1996 - February - Re-scheduled UK gigs from December 1995. Highlight is the Leeds Irish Centre gig where 600 people attend and make for a great atmosphere.
March - Recording of the traditional folk song 'I will give my love an Apple' for the Classic Rock Society's 'Unprogged' CD. Spoor 7 TV festival gig in Holland is broadcast simultaneously on the internet.
April - EMI release 'Journey into the Morn' in Canada.
May - Gigs in the UK and one in Germany. Live broadcast for BBC Radio Scotland. Filming for 'Songs of Praise' in Avoca (TV's Ballykissangel) in Ireland - on a cold and very rainy day! Jo and Dave interviewed for 'The Rock that Rolled Away' for ITV.
June - 'Journey' is released in Japan by Pony Canyon.
July
- Our first tour in the USA and Canada.
Support Runrig at Killyleigh Castle in Ireland.
August - Festivals in Holland and the UK.
September/October - Alliance inform us that 'Journey' has sold over 49,000 copies. That takes the total sold (including copies through 3Cord) to approx 52,000 up to September. German tour. Good attendances (including 900 in Bonn - 800 in Braunschweig). Very well received by the press - except for one reviewer who described us as sounding like 'Pink Floyd played on a Bontempi organ'!! We were a bit suspicious when he referred in his review to a song we hadn't even played on the whole tour!
Stand in bass player Tony Stipetic does a great job despite playing 5 gigs with a broken finger - which occurred playing football! Play in front of 7,000 at the Alliance Festival at the Nynex Arena in Manchester. We are pleased at the response of the 'younger than our usual' audience and that the day (which was a huge step of faith to put on) was a success for Alliance.
November - 'Journey' enters number 21 in Germany's National World Music charts.
December - NSPCC charity shows. Joanne wins the Classic Rock Society's award for Best Female Vocalist (for the second time in 3 years). It is presented to her backstage at the 'Leeds Irish Centre' by Martin Hudson from the society. Live Album recording dates - the initial 'red light' syndrome (everyone standing motionless in silence as the wind whistles round) - is soon overcome as some great performances are put on tape. Thanks for your support on the gigs! Hear that 'Q' Magazine have voted 'Journey' as one of their top 50 albums for 1996.
1997 - January - 'Q' Magazine vote 'Journey into the Morn' as one of their top 50 albums for 1996 and one of their top 5 folk albums. 'Heaven's Bright Sun' album mixed at the singer Fish's Millennium Studio near Edinburgh. UK tour starts in London.
February - UK tour is cut short by the tragic and sudden death of Joanne's mum Anna. Troy breaks a finger on his left hand after trapping it in a door. The top of his finger is almost severed and a doctor says that the damage could have been permanent had the break been a couple of millimetres lower. (Fortunately the finger has now completely healed).
March - UK dates rearranged from February tour.
April - Release of 'Heaven's Bright Sun' album in UK and Europe.
May - TV recordings for 'First Light' (BBC1) and 'This Sunday' (ITV). Jo and Dave have writing sessions in Ireland.
June - UK dates, including a concert in the majestic surroundings of Ely Cathedral. Joanne rows from Ireland to the island of Iona in a currach with a crew of 14 in commemoration of the 1400th anniversary of the death of Columba. She is interviewed about the voyage on 'Songs of Praise' (BBC1).
July - The band's third trip to the USA coincides with the US release on July 1 of 'Heaven's Bright Sun' and includes a headline appearance at the Cornerstone Festival in front of 25,000 people and an appearance on cable TV programme 'The 700 Club'.
August - Headline at Greenbelt Festival in front of 12,000 people. Appear at the Bardentreffen Folk Festival in Nurnberg, Germany, which is held in the moat of the town's castle! The band's performance of the song 'Lindisfarne', recorded live on the island of Lindisfarne in July 1995, is shown on 'Summerscapes' (BBC1).
October - UK tour including last UK gig (Solihull) until 1999. A fault with the microphone on Troy's pipes prompts spur of the moment performance of the 'Free' song 'All Right Now'.
December - German tour - last dates until 1999. Joanne voted 'Best Female Vocalist' in the Classic Rock Society's annual awards.
1998 - Iona take a one year sabbatical to concentrate on solo projects and re-assess things for the future. During this period Terl Bryant leaves the band to concentrate on Psalm Drummers and other touring and recording work, and Mike Haughton leaves to concentrate on other projects and work with Cliff Richard. Frank van Essen rejoins the band.
