GETTING READY FOR A NEW BEGINNING –TOGETHER AMELIE NAILS IT WITH TERIFFIC LINE UP OF COWAL GUEST MUSIC AND BANTER

Some have said after nearly a year in the making Amelie Graysmark inaugural initiation into radio presenting was well worth the wait.                                                                                       Applying to all the rules of social distancing Amelie took control of Fiona Gaults “Answers to Everything”, which is broadcast live twice a week from Gaulty’s Ginger Bread House deep in the Glen.                                                                                                                                      

Amelie and Gaulty have been collaborating programme details for some time and after several set –backs decided to go for it when conditions to broadcast could not have been worse due to Coronavirus restrictions which had seen the DCR97.4FM Studio close eight weeks ago. Gaulty like many of her fellow presenters has been broadcasting her twice weekly programme from her home aided and abetted by social media.

Guest Included Gossy and Kevin two members of Dunoon Super Group based Toast who this year celebrate their 30^th Anniversary , in her next programme Amelie has promised to have Paul Walker and new boy  David “drummer” Geddes as guest.

Also featuring in Amelie’s programme was Robin Miller and Andy Crossan, the guys may not have been around as long “Toast” but this Argyll-based blues roots duo have a very large following with an appetite for their traditional blues material and original songs.                      

In the last couple of years Miller*Crossan have written songs and created videos for the charities Cycling without Age Scotland (the song ‘Cycling Without Age’ has been viewed over 30,000 times and shared across the world) and Cowal Elderly Befrienders (‘Raining In Dunoon’ helped raise £2,000 and is a featured daily on Dunoon Community Radio’s playlists).
From bands with a lot of years history to one just three years old Amelies programme also featured Kenny from “Soap” who are not only known for their enthusiastic performance and audience participation complete with the distribution of musical instruments amongst their audience but in their Community prowess in raising funds for local causes.                                                               

Using family members and contacts with local fellow entertainers Soap have organised several high profile events raising much needed funds for many local causes including purchasing of the broadcasting licences for DCR97.4FM for 2020.                                        Soap are now behind the soon to be legendary “BAR SESSIONS” which features local entertainers and singers and songwriters and is inundated with request from artist wanting to appear on the the social media hit.

Liam Somerville until just recently was spreading his musical wings to fly to venues with famous names and awesome reputations and is a regular performer on DCR97.4FM.      Like most travelling troubadours Liam has had his wings clipped and is now relying on social media to spread Somerville Tunes. He recently took part in the GITG presents The Virtual G  and hopes to get some more live performances and new music out to you soon  

Liam teaches at Amelies school and in fact both started at the Grammar on the same day although Amelie is quick to point out that’s where any similarities end.

Another local artist who suddenly found the Coronavirus was curtailing his musical pursuits was up and coming singer songwriter Blair McColm  who was quickly gaining a enviable reputation as an entertainer and breaking records on social media.

Surprisingly not, there was only one other lady featured on the programme, Amelies favourite singer songwriter the very talented very down to earth 19year old Terri Brydon who DCR97.4FM last saw in the orchestra pit at the sell-out Peter Pan panto playing Sax in what can only be described as the best ever House Band thanks to Dunoon Grammar School Music Teacher  Karen McChesney.                                                                                          Playing for 8 years, starting off with Saxophone moving on to Guitar and voice and now adding piano to her studies, sighting her music teachers as her main inspiration and with Etta James included as one of her main influences the future looks good for this nineteen year old.

Listeners feed back to Amelies programme have been very positive and DCR97.4FM volunteers are looking forward to seeing her in the John Street Studio presenting her own programmes