NEWS FOR BRIT FANS

Our American plans for 2009 . . .

Making advance plans for 2009 is even more difficult than usual because whilst we were in the States four internal airlines folded, two of the major airlines merged and two more were having talks about merging . . . therefore it is impossible to get actual schedules and no way will they give fixed prices. But we need months to put together tours so once again all prices are guestimated. All we require now is a £20 completely refundable reservation fee per person. If you do not like final price or we have to alter dates this will be returned to you. If you want more details of the following please get in touch on 01502 732040 (or email) and I’ll send you a brochure.

COUNTRY & WINTER SUNSHINE: February 26th- March 10th

Thursday February 26th we fly to Nashville and stay downtown, Thursday evening and all day Friday free. Saturday free and in the evening we’ll take you to the Grand Ole Opry. Sunday fly to Florida where we spend eight days. Four of these will be on the Gulf Of Mexico at St. Pete’s Beach and four will be in Orlando. Whilst in Florida the Strawberry Festival will be taking place and we intend to visit at least five or six days when country music is taking place. Obviously this far ahead we have no idea who will be appearing but in 2008 they featured the following: Josh Turner, Charley Pride, Miranda Lambert; Chris Cagle, Alan Jackson (above), Mickey Gilley, Marty Stuart, Connie Smith, Ronnie Milsap, Blake Shelton, Crystal Gayle, Tom Jones, Charlie Daniels, Gene Watson, Trace Adkins, Billy Ray Cyrus, Neal McCoy, Sugarland, Jason Aldean and they’ve been running the fest for about 50 years! We’ll also include one day at a theme park. Obviously if you wish to stay on you need not even change hotels. Guestimated Price: £1400.

BY GOSH IT’S OSHKOSH!: Wednesday June 17-28th, 2009

Wednesday 17th June: Fly to Atlanta. Thursday 18th drive to Nashville stopping at Chattanooga to see the Choo-Choo and visit a main tourist attraction on route. Thursday evening and all day Friday free. Saturday lunchtime cruise/dinner/country show on General Jackson; evening at Grand Ole Opry. Sunday drive to Gatlinburgh where a country show will be included in the evening. Monday will be spent at Dollywood. Tues drive to Atlanta, fly to Chicago then drive to our hotel which will be our home for the next five nights. Tuesday evening free. Wednesday through Sunday you’ll be VIPs at Country USA at Oshkosh. This means seats at the front, all your food from Thursday onwards, cheap booze and probably one of the best country line-ups at any festival. Country USA has been running for 14 years and has more than 40 country acts appearing. 2008 sees: Lonestar, Sugarland, Bucky Covington, Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Terri Clark, Kenny Chesney, Kellie Pickler, Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn, Ray Price, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, and George Jones (above) in the line-up. Monday 29th fly home. Guestimated Price £1500. If you wish to make this holiday longer we suggest you could go to Nashville ahead of main party and spend longer in Music City.

GO WEST YOUNG MAN: October 15-30th

Thursday fly to Fort Worth where we will stay for four nights breakfast included. You will be able to visit Billy Bobs’, White Elephant, Pearls and all the other clubs. See the cattle drive through the Stockyards and on the Sunday we’ll take you shopping and then on for an evening at the Stagecoach Ballroom. Monday fly to Tucson for three nights breakfast included. Monday night is free to see local area. Tuesday: Day tip to Mexico and in the evening we’ll take you to the Maverick King Of Clubs for some great country music local style. Wednesday: Day trip to Tombstone and in the evening we’ll take you to a club for more country music. Thursday: Drive to Scottsdale for four nights breakfast included. There is a FREE 90-minute happy hour every night. Whilst in town we’ll take you to the State Fair if a country star is on. We’ll also take you to country clubs in the evening. During day we’ll take a trip on the Dolly Steamboat, visit Tortilla Flat and Goldfields Ghost Town. Plus a trip to Old Scottsdale is a must. Monday drive to Las Vegas via Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. We’ll stay three nights. Thursday fly home. 15-day holiday. Guestimated Price: £1680.

Weekend with Country Music & More . . .

In 2007 both our weekends at the Royal Hotel, Gt. Yarmouth, sold out but in 2008 we will only be running one because Easter was in March. Our weekend will be:

MICK GREEN’S NORFOLK ’N’ GOOD RHINESTONE & TURKEY

Friday December 5th-Monday December 8th, 2008

To be honest not all the acts are Norfolk ‘n’ Good (careful how you say it!) but they all come from East Anglia. Other people have Tinsel & Turkey but, because we have 20 hours of live country music as well as all the Christmas fare, we call our event Rhinestone & Turkey—it’s a great way to celebrate Christmas early. Included in the price is Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and dinner, Sunday breakfast and dinner and Monday breakfast before you go home.

ENTERTAINMENT: All weekend: JR Country Roadshow will be playing before and between the live acts. Friday: Afternoon: Mick Green plays for dancing and listening. Evening: The five-piece JEFF GALLANT (above) BAND play three sets. Late Bar: Mick Green. Saturday: JR Country Roadshow in morning. Lunchtime: Three sets from the four-piece NASHVILLE NUMBERS. Evening: Three sets from the 5-piece band BUTCH COUNTRY. Late Bar: Mick Green. SUNDAY: JR Country Roadshow plus Lunchtime: the male/female LUKE & JODY. Evening: It’s another full band when COUNTRY LAW appear. Late Bar: Old fashioned singalong with Mick Green Cost: £132 p.p. for en suite rooms. We have a few singles at the same price. Call 01502 732040.

Eddy Arnold dies . . .

Eddy Arnold died Saturday May 10, 2008, just one week before his 90th birthday. Arguably the most successful artist in country music ever there was a simple but elegant funeral service before a respectful audience of fans, friends and music business colleagues at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. A private family burial followed at Woodlawn Memorial Park, where his late wife Sally is buried. Eddy was brought to the Ryman in a procession of vehicles from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where his body lay in state for fans and friends to pay respects.

Vince Gill, who sang two songs in the service, remembered Arnold as "the most successful man in country music history, and he taught us how to be kind and how to be a gentleman." Gill sang his own "Go Rest High on That Mountain" as well as Arnold's 1956 hit, "You Don't Know Me," Other musical numbers were by the Jordanaires, who sang "Precious Lord Take My Hand" and "Peace in the Valley," and by Bill and Jeanine Walker, who offered "How Great Thou Art" and "The Lord's Prayer." Pallbearers for the service were Jerry Arnold, Frank Arnold, Bobby Campbell, Charlie Chase, Mike Curb, Don Cusic, Joe Galante, Bryan Howard, Jim Lance and Dan Miller.

Eddy was known as the “Tennessee Plowboy” and a member of the Country Music Hall Of Fame. During his chart career which started in 1947 he sold in excess of 85 million records; a remarkable 28 of his songs topped the country charts and between 1945 and 1983; he released 145 singles. He was the most prolific and arguably the most successful country star of all time. After his death his latest release single "To Life," entered at No. 49 in America—the highest charting new entry of the week—a feat that gives the recently departed superstar the singular distinction of having charted a record in Billboard every decade from the 1940s onward. Surely no-one is going to equal that?

Like all the major country stars he had crossover appeal and probably his best known song in Britain is “Make The World Go Away”.

Emmylou Harris Brit dates . . .

Emmylou Harris, who has a new album reviewed this month, has four dates in the UK in September these are at: Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester and London.

American acts in Britain .. .

Tift Merritt has five dates between July 1 and 6th.

Nanci Griffith appears here between July 26 and August 3.

Shelby Lynne tours between September 11-19.

There is some talk that Carrie Underwood might visit to promote her two albums which have just been released and are reviewed this month.

Also shows are expected in Britain and Ireland from Sugarland next spring.