It’s time to dust off that cowboy hat you’ve been secretly dying to wear and head down to Country Roads, South Asia’s longest running country music concert for children. A much awaited date on the music lover’s calendars over its 20 year history, the 18th instalment of Country Roads will once again feature a country fair for the entire family along with the main musical event.
This year’s Country Roads sees the return of audience favourites, the Mavericks - namely larger-than-life cowboys Dirk Maverick, Steve Bohn and Dietmar on pedal steel guitar (courtesy Sri Lanka Tourism). UK folk duo Astrid Brook and Amelie Chevalier return by popular demand to entertain the crowd with their soulful numbers. The concert line-up also includes local favourites Anno Domini as well as iconic entertainer Ronnie Leitch. Newcomers, Wagon Park will play at the concert for the first time with covers from the likes of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel along with a Johnny Cash medley and a few of their originals.
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| Organisers at the news confernce. |
The concert also marks the re-assembling of the Country Revival Band. Featuring co-founders of the Country Music Foundation, Feizal Samath and Jury Majid along with a few close friends, the Country Revival Band gets together every year solely to play for this cause.
Co-founder of the Country Music Foundation Feizal Samath, speaking at a media briefing held in Colombo, explained that the Concert and Country Fair featured something for both adults and children alike and has evolved into a fun, family event. The fair along with its mix of music and games will also have pony rides, face painting and competitions galore.
Over the years Country Roads has helped raise millions of rupees for various children’s causes and this year proceeds of the concert will be directed towards the national ‘Sevana Sarana Fund’ for children’s education, supported by the country’s Department of Probation and Child Care Services and recommended by Save the Children UK.
“Instead of helping children in institutions, we should prevent them from ending up in institutions,” explained Menaca Calyaneratne, head of Media and Communications, Save the Children in Sri Lanka, dispelling the myth that all children in institutions are orphans. Families unable to support their children leave them in institutions and as a result the children grow up without the care and attention that a family oriented environment brings. The ‘Sevana Sarana Fund’ helps prevent this by sponsoring and overseeing the progress of the children for a period of time, while Save the Children, Sri Lanka supports and oversees this process.
Country Roads takes place on Sunday, February 21 at the Dutch Burgher Union (114, Reid Avenue, Colombo 4, adjoining the Thunmulla Junction) from 4.30 p.m. onwards. Tickets are priced at Rs. 500 and will be available at the DBU and selected Cargills outlets. Sponsors for this event are Dialog Telekom PLC and Cargills Ceylon PLC.
For more information or to contribute to this cause please contact Feizal on 0112 304179.
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