"Back to the Outlaw stage for a thrilling acoustic set from Myles Kennedy, surely the coup of the festival for the organisers. The Alter Bridge/Slash frontman is achieving even more success, if that’s possible , with his latest solo album 'Year of the Tiger', and treated us to a selection of tracks including the title track, a cover of Alter Bridge’s ‘Cry Of Achilles’ and an amazing acoustic cover of Iron Maiden’s ‘The Trooper’. He’s an incredible vocal talent but an even more amazing guitar talent. A fact that is all too often overlooked. Kennedy is just a natural talent and a natural performer." That was our take on Myles Kennedy (Video Of The Day) at Ramblin' Man Fair on a beautiful Summer's Day in the garden of England at the end of June, and the Alter Bridge frontman has deservedly been voted 'Best Unplugged' performance in our 2018 WRC Awards.

The WRC were very sad to learn that Kevin Black, host of the Black on Blues Podcast, lost his battle with cancer and passed away peacefully in hospital on the morning of New Year's Eve. The Black On Blues website states that Kevin did not suffer and he was with his family until the end. Kevin challenged us three years ago saying "Can't believe that after 5 years broadcasting and now on 2 USA stations and 2 in the UK, the WRC doesnt know about the Black On Blues podcast". Suffice to say the show has regularly been our Monday Track Of The Day ever since! Our sincere condolences go to Kevin's family: Christine, Dominique, Jessica and Bruno, not forgetting Black On Blues producer Jason Monty.

Melbourne rockers Palace Of The King had a huge year with the release of their album 'Get Right With Your Maker' last April, which they have supported by almost non stop touring including a huge eight country European tour before heading back to Australia for sold out shows with Baby Animals and regional shows with Rose Tattoo. The band are also guests on The Screaming Jets 'Gotcha Covered Australian Tour' this month. To celebrate the tour, the band have also released an electric version of the albums 'hidden track' 'Get Right With Your Maker'. Formed in late 2012, the band, have become known for their Bluesy, Soul-infused, riff-heavy, Psychedelic Rock 'n' Roll and have also made a fresh take on the 'I Am The Storm' video, re-recorded and re-edited which is today's stormin' Track Of The Day.

"The ‘4 Shots’ EP kicks off with the solid ‘Going With The Wind’ cool guitar riffs, mixed nicely under the vocal lines and strong melody. Second up, the AOR tinged ‘Angels Crying’, with hints of Nashville’s new Country-Rock acts which could see the cigarette lighter being raised on this one. In at number three ‘Just Waiting For You’ - one that I would cast as the best song of the four. Very well arranged and the hooks vocal and musically in all the right places! Last of the four shots ‘Midnight Queen’ - quiet easily the commercial radio single with its outright catchy chorus lines." That was our recent review of Collateral's '4 Shots' EP, and the guys have subsequently walked away with our 2018 WRC 'One's To Watch' award. Do not miss them when they play Camden's The Black Heart in London on Thursday 7th February!

Wolf Hoffmann, Mark Tornillo, Uwe Lulis and Christopher Williams, AKA Accept, are ready to rock! Despite the departure of Peter Baltes, the band still promise to bring you Metal forever! 'Symphonic Terror - Live At Wacken 2017' was released at the end of November via Nuclear Blast and they will bringing their show to Europe this year!

Following the announcement of her upcoming May 2019 UK Tour, guitarist and singer songwriter Ana Popovic has added another date at the London Borderline on Saturday 11th May to her nationwide tour. Ana’s latest album, 'Like It On Top', was released last September and focuses on empowered, successful, inspiring female role models. Recorded in Nashville and produced by four-time Grammy winner Keb’ Mo’, the Blues influenced album features guest appearances from Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robben Ford and Keb’ Mo’. A trending theme in today’s world is women overcoming obstacles and breaking through the glass ceilings to reach the top. 'Like It On Top' celebrates those that take initiative, develop, inspire and motivate. But it also credits the men who are motivated and enlightened enough to support women in their quest to be their best versions of themselves.

"Finally, Aldridge returned to the stage, opening with his talk box ('Livin' On A Prayer') vocals on The Who's 'Join Together' - the perfect singalong to round off an amazing evening. "Sing it" demanded Corabi one last time - and we did. "So much better than last night" John added although he stopped short of saying "good game, good game". Anyway, I'm sure dear old Bruce would have loved it. The bands picks were thrown into the crowd for the final time as they finished with a sensational, and I mean sensational cover of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's 'Midnight Moses'. More like Midnight moshers by the time they had finished!" That was part of our review of The Dead Daisies gig at London's O2 Academy Islington in November, and as result of that performance they have won our 2018 WRC 'Best International' band award.

"Following on, and now playing to a full house are Myke Gray. For those unfamiliar, the namesake guitarist was an integral part of nineties rockers Skin. His current incarnation is a vehicle for the Joe Satriani lookalike to play like a Joe Satriani soundalike. For this festival however, the instrumentalist has had the inspired idea of recruiting Kim Jennett, from Voodoo Blood, for vocals. What a powerful little powerhouse she is. With only a week or so to learn a back catalogue of Skin tracks, she - and the band - really kicked it in. Classics like 'Take Me Down To The River', 'Look But Don't Touch' and 'Shine Your Light' were belted out with the force of a West Wales weather forecast. Great band, great set, easily the find of the day." Subsequent to this review of Myke Gray at the 2018 WRC Award winning Hard Rock Hell XII, today's Track Of The Day is Kim Jennett's new track 'Love Like Suicide', released earlier this week and written and produced by Myke.

"Bernie Marsden (picture courtesy of Eric Duvet) is playing at Skeggy's Great British Rock & Blues Festival tonight, and on Thursday we were blessed to be in the presence of the great man at the iconic 100 Club during London Blues Week. With ex-Whitesnake mucker Neil Murray on bass, top drummer Mickey Barker plus a guest appearance by Danny Bryant - it was a memorable journey covering all of Marsden's legendary music from Whitesnake's 'Here I Go Again' to 'Shine's 'Latino' to Bobby Bland's 'Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City'." That was our take on Bernie Marsden's gig just under a year ago and Bernie (Video Of The Day) has duly won our 'Best Blues Rock' performance in our 2018 WRC Awards.

Mascot Label Group/Provogue recently announced the signing of Soul and Jazz guitar legend George Benson, with a new album scheduled for a Spring 2019 release. The 10 time Grammy Award winner and NEA Jazz Master is one of the greatest guitarists in Jazz history and has released 35 studio albums, including the multi-platinum Billboard #1 ‘Breezin'. He has also had a string of hits to his name including ‘Give Me The Night’, ‘Never Give Up On A Good Thing’, ‘The Greatest Love Of All’, ‘On Broadway’, ‘Love X Love’, ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You’, ‘This Masquerade’ and many more. Inspired by Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery at a young age, he got his first break in the Brother Jack McDuff Quartet in 1964 and went on to be a global star. Along the way he has recorded with Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, The Count Basie Orchestra, Chaka Khan, Bobby Womack, Tony Bennett, Mary J Blige, Vanessa Williams, Rod Stewart and Gorillaz amongst others. He has also been honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Today's Blues Club Podcast Track Of The Day is another two hours of non-stop Best in Blues and beyond with More Music and Less Chat featuring music from Jim Allchin, Neil Young, The Riotous Brothers, Larkin Poe, Travellin' Blue Kings, Ina Forsman, Ariel Posen (pictured), James Taylor, The Betterdays, Sean Chambers, Kevin Burt, Led Zeppelin and many more.

Powerhouse US vocalist Toby Hitchcock came to the attention of Melodic Rock fans on the debut album by Pride of Lions. Discovered by iconic songwriter Jim Peterik (‘Eye Of The Tiger' etc.) his voice has been compared to Bobby Kimball (Toto), Jimi Jamison (Survivor) and Lou Gramm (Foreigner), yet maintains a unique identity that has made him a star in the Melodic Rock scene. With Pride of Lions currently on hiatus, Hitchcock has taken the opportunity to make a second solo album ’Reckoning’, to be released on Friday 25th January, following the excellent reactions to his debut, ‘Mercury’s Down’. Hooking up with Swedish producer Daniel Flores (Murder of My Sweet, Mind’s Eye, Find Me), the result is another marriage made in the AOR stratosphere that again shows off Hitchcock’s vocal talent to maximum effect as testified by today's Track Of The Day 'Promise Me'.