We’re out in music city. As I write this it’s warmer here than back home and we’re glad to see the back of the snow…though a tornado warning here does give me pause for thought.
On this week’s Another Country we’re going to let you have your own Nashville experience as we play out the conversations we recorded at C2C at BBC’s Pacific Quay. If you couldn’t be there you’ll not know that we had some great stories on the Friday afternoon when we welcomed Midland, Lukas Nelson, Ashley Campbell and Margo Price.
It was a great pleasure to welcome back Margo. The first time round she’d managed to fight off a stomach bug and still perform brilliantly for the round at our Celtic Connection show in Glasgow’s CCA. A year before her album came out we played a track by Margo on our show as recommended by our correspondent Bill DeMain. Margo’s own story of being roundly ignored by the Music Row community is one of life’s sweeter tales when viewed from her current position as the darling of the alt-country loving world. On the Jack White’s label and free to write and record the music she’s always wanted to, her interview makes for compulsory listening for anyone wanting to be inspired to make music when everything is conspiring against you. (Selling the car to pay for studio time is a particular tale that sticks in my mind)
Of course Margo’s story contrasts with our two members of country’s royal families. Ashley Campbell and Lukas Nelson are the daughter and son of two of the greats of country music. Ashley’s father Glen Campbell has brought so much pleasure to generations of fans but it’s questionable whether his influence status is any greater than the last of the living Outlaws, Willie Nelson, father of Lukas. You will enjoy hearing their own stories of their parents while Willie makes an extra guest appearance on Margo’s record too.
Midland are going to be such a huge country act. Based in Austin Texas they bring something fresh and raw to country music. Three western guys who love the music of Gary Stewart and Keith Whitley. Their harmonies bear witness to the influence of these two artists and for people of my generation think those early Eagles albums and you’ll get a good sound picture of the band.
Yesterday Richard Murdoch and I spent time with Josh Osborne one of the co-writers on Drinkin Problem and his writing room was proof of the success of that song. No 1 country song awards and ACM nominations were littering the place and really it’s just the beginning for Midland. We will play the conversation with Josh out in future weeks but he confirmed what you’ll hear for yourself: Midland are something very special.
It’s a show packed with country stars and it starts at five past nine on BBC Radio Scotland FM. Join me if you can.
