WHEN it comes to guitar players from country music, there’s Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Scotty Moore, James Burton and British-born Albert Lee.

Having started his career with pop artist Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds, Lee played with Hands, Head and Feet before he left for LA in 1974 and joined Buddy Holly’s backing band The Crickets.

Perhaps country fans associate him more with EmmyLou Harris’ Hot Band, being a replacement for James Burton, but many also relate to his 20- year association with The Everly Brothers.

He was also responsible for bringing The Everlys together for their 1983 reunion concert.

To list his accolades and guitar playing achievements would take more space than this column allows.

Albert, in the company of Hogans Heroes, with whom he has worked for many years, will make a rare appearance in the North-East, on Thursday, April 23, at the Lancastrian Suite, in Gateshead.

If you can’t see the show, there may be consolation in his last album – Like This, which is a brilliant 14- track offering on Heroic Records. You can also purchase it from albertleeand hogansheroes.com.

For tickets for his only appearance in the North-East, call 0191- 372-0311.