May 2016

Lisa Wright to release new single, Back to You

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UK country singer-songwriter Lisa Wright’s new single Back to You will be made available to stream on Soundcloud at 12pm (BST/UTC) today (May 13). Lisa Wright is giving away signed copies of a limited edition CD single. For a chance to win, all fans need to do is tweet with the hashtag #BacktoYou and explain who the song reminds them of. Back To You is the follow up to 2015’s BEFORE I DIE EP which entered the iTunes country charts at number 4. Since then the tracks have been featured on country radio both in the US and UK, including airplay on various BBC stations and Amazing Radio. Lisa Wright has a summer of festival appearances ahead of her, including Buckle & Boots, FSA Fest, Wolvestock & Little Mountain festival. In Lisa’s own words: “Being in Nashville was surreal and I loved every second of it – I went out there completely on my own so I knew nobody! I’m quite independent and love adventure and travelling so It was a real experience for me. However, I’m a home girl. I love England and everything about it. So, there was this one day where it was particularly tough – and when you’re on your own in a completely different country, everything you feel seems heightened! I was sitting on this porch swing and thinking about everything I had managed to do whilst I was over here, the wonderful people I’d met and wished more than anything that I had the people I loved here with me – ultimately experience means nothing if you can’t share it. I was messing about on my guitar and half an hour later, Back To You had been written. I don’t think I’ve ever finished a song that quickly… When I got home, I immediately got in touch with a good friend of mine, Rob Gulston (otherwise known as ½ of Holloway Road) and he produced this single. Everyone always asks who I’m singing about in the song – all in all, it’s England. It’s home.”

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Steve Young teases debut album TROUBADOUR with single Back To Mine

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British singer-songwriter, Steve Young’s music, has been described as ‘country music with pop sensibilities’ also as ‘well crafted pop songs with strong country overtones.’ The acoustic guitar pulls away from rock genre but the live show rocks far too much to be considered acoustic. The lyrics far too personal to be folk but occasionally too ambiguous to be blues. A singer-songwriter & globe trotting session guitarist. After years on the road, most notably as guitarist and co-writer for Darren Hayes, he has finally released his own blend of acoustic country/pop & blues. Recent performances at the Rising Stars of UK Country, The Union Chapel London, Islington Assembly Rooms, London C2C Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe, Rhythms Of The World and local events have enthused his ever growing fan base. His music has been aired on regional BBC Radio as well as Radio 4 & BBC 6 Music. His debut album, TROUBADOUR, funded by fans via a Pledge Music Campaign, is due in May 2016. Tour Dates: Wed May 18: London, Karamel Club Fri 27: London, Caramel Club Thu Jun 9: Leicester, The Brewdog Fri Jul 22: Pentworth Leicester Mon Aug 15: Sun & Moon Festival

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Thank you for your recent subscription purchase

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Thank you for your recent purchase. If you have any queries regarding your order please don’t hesitate to contact Shannon Baker on +44 (0) 1622 823920 or email shannon.baker@hand-media.com. We will be sure to send you your first issue within five working days and aim to send all free gifts within 28 days of purchase. We encourage all of our subscribers to stay in touch via our Facebook or Twitter pages. Alternatively you can email editor@maverick-country.com with any feedback. We hope you enjoy your subscription to Maverick Magazine and thank you for your support.

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Swedish country duo Fifth Floor release their debut single and announce EP

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Fifth Floor is a Swedish singer-songwriter duo with modern pop, rock and country influences. After meeting at university in London, Moa and Matilda began writing songs together and eventually made the decision to form a duo in the summer of 2014. With two lead vocalists, strong harmonies and a knack for writing country songs that stay in your head, Fifth Floor are an act to watch out for. With influences from artists like Miranda Lambert, McFly and Little Big Town, they are on a mission to further push country music and strong female fronted acts into the spotlight. Since forming in 2014, the duo have built a strong set list including original songs like debut single, Drink It Away. Moa is originally from Helsingborg in the South-West of Sweden, 20 minutes across the sea from Denmark. She grew up playing and listening to rock music and studied music through her upper secondary school years before moving to London in 2012. Matilda grew up on the South-East island of Öland, in small town Färjestaden (funnily enough located 20 minutes across the sea from mainland Sweden). After listening to mostly pop in her early years, she later discovered her passion for country music. Having written songs since age 11, Matilda made the decision to move to London and pursue music in 2012. The two first met online via Twitter after a quick search for future music university classmates lead Matilda to Moa, who had her audition in London that very day. After bonding over their mutual love of pop/rock band McFly they soon became friends. During a procrastination-prone exam week, Matilda encouraged Moa to watch ABC’s Nashville and the Helsingborg native was soon converted into a country music fan. One year later, Fifth Floor was formed.  The band’s debut, self-titled EP will be released on June 6th 2016, with a free launch party at the Battersea Barge in London.

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Dan and Shay New Album

Dan + Shay's new album, OBSESSED, is available for pre-order now

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Platinum-selling duo Dan + Shay’s brand new upcoming album OBSESSED, produced by Dan Smyers and Scott Hendricks, due June 3 on Warner Bros. / Warner Music Nashville, is available now for pre-order. Enlisting Bryan Sutton and Danny Rader on acoustic guitar, Jimmie Lee Sloas on bass, Gordon Mote on keys, piano and string arrangements, Derek Wells on electric guitar, Russ Pahl on pedal steel, and Jim Horn on saxophone, it’s clear Dan and Shay clearly carefully studied the playbook and went into the studio with a vision for what they wanted to accomplish with this album musically. “There are still nights where I spend hours online or digging through stacks of albums to study the album liner notes,” says Smyers, who is a self-admitted music junkie, which serves the co-producer well. “There were so many moments when we had these amazing musicians in the studio and I would find myself so immersed in the note or the moment that I would honestly find my fingers on autopilot recording the takes without me even remembering I had done so. We both have the upmost respect for these players and the fact that we could convince them to come play on this record made it an even more memorable experience.” The duo gives credit where it’s due. In fact, they attribute the title of the album to their supporters who they teamed up with [their fans] to reveal the track listing. “We love our fans and feel like [they] are a huge reason we’ve had the success we’ve had,” Smyers told People Now. “Our fans are very involved in everything we do. We’re more like friends with them… We know their names, they know our names. To let them reveal the track titles has been really fun.” Dan + Shay also revealed the Obsessed album cover directly to fans earlier today. In addition his writing credits on Obsessed, Mooney co-wrote Rascal Flatt’s recent number one I Like the Sound of That, which “wins with subtleties and sharp songwriting” (Taste of Country), along with Jesse Frasure and pop singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. While gearing up for the release of their album, the breakout country stars are also celebrating their nominations for the American Country Countdown Awards Group/Duo of the Year and Breakthrough Group/Duo of the Year as well as their Radio Disney Music Awards (RDMA) nomination for their hit single, Nothin’ Like You. Dan + Shay are currently on the road and will join Darius Rucker on his Good for a Good Time Tour this summer, kicking off June 3 in Tampa, Fla.

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JD & The Straight Shot announce new single Better Find A Church

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Americana blues band, JD & The Straight Shot, who recently released their latest album, BALLYHOO!, are back with a new single, the beautifully crafted Better Find A Church. While lead-singer, Jim Dolan, started JD & The Straight Shot in 2000, he isn’t alone in his deep-rooted passion for music. He fronts an accomplished four person band, including guitarist Marc Copely (Rosanne Cash, McCrary Sisters, Billy Squier), guitarist Aidan Dolan, bassist Byron House  (Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris), and violinist Erin Slaver (Rod Stewart, Trace Adkins, Martina McBride), all of whom also contribute to songwriting.   In their stunning album BALLYHOO!, the band explores a stripped-down version of its distinctive sound. The completely acoustic project is storytelling at its finest, steeped in the quiet fire of Americana with elements of blues and rustic New Orleans roots music.  The songs are built on emotion with musical arrangements that mellifluously interweave and effortlessly paint lyrics. This breadth of range and the clarity that the music brings to some universal issues and hardships are part of what makes this band unique. In addition to their most recent project, BALLYHOO!, the band has recorded five albums: WHERE I’VE BEEN (2014), MIDNIGHT RUN (2012), CAN’T MAKE TEARS (2011), RIGHT ON TIME (2008), and NOTHING TO HIDE (2005) as well as an EP, DAILY NEWS BLUES (2010).  The band has opened up for the Eagles, Keith Urban, and the Dixie Chicks and boasts a range of musical accomplishments, including features in The New York Times, New York Post, Billboard, and New York Magazine.   Better Find A Church is out on May 20.

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Blair Dunlop releases his new album GILDED today

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Blair Dunlop releases his third studio album GILDED today (May 6,  2016). An accomplished writer, guitarist and vocalist, Blair will also be heading out on a 16 date UK tour to promote the new record, kicking off April 20, 2016 in Shrewsbury, including a launch show at London’s Lexington on April 25. GILDED follows on from Blair’s highly acclaimed 2014 release HOUSE OF JACKS and his debut album BLIGHT AND BLOSSOM in 2012, which saw him win the BBC R2 Folk Horizon Award. Blair is a story-teller, known for his thoughtful, life-affirming lyrics and the new record fares no differently – GILDED is a collection of stories and reflections, recorded in live takes at Manchester’s Blue Print Studios. On this record Blair remains true to his folk roots lyrically whilst continuing to push musically into new areas. Album opener CASTELLO sets the tone for the narrative nature of the record with lyrics inspired by the dreams, lineage and experiences of a woman Blair met while staying at a 14th century Italian castle during a European tour. Eternal Optimist was born of his frustration and intrigue at the digital world we now live in, ‘our real-world experiences seem increasingly subservient to the digital facades we are obsessed with maintaining and refining’ explains Blair.  First World Problem, which, written with Blair’s old Albion Band mates, also reflects on society and the lack of compassionate, consequence-based thinking in the Western world, he muses ‘money talks, at the expense of workers’ welfare, quality of produce, culture and the sustainability of the planet’. Some tracks on the album are more personal. She Won’t Cry For Me is a reflective song about the intricacies of a relationship and how the attitudes within it change over time. Blair was also lucky to co-write some songs on the album, writing with Dave Burn from the band AHAB and also with Gita Harcourt-Smith, with whom he co-wrote album closer Phoenix on which they explore parallels between the mythology of the Phoenix and someone close to Blair’s heart. Blair’s career goes from strength to strength. He has won awards, toured all over the UK and overseas, collaborated with a variety of writers and musicians, moved to London and set up his own record label (Gilded Wings Records), all of which have informed, and are reflected in, his mature and astute musical musings. Blair has the confidence and experience to make the music he has always wanted to. Tour Dates:   Sat May 7: Cromer, Folk On The Pier Wed 25: Liverpool, The Music Room Thu 26: Derby, The Flowerpot Fri 27: Sheffield, Greystones   Sun 29: Hay-on-Wye,  How The Light Gets In Fest Fri Jun 3: The Bedford,  London Folk Fest Sat 4: Uttoxer, The Acoustic Festival of Britain

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Big things on the horizon for Sam Kelly after winning BBC Folk Award

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Since the release of his first EP YOUR WAY HOME in 2013, Sam Kelly has been tenaciously and unceremoniously navigating his path towards his goal of a successful future in folk music. Multi-instrumentalist, award-winning vocalist, songwriter and producer; Sam has no shortage of career options or talent. Sam’s second EP SPOKES brought him to the attention of an international audience after receiving huge airplay support for the crowd-funded and self-promoted release. But is was Sam’s debut album THE LOST BOYS, released in November 2015, that led him to the Horizon Award nomination at this year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Described as ‘Outstanding.’ by Bright Young Folk, the self-produced album includes both traditional and original songs.  The Horizon Award recognises the best emerging talent on the UK folk scene. The ceremony took place at the Royal Albert Hall on 27th April. When Sam was announced at the winner he said, “It was just amazing to spend the evening surrounded by all my favourite musicians and to get this level of recognition for an album recorded partly in my mate’s shed, and partly in my mum’s lounge.”

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International artists perform leading up to the 2016 CMA Music Festival

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Each June, Country Music enthusiasts from around the world travel to Nashville for CMA Music Festival. But fans aren’t the only ones crossing borders to attend the Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience; international Country artists also make the pilgrimage to Music City to perform at CMA World GlobaLive!, a free, international Country Music showcase on Monday, June 6 on the outdoor stage at Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Nashville. “This event continues to grow along with CMA’s strategic focus on developing markets outside of the United States for Country Music,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “We are pleased to provide an annual platform for these international performers to reach and cultivate domestic fans, as well as garnering attention from the music industry.” CMA World GlobaLive!, which began in 2004 as the Global Artist Party, serves as a showcase for overseas talent leading up to the Festival reaching an audience of fans and press from around the world. This year, GlobaLive! will be held on the outdoor stage at Hard Rock Cafe for the first time. The concert is free and open to the public and will feature performances by Country artists from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.K. “By presenting shows like GlobaLive!; participating in events like C2C, Country to Country, in the U.K., Dublin, and Scandinavia; and our ongoing outreach to other international Country Music organizations, we are creating an environment to expand the Country Music brand around the world,” Trahern said. Artists performing during CMA World GlobaLive! (alphabetically by country and performer; lineup subject to change) include: Australia Troy Cassar-Daley – Four-time CMAA Entertainer of the Year with multiple Gold and Platinum albums. Karin Page – The 2016 Toyota Star Maker winner, one of Australia’s most prestigious Country Music talent searches. Caitlyn Shadbolt – A top 5 contestant on “The X Factor,” a highly-rated national music program. Canada Raquel Cole – She grew up in a musical family and is the reigning CCMA Discovery Artist. Chad Brownlee – An NHL draft pick and songwriter with multiple Top 10 hits and the winner of several BCCMA Awards. Brett Kissell – Headlining CMA World GlobaLive!, Kissell has won two Canadian Country Music Awards, and the Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2014. New Zealand Kayla Mahon – Featured on the Overs category on “The X Factor” (New Zealand) TV series, she is also the 2015 CMANZ Horizon Award winner. United Kingdom Frankie Davies – A popular songwriter making a name for herself and her all-female band in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Nashville, and the U.K. Pauper Kings – Friends from York, they started out as session musicians before forming a band. They are currently working with Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts on their next album (pictured). The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, bringing 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. Forty-five years later, the legendary event has become the city’s signature music event with a daily attendance of more than 87,000 in 2015 representing every state and two dozen foreign countries. The 2016 CMA Music Festival will be held Thursday through Sunday, June 9-12.

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