A GLASWEGIAN who once reached the final of hit TV show Stars in their Eyes has been delighting lockdown audiences by putting on live tribute performances of two country music icons.

Pat Cairns is known in Glasgow's pub and club circuit for his Kenny Rogers and Neil Diamond tribute show.

Now lockdown has forced him off the road and into the web as he showcases the hit combination to an online audience - and the reaction so far has been phenomenal.

Glasgow Times:

Pat as Neil Diamond

The father-of-two, who has a daughter Donna-Marie and son Patrick with wife Anne, said: "I wanted to do something for the community and it has kept me sane.

"I am usually up and down the country putting on shows and now I am stuck in one place."

He added: "We have had people watching from as far as Canada and Australia."

The 60-year-old, from Maryhill, started performing at the age of 12 thanks to his own father Patrick who was a singer for various bands.

With his brother Charles, who is a year younger, Pat performed The Everly Brothers as a young boy at the Maryhill Juniors Football Club.

In 1993, he appeared on the hit ITV show Stars in Their Eyes, which was hosted for 11 years by Matthew Kelly after he took over from Leslie Crowther.

Pat reached the final of the show as Kenny Rogers. 

Pat, who is also a grandfather to Cerys-Ann, 20 and Niamh,8, laughed: "I initially wanted to do Neil Diamond but they convinced me to do Kenny Rogers because I think it was easier for them to make me up like that."

Since then his love affair with performing as the music legends really took off.

Pat, who is great-grandad to Conan Patrick, 2, has seen the singers live in concert many times and even met Neil Diamond in Glasgow.

He said: "I met Neil Diamond in One Devonshire Gardens.

"People always ask me why did you not tell Neil Diamond you did a tribute?

"I was just in awe seeing this superstar in front of me."

Glasgow Times:

Pat joked that his shows don't always run smoothly thanks to his internet connection dropping especially when he takes on the persona of Kenny Rogers who died in March.

He said: "The Wi-Fi has been terrible, always with Kenny Rogers. It is always when I do Kenny Rogers."

Sadly for Pat and many performers like him, his work as a tribute has been hit by the lockdown.

But he is hopeful that the show will go on at some point in the future.

He said: "Every gig I had this year, every one of them is cancelled.

"All my Christmas ones have been cancelled too. You wonder whether people will still want to come out when it is all over.

"I have had a few come in for next year though."

He added: "Even if I never gig again I have had a good life but I do love it.

"I look forward to doing these online shows and I thank everyone for supporting it - because it keeps me sane."

You can catch Pat live on Facebook every Wednesday and Friday.

His page can be found by searching Pat Cairns Tribute Show or clicking here