American country music star Suzy Bogguss returns to Cambridge

A major name in American music since the late 1980s, Suzy Bogguss is to feature in Transatlantic Sessions, part of a collaborative nationwide tour of Celtic and Americana acts from both sides of the Atlantic.

Also on board for the event at the Corn Exchange on February 7 will be the likes of 14-time Grammy-winning dobro master Jerry Douglas and iconic Shetland fiddler Aly Bain.

During the creative explosion that was country music in the 1990s, Suzy, 61, sold four million records and enjoyed major chart success thanks to enduring hits such as Outbound Plane, Someday Soon and Letting Go.

Asked if she looks back on that era as something of a ‘golden age’, Suzy told the Cambridge Independent:

“Definitely, as far as what was getting the big push at the time, what was getting played on the radio and what was getting the sales numbers that they were looking for.

“I really feel there was a lot of diversity there, and that was the reason that people were turning out for the shows and getting excited whenever a performer had a new album coming out.”

Suzy added: “We were all kind of on fire, and everybody was amazed at the popularity of country music at that time.”

Suzy’s most recent album, 2016’s Aces Redux, is a re-recording of her 1991 platinum-selling album Aces, and was made to celebrate the album’s 25th anniversary.

“I recut the whole album with a more acoustic production,” she explained, “and I felt like doing that because I travel now with just a small unit of players – a trio.

“I thought it would be neat to send people home with a souvenir of what they really saw that night, instead of a 25-year-old production.”

Like a number of other American country stars, Suzy has been to Cambridge on a number of occasions. She vividly remembers opening for James Taylor at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 1999 and is delighted to be returning to the city next week.

“I’m so excited,” she enthused. “Performers that are involved in this I’ve been a fan of for many years and I’ve collaborated with Jerry Douglas many times.

“I’m very excited about working with Aly [Bain] and Julie [Fowlis, a groundbreaking Gaelic singer]. I’ve never seen her perform live but I’m a huge fan, and The Secret Sisters, same thing...

“It’s going to be a lot of fun, and from what Jerry tells me it’s sort of like going to music camp. I’m looking forward to all that camaraderie – it sounds like it’s just going to be songs and stories.”

Transatlantic Sessions is at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on Wednesday February 7, 7.30pm.Tickets: £24-£38.

Box office: 01223 357851 or cornex.co.uk.