March 22nd 2007 TERRY MAHER
I have said numerous times that it is always a pleasure to welcome artistes new to our club and tonight was no exception, especially judging by Terry's performance which was excellent.
He hails from Newport, South Wales and has been in the music business nigh on forty years, like many contempories, starting in local working mens' clubs and the like. He has often worked with celebrities including Frankie Vaughn, Millican and Nesbitt, Anita Harris, Iris Williams and others, and has played in Ireland and Europe. He made his first albim in 1991 and has produced loads of others since, maily using backings he has devised himself.
He is a fine musician particularly skilled on Electric Guitar and Mandolin.
This evenings concert was a lovely mix of both old and new Country songs all delivered superbly with a voice so smooth and easy on the ear, and much appreciated by listeners and dancers alike.
More recent songs included Alan Jackson's, Loves Got A Hold On You, Jimmy Buffett's, Margaritaville, Billy Ray Cyrus' Where'm I Gonna Live, Steve Earl's, Copperhead Road, and my favourites of the evening, King Of The Mountain, a song first recorded by it's composer Larry Boone in 1993, but a hit for George Strait in 1996, and Rodney Crowell's masterpiece, 'Til I Gain Control Again, a no 1 hit in 1983 for Crystal Gayle, the latter two songs sung as well as I can recall.
Throughout the programme we had lots of classic country numbers from the catalogues of Hank Williams,Hank Snow, Gene Autry, Merle Haggard, Don Gibson, Gene Watson, Charley Pride, John Denver et al.
However, Terry did not forget the British Singer / Songwriters with songs from Froggy, Charlie Landsborough, and Mark Knopfler eg Neon Lights, Runaway, Somewhere Under The Sun, Wings On my Heels, Roly, Heaven Knows and Cannibals.
Altogether, Terry sung Forty - Three complete songs to make this such a memorable show. this may have been his first appearance at The Northern Renegades but I do not think it will be his last.
