Abridged from a full festival report see also Skaggs Interview

EASTER SATURDAY SAW shadows of the Wembley Country Music Festival haunting London once again, as promoters Asgard, along with BBC Radio 2, tailored this one-day festival at London Arena. For the first time in over a decade, we were able to experience a show on a similar grand scale, bringing six top quality acts from the USA to perform for us here in the UK. Top of the bill was non other than best selling female Country artiste of all time Reba McEntire, with support from multi-award winning Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, CMA Horizon Award Winner of 1999 Jo Dee Massina, breakthrough artiste of '99 Brad Paisley, along with Texans the Derailers and Wayne "The Train" Hancock. A fantastic show, running in excess of six hours and bringing a great night of country music and Bluegrass for all.

The afternoon started at 1pm with a press conference with Reba McEntire, who was presented with a plaque by the Arena manager to commemorate her appearance there, followed by Nick Barraclough presenting Reba with her recent HMV British Country Music Award for International Female Vocalist, for the second year running. This ceremony was followed by a press conference with Reba taking questions form the floor and later by other artistes taking part in interview sessions with press and radio representatives.

Penultimate performance of the night came in the form of Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, with their exciting contribution of fast moving bluegrass music. A more flamboyant line-up could not be wished for. Eight members in all, prominently featuring Ricky playing mandolin, twin fiddles (including veteran fiddle player Bobby Hicks who played in Bill Monroe's band many years ago), banjo, double bass and three guitarists including Darren Vincent (brother of Rhonda). The audience was treated to some superior musicianship, combined with some of the finest harmonies you could ever expect to hear. Along with archetype bluegrass numbers came several classics from Skaggs in the form of Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Loud, Loud Music written by Joe Mappis, I Wouldn't Change You If I Could and Highway 40 Blues (reminding us of Ricky Skaggs earlier visit to London in 1985) culminating in his famous album Live In London.

Throughout his performance Skaggs made several references to his reverence of Mr. Monroe, overtly including the famous number Uncle Penn from "The Father Of Bluegrass". Ricky Skaggs told us that he has long wanted to record a gospel album, but the label chiefs have always talked it down. Now with his own Skaggs Family record label, Ricky has at long last fulfilled his ambition with Soldier of the Cross, commenting that "He who pays the cab fare, gets to wind the window up and down" and giving us A Voice From On High off the album. A sensational performance from Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder with an intoxicating brew that was warm, rich, inviting and undeniably refreshing to say the least.

This wonderful festival was finally brought to a close with an amazing performance from top of the country pile, Reba McEntire and her spectacular stage show. Many thanks have to be expressed to the organisers who have taken a gamble to bring the best to British fans. Hopefully this is only the beginning of things yet to come.

Graham Lees, Dewesbury, W.Yorks Write to | Website

IN HIS ARTICLE Saved By Bluegrass (The Guardian, 25th April 2000) Adam Sweeting said:

"Luckily Ricky Skaggs arrived to rescue us.

"Once ridiculed by the style gurus of the Old Grey Whistle Test for his unsuitable haircut, Skaggs is now clean shaven and committed to the cause of playing unadulterated bluegrass. Bluegrass doesn't mean high-speed banjo playing by retarded yokels in Deliverance, but rather a rich and varied palette of acoustics."

28 June 2000