Gary Ferguson and Ireland in July BU

The July 2022 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine includes a three-page feature by Professor Jack Bernhardt of North Carolina, 'Gary Ferguson: Color his songs red, white, and blue and emerald green', on Gary Gene Ferguson, singer and songwriter, who has toured Ireland annually from 2005 to 2019. Indeed, at least two-thirds of the article deals with Gary's tours in Ireland, his friendship and musical collaboration with Belfast's Colin Henry and Janet Holmes, and the culminating project Ferguson's farewell: the Irish connection, released last autumn (see the BIB for 21 Sept. 2021) on Bell Buckle Records.

Ferguson's farewell is Gary's thirteenth CD, a twelve-track album celebrating his collaboration over the years with Charlie McGettigan, Donna and Joe Murray, Mary Greene, Errol Walsh, Carrie Haskins, Niall Toner, Shane Sullivan, Roy Thompson, Janet and Colin Henry, Gillian Tuite, Ted Ponsonby, and Frankie Lane. The article also draws attention to the supporting musicians and the recording engineers, George Hodgkiss in the USA and Joe Murray in Ireland.

Balsam Range appear on the cover of the July BU, and Derek Halsey interviews all the members on their experiences with the band in their fifteen years together. The many other features include Nancy Cardwell's interview with John McEuen about his book (due to be published next month) Will the circle be unbroken: the making of a landmark album, 50th anniversary, on how 'the most important album in the history of country music' came about.

© Richard Hawkins