City festival's line-up unveiled

American singer Steve Earle is among the festival headliners

Event warms up the winter

Country music star Steve Earle, KD Lang and ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman are to headline the Celtic Connections event.

Details of the programme, announced in Glasgow on Tuesday, coincided with a new report which suggested the festival is worth more than £6m to the economy.

The event, which marks its 15th year in January, will also feature Capercaillie and Teenage Fanclub.

The Scottish groups will join African world music star Baaba Maal and choirs from Italy and Bulgaria.

King Creosote, Emma Pollock, Mike Scott, Julie Fowlis and Shooglenifty will also perform.

The winter festival has grown dramatically since it first began as a way of filling the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall's January schedule.

According to a new report by Glasgow Grows Audiences it is now worth £6.8m to the Scottish economy, more than double the figure from a previous study five years ago.

Since then the festival has also had a change of director and seen its ticket sales increase by 30%.

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Celtic Connections 2008
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