Whatever about the weather, Gerry Guthrie is walking in the sunshine these days. The man from Ballina has just released his latest album which is named after the Roger Miller classic from the 1960s, the same artist who also topped the charts with King of the Road way back then.

Walking in the Sunshine features 12 tracks that showcase the wide variety of songs Gerry includes in his stage programme. “When people come to my shows, I feel it is essential to project a happy, positive and engaging show and I always try to bring that enthusiasm to each show and performance. There is a real catchy and upbeat nature to Walking in the Sunshine and it suits my style down to the ground,” says Gerry.

Long before Gerry launched his own band a few years ago, he spent time with a number of other bands including those fronted by Sandy Kelly, Louise Morrissey and Shawn Cuddy. His respect and appreciation for Sandy Kelly is reflected in the fact that he invited her to join him for a duet on We Will Meet Again which is included on the album.

“Sandy is a true entertainer and she has recorded with some of the biggest names in American country such as Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. She is also very helpful and supportive and we enjoyed recording this song in Granard,” states Gerry.

The Merle Haggard standard, Fightin’ Side of Me, sees Gerry being joined by Matt Leavy from Meath on a rousing rendition of the song. The Old Guitar is a number penned by his manager Henry McMahon while Life Goes So Fast was composed by Gerard Dornan from Down.

Gerry always likes to wander back to the golden years of country classics and revive some of the old favourites for a new generation. His rendition of When The World Has Turned You Down, a huge song for Ernest Tubb, fits the bill perfectly. So too does his interpretation of When a Man Can’t Get a Woman Off His Mind which is regarded by many as one of Gene Watson’s greatest songs.

This is Gerry’s fifth studio album and other tracks featured include Did She Mention By Name, Tequila Sheila, If I Had You To Have and to Hold, Come Home to You and Little Country Boy.

The annual Gerry Guthrie and Friends Dancing Weekend takes place in the Diamond Coast Hotel in Enniscrone from the 6-8 March and joining Gerry and the band will be Jimmy Buckley, Stuart Moyles, Dominic Kirwan, Sandy Kelly and Slim Attraction.

Walking in the Sunshine can be purchased at Gerry’s weekly shows, in music shops countrywide, and from his website.