Bobby D Sawyer, Nashville comes to Torquay.

Bobby D Sawyer, Blazing Saddles, 18-5-2011.

Its nearly time to go back on air. The studio and offices are almost completed, the tech guys are going in the next few days to set all the equipment up, and we should be up and running by 1st June. It's definitely getting exciting. Our illustrious leader Martin Foster is currently working on the licence application, which has to be in by 21st July, so fingers crossed we should have the full licence by September.

On the Riviera Country side of things, well they just seem to be getting better all the time. I've been fortunate to meet some truly amazing artists, who've all agreed to be interviewed for the show, and hopefully if time allows to play some live sessions in the studio. It feels like I've become a part of the country music community, which I wouldn't have believed if it had been said a year ago, when I first started with Riviera FM.

Anyway, let me tell you about another great night at the Blazing Saddles in Torquay. On Wednesday 18th May, we were treated to a truly awesome night of music, provided by a son of Nashville, Bobby D Sawyer.

Now I had never met anyone who was actually from Nashville before, I've met people who've visited, or worked there, but never anyone who had been born and raised there, so for me it was a first, and I'll be honest, if all Nashville folk are like Bobby, I really would like to meet a lot more.
When I first met Bobby, the impression I got was of a quiet, humble man, very friendly and easy to talk to. He was the visitor at the club and HE made ME feel welcome. He told me of his home back in Nashville, of his work in the UK, of the fact that he is expecting his 2nd grandchild soon and that he spends 10 months of the year in the UK working and touring. You also get the feeling that you are talking to someone who is country through and through.

From the moment he got behind the mike though, you could tell straight away that he was at home performing, and that he know just what the audience wanted. Starting off the first set with Rodney Crowell's tribute Walk The Line, and then working through numbers like Whiskey under the bridge, I told you so, Folsom Prison blues, Cabo San Lucas, I may hate myself in the morning and a brilliant version of Billy Curringtons People are Crazy, he showed a range for a variety of country styles. Add a bit of western swing into the mix with There's too many pockets in my shirt, and the beautiful waltz number I loved her first, he showed he was at home with up-tempo songs as well as ballads.
During the first set he also played Rain check, which features on his album The measure of a man, and which was his first release as a single on US Country Radio.
The second set started with a couple of Zac Brown Band numbers As she's walking away and Knee deep in the water, and then included Guitars and Cadillac's, Good at drinking beer, Mama Tried, For the good times, A little less talk, a lot more action, Living on love and The big one. He showed what a natural performer he is and the humour in some of the songs was great. A couple of highlights from the second set for me was the changing of lyrics during Knee deep in the water to mention Torquay, a nice local touch, and the brilliantly performed For the good times, originally performed by Ray Price and written be Kris Kristofferson, Bobby did great credit to both men.
The third set started with How many flowers have to die, and continued on with High tone Woman, a track from his next album which sounds very Johnny Cash, Look at us, Cotton picking time, the humorous song Ticks, Someone must be feeling like a fool and a whole host of other songs. He started the evening with a Rodney Crowell song and so ended the night with another Loving all night.

All in all a fantastic night. Great music, performed by a great singer/guitarist. One of the things I did notice though, there seemed to be a feel good feeling running through the Blazing Saddles that night. Dance floor wasn't empty for long, everyone was smiling, it felt great to be there and be part of it.

Bobby, I believe we're all looking forward to you next visit.

To find out more about Bobby, check out his website http://www.bobbydsawyer.com/.

Bobby D Sawyer, Blazing Saddles, 18-05-2011.