On March 21, 2025, “Cooking Vinyl” label released “The Great Western Road”, the eleventh Deacon Blue studio album. It was recorded in 2024, at “Rockfield” in Wales, and was produced by Ricky Ross and Gregor Philip.

Personnel:

• Ricky Ross – vocals, Wurlitzer, piano, clapping
• Gregor Philp – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, clapping
• Lorraine McIntosh – vocals, tambourine, shaker, clapping
• James Prime – vocals, piano, Hammond C3, keyboards, clapping, string arrangements
• Lewis Gordon – vocals, bass guitar, clapping
• Dougie Vipond – vocals, drums, percussion, clapping
• Michael Butcher – alto saxophone
• Mateusz Sobiesky – tenor saxophone
• Matt Gough – trumpet, flugelhorn
• Liam Shortall – trombone, brass scoring
• The Pumpkin Seeds – strings Pete Harvey – string arrangements, cello Kate Miguda – violin Claire Telford – violin Kirsty Orton – violin Gisela Hans – violin Marsailidh Groat – viola Sarah Leonard – viola Patsy Reid – viola
• Ash Howes – additional programming, additional mixing
• Matt Butler – recording
• Robin Sutherland – mastering
• Sarah McLeod – strings and brass recording
• DB Studio – design
• Niall McMenamin – album cover
• Paul Kelly – album cover
• Johnny Bell – album cover

Track listing:

All tracks by Ricky Ross, except where noted.

1. Great Western Road
2. Late ’88 – Gregor Philp, Ricky Ross
3. People Come First
4. Wait on Me – Gregor Philp, Ricky Ross
5. Ashore – Gregor Philp, Ricky Ross
6. Underneath the Stars – Lorraine McIntosh, Ricky Ross
7. Up Hope – Gregor Philp, Ricky Ross
8. Turn Up Your Radio!
9. How We Remember
10. Mid Century Modern
11. Curve of the Line
12. If I Lived on My Own