IT might sound improbable to some of us but the, ahem, funky Star And Garter on London Road is one of Nashville-based singer and songwriter Kevin Montgomery's favourite venues anywhere.

Kevin, whose new album, True, comes out on Monday, says: "Man, I love playing at that place, you can really see everyone who's in there!" Kevin almost literally grew up on Nashville's Music Row.

His dad Bob was an early songwriting partner of Buddy Holly, as well as writing songs like the oft-covered Misty Blue and Back in Baby's Arms, made famous by Patsy Cline.

Meanwhile, Kevin's mother Carol had a thriving career as a Nashville session vocalist, singing back-up on pop classics like Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds and Robert Knight's Everlasting Love.

Midst

"Many evenings, my dad would come home with records he was in the midst of producing," Kevin remembers.

"He'd put our big stereo on full blast and we'd listen to what he'd done that day. From a very young age, I was picking records apart, trying to identify the different instruments. My parents never pushed me to become a musician, though, it just happened naturally."

Kevin's own music conjures up the best of the so-called California country-rock scene and - talk about the circle being unbroken! - his regular onstage partner is legendary pedal-steel player Al Perkins, who recorded with the great Gram Parsons, as well as with Emmylou Harris and Stephen Stills' Manassas.

"Even when I was delivering papers and pushing carts in the parking lot of the local supermarket, my one goal was to release my own records, tour and make a living doing music. Now, that's what I'm doing," Kevin concludes, happily.

Kevin Montgomery, with Al Perkins plus Danny White and Shawn Byrne, plays at the Star and Garter on Thursday, January 18. Call 01670 856605 for more details.

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