Preview

It's a return visit for one of the true legends of rock music, Albert Lee. Albert and Hogan's Heroes turned in one of the great performances of 2002 at the Talbot Hotel. We could hardly believe our luck to get them the first time around, but they enjoyed the gig so much they want to come back! And this time Albert comes back as a Grammy Award Winner! Foggy Mountain Breakdown (Earl Scruggs/Glen Duncan/Randy Scruggs/Steve Martin/Vince Gill/Marty Stuart/Gary Scruggs/Albert Lee/Paul Shaffer/Jerry Douglas and Leon Russell) from the CD Earl Scruggs and Friends won the Grammy on 27th February 2002 for best Country instrumental Performance.

Albert Lee needs no introduction to Country Music & Rock fans, he has excited audiences for many years as a member of Chris Farlowe's Thunderbirds, Country Fever, Head Hands and Feet, Eric Clapton band, Emmylou Harris's Hotband, and The Crickets. Albert has appeared and recorded with numerous other artists including Glen Campbell, Dave Edmunds, Dolly Parton, Bobby Bare, Joan Armatrading, Ricky Scaggs, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson, Linda Rondstadt, Rodney Crowell and Travis Tritt. Albert has been a popular member of The Everly Brothers Band and toured extensively with them since their re-union in 1983. He is a member of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings both touring and recording with the band. Albert fronts his own band Hogan's Heroes, some of the best known Rock'n'roll and Country pickers in Great Britain.

Albert was voted Guitar Player Magazine's "Best Country Guitar Picker" five times, prior to 2002 had received two consecutive nominations for a Grammy Award in the "Best instrumental" category and in October 1995 received a coveted Gold Badge Award from B.A.S.C.A. (The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors). In 1997 Albert was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by B.C.M.A. (The British Country Music Association). Albert has earned the world wide respect of artists, musicians and fans alike bridging across many different styles. He is truly a musician's musician. His impeccable pedigree stretches over many years both touring and recording.

Albert Lee & Hogan's Heroes have successfully toured Yugoslavia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Italy, France, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Lapland and Switzerland, Ireland and the UK. In April 1988 they starred at the 20th International Festival of Country Music at Wembley and at associated Country Festivals in Munich and Zurich. In June 1992 the band played Glastonbury Festival, the BBC 1 American Festival held at the prestigious Crystal Palace Bowl alongside good friends Little Village and Emmylou Harris. They also appeared at the Swiss Montreux Jazz Festival where there performance received world-wide TV and Radio coverage. This was followed by an appearance at The Prince's Trust Concert at Wembley "Night of 100 Guitars" featuring their special guest Dave Edmunds. The band also headlined The Yilas Jazz & Blues Festival in Lapland. They continue to appear at guitar festivals and in 1999 appeared at both "Mad About Guitars (music live '99) and "The Wirral Guitar Festival". In the year 2000 the band headlined Martin Taylor's Kirkmichael International Guitar Festival. The band has made several TV appearances all over Europe including Live from Wembley (BBC), Town & Country (ITV4), The Jools Holland Show, Kenny Live (RTE Ireland), Kelly Live (N.Ireland), In Concert (Yugo), Ohne Filter (Germany), Go Kuall (Sweden) and the British Country Music Awards with Marty Stuart.

Albert Lee & Hogan's Heroes have to their credit two songs in the Richard Harris film "Savage Hearts" which received wide acclaim at the Cannes International Film Festival. The band are renowned for attracting celebrities from the world of music to their gigs, each member of the band being well known and respected for their involvement in the music industry. Star names such as Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Don Everly, Lonnie Donegan, Chris Farlowe, Gary Brooker, Marty Wilde, Nancy Griffith, Sonny Curtis and Rodney Crowell have all jammed with the band to the sheer thrill of both the audience and band alike. The pedigree of the whole band guarantees a magical, musical treat which results in a powerful music production of a rare blend of sheer talent.

Gerry Hogan

Ex Country Fever, Head, Hands & Feet sessions and a member of the 1980's rock'n'roll band Matchbox, Gerry is a regular performer at The International Steel Guitar Convention in St Louis. He was a member of Emmylou Harris's Hotband on her 1984 European tour. Gerry played on the Everly Brothers album EB84 (produced by Dave Edmunds) and Tracey Ullman's "Sunglasses" in addition to co-producing five tracks of a Sonny Curtis album. Gerry is constantly featured on many visiting artists tours and recording sessions as diverse as Ricky Scaggs, Jimmy Nail, Pulp, Wet, Wet, Wet, The Proclaimers, Mott the Hoople, Mary Stuart, Nanci Griffith, Dave Edmunds, The Woolpackers, and many more......

Brian Hodgson

Ex member of Compass & Fatso (which became Hogan's Heroes) and eighties rockabilly rebels Matchbox. Brian has applied his many talents as both writer and producer to many great artists over a number of years including Shakin' Stevens, Dennis Waterman, Johnny Halliday, Billy J Kramer, Sonny Curtis, Christopher Lee, Kenny Rogers, Lonnie Donegan, Peter Sarstedt, Matchbox and Kirsty McColl . Brian co-wrote and produced a hit single for Manchester United "United we Love You" (and he doesn't care who knows it). He was involved with the acclaimed TV series Rutland Weekend Television with Neil Innes and Fatso, Eric Idle and George Harrison which led to the foundation of the spoof band The Rutles. Brian co-wrote and produced "Why do I always get it wrong", which was the runaway winner of Great Britains Song for Europe 1989. More recently Brian has been producing Music for TV & Video. He has been seen recently performing with The Blue Caps, The Bobby Cochran Band and Mike Berry's Outlaws.

Pete Wingfield

One of the most sought-after keyboard players on the scene, Pete is perhaps best known for his worldwide hit in 1975 'Eighteen with a Bullet'. Starting out in the business with late-60s blues band Jellybread, he held down stints in the early 70s with the Keef Hartley Band, Colin Blunstone, and Maggie Bell, before going on to tour extensively with Van Morrison and the Hollies. From their classic 1983 Albert Hall reunion concert to the present, Pete has - along with Albert - been a part of the Everly Brothers band, touring in the US and internationally and playing on the Brothers' three '80s albums. He also joined Albert and Gerry to back Emmylou Harris for her '84 European tour. As a session player, Pete has appeared on records by literally hundreds of artists across the musical spectrum, among them contemporary chart acts like Beautiful South, Lighthouse Family and the Chimes, UK soul divas Mica Paris, Shara Nelson, and Des'ree, bluesmen Buddy Guy, Freddie King, and Jimmy Witherspoon, classic pop names Elkie Brooks, Cliff Richard, and Hot Chocolate, rock 'n rollers Little Richard, Billy Fury, and Rocky Sharpe and the Replays, folk-rockers Lindisfarne, Richard and Linda Thompson, and Ian Matthews, and American R&B legends Johnny Bristol, Edwin Starr and Bloodstone. Pete was also a founder-member of 70s funk outfit the Olympic Runners - now much sampled by the hip-hop generation. Pete's songs has been recorded over the years by artists as varied as B.B.King to Olivia Newton-John, Patti Labelle to the Everly Brothers. As a producer, Pete has a solid track record of hits, starting with Dexy's Midnight Runners' 'Geno' in 1980, and including the Proclaimers' 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)', the Pasadenas' 'Tribute', Alison Moyet's 'That Ole Devil Called Love', Paul Young's 'Oh Girl', Mel Brooks 'Hitler Rap', and the Kane Gang's 'Closest Thing to Heaven'. Finally, Pete's normally low profile was raised somewhat in '99 when none other than Paul McCartney asked him to play on his 'Run Devil Run' album and subsequent promotional appearances - culminating in the historic return gig at Liverpool's Cavern Club, accessed live on the Internet by an estimated 25 million people across the world.

Peter Baron

Peter started playing the drums at the age of eleven. By the mid seventies he was working extensively in the session industry for radio, television, films and with bands. As a result of this session work he has been fortunate to have worked with many bands, orchestras and artistes, in all styles of music as diverse as Johnny Halliday, Charles Aznavour, Lulu, The Three Degrees, Cleo Laine, Leo Sayer, David Allan Coe and Marty Stuart. He was a member of the Elkie Brooks Band in the late seventies, leaving to join American based band Night which featured Nicky Hopkins, Chris Thompson and Robbie McIntosh. This was followed by a spell with English Classical Rock band Renaissance with whom he recorded two albums and toured both Europe and the USA. Both Night and Renaissance enjoyed a lot of success in the USA. Peter has worked with many of the finest artists from both sides of the Atlantic including Buddy Emmons, Don Everly and Lonnie Donegan.

The band have a huge tour lined up next year taking in Europe and Australasia, on the back of the success of 'Tear It Up', their 15th anniversary CD. Here are a couple of reviews:

Tear It Up
Albert Lee & Hogan's Heroes
Heroic Records HEROIC 0001

Featuring Albert Lee - guitar/vocals, Gerry Hogan - pedal steel guitar, Pete Wingfield - piano, Brian Hodgson - bass, and Peter Baron - drums/vocals, this is Rockabilly/Country Rock in the finest tradition.

Led by Gerry Hogan, this has been a regular band for over 15 years now and the musicians' pedigree and experience shows through on this finely produced album - superbly performed, great choice of material, extremely enjoyable and bang up to date. It is ironic that through sheer talent and dedication, these Brits have totally re-invented this genre and exported it back to Nashville, Tennessee.

Like the cover photo of Albert's Dad and Grandad, Hogan's Heroes have no inhibitions about enjoying themselves. Their breakneck version of Luxury Liner will even cheer you up when you are gridlocked on the M25. Click onto their excellent website for album sales/tour/info/biogs etc. Catch them live and buy the album - when this band lays it down ........ it stays down.

Ric Morcombe
MUSICIAN September 2002

Review

The likelihood of two Grammy Award winners gathering together under one roof on a desolate mid-winter night in remotest Wales must be all but zilch, but that's what we achieved, with Red Kite Records supremo Martin Levan snugly ensconced in the Talbot's foyer/control-room to record for posterity - and for their prestigious feature spot on our upcoming LIVE AT THE TALBOT CD - the triumphant return of our good friends ALBERT LEE & HOGAN'S HEROES. Last year's maximum-capacity crowd made the event a claustrophobic experience for some, but this year's audience - around 200 plus - was about right, making for a sense of occasion but with room to breathe (and reach the bar, behind which Graham worked like a whirlwind).

Albert and the boys proved once again how their accumulated decades of playing, touring, and recording with a breathtaking roster of world-famous artists has moulded them into one of the most energetic and rewarding live bands on the planet. Peter Baron on drums and Brian Hodgson on bass lay a rhythm-section foundation you could build a tower-block on; Gerry Hogan's pedal-steel lends that vital country flavour to proceedings, yet can still rock out when required; while Pete Wingfield's piano playing combines prodigious technical virtuosity with enough physical energy to power a small town (wind-farm developers, take note, this man's a viable alternative...). As for Albert himself, the man's guitar playing is never less then mind-boggling: speed, accuracy, attack, subtlety, tone, lyricism, all these elements and more are there in abundance; add to that piano skills to die for and a marvellously distinctive singing voice, and it's little wonder why he's so revered by fans and musicians alike (and why he so richly deserves his Grammy Award).

All our favourites from the band's great CD 'Tear It Up' were there: the title track; Gram Parsons' 'Luxury Liner', taken at a fiendish lick; Elton John's 'Country Comfort', with Pete Baron's fine lead vocal; Albert's piano-based take on Jimmy Webb's 'If You See Me Getting Smaller' (supplemented this year by Webb's lovely 'The Highwayman'); a breakneck 'Tiger Rag'; Pete Wingfield's delicious Floyd Cramer spot; and so much more ... So tumultuous were the demands for encores that the band played, two from last, the Everly Brothers' 'So Sad', a number they haven't played live for seven years! 'That's all we know!' exclaimed an exhausted Albert, which speaks volumes for our crowd's enthusiasm.

Post-gig beverages were shared with band members well into the wee small hours, and Albert and the fellas left for a Somerset gig the next morning full of praise and enthusiasm for the Talbot - it's genuinely one of their favourite gigs! - and promising, all things being equal, to return again next year, making their annual visit a tradition and a Cambria Arts highlight we can all feel mighty proud of.

Also - look out for an appearance by the band in the new series of Later with Jools Holland, er - later in the year.