Over 6,000 were in attendance over the twodays, and those who didn’t have a ticket for the main concerts were able to enjoy a weekend of fairground frolics and the numerous bars until the wee hours. The weekend’s two concerts were sold out, with impeccably polite staff on hand to guide country lovers to their seats, and a sophisticated array of technical equipment to ensure that everyone had a great view via two large screens on each side of the stage.

With typically Swiss precision timing, at six pm on the dot, Riders in the Sky (left) appeared in front of an almost full house. Great entertainers as well as great musicians, they couldn’t have provided a better warm-up. At ease with so many different country styles, from Texas swing to lovable Disney themes, Riders in the Sky enchanted the audience.

The second act of the evening, Julie Roberts, was less of an enthrallment. Firstly, many would have been disappointed with Roberts’ in-the-flesh appearance (see left): dressed in pin-stripe pants and waistcoat, the singer seemed to lack the appealing femininity of her pre-concert publicity shots, and in spite of her ability to flash a well-timed smile for the on-stage tv cameras, Robert’s restrained vocal range and her moribund style of writing did little to impress true country fans. Even her musicians looked bored.

Rhonda Vincent, on the other hand, gave a demonstration of true musicianship along with her excellent bluegrass band, The Rage. Pure talent and virtuoso performances were a delight for the ear. Vincent engaged the public with her friendly, sincere attitude and even commented on how delighted she was with her three-day shopping spree along Gstaad’s Promenade, as well as with her "scary" trip up the Glacier (above with, from left to right, the Glacier's restaurant manager Olivier Cuche and marketing director Bernhard Tschannen).

The last star of the evening, Randy Travis (left with wife Elizabeth on the Alpine Coaster), had quite an act to follow. Thankfully for him, his reputation and country-legend status meant that he was supported by equally brilliant musicians. Having just got over the flu, Travis felt the need to apologize for the unintentional quivering of his vocal chords. In spite of this, he sang for well over an hour, and was still singing while he signed autographs during his final encore: indeed, his well-controlled basso profundo notes were one of the highlights of the evening.

In true Gstaad tradition, the artists seem to be having as much fun over the weekend as country fans, with Marcel Bach (left) using one of his backyards (aka Glacier 3000) to entertain his American guests. Indeed if you talk to the artists, often it's this hospitality that makes Gstaad such a special place for them to perform. So, long live Country Night Gstaad. and be sure to reserve your tickets well in advance for next year’s jubilee 20th edition taking place from September 12-14 2008.