History

The group known as the COUNTRY SISTERS is this year celebrating an incredible 35 years in the business. The band has played under its current name for 20 years, previously performing for 10 years on an amateur basis under the name of "Jizerská protěž" (Jizera Mountain Edelweiss). Anyone who has stuck in the same bond (of any kind) for such a long time at some time in their lives should know what we're talking about here. Plenty of joy, things to worry about, pleasant and not-so-pleasant moments, hundreds of thousands of kilometres driven, hundred of hotels all over the world, an enthusiastic and open-hearted public, pleasant and troublesome people, and most of all, lots and lots of wonderful music. This has all been experienced and survived by the 35 members of the band who have come and gone during the 30 years of the group's existence. And so to celebrate this anniversary they decided to try and gather all former, current, and perhaps even future members as part of a programme known as the So a couple of weeks ago in the heart of Europe (100 km from Prague in the town of Jablonec nad Nisou, birthplace of the Country Sisters), there was a country music festival in female form. To put together a female band in a small town, to move it into the European scene, and to maintain it at a professional level for 30 years in spite of a number of radical changes is in itself a major work of art, will, professionalism, and patience. This all came to the surface during the performance, in which the current (youngest) line-up and a number of former members that are currently performing on podiums in the Czech Republic and throughout the world put on in impressive two-hour show, all under the considerable support of Fan Clubs from Switzerland, Denmark, and Germany. It is quite interesting to take a cross-section of the thirty-year make-up of the band: 9 singers with their songs from different eras, 4 violinists, 4 bass players, 5 pianists, 5 guitarists, etc. The final song "Aleluja" was performed with all former and present members of the band on stage, truly an experience for both the performers and the public alike and a worthy climax to the evening. And even if this line-up were to be the last (perhaps 30 years is just about enough for some people), those performing would say that it has been a wonderful 30 years of wonderful country music. The bands audiences would say that it would be a great shame, and so lets hope that the Country Sisters play for another 30 years for the new generation of country music enthusiasts. We know about the past, but what about plans for the future? In the words of the current members: to record many more CDs, to broaden our appeal from the current 16 countries to another 16, to visit Australia again (where it would be ideal to go every winter), to finally play in Nashville, to go on tour with the Dixie Chicks, and to buy our own aeroplane to make travelling quicker. OK now, lets be realistic here: to stay together in the current line-up for as long as possible, to break through in Germany more, to work together with honest people, to get better and better as time goes by, to play at the biggest Harley Davidson Festivals, and to win many more great awards such as COUNTRY LIVE ACT 2003. In this jubilee year, the Country Sisters would like to get close to audiences with this interesting project and the new line-up of the "Country Sisters Jubilee". Please accept our invitation to come face-to-face with the history of the Country Sisters. The Country Sisters will perform alongside several former members of the band in a number of shows during 2004, at which some future members will also appear (even if it is only as guests for the time being). At the same time, a special DVD is to be issued on the history of the group. At this time it would also be a good idea to point out that the last and seventh CD by the Country Sisters entitled YOU CAN MAKE ME HAPPY was recently launched on the market in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the Benelux countries by ZYX Music. We hope you enjoy it.

COUNTRY SISTERS AWARD 2003