FROM a box room studio to a cavernous music hall, via cyber-space, a former Runcorn pub musician is proving his doubters wrong.

After years battling his inner demons of depression, obesity and alcoholism, Bob Pitt, 49, has realised his dream of playing Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall with his country music idol.

"The Phil was amazing, it's something I'd never dreamed I would do," he said.

"It was nerve-racking being the side-kick to Dennis Loccorriere of Dr Hook it was a major thing for me.

"All my music has been written and recorded in a bedroom and people said I'd have to return to the pub circuit and go to a recording studio, but I'm proving them wrong."

A roller-coaster year for Bob and his wife, Cath, began in February when some of his material was played on Radio Merseyside by Billy Butler. Thanks to the internet, country and western fans from all over the world could listen in to presenter Nick Robin's show, and soon Bob was being bombarded with e-mails from as far away as Alabama, Canada, Europe and Australia.

"I've been in love with music for such a long time that to get this far is unbelievable," said Bob, who used to play alongside his dad, John, in pubs like the South Bank and Derby Arms.

"Don't get me wrong, I used to love doing pub gigs but that was over six years ago, this is now.

"The interest from all over the place has been unbelievable and when the UK's number one country singer Charlie Landsborough reassures me I'm going in the right direction then it's a massive boost."

Bob had been on the verge of his first big break when a major knock-back sent him spiralling into depression.

But with the support of his family and the chances given to him by local radio, he is on the verge of the big time once again.

"Things are going a thousand miles an hour here now," he said. "I've done a cover of Alan Jackson's Remember When which is big in America, and then we'll take it from there!"