Tartan Texans - The Radio Sweethearts

A series on Scottish acts who have (in my opinion) been influenced, however tenuously, by Americana/Alt Country/call it what you will.

The first act to feature are the Radio Sweethearts
Now if you ever saw an Americana act in Glasgow in the 90's the chances are that the Radio Sweethearts were the support act.
I must have seen them at least a dozen times mostly at King Tuts.
The tracks featured today are taken from a single purchased in the short lived record section of the short lived John Smiths bookshop on Byres Road just by Hillhead subway.
They also released an album New Memories in 1996 on St Roch's Records with some lovely needlepoint on the cover by Susan and John Miller

They had a couple of reasonably famous members (in the small pond that is Scotland) in their ranks
Francis McDonald who was also in Teenage Fanclub was on drums. He went on to form Shoeshine Records, more of whom later, which the Radio Sweethearts also graced.
John McCusker was on fiddle - he of Battlefield Band, Phil and Ally , Mark Knopfler Band and a host of others fame.
Brian Taylor was on guitar and Martin Hayward on bass
The vocals are by John Miller who in his day job was a Scotrail ticket collector. He hails from Lanark, so perhaps is an acquaintance of Drew?

I look back on these tracks and band with a large degree on fondness

Radio Sweethearts - Heading on Down the Highway

Radio Sweethearts - Every Other Song