NT in USA

Niall as MC at the Historic Jonesborough Bluegrass Series, Jonesborough, TN (photo: Mark Gines).

Niall Toner found many ideas for new songs coming up during his recent tour in the US, through travelling around the Southern mountains, seeing places whose names were familiar from many bluegrass, old-time, and country songs over the years. As a result Niall's own notebooks are full, and some new songs have already been written in collaboration with other songwriters with whom he has previously worked. Other fruitful outcomes to the trip are still ripening.

Niall's forthcoming Bill Monroe Special radio documentary makes use of many interviews with friends and relatives of the Father of Bluegrass and with former Blue Grass Boys. He and producer Aidan Butler have some seven hours of recordings to edit down for a one-hour broadcast scheduled for the Christmas period on RTE Radio 1, and also on many radio stations throughout Europe and the US. Details will follow as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, here's a photo of Niall in downtown Nashville with bluegrass singer/songwriter Donna Ulisse and members of the band Tiller's Folly. More details are on Donna's latest e-newsletter.