Texas Lightning

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Texas Lightning is a German quintet from Hamburg which fits in the country music genre and describes itself as old fashioned and hip. Their music is a mix of country and pop drawing from country classic stars like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash and Tammy Wynette and pop stars such as ABBA, Nancy Sinatra, Linda Ronstadt, Madonna, Michael Jackson and the Beatles, performed with some country humour. The band members are Olli Dittrich as Ringofire (drums and vocals), Jon Flemming Olsen as The Flame (vocals and guitar), Markus Schmidt as Fastfinger (electric guitar and banjo), Uwe Frenzel as Friendly (doublebass and vocals) and Australian Jane Comerford (vocals and ukulele). The band's first performance took place on December 23, 2000, in the music club "Knust" in Hamburg, as Texas Lightning & The Rodeo Rockets, although there have been various changes in the lineup of the band since. A review in FolkWorld Magazine Europe by Stephen Thanabalan details how the band are symbolic of the rejuvenation of Euro Country Music that whilst nascent in countries like Germany are still yet to become mainstream with Eastern Europe and even parts of Western Europe, and thus depends on interest from the cradle of country music, the USA, for interest and support.

1 Eurovision Song Contest
2 Discography
- 2.1 Album
- 2.2 Singles
3 External links

[edit] Eurovision Song Contest

Promotional photo of the band (L.T.R. Jane, Fastfinger, The Flame, Ringofire and Friendly)

On March 9, 2006 Texas Lightning won the German heat for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 and represented Germany in the Finals on May 20, 2006 in Athens, Greece. The winning song was "No No Never", written and composed by Jane Comerford. They became the first country band to participate in the ESC. The song finished 15th place with 36 points, much to Germany's surprise, as they expected a better outcome.

"No No Never" was released as a single in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It reached number 1 on the German "Media Control" charts, number 4 in Austria and number 6 in Switzerland.