Assorted news of visitors from 2019

Among the news of artists who toured Ireland in the twelve months before the pandemic, some news is good and some less welcome. Kristy Cox (right), award-winning Australian country and bluegrass singer, toured here with her band in May 2019, thanks to the mygrassisblue.com team. She is now based in Nashville, TN and records for Billy Blue Records; a month ago the BIB reported on her latest single, a duet with Marty Raybon. John Lawless now reports on Bluegrass Today that Kristy is receiving a further prestigious award: induction into the Australian Country Music Hands of Fame 2023 class. The award was announced yesterday (16 Jan.) at the 51st Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival, and certificates will be awarded to the recipients at Tamworth on this coming Saturday (21 Jan.).

Less welcome is the news that the powerful band Sideline, who toured Ireland in July 2019 (again, thanks to mygrassisblue.com), will cease touring in April 2023 after they play the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival in their home state of North Carolina. Their guitarist Skip Cherryholmes has decided that he needs to spend more time with his family than is possible for a musician on the road. The band's banjoist and leader Steve Dilling fully supports his decision; Sandy Hatley on Bluegrass Today quotes him as saying: 'I’m not going to be done. We’re not done playing, just done touring. Hit me up in two years...'

© Richard Hawkins