Where were you when you first heard certain albums?

On Friday I’m going to tell you where I was when I first heard Bob Dylan’s ‘Good As I Been To You.‘

I say this myself, but it’s quite a good story.

More importantly this has lovely gems on it. I really think this album casts a long shadow over the following few records but equally it reminds us brilliantly of the Dylan who first burst dazzlingly on to the scene in the sixties. If you want to know why Bob Dylan played the music he did later on his wonderful radio show (Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour) then listening to this record is a very good place to start.

However we have way more than that for you to enjoy. I also remember where I was when I met our guest artist  for the first time. On a cold January evening I was the lucky man who spent 40 minutes or so with the wonderful Roseanne Cash in her dressing room as she prepared for her Celtic Connections show.

The connection here is very obvious of course. Roseanne was in town as special guest on the Dylan Birthday show hosted by Roddy Hart. She also had a night to herself at the festival where she delighted the Scottish audience with lots of songs from her back catalogue and a good few things from “The List.” We played “Sea of Heartbreak” to death around the time of release, so it was good to hear all about the project from the artist herself.

There have been some very fine records released this year. We’re going to point your ears to another fine one coming along very shortly. It’s one more in a long line of great T Bone Burnett productions and this time he’s working with Steve Earle. The album is called ‘I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive’ and it is named after the Hank Williams song of the same name.

Sometimes I’ve not found myself fully enjoying Steve’s output. Perhaps he set too high a standard in those wonderful early years? It’s enough to say here that this record makes a mockery of any doubts I’ve had about Steve’s ability. Like Lucinda and KD recently it is great to hear high profile artists delivering such great work. There was an ever widening smile on my ugly old mug as the record progressed track by track – and that my friends, is a wide old smile.

There will be more new things and some gorgeous old ones too, but I guess you knew that. What you may not know is that the AC has received two nominations at this year’s Sony Awards. We – Richard Murdoch, Kirsten Smith and myself are all very honoured. I’m sure you know this already but I’m very lucky to be allowed on-air to play music I love once a week. I’m also especially lucky to work with a fantastic producer who looks after our programme with all the love and care that you folk and this music deserves.

See you Friday @ five past eight on BBC Radio Scotland.