Country Roads: Looking back with nostalgia
The stage is set. It’s next Sunday- October 11: Country Roads Concert for Children 2015. Presenting top notch talent for almost 30 years, next Sunday’s concert is to feature popular artistes returning to this familiar stage.
Together on a journey with Country Roads: Flame (above) and Mariazelle (top right)
For some big names in the local music scene, Country Roads brings back their formative years, when they were as novel as the concept of raising funds for children by putting on a show.
“We started out at Country Roads,” says Naushad Rassool of Flame. A part of the very first concert in 1988, his three-piece ensemble didn’t even have a name at the time.
Singing a Bee-Gees medley, Annie’s Song and America by Simon and Garfunkel at their debut, it was only at the second Country Roads in 1989 that this trio went on stage calling themselves Flame.
Making it big in the commercial music arena Flame today is “a seven- piece band”. “We became a major wedding band,” Naushad explains, and with gigs abroad the band hasn’t been a staple act at the concert. “We’ve been playing at Country Roads on and off for about 10 years.”
Returning to their roots this year, Flame, “originally a country and folk” band are excited to come back to the music they enjoy performing. “Even the audience is our favourite kind,” Naushad smiles.
The Mavericks of Germany are one of two international acts that complete the line-up. Flying in especially for this concert, the cause -heartfelt music which goes a long way towards helping children has kept them returning year after year.
“I’ve been a part of the concert since 2007,” country singer Astrid Brook of the UK shares. Although she’s never accompanied the CMF team on projects funded by the concert’s proceeds she well remembers the special concert they did for a school run by the MJF Foundation.
“I got to meet Merrill J. Fernando” who she says seemed like “the Sri Lankan version of Nelson Mandela.”
Cosmic Rays: A song for the children
A John Denver fan, the last part of the concert when all the performers come onstage to perform the theme song, ‘Country Roads’ has always been Astrid’s favourite experience.
Queen of the Sri Lankan stage Mariazelle Goonatillake is yet another big name who will appear at this year’s show.
Starting out at a time when “people were starved for quality entertainment” owing to political unrest she feels Country Roads was the first concert of its kind to survive through the years.
Also delighting the audience from this show’s inception in 1988 she remembers singing ‘Silver Threads and Golden Needles.’ “It was on a popular TV Series at the time called Dallas” she shares, being drawn to it since she heard it first.
Judging by the appreciation retro music radio stations receive, she feels country music isn’t a forgotten genre. “You can relate to it, even if you haven’t been through what the lyrics portray,” which is why it remains relevant, she says.
Hoping to get onstage with the Cosmic Rays she says they have been collaborating on a few special acts for the audience this year.
Astrid Brook and Dirk of the Mavericks will share their journey through the Country Roads Concerts of yesteryear on October 10 at an exclusive Rs.10,000 per plate dinner hosted by the Mount Lavinia Hotel.
Country Roads 2015 will be back on October 11 at 6.30 p.m. at the Empire Ballroom of the Mount Lavinia Hotel. Tickets can be purchased at tickets.lk, via sms and at selected stores.