2 August 2018

The countdown is on to Millport Country Music Festival 2018. Back for it’s 24th year this community event remains Scotland’s biggest independent country music festival and will take place between 7th and 9th September. Last year saw nearly ten thousand country music fans of all ages come to the island on the West of Scotland to enjoy the music, soak up the atmosphere and experience the beautiful seaside town of Millport in a different light. 2018 however will see the festival’s biggest line-up yet. With 50 artists representing some of the best country music talent from Scotland, across the UK, Ireland, Sweden and the USA; appearing on 4 live music stages within the grounds of Garrison House at the heart of the town. Jesse Dayton, the ‘hardcharging’ Texan Outlaw Country star, will headline Nashfield on the Saturday, while Eastenders star Shane Richie will feature his new album, “A Country Soul”, during his headline spot on Sunday. From traditional to modern, from Americana to country rock, and just about every country taste in between. Including music from the daughter of the legendary Glen Campbell, Ashley Campbell; with their amazing harmonies, the UK’s hottest country offering this year The Wandering Hearts; singer-songwriter Jarrod Dickenson, Appalachian story-teller Jerry Harmon, Nashville duo American Young, The Remedy Club, Liv Austen, Jess and The Bandits, Gary Quinn and more… The offering from local Scottish bands is equally as impressive with Glasgow based Ashton Lane returning following their much talked about performance at last year’s festival, Glasgow country-rock duo Raintown, Kevin McGuire, Katee Kross, Red Pine Timber Co, The Logans, Jim McLean, James ‘N’ Wood, Stillwater, Stateline and the amazing story of now US based blues and country guitarist Joshua Roberts (aka Kid Millport) returning to the place he was born and spent his infant years. A first for this year will be the Millport Emerging Talent Showcase on Sunday 9th September, sponsored by Maverick Magazine and hosted by Scottish singer-songwriter Katee Kross. Scott Watson of the festival organising team said, “This was our chance to go out and find 10 great up and coming artists and offer the opportunity to play on a festival stage as well as win a recording session with BlackRoom Sessions and a guaranteed slot at next year’s festival. We were overwhelmed by the volume and standard of the response we received to this, and the concept of potentially finding and helping an artist that could in future years be back headlining one of our stages, has been really exciting.” As was the case in 2017, there will be an extended ferry service  from Largs to Cumbrae Slip operated by Calmac on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th, enabling day visitors to enjoy even more of the music into the evening. Camping and Glamping for those that wish to stay, with showers and toilets, will be available at Millport Golf Club; and a superb food, drink and entertainment offering from local businesses both on site and throughout the town as Millport once again becomes Nashville for the weekend. Tickets are on sale now at millportcountrymusic.com/ticket-info/

Country music duo Maddie & Tae are firmly of the belief that females within the genre are “neglected” and find it “trickier” than their male counterparts to succeed. The duo, made up of Madison Marlow and Taylor Dye, famously smashed through the doors of Nashville with their debut single, ‘Girl in a County Song’ from their ‘Start Here’ album, which is all about how women are regarded within the country music genre. Speaking to All Access in the aftermath of their latest single, ‘Friends Don’t’, the duo insisted that their experiences are no joke, and lifted the lid on how females are treated behind the scenes in country music.   “We released ‘Girl In A Country Song’ to kind of wake people up,” Marlow said “It talks about not being a girl in a country song, but also about how we’re being neglected in this genre. “I do think it’s gotten better since we first came onto the scene, but it’s still hard. Even right now with ‘Friends Don’t,’ it’s really hard out there. “It’s hard for any artist to get their song played, but I think it’s trickier for women. A lot of that stuff you just can’t control – if a station wants to play your song or not – you just have to make great relationships and be kind. “We just hope that we’re making music, as females, that people – men and women – can connect with and relate to, because that’s our job as songwriters. “So, hopefully we make that connection with people through music. It’s a mystery to me, because there are great female artists that aren’t getting airplay, and it blows my mind.” Maddie & Tae have a concept album on the horizon, which will be their first under the Mercury Nashville label, and have plans for a tour in the autumn of 2018.