Been to any parties lately? Was there any singing going on? We went to a great one at New Year. There was a few singers in the room and everyone was doing a part piece.Then the unexpected happened. Somewhere from behind me I heard a voice I didn’t expect start on a song I couldn’t imagine anyone delivering. It was a moment I will remember for a long time.

It’s hard when there are a few singers kicking around and you end up trying to work out what it is you really want to hear: range, dexterity or just truth? I guess you’d know where my vote would go on that taxonomy.

On Allison Moorer’s last but one visit to scotland she was officially one of the Duchesses. Along with the Dukes she was part of Steve Earle‘s live band that was recorded by the AC over on Glasgow’s South Side. I can’t quite remember the exact phrasing but the gist of Steve’s introduction that night inferred that she was head and shoulders better than every other singer on the stage. None of us would have a great issue with that though he may have been unnecessarily harsh on himself in coming to that assessment. Since that night Allison Moorer has parted company emotionally and musically with Steve but has remained faithful to her muse. Her first solo album in five years comes out soon and , as ever, it’s a timely reminder that she’s still the best singer in the room. On side two of this week’s show I’ll be spending some time talking to Allison about that record, her new son, her home State of Alabama and even her troubled relationship with her older sister Shelby Lynn. We’ll also be hearing some great new music from ‘Down To Believing’ which comes out on the 16th of March.

In the spirit of all of this we’ll be celebrating some other female country singers. Listen out for the voices of Leanne Womack, Joan Shelley, First Aid Kit and the great Patty Loveless.

It’s often said that everyone’s got a novel in them; in country it’s certainly true to say that everyone has a bluegrass album. We’ll tell you what happened when Robert Earle Kean rediscovered his roots.

We’ll reveal what comes next for C Duncan and Daniel Meade and hear some new music from the Thompson family. If that isn’t enough we will also celebrate the songs of this man…..

If you don’t know who he is do not fear, just turn up your radio and enjoy the music.It all kicks off at five past eight on BBC Radio Scotland this Friday.

There was a fair amount of hoo-ha about Bob Dylan‘s new album the other week. People who haven’t followed the nuances of his career were as mystified as one of my old chums at the BBC in Edinburgh who simply asked, ‘Is it true?’

Yes, it’s true and it’s rather good. I have two pointers: When I really first became ‘fascinated’ (I was never, thankfully, obsessed) by Dylan in the mid 70s a college chum told me about how he famously said, ‘I’m just a song and dance man.’ We laughed then – I think we were meant to – but there was a huge truth in that sentence. Much, much later Mrs. Ross and I spent a very happy evening at The Armadillo in Glasgow sitting in the dark as Bob and his brilliant band went through their live show. There were many magical bits but sometimes the mood was set perfectly by the short impress played in the dark between songs. The steel would gently cry and strings would bend enough to suggest other, wilder places and times. When I heard Shadows in the Night all the way through I thought of these mini overtures, and realised they had to lead somewhere.

In his speech to Musicares Bob settled a few old scores. On Friday night we will try to connect you to some of these as well as celebrating the sound of that new record. As if by magic a new album celebrating one of the towns that Bob mentioned, Bakersfield, comes out and its by the least likely celebrants of that famed west-coast country centre, Cracker. All will be explained and music shall be played……and yes, we’ll definitely here Buck Owens.

We will have beautiful old vinyl from theses two…

We will also hear some fine new things from Father John Misty who comes to Glasgow next week to play his fine new album, ‘I Love You, Honeybear’ at King Tuts. We’ll have a new single from AC faves, Lord Huron, another fab new single from our pals, Ward Thomas and a newly minted piece of vinyl from this man…

Nathaniel Rateliff‘s second album is one of theses records you will put on and not want to take off. We suggest vinyl might be the best way to enjoy.

There will be so much more…..but for that you’ll have to tune in on Friday from five past eight on BBC Scotland (FM please) …….The narrow band width has that noisy fella who plays the kit for some old rock combo.

On Tuesday evening we went to the Royal Conservatoire to perform a couple of songs for a very special man. More about him in a moment, but first the occasion. It was a surprise honorary graduation for a citizen from Glasgow and, as well as luminaries from the Conservatoire, the City had sent along a Baillie from the council to make a speech on behalf of the Provost. Your heart always sinks when you see the chain of office because you are pretty sure the poor councillor usually has no knowledge of the occasion and is there to read from a set text. It was therefore surprising and revealing that, in the case, our representative spoke from his notes for 3- 4 minutes flat then put them away. He’d heard about the person in question and he too came from the Gorbals so he wanted to know that much of what the Graduand had experienced was in common with himself. It was a great moment.

The Graduand was Matty McVarish, a remarkable young man who has taken it upon himself to campaign for justice for victims of sexual abuse by walking  around Europe to get the law changed across the continent to make it fairer for victims to get justice for crimes committed decades ago which cannot be prosecuted due to the various statutes of limitations. He walked 10,000 miles over two years and this week he came home to Scotland and caps off a remarkable journey by stopping of with us this Sunday Morning.As I write he’s walking the road from Glasgow to Edinburgh where he will complete his final mile on the Royal Mile.

Last Friday we had another off the script moment when the brilliant Rodney Crowell broke away from his own plans to play us a brilliant Mickey Newbury cover – it’s been that kind of week. This Friday we’ll be in the presence of Punch Brothers as they perform songs and explain the background to their remarkable Phosphorescent Blues album. It will be hard for any artist to match the ambition of this record in 2015 and you will listen in wonder to hear their recreations of some of the songs ‘bluegrass style’ recorded round two microphones.

We’ll have new music from Chip Taylor and let you hear Stephen Steinbrink, Natalie Prass and Father John Misty. I also hope to bring you more from the excellent Sons of Bill album – and news of their visit to Glasgow.

It all starts at five past eight this Friday on BBC Radio Scotland.

On Sunday

We’ll be talking to Scottish legend – there is no other word – John Cairney about painting, acting, writing and for many years being Robert Burns.

We will have a first hand account on Selma, the new film about the crucial Civil Rights Marches of 50 years ago and how much has changed and remained the same since those times.

It’s BAFTAS Sunday and we will celebrate it by playing you some beautiful and brilliant music from the movies and we will , of course, be speaking to Matty.

Join me if you can from five past seven this Sunday Morning on BBC Radio Scotland.

When Rodney Crowell first visited us a few years ago now he’d just brought out the wonderful, Sex and Gasoline. He came into a tiny studio on a cold January and, a matter of inches away played me songs, from the new album which we broadcast as a very special live session.

We talked through all the usual back stories and Rodney didn’t disappoint as a raconteur. (the story of how he would be introduced to his future father-in-law, Johnny Cash involving Bloody Marys, brandy and Jamaica still brings a smile). As an afterthought I asked Rodney if there was anyone I hadn’t mentioned who had cut a song of his. Yes, he said, Van Morrison. And he told me a great story of a visit to see the Man at the Ryman and he was asked about cutting the song, ‘Till I Gain Control Again.’

I thought about this story a few days ago after reading various posts about a brilliant Van show at The Concert Hall. When you read what songs Van sang and realise the gems he missed out one is inclined to say that he knows a great song when he hears one.

We will catch up with Rodney as he is passing through and rejoice because there is a chance to talk about that song and the many he has written for Roseanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Keith Urban and Lee Ann Womack.Did I forget Johnny Cash? Did I mention John Denver?…The list  goes on, believe me.

We’ll also mention his old buddy Guy Clark and his excellent recent album Tarpaper Sky.

We’ll overlook the fact that he’s here to do the Transatlantic Sessions and not a gig on his own without all the folk- noodlers – but we’re delighted that Patty Griffin will , at least be there too.

It’s going to be a very special night. As Rodney leaves Sara Watkins will arrive. Last time she was with us we were celebrating the release of her debut solo album where she covered old Gospel standards, John Hartford, Tom Waits and brought us some beautiful new songs of her own. As I recall she arrived looking a little weary. When we offered the simple excuse of jet lag she ‘fessed up and expained she’d been up till 4 at the Celtic Connections club playing the fiddle. We understood.

That did not stop her doing what she is coming to do on Friday. Play the fiddle and sing us some songs. There’s now two solo albums and last year she and her prodigiously talented band mates from Nickel Creek got together to make their first album in a long time. It has been nominated for a Grammy, so there is much to talk of and great music to celebrate.

It all kicks off at five past eight this Friday evening on BBC Radio Scotland.

On Sunday…..

I’m very excited about hooking up with this woman.

Shami Shakrabarti, who’s new book, ‘On Liberty’ is out now has been Director of Liberty (The National Council for Civil Liberties) since September 2003.  Famously she has carried the Olympic Flag into the opening of the 2012 games and her constant advocacy for justice made the Sun describe her as ‘The Most Dangerous Woman In Britain.’

We’ll talk Human Rights and Wrongs at a very important time and find out more about Shami’s role in public life as well as her other important job – as a mother.

We will discuss Religious and Moral Education the way it was and the vision for the future with some experts and we will discuss whether the Wolf Hall might cause us to reassess our understanding of saintliness and we’ll meet the celebrity photographer who is turning his lens towards the Homeless World Cup. All this in the company of great music by Jimmy Cliff, Calexico, Jenny Lewis and a little Ella Fitzgerald.

Join me if you can from five past seven this Sunday on BBC Radio Scotland.

I’ve bored about this a few too many times so I’ll try not to repeat myself. But there is a phenomenon over in Tennessee which we try to emulate every year at Celtic Connections time. It’s called, ‘The Round’ and it is as simple a format as you could hope to enjoy anywhere.  Four songwriters sit in a circle and song by song we listen and…they too listen. Some times they join in with each other and often, in my experience, they change course depending on what the previous writer has played. At it’s best it can be magical and truly beautiful.

But there is one artist from Music City who, when asked if she enjoyed doing Rounds exclaimed, ‘No – are you kiddin’? Sittin’ listening to all those other songs? I don’t do that.’ Yes, Caitlin Rose is a noble exception.

Unusually this Friday we have no Music City artists but are gathering our round from a very wide circle. Starting in Montreal we have the Barr Brothers whose new album, Sleeping Operator is a significant progression from their last record. On the last album they came to see us at the AC and our engineers are still raving about that wonderful session. Expect odd instrumental combinations and the odd bicycle wheel.

If like me you were listening to Another Country live last Friday you will have missed The Pearlfishers Celtic Connections live show last week. By all accounts it was a triumph and Davie Scott took his assorted players through much of the back catalogue and the beautiful new album ‘Open Up Your Colouring Book.’ Essentially The Pearlfishers is the songs and arrangements of Davie so we will have him singing the songs alone and it will be very special.

JD McPherson is from Oklahoma. Last time round Vic Galloway stole him for his CC show so we’re delighted he’s joining us at the CCA. Brilliant, sharp rock n roll the way you might have heard it if you were around back in the day. If ‘Bossy’ his first single of the new album is anything to go by his second album will bring us as much or more joy as the first.

And then we have Charlie Dore.

Charlie, like the other guests is here because we believe her new album to be one of our highlights of 2015. Milk Roulette is simply Charlie at her best.  Funny, poignant and often heartbreaking know that you will be in the gentle care of one of England’s great songwriters.

It’s all live from the CCA. If you have a ticket I look forward to seeing you there; if not its all live on BBC Radio Scotland from five past eight.

On Sunday..

I will spend a fair amount of time talking to the man who took this photograph…

Thomas Joshua Cooper was born in America, from Cherokee descent and now lives in Glasgow and is the founding head of photography at Glasgow School of Art. We’ll talk photographs and faith and he will bring some excellent music.

We will mark Holocaust Sunday by talking to author Sarah Helm about her new book, If This Is A Woman. Inside Ravensbrück: Hitler’s Concentration Camp For Women.

We’ll find out what a Greek tragedy written over 2,000 years ago can tell us about the current situation in Syria and I’ll tell you about my visit to The Burns Museum a couple of weeks ago and introduce you to the remarkable David Hopes, the director.

As ever we will be on air by five past seven this Sunday on BBC Radio Scotland.

This week’s blog mainly goes out to my old chum, Gary Clark. Gary was on tour with us many years ago and I was admiring the sound of his wonderful backing singers one day.

‘They sound good Gaz,’

‘They do Ricky, but the thing is….’

‘Yes?’

‘They dinna ken any sangs.’

I looked puzzled for a while.  But he went on to explain that when the gig was over and the late night carousing was beginning they were less keen to step on to the floor with a standard or two. (This is an accusation that could also be levelled at me, but happily Gary was overlooking that detail.) It was more the fact that the songs we all hope are there or thereabouts in the common consciousness had not even entered theirs. Or if they did ‘ken any’ they weren’t coming forward with them for anyone.

I thought about those missing songs today as I stood in the Museum of Robert Burns Birthplace in Alloway. I was looking at Burns song notebooks and various added scribblings and I thought about these songs we’re all singing and how, despite generations passing we keep singing. Sometimes the context changes and we sing them anyway, sometimes we drop a verse and sometimes words get added or taken away. Growing up a protestant and living as a Roman Catholic I love the way certain melodies are changed in hymns sung by both traditions……and yet, the essence of the song remains the same.

On Fridays and indeed Sundays the joy (and it is joy) I get is playing songs that have moved me in some way. Often they are old and more often than not they are new. They are from a pile on the car passenger seat I have wrestled with at traffic lights and removed from the infernal cellophane…Often not knowing what the album is adds to the magic. If it gets to song three and a spell has not been cast I begin to worry; but then a little piece of heartbreak bleeds from the speakers and the hours of insert/eject/skip are all worthwhile. This Friday there will be almost two hours of these spectral moments.

Listen out for Chip Taylor, Gretchen Peters,  Sons of Bill and Matthew E White.

We will also be talking about this man:

Tim Drummond played on the Neil Young albums many people probably wish he’d make more of. Harvest, Comes A Time, Harvest Moon…in fact any bloody album with the word ‘Harvest’ in it, when I start to think about it. He was Neil’s go-to bass player and when he wasn’t playing on Neil’s albums he was working with Bob Dylan or many other such high profile artists. Sadly Tim left this world last weekend and on this week’s show we’ll play tribute to him.

Stand by too for a fantastic vinyl rediscovery courtesy of the man who has been spinning on my home turntable this week. As ever, we’re on BBC Radio Scotland Friday and Sunday from five past eight.

On Sunday…

I’ll be spending time getting to know Stuart Murdoch. A mutual friend once told me that Stuart and I would get on famously if we ever met. He was right, we did. I haven’t seen Stuart for ages however and I’m looking forward to hearing his story. On the new Belle and Sebastian album he’s talking about his own illness, recovery and gentle path to faith.

He’ll be bringing some lovely music along too.

We’ll talk more about faith, free speech as we absorb in the tremors from last week’s events in Paris. We’ll explain Pencourage and we will talk a lot about the most famous Dundonian of them all, Mary Slessor.

Within all of this I will attempt to weave seamlessly some music that might might just make your day. Join me from seven if you can this Sunday morning on BBC Radio Scotland.

…Plus c’est la meme chose.

Now that I’m old enough I think I get what the French were saying. If you think the world’s getting worse then it might be worth realising that for millions of people it is actually getting better. If you start getting carried away with that idea then bear in mind that better has a long way to go before it becomes ‘just ok.’

I’m writing this on Wednesday evening hours after the world took another wild swing at itself and the certainties we assumed as the sun came up seem slightly worn out at night fall. Predictions are a dangerous business but it’s safe to say we feel like the world is becoming a more dangerous place. This Sunday morning it might be interesting to listen in to Karyn McLuskey who began to imagine that Glasgow’s dangerous image was beginning to mean that people in the city had given up being shocked.

She came back from London determined to change the city and since the formation of the Violence Reduction Unit she can lay claim to being part of that change. I’ll be talking to Karyn about what made her into the person she was and the work she continues to pioneer in Glasgow.

You might also be aware of this man:

Last summer, in the busiest year of his life, Gordon Aikman wrote a personal blog which started with these words: ‘I am dying.’ His condition is Motor Neuron Disease and there is no known cure. It spurred Gordon on to take on new challenges and only this week he has helped change Scottish Government health policy by persuading the First Minister to double the number of specialist nurses dealing with patients suffering from MND. I’ll be talking to Gordon in the second hour of Sunday Morning as well as talking to two of the people behind Pencourage.  This is an anonymous social networking site where you talk about the real things, often very difficult things, going on in your life – it is the antithesis of facebook where many people just showcase a glorified and happy shiny slice of their life. We might all be ready for that by then. Join me if you can this Sunday Morning from seven.

Of course before all of that I’ll be back with Another Country on Friday evening.  This week I will be playing you tracks from one of those albums which, if it’s not on my end of year favourite list, will mean we are in for another great year. Star of this week’s show is definitely T Bone Burnett who produces three of the new records we’re spinning. But we’ll also be thinking about this magical place:

The Ryman Auditorium is forever associated with The Grand Ole Opry. there’s a new Opry compilation out and the country community have been paying respects over the festive season to Little Jimmy Dickens who died aged 94 on the 2nd of this month.

We’ll spin some vinyl, play some Rusty and Doug, JD MCPherson and host of other upcoming Celtic Connections stars. All from five past eight this Friday evening.

Both shows can be found on BBC Radio Scotland.

I’m just back from rehearsal. The long awaited new Deacon Blue road show kicks off this weekend and so I am posting my final blog of this year as I will be somewhere on the M6 or the B458…(not entirely sure where that is) trying to find wifi over the next few weeks and feel, in fairness, enough has been said.

Mr Murdoch has some brilliant treats in store for you over the next few Fridays and if I were at home near a proper wireless I’d certainly be tuning in. Mean time it’s time for me to tell you about our very special guests on this St Andrews weekend. Appropriately it’s two young women from Hampshire who have recorded, amongst many other fine songs one of Scotland’s favourite songs, Dougie McLean’s Caledonia. The band in question are Ward Thomas and not only did they play a show at King Tuts in Glasgow last Sunday but they also came in at the un rock n roll time of 9 o’clock last Monday morning to perform a session and answer some of my questions.

Like so many family bands Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas have a great vocal blend but – and this is an important but – they also have some fine songs and songs which sound fabulous on the radio. As I write this I’m listening to Sir Bob’s show on Radio 2 and by sheer luck the girls have just come on singing, ‘From Where I Stand.’ It’s one of many gorgeous songs on their debut album and if you tune in this weekend you’ll hear the background to that song and many more.

This week we’ll definitely have time for that Ryan Bingham new track, something brand new from another Lewis and Leigh, Teddy Thompson, Charlie Dore and a Christmas bonus session track from our good friends Blue Rose Code.

On Sunday

I will be presenting the last of my Bob Harris shows on radio 2. There will be a great session and conversation with King Creosote (AKA Kenny Anderson) the man behind the remarkable ‘From Scotland With Love’ soundtrack. I’ll also be delving very deep into The Complete Basement tapes with author of ‘Million Dollar Bash,’ Sid Griffin. It all starts on BBC Radio 2 from 3 a.m this Sunday and both these shows are on the iplayer for another month.

Finally I’m looking forward to being out on tour with Zervas and Pepper who are supporting us throughout the UK. So if you’re planning to come along to some of the shows, come early.

This Friday I’ll spend the best part of the hour with the youngest veteran in the business. Ryan Adams is still (compared to your host) a very young man…..well everyone’s young compared to me, but Ryan really is still young. And yet…he’s been in a band (Whiskeytown) he’s forged a brilliant solo career and has the albums and grammy nominations to prove it, (Heartbreaker, Gold) He’s formed another band, fallen off a stage or two, had some high profile love interests and he’s now a happily married, substance free singer songwriter and producer. It’s quite a journey.

He’s also living in LA and has now done something few of us can imagine by producing the current of his original producer. Not many can say that. On Friday we’ll catch up with Ryan as he tells us how his current eponymously titled album came to be.  And, I need to add at this point, it’s an album with some fine songs on it. He is in great voice.

We will be hoping that Janice Forsythe has returned from Dundee with our record deck  and we’ll have some new things to play you from ………and another Ryan, Ryan Bingham. If we don’t play The Staves then there will be trouble. As promised on our Facebook page we will play you something beautiful from the late Gene Clark, who would have been seventy years old this week. It all starts at five past eight on BBC Radio Scotland. 

On Sunday Morning…

I’ll be spending the first part of the show chatting to Aled Jones. ( I know; He looks sickening ly young and your host looks…..well rather lost within Broadcasting House if truth be told) I ran into Aled recently and he was able to tell me a little about his teenage life and I realised there was much we probably don’t know about him. The Child prodigy, the TV and Radio presenter is someone who you possibly feel you know already but there is also the story of a young man making sense of losing the beautiful voice that had defined him since childhood. Add into that the fact that the normal teenage rites of passage could never be enjoyed it all makes for a fascinating personal story. Although, as you will probably hear, that didn’t mean he always chose Hollywood over football.

Later on I’ll talk to Professor Mona Sidique about her book chronicling the story of her own spirituality, ‘My Way.’ Mona has written many academic books which  all of us her in Religion (apart from the good Dr Holloway) have failed to read. In this book she’s talking about her own life and her own faith. Poignant, honest and insightful it’s a Mona primer. I’ll be talking to her about her decision to tell her own story and what that self examination has taught her and can teach us.

Even earlier…

On Sunday morning on BBC Radio 2 I’m again sitting in for Bob Harris. I’ll be talking to my hero of youth and young adulthood, Jackson Browne.  And that, my friend, is really all you need to know. Don’t miss a minute if you can help it. From 3 a.m on BBC Radio 2 and for the following month all three programmes can be found on the iplayer.

Do join me for some of these radio adventures if you can.

Have you bought the 6 album box or are you waiting until Santa delivers it? Or….are you thinking,’ They’ve languished in the basement this long, they can stay there for a little longer.’ Last Tuesday evening I made the bold attempt at listening right through. I think I was about two and half  albums in when I thought…’why does this feel like I’ve been standing at the coffee machine at Berkeley II Rehearsal studios for the last two hours?

There is, you see, a certain logic to the way we have received music and records in particular for the last 100 years ago. We let the song writers finish the song, we allow the artist time to pick it and (dare I say ) learn it, and we usually like a little production on top. It’s kinda worked up till now. I’ve often noted as I glumly pass on a record that’s been submitted to our show that there is a reason we have record companies…..sometimes having someone to sort the wheat from the dross can help. I’ll be honest – as you can probably guess – I don’t really think all of the above but I’m not really certain how much any of us gains from sifting through every take from ’68 of Dylan and The Band.

However we will play you a worthwhile moment on Friday and also play you something from a man who has listened to them all and written about the experience. Sid Griffin was lead singer of The Long Riders, has written Million Dollar Bash and its newly updated sequel and has released a new album called ‘The Trick is To Breathe. On it he has an interesting song about this enigmatic star of country music….

We’ll have new songs from Larkin Poe, The Lost Brothers, Mark Olson and some lovely old things from The Jayhawks, Punch Brothers and John Murray.

We’re live on Friday from five past eight on BBC Radio Scotland.

On Sunday Morning

I will be spending most of the first hour of the show talking to Karine Polwart.

Karine is a good friend as well as one of our great Songwriters and Folk singers. We’ll be talking about her life, influences and her many diverse social concerns as well as hearing her music. In fact we are getting that rarest thing on a Sunday Morning, a live song from our special guest. but you’d expect that…..

I’ll be talking to Eimar O’Callaghan about her teenage diary, Belfast Days. It’s an amazing diary she has just published from 1972 when she was in her final school years and Belfast was in the darkest days of the troubles. It’s a must read and I’ll be asking why she’s waited until now to let people share it.

We’ll find out what life is like on the ground in Sierra Leone through the eyes of Roman Catholic Bishop, Patrick Daniel Koroma and Tomi Ajay a Christian Aid worker recently returned from that part of the world. Elizabeth Quigley shares a story about Britain’s first female MP on the day that Scotland gets its first female First Minister. As always too we will play some great music. Join me from five past seven on Sunday morning on BBC Radio Scotland.

I’ll be talking to this woman earlier in the day too as I sit in for Bob Harris on BBC.

From Vermont, Anais Mitchell is one of the best collaborators around. Her current album XOA tries to tie up a few of the loose threads…and does it beautifully. All from 3 – 6 on Sunday morning on BBC Radio 2.