Fermanagh man Thomas Milligan is returning to the music scene with his new band, The Country Boys. A native of Lack but now living in nearby Kesh, Thomas was forced to take a lengthy break from the circuit after a road accident in 2001.

Like so many of his generation, Thomas grew up listening to legends of the scene like Big Tom, Brian Coll and Larry Cunningham. One of his ambitions is to one day record a duet with Margo O’Donnell.

He cites I Love You Because, the Jim Reeves classic, as his all-time favourite country song.

“My first ever dance was seeing Gloria and Mississippi at the Valley Hotel in Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone. Country music has always been close to my heart.

“I am delighted that Gerry O’Neill and Edward Bracken are coming on board with the band. Between them they have worked with well-known names like Dominic Kirwan, Hugo Duncan and Logue and McCool,” says Thomas.

A new single and video, Real Old Fashioned Broken Heart, has been issued to coincide with the band launch. CL