There have been new people we have discovered on the AC over the years. Many of those have had Country musical education or, at the very least, access to a great country record collection. Last year we were delighted to meet John Fullbright whose Oklahoma roots showed through brilliantly. This Friday however we will showcase the talent of Sturgill Simpson. I cannot think of any (new) artist who we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming over the last few years who has such authentic country credentials.
Raised in coal mining Kentucky his own roots go directly back to the bluegrass he heard on people’s porches growing up in that great hub of bluegrass and folk music. However Sturgill’s route to Glasgow has taken him to some very interesting places. We hear Sturgill’s remarkable story of his 15 year overnight success which brought him to popular acclaim in last year’s Americana awards. We’ll hear about his life in the military, his own personal struggles and about his great hero, his grandfather. We’ll discover how much he’s influenced by Waylon and Willie and find out why he had to goto Tokyo. It’s a great story and as well as all of that he has recorded a blistering session for us. If all of that is not enough there’s a chance to see Sturgill for yourself in Glasgow this Sunday when he plays Glasgow’s Admiral Bar. I’m going!
Roseanne Cash‘s excellent new album is doing very well indeed. We’ll play you some more from that as well as something from the new ‘lost’ Johnny Cash album and to keep it in the extended family we’ll bring you music from a new Carlene Carter album too. We’And if that’s not an excuse to play more of the Carter Family then what is? If that’s not enough we have some fine new things from War On Drugs, Maeve O’Boyle, Ned Roberts as well as something you may just remember from Leanne Rimes.
We’ll celebrate a deserved win at the Radio Two Folk Awards for Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer and share our delight for the gentlemen from The Lonesome Fire. This week our good friend Roddy Hart and his band took America by storm as they played live in from of millions on Craig Ferguson’s Late, Late show. Not only that but this story has gone much further…all will be revealed tomorrow.
That’s Another Country, BBC Radio Scotland Friday at Five past Eight.
