The American Way. . .

Just a couple of weeks before the start of the Southside Fringe, The Rodneys, The Midnight Tokers and Jim Byrne will set the scene.

Highly accomplished folk blues guitar player, songwriter and recording artist Jim Byrne has released three critically acclaimed albums — the two most recent being The Innocent and Every Day is Sunshine — which were particularly well received by listeners and press alike.

Jim’s music has become a fixture on The Iain Anderson Show on Radio Scotland, Celtic Music Radio, the Mark Lamarr show on Radio 2 and The Mike Riddoch show on Radio Clyde various radio shows recently.

An experienced and entertaining live performer, he has played at many folk, blues and guitar festivals and in addition to his own shows has supported artists such as Benny Gallagher (of Gallagher and Lyle), Blues performers Hans Theessink, Whizz Jones and celtic rock band, The Electrics.

As a songwriter he has written with the jazz singer Carol Kidd and pop singer Marti Pellow and collaborated with award-winning film composer Malcolm Lindsay.

Brought up in Clydebank, Jim spent his teenage years playing in punk bands and many subsequent years playing in garage bands, including The Primevals.

However his more recent music reveals an early obsession with old blues player such as Mississippi John Hurt and Big Bill Broonzy.

The music may also spring from another connection; there is a family story that on Byrne’s mother’s side they are descended from the union between a Cherokee Indian and an Irish booth boxer (from the traveling Wild West Shows at the start of the 20th Century).

It could be that the Americana influence is in his blood.

After a brief hiatus, Jim will be back to gigging at the southside’s Glad Cafe on Sunday.

He told Scene: “Having taken a break from gigging lately I was very pleased to be asked to play at the Americana night at the Glad Cafe. Good things are being said about both the venue and the people who run it — so it sounds like one to look forward to.

“The time has come to play a few tunes — both old and new.

“I hope to see you there. If there is a particular song of mine you want to hear — get in touch well before the gig, as I might need time to re-learn it.”

Tickets for the Americana night, on Sunday, are £5 and doors open at 7.30pm.