As is clear from her intimate Scotsman Sessions contribution, Roseanne Reid is a quiet but powerful presence – a quality which did not escape Steve Earle when she attended his annual songwriting boot camps in New York State.

Earle became something of a mentor to Reid, and duets with her on her sublime 2019 debut album, Trails. Her producer – none other than Teddy Thompson, son of Richard and Linda – encouraged her not to swamp her tender country-tinged songs with instrumental ornamentation. Instead, Reid makes music to lean in to.

Like many Scotsman Sessions contributors, Reid has discovered that songs written in an oblivious pre-pandemic world have much resonance right now. “Couldn’t Wish More For You sums up everything I hope for the people I love,” says Reid, whose father is Proclaimer Craig Reid. “I chose to perform it because it feels important to send positivity out into the world, especially during these strange times.”

Her front porch-style performance was actually filmed in the back garden of the Dundee home she shares with her wife. “Our garden became a true sanctuary during lockdown,” says Reid. “Across the months of May and June I filmed a weekly Facebook Live event called the Garden Gigs there, which was a wonderful way to stay connected with the world. I celebrated the lifting of lockdown by painting our garden bench 'Beach Blue’ so it glows brightly when Dundee gets some sunshine – which luckily it did for this video!”

Reid hopes to record the follow-up to Trails soon, which will include a full band version of Couldn't Wish More For You. An acoustic version features on Reid’s most recent EP, The September Tapes, along with covers of You Are My Sunshine and the Miley Cyrus hit Malibu, recorded last year in Nashville. But for now, home is where it’s at, with Reid anticipating “very likely, more cameos from the beach blue bench.”

For more on Roseanne Reid, visit https://www.roseannereid.com

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The Scotsman Sessions #102: Roseanne Reid