If a “man of action”, and that is what Michael Pfleghaar is famous for, decides to put together a country-band, then the time between decision and execution will not be long. Michael made up his mind on the occasion of his 50 th birthday. After decades dedicated mostly to various sports activities, country music became his new life project. The first to join his one-man-band was José Kichler, fiddle player extraordinaire. A short time later Andrea Holfeld with her accordion turned the band into a trio. After several performances in this formation, Jeffrey van Davis committed to join “Southern Railway” as their new drummer in the summer of 2003.

But first came a one year break of “creativity” for the band. Andrea and Michael made a trip around the world and it was then that Michael began composing his first country songs. In Fiji he was inspired to write the “Lake Constance Song”, in Australia “Black Forest Train” as well as some others. The titles of the songs show the deep roots he has to his home country. So when they returned to Germany , the musical quartet soon got together and Hans Eberhard Schörnick, a highly experienced base player, joined them in the spring of 2005. Now complete, “Southern Railway” has been playing in its present constellation of five ever since.

Jeffrey van Davis, the drummer, was so impressed and delighted with “Black Forest Train” that he organized the recording of the song in a sound studio and as a filmmaker produced the band’s first music video, “Black Forest Train.” Shot on location in the Black Forest and on the actual Black Forest Train (Schwarzwaldbahn) in the summer of 2005, all five of them had a great time and made musical history. The filming lead to their first major official performance on the occasion of the premier of the DVD “Black Forest Train” at the “Ochsenkeller” in Überlingen on Lake Constance. The DVD by the way won an “Honorable Mention Award” at the Berkeley Video And Film Festival in 2007.

One highlight in the life of the band came when “Southern Railway” made the semi finals in the 23rd German Rock- and Pop Festival competition in Hamburg , Germany . They had submitted their song, “Black Forest Train” just to give it a try. Imagine their excitement when notified that they made the next level of competition and were invited to perform their song live on the “Neue Flora” stage in Hamburg at the semi finals.

The latest project was the recording of a complete CD with original songs in August and Septemper 2006. It was  released the 31st of March 2007, with a concert at the “Kapuziner” in Überlingen. It’s now available at our INFOS-Side.

 Southern Railway was presented on TV (EURO3: “Szene TV”) and in the radio (SWR4: “Musik aus dem Land”, Radio Munot: “Country Club”, Radio Neckarburg: “Folkladen” and SWR4 Seefunk) and you can hear their songs on several radio stations.

The most importent concerts in 2008:    Kesselhaustreiben Trossingen Burgfest on the Hohentwiel 725-jähriges Stadtjubiläum at  Stockach

The highlight in 2009 was the performance of Southern Railway in SWR-TV on the program “Kaffee oder Tee” on the 6th of March. The band presented three of their own songs (amongst others “Schwäbisches Meer” in appropriate costume) and received a lot of enthusiastic e-mails and phone calls.

The year 2010 yielded yet more great experiences for Southern Railway, „the Country Band from the Lake,“  In July the band played a repeat performance in the Kesselhaus in Trossingen and again at the Hohentwiel Summer Music Festival near Singen. The band also began to expand into new territory in the direction of Constance and Switzerland. Certainly one of the highlights for the band was performing at the Country Weekend in the “Hafenhallen” in Constance in the last week of July where Southern Railway was invited to perform before the professional Canadian band, “South Mountain.” Also our engagement with the Boogie Panthers in the “50’s Bar” in Allensbach under the motto “Country meets Boogie” was cause for great excitement and positive enthusiastic response from the rock’n roll fans as well. By the season’s end, Southern Railway played in the authentically reconstructed Lucky’s Saloon in Siegershausen, Switzerland near Kreuzlingen to a full house.

2011 brought sad news to Southern Railway. Bass Hans Schörnick died at 16th of April after long disease. Since autumn 2010 the band rehearsed with Juri Kolytschew who is Southern Railway’s new Bass.

Because of a several months lasting stay abroad of two band members Southern Railway concert season 2011 was very short. It ended already in summer with a “Good Bye Concert” on motor vessel “Großherzog Ludwig” on Lake Constance at 20th of August.

Concert season 2012 will probably start in May.