Welcome

My name is Earl Binns and to get one thing straight right away it is my real first name, some people think that I made it up, as I am a part time westerner.
I have been a writer for two country music magazines for the last six years, my comments are about bands. artists and venues I have seen and been to.
On these page's I am aiming more at the bands and artists, trying to give as much information as I possibly can and with a bit of luck some scandal. (joke).
I have been asked once again to be Marquee Manager for Yorkshire Dales Promotions Skipton Festival and am honoured to accept once again. It is hard work with long hours but there is a lot of fun in it for me.
I get to meet people I would never see or talk to normally and the satisfaction in doing a job that helps folk enjoy themselves is great.
As the festival is at the end of August there is plenty of time to book, look out for the advertisements that will be out in the magazines soon.

Here's a bit about myself.

Music started for me when I was 7 years old when I took piano lessons that lasted until I left school at 15. When I got married the piano had to go to give us a bit more room but as time went on I got interested in playing the organ. Once again I started to take lessons that lasted for 5 years until I could play fairly reasonably.
By now I was going out playing at parties and touring around the old folks residential homes in my spare time. I had to buy some keyboards, amplifier and speakers etc. in order to transport them about and they replaced my organ at home.
I was one of those people who liked country music but did not realise it until I started going to my local country music club and from then on I was hooked. From then on no other music was the same, the atmosphere was entirely different from other venues and the people are great.
I now compere and DJ at our local club, the Iron Horse CMC Skipton, and my wife, Anne, and I put on 'Specials' in between our normal club nights.
Anne and I also organise the line dance class along with Mary and Roger Wild, the teachers, at the Iron Horse. We do not dance, although I know about four dances and can not remember any more.
Over the years I have got to know a lot of country artists on my travels to festivals and events, while I have been writing for the magazines, I have kept a record of names of band members, what instruments they play, and contact numbers that I hope to include on this page.
As I live at Skipton, North Yorkshire, most of the bands are northern based but if there are any southern bands touring in the north of England, please let me know and I will try my best to come to one of your gigs.
While I have been doing these pages I have had a lot of mail from all over the world, its great to be able to communicate with different countries and the people, it is amazing the things I have learnt about them that I would never have known before.
So, having said that, keep the mail and the pictures coming, I am only too pleased to get them and I promise I will reply to everyone.

I can be contacted on; 01756 794711 phone & fax or e-mail earlbinns@countrymusic.co.uk