‘I heard country-and-western music in Liverpool before I heard rock’n’roll,’ John Lennon once said. So why is it so hard to find out more about our scouse country history?
That was a very enjoyable read Ophira. Thank you. I could mention the Irish influence here - country music is a big thing over there and was even bigger in the past. And I must mention our very own Scouse superstar, Nathan Carter….
Nice piece, I enjoyed reading that. I was going out with someone in the 80s whose mum was a big country fan. I've never liked it but we agreed to go along to the MAA club on Shiel Road one thursday night, where there was live country music and a packed club. Mostly senior folks, as far as I remember but I was 18 or so, everyone over 30 was dead old then I suppose. There was definitely a "scene" as such, although never a cool one. Kenny Johnson had a show on radio merseyside back then too.
The Hillsiders rings a bell but my parents were very rock and roll so as children we immersed in the music they loved and the reason I knew all the words to certain songs as I grew up. I’ve really enjoyed reading this piece and it doesn’t surprise me that we scousers took on country and made it our own. Country music is very much on the rise and possibly because a lot of the new stars have a bit more rock to them. Radio 2 have recently had a Country Music week when every show played country music along side their regular stuff. It was quite enjoyable. When you start getting global superstars like Beyoncé doing albums of their version of country music you know it’s the next big thing, however I think country fans have always known that.
Surely mention should be made of Charlie Landsborough, the country singer from Birkenhead, very popular, maybe as big as anyone on the British country scene. Not my scene but credit where it's due please.
In the '70's when I was a teenager the guy who used to take us to Everton's away games was a big country fan and a member of the English Country Music Association. I remember he said that it had more members from Merseyside than any other region. There was also a record shop on Aigburth Rd - Pat and Gerry Allen's - that sold only country music. It had a national reputation and closed down in the 80's, I think.
There was also a country music club off Sheil Road - I can't recall the name.
BBC Radio Merseyside played country a lot too, and until just a few years ago had a country show - as did Radio City until the late 80's.
You mention The Hillsiders, and that brings back warm 'n'fuzzy memories for me! My friend Phil Yates played sax & clarinet with them in the mid-70s, and you're right: none of them were prepared to "give up the day job" [which provided some form of security!] - Phil and I were both teachers at the same school and I occasionally dusted off my guitar and jammed with them! :)
They played at the Coffee House in Wavertree for a looooo-ooong time, [you don't mention this] and I believe they were also resident at the Rose of Mossley (nr. Mossley Hill rwy stn) until not very long ago ...
There is also Ethan Allen of The Cheap Seats who is still active in the Liverpool music scene and did well in Nashville. As Mick says the Irish influence is never far from the surface here.
Interesting that you talk about the widespread influence, as no less an influential singer than Robert Plant (yes him, the very same, former singer of Gods of Rock Led Zeppelin) has of late released a couple of albums where he's collaborated with "Country Royalty" Alison Krauss, and not just that but working with a lot of Country musicians on the Album as well, and well known (and highly respected Producer T Bone Burnett).
Hank Walters, now there IS a name from the past, remember way back in the mists of time to my youth, when I'd sometimes got to a cabaret night with my parents (or those of a girl I went with back then, how much of a great thing it was if he was "the turn" for the night, places were always well attended, but on nights like this, there always seemed to be a few more in again.
Finally, Just a few observations, if you'd have ever looked a bit further, you might have noticed that NOT EVERYONE was in Awe of Echo and the Bunnymen, or Teardrop Explodes, or even FGTH, very many of us veered as far away from these as possible. Next PLEASE, FOR CHRISTS SAKE, DON'T START with the "Scousers" thing, You're showing yourself up,this is a staple reference to nearly every local article written by the hacks at the Manchester Evening Echo, it's almost as though they think it's some kind of obligatory term, that they must use at every given opportunity.
Lastly, Just a freindly word of caution; lay off the Guiness and Black, it has a worse effect on your systen than beans :-D lol
That was a very enjoyable read Ophira. Thank you. I could mention the Irish influence here - country music is a big thing over there and was even bigger in the past. And I must mention our very own Scouse superstar, Nathan Carter….
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Carter
Thanks again for a lovely start to Saturday.
Nice piece, I enjoyed reading that. I was going out with someone in the 80s whose mum was a big country fan. I've never liked it but we agreed to go along to the MAA club on Shiel Road one thursday night, where there was live country music and a packed club. Mostly senior folks, as far as I remember but I was 18 or so, everyone over 30 was dead old then I suppose. There was definitely a "scene" as such, although never a cool one. Kenny Johnson had a show on radio merseyside back then too.
The Hillsiders rings a bell but my parents were very rock and roll so as children we immersed in the music they loved and the reason I knew all the words to certain songs as I grew up. I’ve really enjoyed reading this piece and it doesn’t surprise me that we scousers took on country and made it our own. Country music is very much on the rise and possibly because a lot of the new stars have a bit more rock to them. Radio 2 have recently had a Country Music week when every show played country music along side their regular stuff. It was quite enjoyable. When you start getting global superstars like Beyoncé doing albums of their version of country music you know it’s the next big thing, however I think country fans have always known that.
Surely mention should be made of Charlie Landsborough, the country singer from Birkenhead, very popular, maybe as big as anyone on the British country scene. Not my scene but credit where it's due please.
In the '70's when I was a teenager the guy who used to take us to Everton's away games was a big country fan and a member of the English Country Music Association. I remember he said that it had more members from Merseyside than any other region. There was also a record shop on Aigburth Rd - Pat and Gerry Allen's - that sold only country music. It had a national reputation and closed down in the 80's, I think.
There was also a country music club off Sheil Road - I can't recall the name.
BBC Radio Merseyside played country a lot too, and until just a few years ago had a country show - as did Radio City until the late 80's.
It's been a big part of 'our' culture....
You mention The Hillsiders, and that brings back warm 'n'fuzzy memories for me! My friend Phil Yates played sax & clarinet with them in the mid-70s, and you're right: none of them were prepared to "give up the day job" [which provided some form of security!] - Phil and I were both teachers at the same school and I occasionally dusted off my guitar and jammed with them! :)
They played at the Coffee House in Wavertree for a looooo-ooong time, [you don't mention this] and I believe they were also resident at the Rose of Mossley (nr. Mossley Hill rwy stn) until not very long ago ...
There is also Ethan Allen of The Cheap Seats who is still active in the Liverpool music scene and did well in Nashville. As Mick says the Irish influence is never far from the surface here.
Radio Luxembourg was on medium wave. Surely you remember "208"?
Interesting that you talk about the widespread influence, as no less an influential singer than Robert Plant (yes him, the very same, former singer of Gods of Rock Led Zeppelin) has of late released a couple of albums where he's collaborated with "Country Royalty" Alison Krauss, and not just that but working with a lot of Country musicians on the Album as well, and well known (and highly respected Producer T Bone Burnett).
Hank Walters, now there IS a name from the past, remember way back in the mists of time to my youth, when I'd sometimes got to a cabaret night with my parents (or those of a girl I went with back then, how much of a great thing it was if he was "the turn" for the night, places were always well attended, but on nights like this, there always seemed to be a few more in again.
Finally, Just a few observations, if you'd have ever looked a bit further, you might have noticed that NOT EVERYONE was in Awe of Echo and the Bunnymen, or Teardrop Explodes, or even FGTH, very many of us veered as far away from these as possible. Next PLEASE, FOR CHRISTS SAKE, DON'T START with the "Scousers" thing, You're showing yourself up,this is a staple reference to nearly every local article written by the hacks at the Manchester Evening Echo, it's almost as though they think it's some kind of obligatory term, that they must use at every given opportunity.
Lastly, Just a freindly word of caution; lay off the Guiness and Black, it has a worse effect on your systen than beans :-D lol