A country musician who got his start as a sound engineer for big name acts visiting Wick will “come full circle” when he visits the far north town on his own headline tour.
Mikie Henderson will also stop off at Inverness, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol and London as part of his Tonight tour.
He has ambitions to play the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the home of country music.
Working in the music industry for over 15 years, Mikie has always had a passion for country music since acting as frontman of Caithness-based The Chicken Pickers.
As a band, they won several awards and played several times at the now-finished, Northern Nashville Caithness Country Music Festival.
The musician explained how he got his start in Caithness.
He said: “When I first started out working in the music industry, local promoter Ryan Cook offered me opportunities to run live music gigs and provide sound engineering services in the Blackstairs – which at the time was a nationwide hot spot for touring independent artists.
“I learned so much very early in my career from these opportunities.”
‘We’re going to put on a show for the people of Wick and I cannot wait’
Mike added: “As well as that, I was also taught the keyboard and was given various opportunities to play live by local legend Addie Harper.
“I probably wouldn’t be standing on stages today if it wasn’t for Addie.”
In 2018 Mikie won the coveted Silver Pendant at the Royal National Mod – the highest accolade for singers who are learners of the Gaelic language.
Now based in Bristol, he hopes to continue to write and perform his own music to lots of different audiences.
He will embark on his UK tour on October 1 in the English city, as well as visiting Harpers Dance Hall in Wick and Upstairs in Inverness.
He added: “This really feels like a full circle moment.
“From starting out in the Blackstairs working for touring independent artists when I was probably 16, to now touring my own music and being able to take that tour home to Caithness is amazing.”
Tickets for The Tonight Tour are available on See Tickets.
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