Back to her roots: Monifieth singer coming home.

ARTS: Country musician and songwriter Laura makes moves to reconnect with her roots

Country music star Laura Mcghee is quitting Nashville to return home to Monifieth.

The violinist and songwriter will stay in Scotland for the next 12 months to work on new material.

Laura first set out for Nashville in 2010 but has decided to come home to get “right back to my roots”.

She was speaking following a homecoming concert at Monifieth Theatre on Saturday where she played songs from her new album.

Laura said: “The next 12 months will see me staying in Scotland and touring around. I will be working on new material and plan to do a lot of songwriting with the new musicians and writers I have met in Dundee as well as the songwriters I work with in Nashville.

“I plan to record some of these songs at the Seagate Studios in Dundee with Graeme Watt.”

Laura said she wants to explore Scotland more in terms of musical influences and see what comes out of all her new collaborations.

She said: “I think musically it will be very different working with Scottish musicians and I may even record a Celtic album next to get right back to my roots.

“I think the landscape here gives me so much musical inspiration and the musicians here are amazing.

“I’m keen to explore more of Scotland too and tour from Monifieth.

“I feel there is a really strong music scene here which is growing all the time and the country music scene has totally evolved since I set out for Nashville.

“I’m excited to meet even more new musicians here and see what happens.”

She will also continue to teach singing, songwriting, keyboard and guitar over the next 12 months.

Laura released her latest album Life is Bigger Than a Dream in June following last year’s successful crowdfunding campaign. The album was recorded in Nashville with producer Mike Loudermilk who has worked with top country artists including Chet Atkins, Crystal Gayle and Tracy Lawrence.

Trained as a classical violinist at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Laura also had strong musical roots in traditional and folk styles from early youth. Born and brought up in Monifieth, she first showed an interest in music at Seaview Primary, going on to Monifieth High and then to college to take her honours degree and postgraduate qualification.

gstrachan@thecourier.co.uk

Leaving Nashville for Monifieth – Laura Mcghee is hitting the road.