Honkytonk in Africa

LINEUP: KENYA THE UNLIKELY HOME OF GROWING COUNTRY MUSIC SCENE

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The party is in Kenya, but the vibe is distinctly Americana – a sea of cowboy hats and boots with a soundtrack of whisky-soaked tales about heartbreak and good ol' boys.

Kenya has become the unlikely home of a growing country music scene, possibly the biggest in Africa, as testified by the thousands line-dancing in a field in the capital Nairobi last weekend for International Cowboys and Cowgirls Day.

The festival crowd went wild for the king of the local country scene, "Sir Elvis" Otieno, as his deep baritone belted out classics like Take Me Home, Country Roads, mixed with newer hits like Down to the Honkytonk.