RCA COUNTRY STARS IN CONCERT TOUR
1969
Royal Albert Hall billboard poster
Despite recording for another record label at the time, COUNTRY FEVER were invited to join the 'RCA Stars In Concert' tour in October/November 1969 on a star-studded bill with a number of the label's successful recording artists. Country Fever were advertised in smaller print as they were not officially signed to RCA Records. Nevertheless, not only were they given their own spot on the show - they were also tasked with the responsibility of backing both CONNIE SMITH and NAT STUCKEY throughout the tour. Other artists who appeared were; GEORGE HAMILTON IV, BOBBY BARE, SKEETER DAVIS and THE HILLSIDERS. Special guest CHET ATKINS appeared at the two London dates - the Royal Albert Hall and the Walthamstow Granada.
The tour lasted for a little over two weeks. They played five UK dates + the pre-tour 'Press Reception' show at London's 'Nashville Room' venue. All the stars of the tour were present apart from Chet Atkins. Bobby Bare, George Hamilton IV and Country Fever were the only acts booked to perform that evening. The show also ventured into Europe taking in twelve cities within Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway.
UK DATES
Nashville Room - London (Oct 30)
Birmingham Odeon (Oct 31)
Sheffield City Hall (Nov 1)
Manchester Odeon (Nov 2)
Walthamstow Granada - London (Nov 16)
Royal Albert Hall - London (Nov 17)
EUROPEAN DATES
Frankfurt, Germany (Nov 4)
Vienna, Austria (Nov 5)
Munich, Germany (Nov 6)
The Hague, The Netherlands (Nov 7) *
Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Nov 7)
Copenhagen, Denmark (Nov 9)
Lund, Sweden (Nov 10)
Stockholm, Sweden (Nov 11)
Gothenburg, Sweden (Nov 12)
Helsinki, Finland (Nov 13)
Oslo, Norway (Nov 14)
Ghent, Belgium (Nov 15)
* Live Radio Broadcast
Souvenir programme - Front cover and show schedule
JON DEREK and ALBERT LEE (Country Fever)
photographed on stage with CONNIE SMITH
Gothenburg, Sweden - November 12, 1969
JON DEREK and members of COUNTRY FEVER
photographed on stage with CONNIE SMITH
Gothenburg, Sweden - November 12, 1969
JON DEREK (stood behind CONNIE SMITH)
and members of COUNTRY FEVER
Venue unknown
BOBBY BARE, SKEETER DAVIS,
GEORGE HAMILTON IV and NAT STUCKEY
CONNIE SMITH, NAT STUCKEY, SKEETER DAVIS,
GEORGE HAMILTON IV and BOBBY BARE
Amsterdam, The Netherlands - November 7, 1969
After the pre-tour 'Press Reception' show at London's Nashville Room, the tour commenced with three UK shows in Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester (poster above).
(Above) CHET ATKINS appeared on only two dates - the Royal Albert Hall and the Walthamstow Granada (just one performance at each venue).
NAT STUCKEY and CONNIE SMITH
Following the 'Walthamstow Granada' show, Nat Stuckey announced that he would like to record with Country Fever in the UK at some point and Connie Smith was so impressed, she said that if she could afford them, she would take them back to the States as her backing group! Although neither materialised, Nat Stuckey, did, however, return to the US and name his next album after them... 'Country Fever'.
The BBC covered one of the shows for broadcast on Radio 2's 'Country Style' programme
THE FIRST UNOFFICIAL DATE ON THE TOUR
Nashville Room - West Kensington, London
October 30, 1969
The American stars boarding the aeroplane in the US bound for England
Arriving in London
Chet Atkins, Connie Smith, Bobby Bare, Skeeter Davis, Nat Stuckey and George Hamilton IV
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