2018

The first wave of acts for Country to Country (C2C) 2019 have been announced, with Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum and Chris Stapleton being pencilled in to headline the event, which takes place between 8-10 March in England, Scotland and Ireland. The lineup was announced by Bob Harris at Shepherd’s Bush Empire before the Songwriters Series round for Country Music Week,  and was brilliantly received by those in attendance and on social media. Brett Eldridge, Hunter Hayes, Lyle Lovett, Cam, Chase Rice, Ashley McBryde, Dustin Lynch, Carly Pearce and Drake White & The Big Fire were also announced in the first release for C2C 2019, which will take place at the O2 Arena in London, the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, and the 3Arena in Dublin over the three days. The Songwriters Series was a superb exhibition of talent within the genre, as Ashley Campbell, Kassi Ashton, Tenille Townes and Chris DeStefano took it in turns to play songs, all while offering some of the backstory behind the song they were playing. There were a few surprises as well, as Chase Rice – fresh from being announced on the bill at C2C 2019 – and Catherine McGrath both appeared at parts of the set to perform a song each, with both being loudly applauded for their efforts by the audience. Tickets for C2C 2019 go on sale on the 26th October at 10am, and are available from the following sites: England – www.axs.com/c2c or www.gigsandtours.com Scotland – www.gigsinscotland.com Ireland – www.ticketmaster.ie

Katy Hurt has released Revved Up, the second song from her upcoming EP, ‘Unfinished Business’, which is set for release in 2019. You can see the video, which depicts a western Bonnie and Clyde esque story in the desert with Hurt on the run, below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHcG7ZArloM The single, which has already amassed 13,000 streams on Spotify since its release, was recorded in Winnipeg, Canada and was produced by Murray Pulver. Revved Up itself is a superb country rock track, with Hurt’s vocal versatility really shining through on the single, while the guitar sections – both electric and acoustic – drive the song forwards. An unsigned artist, Hurt has successfully made a name for herself within the country music scene, and continues to grow from strength to strength despite not having an album to her name thus far. The Middlesex-born artist has had a very busy 2018, including standout performances at Pilton Party and Millport Country Music Festival.

With country music influencing fashion features in Vogue and mainstream artists like Ed Sheeran, the time is now for the often-side-lined music genre. With an estimated five million country music fans in the UK, and millions across the world, there has been no dedicated country app until now. CountryLine brings technology to country, delivering on-demand performances, interviews, news, views and TV shows. With high profile investors including Sir Elton John, the new digital destination for country lovers will also deliver listings, bookings, mobile payments, loyalty and member benefits. There is eager demand for all things country. In 2017 a Country Music Association study found that tech savvy millennials are the biggest group of country fans in the UK, and CountryLine is launching, just ahead of Country Music Week, to meet that demand. CountryLine is founded by entrepreneur and country music super-fan, Nathalie Cox and award-winning media and tech entrepreneur Simon Walker, co-developer of BBC’s iPlayer. Their combined expertise and experience has led to investment from industry heavyweights, Sir Elton John, Eric Nicoli (former Chairman, EMI) and Ed Richards (former CEO, Ofcom). From the country crazy to the country curious the app has something for everyone. Featuring artists, old and new, CountryLine will even be breaking brand-new talent, kicking off with hosting the single launch party for Remember Monday’s new single, ‘Drive’ this weekend. To create the app’s unique mix of content, CountryLine has partnered with the world’s greatest country creators, from the UK’s ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris to the cream of Nashville’s music scene, including coverage from CMAFest, the CMT Awards, AmericanaFest and more. The team are even working on a new deal with Lionsgate, the Hollywood studio behind smash hit TV show ‘Nashville’, which will bring even more exciting content to the platform. Co-founder and Creative Director of CountryLine, Nathalie Cox, commented: “I’ve been a country music fan all my life. While friends were into The Spice Girls, I was listening to Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. I’ve always wanted an app that delivers everything there is to know about Country in one place, so we’ve made one. “It’s an exciting time for country and Americana, it is breaking through into the mainstream outside the US and it needs a digital home for fans to listen, watch, explore and discover all things country.” A CountryLine subscription costs £2.99 per month or £29.99 for a year. To celebrate Country Music Week and the launch of the app, half price membership is available using code CMW18.

Rising Scottish artist Katee Kross marked the release of her new album ‘Body & Soul’ on 13 October, with a sold-out gig at Nice N’ Sleazy in Glasgow, Scotland. The 21-year-old, performing with The Amberjax, played her third record in full to an audience who loved every second of the night, as her reputation as an upcoming artist continues to grow. Tommy McGuire, Mick Hargan and Kerry Fearon provided support slots on the night, before McGuire took up his role as one of the Amberjax for the headline set, which saw Kross dedicate a few tracks to some of those in attendance who have been incredibly supportive of her efforts from the start. Speaking in the aftermath of the gig, Kross said that she was delighted that the set was received as it was, and that it was a fantastic experience to perform the album in its entirety. “It was a outstanding night that all went very smoothly to plan,” Kross said. “I loved being able to finally play the full album live.” Reviewing ‘Body & Soul’, Maverick gave the album 4* and claimed that the record is “staggering”, whilst also adding that “the sky is indeed the limit” for 21-year-old Kross. You can read the full review of the album in the latest issue.   Picture credit: Scott Jackson

Rising star Liv Austen hosted a special launch of her debut album ‘A Moment of Your Time’ in London on 10 October, and treated the audience to an insightful analysis of the record, which is set to be released on 19 October. Taking the audience into a screening room, the album was played in its entirety in a cinematic style, with a black screen accompanying the music. This would be occasionally broken up by a number of intriguing facts and production methods appearing on the screen in a white font – similar to how Spotify and Genius lyrics works – and it gave the audience a real understanding of the album and how it was put together, while also acknowledging the songwriters that played their part in the record. Among the audience were a number of instrumental figures in the production of the album, including the likes of Jon Wright, Emily Faye, Jessica Sharman, Clayton Connor, Kaity Rae, and Tom Loffman (LOFT). A review of the album is in the most recent issue of Maverick, with the record being given a 5* rating and being described as something that “perfectly encapsulates what country pop should be about”.

Florida Georgia Line have become the first ever country music act to manage 100 cumulative weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart since its inception in 1958. Meant to Be with Bebe Rexha has elevated the duo to a new level, and the song is now 3x platinum. Speaking to Billboard about the song’s success, Brian Kelley expressed his gratitude to the country music community for their success. “We set out to write good songs, so to see them travel far beyond our reach is still hard to wrap our heads around,” Kelley said. “We are so thankful to country radio, our fans and our team for believing in even our wildest dreams.” The collaboration with Rexha is the duo’s first number 1 debut on Hot Country Songs, and despite being released on the 16th of December 2017, has managed to hold its position for 44 weeks. Since its release, the song has managed over a billion streams across the globe. Tyler Hubbard also spoke to Billboard, and revealed how in awe he is by the fan reaction to not only the track, but to the band also, and insists that it is a dream to do what he does. “I continue to be humbled and am honestly speechless by watching what our supporters and fans have done for us,” Hubbard stated. “Being a part of Country music history is more than a dream come true, and getting to do what we love on this level is something we will never take for granted.”