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Reprinted from
Country Meeting Point, September 2003 -
Christian Lamitschka
 It's
been an amazing two years for Canadian Folk/Country artist Brian Gladstone
since Country Home last chatted with him about his music and plans. He's
gone from being an up-and-coming songwriter to become a Country Roots icon
to knowledgeable fans in countries around the world! His second album,
Psychedelic Pholk Psongs was released shortly afterwards and received
immediate global acclaim. Now he's about to release a newly recorded live CD
of eight songs, 'Alive and Pickin'. See the website
www.backtothedirt.com for
information to obtain play copies.
Immediately after the release of Psychedelic Pholk Psongs Stardust Records
president Colonel Buster Doss released the song “Asphalt Cowboy” into the
world market, where it's received extensive airplay on both sides of the
Atlantic and beyond. The tune achieved listing on the Worldwide Indie as
well as several Mainstream charts based on radio playlists, and has had
airplay in over twenty countries.
In
a front page article in Toronto's respected to-nite magazine (see
www.to-nite.net) reviewer Gary Tate said the album: "marks a showman at the
top of his game burning with that light of creativity fuelled by a
wellspring of ideas.
The
strength of his sometimes quirky, sometimes wistful, other times politically
charged lyrics and songwriting, combined with his masterful fingerpicking
and unique blend of various Roots music styles, gives the album, recently
re-mastered, its world-wide appeal.
Denmark DJ Dann Hansen commented: “Brian Gladstone is just great, and his
way to present a song is top notch.”
Said Reverend Keith A. Gordon, in his Aug. 2002 column The Review On Pop
Culture: “an imaginative and intuitive songwriter and a natural storyteller,
unrestrained by conventional limitations.”
“…one of the more original records I've heard in many months,” said Jesse
Sturdevant, Folkwax Magazine reviewer, in Feb. 2002.
Some other the highlights of Gladstone's mercurial rise to indie Country
star status include:
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Prime time rotation on FM 97.4 Country FM in Australia and New Zealand,
where he was the feature artist for the entire month this August,
resulting in distribution in both countries.
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In December 2001, he was featured in a one-hour radio special on Radio
France.
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Psychedelic Pholk Psongs was listed in Top Albums of 2001 by Joe Vincent,
Pirate Radio, Ireland, Jan. 2002
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Psychedelic Pholk Psongs was listed on Gary Tate's Top Ten Canadian Albums
as printed in to-nite magazine, Jan. 2002
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Brian's tune 'Car Song' gets 50,000 (fifty thousand) plays award from
Colonel Patterson, President of ICMA (International Country Music
Association), Feb. 2002
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Psychedelic Pholk Psongs was rated as five stars by the International
Country Music Association in March 2002.
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Psychedelic Pholk Psongs was listed on five major European charts based on
radio plays, including Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, and German
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Brian Gladstone was the cover story on Folk Wax Magazine, Aug. 2002
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Psychedelic Pholk Psongs signs with Silverwolf Records, Vermont (label of
Josh White Jr., Odetta, Kingston Trio, etc.)
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Gladstone received Honourary Lifetime membership in Country DJ Association
of Belgium, presented in person by president Mia Heylen
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Gladstone was selected as artist of the Week by Stardust Records by
Colonel Buster Doss, Tennessee July 2002.
Gladstone has also been busy in areas other than songwriting, recording,
gigging and promoting his releases. Last winter he was the organizer of a
whole new Folk festival that appears set to become an annual tradition in
Toronto, where he resides.
Things are looking good for Canadian artist Brian Gladstone. |
