Market Place Theatre, Armagh – 28th October 2009
A native of the southern state of Louisiana in the United States of America, country singer Robert Mizzell has made Ireland his home for the past seventeen years. With his five-piece band, The Country Kings, he has risen to become the premier country music act in Ireland, regularly filling venues across the country. The calibre of musicians in The Country Kings and the range of instruments they employ, mean Robert’s live performances consistently replicate the high quality sound of his recordings.
To date, Robert has released six albums containing traditional country music tracks. In November 2008, he released his first DVD entitled ‘The Louisiana Man’, filmed on location in Ireland and Kentucky. This DVD has achieved excellent sales figures since its release and continues to do so, exceeding all expectations. During 2008, three of Robert’s songs achieved top position on the European Country Music Association chart, a first for any Irish based artist. Another of his recordings ‘If It’s Gonna Rain’ is currently making steady progress towards Number One in this chart.
Robert & The Country Kings recently completed their first Scottish tour, bringing their style of country music to new audiences. On 10th April 2009, Robert and The Country Kings topped the bill at the Caithness Country Music Festival in Halkirk to great acclaim. On Easter Saturday they performed at The Invergordon Social Club and at The New Inn Hotel, Ellon on Easter Sunday. Robert and The Country Kings eagerly await their return visit to Scotland in October 2009.
In March 2009 Robert embarked on a ten day Heart of Texas tour to the Lonestar State, visiting such iconic cities as Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Brady. As part of this tour, Robert performed at a number of venues including all three shows at ‘The Heart Of Texas Music Association’ weekend in Brady. Here he shared the bill with eminent country artists including Moe Bandy and Leona Williams. In addition, during his time in Brady, Robert was invited to perform at the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree, broadcast live throughout America and worldwide via the Internet. This show was recorded for future DVD release. This was Robert’s second performance at the Midnite Jamboree, having previously shared the stage with country star Connie Smith during a recording of the show in Nashville last year.
In April 2008, Robert lead a group of 110 fans and friends on his Johnny Cash – Walk the Line Tour, visiting the childhood home of Johnny Cash in Dyess, Arkansas; moving on to Memphis, Loretta Lynn’s Colonial Mansion and ranch in Hurricane Mills, Nashville and Gatlinburg in Tennessee and the Carter Family Fold in the Hiltons, Virginia. This memorable trip had a Cash/Carter theme. Robert and the group felt privileged to meet local people who grew up with Johnny in Dyess and later in Nashville they met and were entertained by Johnny’s brother Tommy and sister Joanne in the company of George Hamilton IV.
During this tour, Robert performed in elite venues including The Midnite Jamboree, The Cowboy Church, and The Carter Family Fold, and was invited to perform the opening thirty-minute segment at the 1500 seat Country Tonite Theatre in Pigeon Forge. He was also delighted to be asked to perform in Dyess, Arkansas in the same hall where Johnny Cash sang. State television, radio and print media, were on hand to capture this and other activities on the tour itinerary.
This autumn Robert will be celebrating ten years as a professional performer in the Irish country music industry. To mark the occasion, a celebratory weekend of country music will be held featuring musical guests, and of course Robert Mizzell & The Country Kings.
