Ian Highland was brought up on country music from the day he was born. His first involvement in the British country music scene was as a roadie to The Stewart Brothers then he went on to help Kevin Stewart when Kevin started his new band Kevin Stewart and The First Chapter in the late 1980s. After Kevin Stewart decided to go his own way, Ian tagged along and continued to learn the country music business whilst still working as a roadie. This exposure to the British Country Music inspired him to front his own band one day; this wasn’t however to happen in the UK.
Back in the UK in 2009 Ian formed his own Ian Highland and The Twilight Country Band which featured Ian Highland (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Aaron Herrod (lead guitar), Nick Hampshire (piano), Danny Greenwood (bass) and Bob Pooley (drums). Aaron Herrod joined his first Country band, Clearwater Mountain in 1994. He then joined the Wes Cardy band and also helped out Midnight Highway on a tour in Holland. Danny Greenwood started playing when he was 13 forming his own MOR band on Canvey Island. He started playing Country music in 1984 joining Rooster Booster in 1989. Nick Hampshire began playing the piano at the age of nine. He also played trombone for the Essex Youth Jazz and Wind bands. He discovered Country in 2008 and Twilight Country was his first established Country band. Bob Pooley started his Country journey at the age of 16 when he joined George Moody’s Country Squires.
As the majority of bands have fallen by the wayside with many clubs booking solos and duos as costs rise, Ian and his band have continued to prosper with a busy diary although there were some early changes to the lineup and the name was changed to The Ian Highland Band. The lineup has remained unchanged for many years. Only one of his original band members is still with him Arron Herrod on lead guitar and lead and harmony vocals. Terry Downing on bass as been with Ian for many years. Steelie Bob Haskell has recently retired from playing with Mark Dunn now joining the band on pedal steel guitar. Completing the lineup is Matt Baker on drums who joined the band in 2018.
In late January 2012 the bands album track Carmen spent two weeks at the top of the UK Country Radio British and Irish Hotdisc chart. The Ian Highland Band received a CCN Band Of The Year award in 2024
Research by Nick Catford.