I am performing this Saturday in Glasgow for the Scotland United rally against rascism and bigotry in Scotland. It is being held at Glasgow Green. I have been a bit under the weather but I am on the mend now and will be fighting fit by Saturday. Its now winter in Scotland and the change of weather is having its effects. Will need to make sure I stay warm and well wrapped up x

This is my 2nd week of my video blog. Thanks for the many scores of messages. I appreciate it very much.  This week's song is RADIO LOVE

I am starting my new Video acoustic blog every week starting 18th October 2009.
I will be performing a new song every week. Any requests be in touch. This week's song is King Of Selfishness

Today I went through to Glasgow for the day to do some recording in the studio at Demus productions with Nick Lowe. It was a very productive day and we also did some filming. I am going to get a high definition video camera to do my weekly Sunday night video blog from now on. I also recorded some idents for the Americana radio stations in the States. It was good fun.

Worked on several new ideas today and did a lot of practising. Getting myself organised again with writing and keeping up to date with suff. Looking forward to a few trips coming up South of the Border. Keeping in touch with my new friends, (writers an performers) from Nashville, and going into the studio later on this week.

Today we had an 11 o' clock appointment with Ralph Murphy the head of ASCAP, and renound song-writer. It was really great to get his feedback on the album and some of the songs. Looking forward to working with him in the future. We went from there to Bill's house for part 2 of our session on the new song we are working on together. We are hoping to keep the sessions going via Skype when I am back in Scotland. Heading back tomorrow :0(   I have had a fantastic time here. It has been such a great experience which I have learned so much from. Can't wait to come back over again.

Today we went to Bill's for a song-writing session. Working on a new idea, I won't divulge too much right here but we got some ok hooks started and a few strong lyrical ideas. A work in progress with some potential!

Then (after a healthy but hearty dinner prepared and cooked by Bill's wife) went to a session with Buddy Spicher, fiddler extrordinaire! He is fab, and what a CV. Found out that he had worked with lots of the great country artists like Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe and Hank and Audrey Williams. We had a really interesting chat about the genres and styles and I learnt a lot from him. I know him through his son David who is an exceptional bass player that I worked with in Glasgow at my Tayside tae Tennessee show. He was playing as part of Jim Lauderdale's bluegrass band.

First of all today I had to go to the airport to sort out another car rental as our first rental agreement ran out. Once that was sorted we headed into town for a meeting at ASCAP. (The American Society of composers, authors and publishers) Basically the American song-writers equivalent of the British PRS. They are affiliated with the PRS, of which we are members. It was of great help, we have arranged a mentoring session with Ralph Murphy at 11am on Tues. We then went to a record company party hosted by Joy Ford of Country International Records. It was fab. I got the chance to perform with the band, who were the old country sessions players from the 60s and 70s who performed on the old time records with artists like George Strait. I got up and did the Tennessee Waltz, the Orange Blossom Special and Will the Circle Be Unbroken. They had that really nice old-time country groove which I was able to sit right into. It was amazing playing Orange Blossom with them. Afterwards we were invited to a meeting at the Tenessee Songwriters association. It was a night where they invite a publisher down and all the songwriters come along to pitch their songs. If the publisher likes it he rings the bell. It was an amazing experience as there is nothing like that in Scotland. We had to introduce ourselves at the beginning, as the international guests!!! Then we went to  a party at the Basement hosted by ASCAP. Saw a fantastic band there. Managed to cram in a lot today! I'm tired now!

Did my third showcase in the 12th and Porter tonight. It was great. We asked a keyboard player Derrick Gardiner to join the line-up. We met him last week at the same venue. He was playing trombone with the Kyle Wylie band. He is a fantastic musician and it was great to have him included in the band. Again we got there early for a sound-check/rehearsal. The keys fitted in perfectly with the songs. We had invited some people down to watch the show who came along which was great. The night was brilliant with a great vibe and big audience. I loved performing with the band yet again. I hope we get the chance to do another showcase together before I head back to bonnie Scotland.