‘I heard you on the radio.’ It’s one of my favourite sentences. Of course it’s normally followed up by an absence of detail worthy of a political manifesto…but hey it’s the thought that counts. It also usually reveals quite a lot about how little people bother about where they get their broadcasts from. ‘What station?’ I’ll prod. Blank looks. ‘Oh, do you remember the presenter?’ Here they start to worry for my health.
It’s as bad when people tell me they hear this show on the wireless. ‘Always listen to you on a Friday night Ricky,’ they confidently profess, even though the show hasn’t been on a Friday for well over half a decade. It’s a salutary lesson for anyone who is under some kind of illusion that what they are putting out there really matters. They used to say the newspapers were tomorrow’s fish and chip wrappers (or worse) but with music and radio it’s over immediately; next song please…we’ve all moved on.
I’m thinking about all of this as I listen to Brandy Clark‘s new single from her forthcoming album ‘Your Life Is A Record.’ ‘If your life is a record and people and places are the songs…I’ll be the sad song.’ Oh yes, Brandy, once again you’ve caught something so well. It’s something about the casual way we encounter music and subsequently that same music worms its way into your heart until the point comes when you just need to hear it. It’s why pop music is so great.
We’ll get a chance to think a little deeper about music this week on Another Country when we welcome our Nashville correspondent, Bill DeMain to reflect a little on all things Music City. Bill’s old friend Daniel Tashian has been going through quite a purple patch in his song writing career. Part of Nashville band Silver Seas, Daniel has always been well respected in the songwriting community. Two years ago, however he co-wrote and produced most of Kacey Musgrave‘s ground-breaking ‘Golden Hour.’ and since then he’s been on some significant country tracks. We’ll remind you of a few of these, including my current record-of-the-year-so-far-even-though-it’s-only-February, Little Big Town‘s gorgeous, ‘Nightfall.’
We’re also counting down to C2C and even as I’m writing this, emails are going back and forward regarding this year’s festival which is going to be very, very good. Listen out for Luke Combs and some Old Dominion this Tuesday as well as some brilliant new tracks from King of Birds, Miranda Lambert and Jason Isbell.
From now on your two hours of Country and Americana will be delivered at the (much more reasonable) hour of 8 pm. If you’re looking on the dial you can find us on BBC Radio Scotland FM or your preferred smart speaker and the BBC Sounds App. Join me live if you can.
It’s not all instant and forgotten with the next song. Especially on specialist music shows. I’m sure some people remember where they were, what they were listening to or what they were doing when they first heard something that really registered and maybe helped change the direction of their musical listening. The key moments.