News > 2009

TELEVISION DEBUT FOR COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

This year’s Northern Nashville Country Music festival, taking place in Caithness, will be broadcast on television for the first time ever, on BBC ALBA.

The Northern Nashville Country Music Festival taking place in Halkirk, Caithness over the Easter weekend (10-12 April) will be recorded by MNE Media for future broadcast on BBC ALBA.

The Caithness event, now in its 6th year will feature a wide range of International artists including Michelle Wright (Canada), Frank Jansen and his Band (Holland), Heather Myles (USA), Eamonn McCann (Ireland) as well as home-grown favourites including The Jacks and Manson Grant and The Dynamos.

Halkirk Indoor Riding School is the venue for the Caithness event which will also include the Thurso High School Band and Wick Youth Band.

Christine Gray, Chairperson of the Northern Nashville Country Music Club said: “It’s fantastic to have BBC ALBA covering our Caithness event this year. We have a great mix of artists on the programme for the weekend and country music fans come from throughout the UK to attend. It’s going to be another brilliant weekend and it’s good to know that this year’s festival will reach a wider audience through coverage on BBC ALBA.”

Alan Esslemont, Head of Content for BBC ALBA said: “We are delighted to be working together with MNE Media and the festival organisers to showcase country music through coverage of this exciting festival. Since BBC ALBA launched last September we have sought to bring the best music from Scotland to our audiences and this link up will help to enhance the channel’s music content.”

Bill Fernie a Wick councillor said: "It's great to see the growth of the Northern Nashville Country Music Festival in recent years. Country music has always been popular in Caithness and to have an annual festival on our doorstep adds another dimension to the very varied music scene we have here.

“Bringing together local bands and bigger names from around the world has certainly put this festival on the map. The festival is now well established in the annual calendar of Caithness events and looks to have many more years ahead of it.”

BBC ALBA is a partnership between BBC Scotland and MG ALBA and broadcasts on Sky channel 168 and Freesat channel 110.