A FORMER steelworks employee who became the voice of country for thousands of North-East radio listeners has been honoured for his work in the home of the music – Nashville.

Brian Clough, of Chesterle- Street, a DJ on various commercial stations during his 30-year career, has received the International Country Broadcaster Award for Europe by the Tennesseebased Country Music Association.

Brian, a former photographer with The Northern Echo who also once worked in the offices of the Consett steelworks, now presents a weekly online show called American Connection that can be heard on the internet magazine site euvue.co.uk He has interviewed dozens of the music’s legends, including Johnny Cash, Don Williams, Ray Stevens and Tammy Wynette.

A one-time musician himself – he was in a band called Country Life for many years – he recorded with Billie-Jo Spears a song he wrote and was once called up on stage in Newcastle to sing a duet with Lyle Lovett.

“I’m absolutely chuffed to bits, a Consett lad winning a worldwide award like that,’’ he said yesterday from the studios where he records his show.

“I never even thought of awards or anything like that because I enjoy what I do so much.

“To get this award, people have to nominate you. It goes through a selection committee and there is voting.

“I’m getting it for outstanding services to country music. I get people from the US listening to the show, which is a bit like coals to Newcastle, when you think the music comes from there.’’ Brian received his award, a glass trophy, from the international director of the Country Music Association, Bobbi Boyce. who was in the UK and headed north to present the award over dinner.

Brian’s broadcasting career started in hospital radio and took in Metro, GNR, Century and Smooth.

While at Metro, his song, The Second Time Around, which he recorded with Billie- Jo Spears, was released as a single for the station’s charity appeal.

The duet with Lyle Lovett came about because the star heard Brian had done a version of his song, Further Down The Line – again for the station’s charity appeal.

Brian’s top five country songs

1 People are Crazy – Billy Currington
2 The Last Word in Lonesome is Me – Roger Miller
3 Letting Go – Suzy Bogguss
4 Crazy – Patsy Cline
5 Sea of Heartbreak – Don Gibson