morning to meet up with a man who is legend enough not to have to turn up for such prosaic promotional duties. As I parked my car and looked east I was aware of a familiar looking stetsoned silhouette coming towards me, Gary Cooper-like, across the asphalt. It was early and he was tired but Marty Stuart has arrived, guitar in hand ready to entertain.
There are two spellings of Stuart as my old friend, the late Jimmy Stewart from Carnoustie once explained. There’s the “tinkie” Stewart and the “Roya”l Stuart. Once you hear the full conversation Marty and I had that Saturday I think you will feel you have been in the presence of Country Royalty. Marty’s life is remarkable: A child prodigy in his first professional band at 13, he joined Johnny Cash’s backing group at 21 and soon became another member of the extended Cash family when he married Roseanne’s sister a few years later. I’m not an expert on country music but my good friends Karen Miller and Paul Fenn tell me that if there’s one show you want to see in Music City it’s the Marty Stuart band. Marty finally brought the band to Glasgow for Celtic Connections and we hooked up the day they tore it up at The Arches. I was on air that night but all the stories I heard were of a triumphant gig. If all this comes as news then please join me on Friday night as I do believe you might find you want to hear more of the wonderful Mr Stuart. If you already know and love Marty you’ll be delighted to know he was on top form.
We’re also going to tell you exciting news about The Another Country Movie Club. We have a couple of big nights ahead of us this spring which will give us all a chance to meet up, say hello and enjoy some wonderful music.
Here’s a cryptic clue for the title of our next movie……..
More…….you want more? I have new things from Buddy Miller (yes!),more from the really great new Lucinda Williams album, The Low Anthem and Jessica Lea Mayfield.
I will also introduce you to a lovely record on Rounder by Nathaniel Rateliff. We’ll do all of that in 2 hours you know…just watch.(actually listen!)
Before I go I’d like to thank you for listening to my show with Vic last week. It was an honour to have Sir Vic Galloway in my seat and slightly scary to have to take his place the previous Monday. I hope you all heard some music you might not otherwise have heard. Personally I was so pleased to hear The Ballad of El Goodo coming out of the radio, so thank you Vic.
Looking forward to the show this week – know none of Marty Stuart’s music, so that will doubtless be a revelation, alongside some of the other new music promised here – and very much enjoyed the Vic Galloway spot you filled last Monday also.
And I’d been meaning to ask what had happened to the Another Country Movie Club?! As a far-flung, London-living, Scotland-loving, bandwagon-joining listener to BBC Radio Scotland, I fear I may not make any face-to-face shenanigans, but I’ll certainly wait to hear more before I decide that either way…
Marty Stuart’s hair style has not changed one bit in all these years; just a bit grayer……aren’t we all.
Great program once again. Many thanks.