Ross-born musician Suzy Starlite is returning to her home town to play the Linton Festival with the Starlite Campbell Band.

Despite her evergrowing success playing at a festival in Ross has long been her dream. “There’s always something special when you play on your home turf,” Suzy told the Gazette.

“Ross has so many wonderful childhood memories for me but I also wanted to create new ones by sharing our music with my family and friends who are all coming along.

“The band are kindly being sponsored by The Royal Hotel in Ross who are providing overnight accommodation and it’s also my birthday on the Sunday so we’re having a big family reunion and a double celebration all round.”

It was only a few months ago when Bass player and songwriter Suzy Starlite contacted the Ross Gazette with the exciting news that her debut album ‘Blueberry Pie’ had been nominated for Best Album in the European Blues Awards.

Since then things have really started to heat up for Suzy, who was born and grew up in Ross-on-Wye. Suzy told the Ross Gazette that dates in the Starlite Campbell Band diary are steadily filling up with invitations to play at festivals and venues throughout the UK and Europe, plus they are planning a tour of Australia in November.

Her fierce bass tone and style has also attracted the attention of equipment manufacturers and journalists alike with recent endorsements by legendary HiWatt Amplification (used famously by Led Zeppelin, The Who and Pink Floyd), Mike Lull Custom Guitars (USA) and Lehle Electronics.

She has even been interviewed for the specialist Bass Guitar Magazine. She told the Ross Gazette:?“One morning I received an email from Joel McIver, the Editor of Bass Guitar Magazine asking me if I would like to do an interview for the magazine.

“It felt totally surreal and an incredible honour for me to be given the opportunity to talk about my love for all things Bass.”

The Starlite Campbell Band consists of Suzy and her husband, British and European Blues Awards nominee, Simon Campbell, supported by Hammond Organ supremo Jonny Henderson and top session drummer Steve Gibson, who both played on their album ‘Blueberry Pie.’

There was however one festival Suzy had her heart set on playing and to her absolute joy her wish came true when the band received an invitation from the Linton Festival board.

The Linton Festival is well respected amongst the UK Blues community for its quality and varied music programming and friendly atmosphere and runs from July 6th-8th.

The Starlite Campbell Band are the opening band at the Festival on Saturday, July 7th.

See page 9 in this week's Ross Gazette to win a pair of tickets to the Linton Festival or visit: www.lintonfestival.org