Tommy White and Russ Pahl on TV last night

[Ken Byng]

There was a special broadcast on Sky Arts last night, featuring that well known country artist from the UK - Mr Ringo Starr. I say that with tongue in cheek, but Ringo has just recorded a new album which is predominantly slanted towards country. The other artists on the show (which was filmed at the Grand Ol' Opry) were all women, with Rhonda Vincent, Mandy Barnett and Molly Tuttle putting the appalling Mickey Guyten to shame.

The saving light for me was that Tommy White and Russ Pahl both excelled on steel guitar throughout the 1 hour show, with Tommy on his Mullen Royal Precision psg and Dobro, and Russ on his single 10 Show Pro. Both had a good number of close up shots, with Tommy playing a sublime solo in Mandy Barnett's version of the Beatles' In My Life.

Ringo gave a decent performance singing country on his set, and he even donned a wite stetson for the occasion. He sang a couple of Beatles songs much to the enjoyment of the audience, many of whom were on their feet during his set. All told, an hour of pleasant music and repartee.