By Mark Bennett
TERRE HAUTE — John England delivered smooth vocals on his band’s bouncy, foot-shuffling song “Open That Gate” last year.
Folks in the world of Western swing music paid attention.
England, a Terre Haute native, won the Will Rogers Award for Best Male Singer at the Academy of Western Artists 2009 Awards Show on Sept. 22 at Garland, Texas.
England handles vocals and lead guitar for his group, John England and the Western Swingers. The band was one of the few Nashville, Tenn.-based acts to receive awards at the event.
The several members of the six-man Swingers band regularly sing on their recordings and at their live performances. Thus, England gave credit to the entire group for his Will Rogers Award, which came in the Western Swing category.
“We have so many talented singers in our group, I don’t feel like it’s fair for me to be singled out,” England said in a statement from the band. “I am so proud of our band and our new album, and really appreciate the support of the AWA”.
England and band mates Gene “Pappy” Merritts and Tommy Hannum performed the title track from the band’s newest album, “Open that Gate” at the AWA awards show, which was conducted in the Granville Theater at Garland. The three also sang and played at a rollicking after-party at Garland’s Dos Banderos restaurant.
Their album, “Open That Gate,” is the group’s third and showcases the songwriting by England, who penned the title track and four others, Hannum, Neil Stretcher and Merritts, and a few additional writers. The 13-song collection won Album of the Year from www.swinginwest.com.
England and the Western Swingers continue to play every Monday night at Robert’s Western World in Nashville, as it has for the past eight years.
