UKCountryRadio Listeners Awards – 4th Party
On Saturday September 17, 2011 the internet country station UKCountryRadio.com, “playing the hottest country music for the UK, 24 hours a day” celebrated their fourth birthday and hosted their first-ever live outside broadcast for their Listeners’ Club Award. The live event took place at the Best Western Premier Yew Lodge Hotel at Kegworth near Derby, England.
UKCountryRadio.com is now a full personality-led station throughout each day.
“As well as our initial blend of the best in UK country music alongside the big names from America, we have steadily increased our specialist music offering and now cater for all tastes within country music – from bluegrass to line dancing and rockabilly to country gospel. Our audience has grown dramatically since those early days. Thousands of people are tuning in each day, nearly fifteen hundred people now receive this Newsletter, and hundreds of people are also getting involved with us through Facebook, MySpace and Twitter “says station head Allan Watkiss.
The evening included a three-course luxury dinner (see photo) and live music at the “packed event”. All five nominees The Annie Duggan Band, Imber-Dean, Wayne Jacobs, Rita B and Raintown each performed several songs on nights and then final votes were taken from the floor adding to those compiled from the listeners.
Will Downie – Photo on the night (UKCountryRadio facebook) , Phil Butler and other radio presenters hosted the online broadcast from 6pm for a six-hour programme LIVE from the Fourth Birthday Party celebrating “four fantastically successful years”
One of the guest performer’s was Christian singer Debra Andrew from southern England. From her CD CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE (see review) she sang “In My Dreams” and the title cut as well as “You’ve Got A Friend” (Carole King). CMA Broadcaster Award recipient Allan Watkiss supported her playing piano. “This CD made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. This lady has become a good friend of mine and a good friend of the station she’s an absolutely fabulous singer” said Watkiss. He also announced that the song “Child of the Universe” will be in the running for next year’s listener’s award.
Allen Karl (“The good guy in the black hat”) was a very special guest from Maryland in the United States making his first ever UK appearance supported by band Red Rock Country. Together in April 2012 they will be playing 10 to 12 shows on a UK tour (Photo Allen Karl with Allan Watkiss)
Allen who met the band for the first time debuted 3 songs on the night: “That Jukebox Has A Mind Of It’s Own” (written by Tom Fedora) and “Lonelies Only Bar” which was composed by Nashville Hall of Fame songwriter, Jerry Foster who gave permission to Karl to cut it. The song “Butterflies” had its world live premier performance again from the pen of Jerry Foster. Involved with this new song was Rafel Corbi (photo) the President of the European Country Music Association who choreographed the line dance (Step Sheet).
Corbi flew in from Spain (Courtesy of Ryan Air) and he presented Allen Karl with 2 European Country Music Association (ECMA) awards for Male Vocalist and Album of The Year (“My Final Rose”). Karl had managed to beat off nominated country heavyweights George Strait, Brad Paisley, Randy Travis to scoop both awards.
Allen Karl website – http://www.allenkarlproductionsllc.com/
Allen Karl interview with CMNI editor Christian Lamitschka – LINK
For the first time Corbi presented the European Country Line Dance Personality of the Year from the 500 ECMA members. It went to John “Grrowler” Rowell from Scarborough, England one of Britain’s top dance instructors. (See website)
Last years 2010 Listeners award winner Jonny Williams (song “One Sided Love Affair”) could not be there due to gig commitments but his good friend John Aston took his place. Ashton’s live set included “Walking The Floor Over You”, “Sarah’s Eyes” and “Don’t Tell Me A Lie”. After all the votes were counted he then made the presentation for Listeners Award and it went to Rita B for the song “Got Caught When Your Guard Was Down”.
NOTE – All 5 of nominated songs are included on a 5 track CD. These tracks have been selected by the listeners of the UK’s leading on-line Country Music Radio Station as their favourite tracks performed by UK Country Music Artists and heard on UKCountryRadio.com during 2011.
UKCountryRadio.com would like to thank all the artists and Wye Creek Music who have agreed to waive their royalties and to generously donate all profits from the sales of this album to the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Limited edition available for a month
(Wye Creek Music, PO Box 7886, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 7AW ,UK / Contact – Mike )
Track listing :
Shooter’s Last Ride (Annie Duggan Band), Wistful Lady (Imber Dean), Just One Kiss (Raintown),
Got Caught When Your Guard Was Down (Rita B), My Tennessee Girl (Wayne Jacobs)
About the 2011 Nominees
1) Annie Duggan Band – http://www.annduggan.co.uk/ The band consists of amazing guitarist Rob Hines, bass player Alan Shotter, who wowed the crowds at Glastonbury in 2009, and the brilliant Gordon Taylor on drums.
For the past 12 years Annie slowly but surely been building a sizeable following on the UK Music scene. Although I had been involved in music as a teenager, having a family prevented me from taking things further until 20 years later! Ten years ago she totally changed her life when a chance meeting inspired her to take up music, quit her full-time job and separate from her husband. Originally from Birmingham, folk singer Ann now lives in Markfield, but her voice has taken her across the world to America.
Annie’s voice has taken her from the East Midlands, where her band is based, to Chicago and the Mississippi. Annie’s music might best be described as a seamless mix of country, blues and roadhouse rock, played with a powerful combination of energy, melody and lyricism.
“I didn’t entertain the thought that I would one day make music a career and became more involved in other work to earn a living. Everything I have ever done relating to music has been in collaboration with Colin Granger who has written most of the blue collar songs we perform “says Annie on her website
According to the Maverick magazine album review “The album IF I KNEW THEN by Annie Duggan Band is down to earth blue collar lyrics and good musicianship making it a record to put on repeat” (DJ)
Set list: “Ain’t That A Shame”, “Move A Little Closer”, “Shooter’s Last Ride”
Allan Watkiss quote “Wow fantastic, thank you very much Annie and the guys that was amazing, really enjoyed that”
2) Imber-Dean – are Terry Dean on lead vocals, rhythm and bass guitars, and El Imber on pedal steel and acoustic guitars. Terry is the songwriter/composer while El is also the producer, engineer and arranger.
Terry started his musical life in rock’n’roll bands and worked part time as a session musician/backing singer and as a dep in several well known bands in the 1960s.
Terry started his musical life in rock’n’roll bands and worked part time as a session musician/backing singer and as a dep in several well known bands in the 1960s.
El Imber’s love of country music has been present for many years, first as a studio session guitarist and pedal steel player. He was a member of several well known British country bands including Country Shack. El is rated as one of the top British pedal steel players and has his own unique style and sound. He is also a record producer and engineer and has his own Imber Label. To read more – link
3) Raintown
On there websites they describe themselves as: “A Contemporary Twist on Country Music; from its Roots. We are, couple, Paul Bain & Claire McArthur, aka Raintown” And regarding their style they say:
“Fusing the infectious elements of great pop songs with roots based instrumentation and a conversational writing style of Country Music, Raintown, Paul Bain and Claire McArthur, are a contemporary twist on a modern country duo. Continuing the tradition of exciting new music to emerge from Glasgow, their catchy hooks and dynamic male/female harmonies are delivered with a passion and style that demands attention; while their carefully crafted lyrics articulate some very human emotions in a sincere, ‘heart on the sleeve’ kind of way “ – Further reading – Raintown Promo Photo
BLURB: Fresh from their success at CMA Fest 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, the hotly tipped duo, Raintown, with their full band, will engage and excite you with a high octane mixture of stunning original material. Country greats and contemporary hits at The Plaza on Tuesday 27th September. This is one night not to be missed! Raintown are already creating quite a buzz. They are being hailed as the UK’s answer to US super group Lady Antebellum. Great song-writing, passion drenched delivery and dynamic male/female harmonies; it’s easy to see and hear why Raintown are the hottest new act in Contemporary Country Music.
Event: Tuesday – September 27th, Stockport Plaza Theatre, Mersey Square Stockport, UK SK1 1SP
Set list: – “Loves Got A Hold on You”, “Need You Now” (Lady Antebellum cover),
“Picture Of Us”, “Just One Kiss”
4) Rita B – http://www.rita-b-country-singer.com/ –In 2010, Rita B completed her first album of self-penned material. She teamed up with North Wales songwriter John Holt, who answered Rita B’s advert for a song writing partner in Cross Country Magazine. Both Rita B and John are members of the International Songwriting Association (ISA).””
“Wasted Tears” is the first single from the album “In My Own Wor(l)ds”. The album also includes “Then Love Was Young” and “Got Caught When Your Guard”
If singing has always been Rita’s true passion, then country music was her first love. Ever since she was a young child, she felt the urge to entertain and would sing to anyone who would listen. Sometimes, however, life just seems to have… well… a life of its own, and with three beautiful girls to raise, it was family life which first took centre stage. But despite the hiatus, Rita’s passion to perform continued to simmer in the background.
Rita performs ‘Remembering Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee & Tribute to Ladies of Country’ as well as holiday parks, clubs and pubs, Rita also entertains at care/residential homes and sheltered housing and specializes in peoples birthday and wedding anniversary celebrations.
FINALLY, as well as being a published poet, Rita has now turned her writing skills into becoming a lyricist and in July 2010 finished writing/recording her very first country album, ‘IN MY OWN WOR(L)DS’.
** [[ Listen to Rita B presentation on the night ]] – [[ Listen to Rita B’s interview on the night ]]
5) Wayne Jacobs – Profile page – Myspace – Wayne Jacobs from Kent, UK is a civil servant whose hobby is a singer, songwriter and performer. While a teenager in the 1980s, Wayne went to night school for three and a half years where he was taught by a folk singer called Pauline. He wrote a couple of songs, one for his mum and another called One Way Ticket. Pauline said Wayne had good potential as a songwriter. In 2010, Wayne released an EP called “Sounds Good To Me”. It was produced by Paramount Group in Nashville after Wayne entered their song writing competition and won the Directors’ Award. The EP three country tracks, “Let Me Take You Home”, “All Kids Need A Second Chance” and “My Tennessee Girl”
“My Tennessee Girl” was inspired by the film “Walk The Line”. Wayne loves Johnny Cash and in the film he composed his song to the sound of a train.
“My Tennessee Girl” was inspired by the film “Walk The Line”. Wayne loves Johnny Cash and in the film he composed his song to the sound of a train.
Setlist: “Kentucky Whiskey”, “The Smile Of Your Face”, “Let Me Take You Home”?
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