THE special guests for Rod Stewart’s upcoming tour have been announced.

Celtic-folk band Johnny Mac and the Faithful will open the show on Rod’s 10 date UK tour.

This includes a date at the 1st Central County Ground in Hove on July 12.

The group, who hail from Glasgow, have had their music describe as classic Americana.

Johnny Mac and the Faithful previously opened for Rod at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro in 2017 at a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of Celtic Football Club’s 1967 European Cup victory.

Rod then invited frontman John McLaughlin to co-write the song Julia which appears on his latest number one album Blood Red Roses.

Speaking of the band’s history with Rod Stewart, John McLaughlin said: “A few months after the Hydro gig Rod contacted me about doing a co-write for a song.

“Firstly, as a lifelong fan I was ecstatic.

“Me and my writing partner Dave Thomas had started a tune and Rod loved the melody and in a flash of inspiration Rod had written the lyrics for Julia.

“As a songwriter I couldn’t have been prouder to have my name alongside Rod’s on his record, it truly was a dream come true.

“To get to work with your Rock ’n’ Roll hero, that was a ‘wow’ moment.

“That really doesn’t happen so much.

“And then to discover what an absolute diamond of a guy he was that was a lovely bonus.

“Now we just can’t wait to get up on stage.

“To be on tour with Rod and play our music to hundreds of thousands of his fans makes us feel very proud, blessed and thankful.”

The group have said that their mix of celtic-folk and Americana will “kickstart any party”.

Johnny Mac and the Faithful are made up of John McLaughlin (lead vocalist), Gordy Goudie (lead guitar), Ryan Hassan (drums), Tam McKinley (bass), Gary McDowell (guitar), Terry Dourish (keys and accordion) and Lisa Petticrew (fiddle).

Frontman John McLaughlin is an award-winning songwriter and producer who has penned hits for artists such as Westlife, Busted, Echo and the Bunnymen, Shane MacGowan and Sandi Thom.

Tickets are on sale now.