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Life is a Breeze for country rocker Andy
SOME people like to chill-out, relax and recharge their batteries after a hard week at work...
Andy Mottram prefers nothing more than to get up on stage and perform in front of hundreds of people.
And the Chapel-en-le-Frith-born lead guitarist with country music band Gary Perkins & The Breeze, admits: "I just love being on stage, it is my release."
Now, the 40-year-old has been recognised with a prestigious award at the 'oscars' of the UK's country music industry.
Andy picked up the accolade for Best Musician at the 2009 British Country Music Awards in September, during a event held in Lytham St Anne's.
And it was a double celebration for the band, who were also voted Best Group, after being runner-up last year.
"I was over the moon," he beamed. "I have been playing for such a long time, so I must be doing something right. It is a lovely feeling to know that people appreciate what you are out there doing, it's just fantastic."
Andy, and keyboard player Steve Morris, who lives in Buxton, are all that remain of the band's original line-up, The Breeze, which was first formed 15 years ago in the Derbyshire spa town.
In 1995, The Breeze hooked up with talented singer/songwriter Gary Perkins, and while seeing a few changes in personnel over the years continue to perform at theatres and major country music festivals around the country, playing in front of anywhere between 500 to 2,000 people.
Last year, front man Gary was voted Best British Male Artist at the British Country Music Awards.
"For me, it's just a hobby," explained Andy, who currently divides his time between the band, his wife and two young daughters, who live at the family home in Glossop, and a full-time job in Manchester.
"The band was quite popular before, but over the last five years we seem to have gone up a gear.
"I just love being on stage, it is my release. Five years ago the band folded, it got too much for us, but when we reformed we took it a bit easier. We are not doing it because we have to but because we enjoy it. People who watch us play say it is nice to see a band which enjoys doing what they do."
So, what's next for Andy and the band?: "We are working on a new album for release next year, will be doing more theatres and we are doing a TV appearance in May next year for Sky, plus more radio appearances as well."
But Andy would still like to return to Buxton, the place where it all started for him and The Breeze.
"We used to play quite a lot at the Octagon and at the Paxton Suite, and I was thinking of organising something in Buxton again because we haven't played there for so long," he added.
"We had thought about the Opera House, but maybe that is too big for us at the moment, but we are packing 300-seater theatres and gaining momentum all the time."
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Weather for Buxton
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
