As you may know, my Radio Show, Roots Freeway, is currently off-air, and will be returning to RTE Radio One on Saturday the 4th of December for another thirteen week run. The last series was a great success, and I was happy to be in a position to give away two Clareen Banjos in a competition, and the winners will be presented with their prizes at the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Longford on Friday, September the 24th.
Not being on the Radio gives me time to concentrate on my writing, and so I am spending the my days working on material for the next NTB CD.
Today I am working on some of the new songs which will be recorded shortly for our fourth all-original CD album. There are a couple of instrumentals and about 16 songs, so far, and the process is now just beginning to hone them down to an eventual twelve, or so. There is another tribute song to the master, called William Smith Monroe, and a tongue-in-cheek song dedicated to Guitarists and Guitar collectors everywhere, called You Can Never Have Too Many Guitars.[ It's based on 'the truth'] A tune called Burren Backstep, a duet between the Guitar and the Mandolin is shaping-up nicely, as is a rollicking instrumental called Crossing The Blackstairs, on which we will have Pete Wernick playing the Banjo. Sailing Too Close To The Wind is a song based on an idea given to me by my Father when I was just a youngster, and Two Young Gals From Memphis is a song 'in-the-style-of' Charlie Poole that I wrote on my last trip to Nashville.
Anyway, that's the current state of play in Toner Manor. More updates soon...... Niall.
