March 2022 - Page 2 of 3 - STAGING Maverick

Review: ‘Hard Truth’ – Paul J Bolger

Leave a Comment / Top Picks / Rochelle Mills

Paul J Bolger has been keeping himself busy since his 2020 self titled album and has released a collection of ten songs in tribute to his Uncle who Paul says was a great singer and sportsman and a huge inspiration to him when he was a kid. The record opens fittingly with ‘The Start Of It’, his voice is full of soul and has a unique tone to it whilst the song itself has a rock n roll element to it. Bolger has pushed the boundaries of his sound with this record, recorded in Ireland, he has used less musicians than his previous release yet expanded sonically. There are a number of stand out tracks from the stripped back nature of the opening of ‘Hard Truth’ with Bolgers’ soft vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar and percussion to the rousing nature of ‘See Love Shine’ with it’s positivity and bright guitars bringing the track to life. To summarise, it’s a really strong album from Bolger and beautiful tribute to his Uncle. The lyrics take you on a journey through the emotions and there is a good balance of upbeat and sombre tracks. I look forward to hearing more from Bolger.

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The Ryman Auditorium celebrates 130 years

Leave a Comment / News / Rochelle Mills

I have attended the Ryman Auditorium, in downtown Nashville, and been witness to the music of B.B. King, Tommy Emmanuel, Victoria Justice, Dodie and the comedy of Jim Gaffigan. This year the Ryman celebrates its 130th anniversary from humble beginnings in 1892 to the Mother Church of today. Of all the incredible venues to absorb live music in Nashville nothing is better than sitting in the wooden pews of the Ryman and feeling that you are a part of this historic institution. To mark this milestone event there will be additions to the daytime tours, community events, residencies and of course many special concerts. The Ryman Community Day will be held in May with special pre-show events and plans for the PNC plaza. Residencies are currently planned for Dwight Yoakam (Jan 19-21), Billy Strings (May 6-8) and many more to be formerly announced. Some of the major concerts will include The Beach Boys, Trace Adkins, Yola, Bonnie Raitt, Gladys Knight and the Black Pumas. Although known for Country Music, as the former home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943-1974, the Ryman has welcomed many different genres of music and entertainment in its long history. The first concert was held on May 4th 1892, and since then it’s stage has seen the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Harry Houdini, Martin Luther King Jr and former US President Theodore Roosevelt. Music acts that have performed there range from Sheryl Crow, Johnny Cash, Harry Styles, Patsy Cline and Garth Brooks. Virtually every show at the Ryman sells out and it typically hosts 200 shows per year and is the Number one theater for concert ticket sales worldwide per Pollstar. The Ryman Auditorium was built by Captain Thomas G. Ryman and was originally the Union Gospel Tabernacle. What started out as a church evolved into a symbol of music and hope and a goal where every music artist eventually hoped to perform one day. Television shows and movies have been filmed inside and around the Ryman including The Johnny Cash Show, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Nashville and American Idol. Having stood backstage and walked on the stage to conduct interviews with artists in the past you feel a sense of reverence at the Ryman. I don’t know if it is knowing that you are standing on the same wood that legends stood and performed or of the great history that permeates the building. When I first moved to Nashville, I took my family backstage during a special Opry performance and The Riders in the Sky sang Woody’s Roundup for my daughter before they went on stage. I highly recommend the day tours to really understand the full history of the Mother Church. They have also taken to curating excellent historical displays with instruments in cases at the top floor. Attending a concert or entertainment show is a must at the Ryman when you visit Nashville. Inside you will see statues of Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl on a bench in conversation. Outside there are life size statues of Little Jimmy Dickens and Bill Monroe who were both influential in the popularity of the Ryman. In 2020 a statue was erected of Country Music Legend Loretta Lynn to commemorate her debut performance there 62 years ago. And of course, you should have something to remember the original founder of the Ryman with Captain Thomas Ryman watching over your entrance. History, music, entertainment and nostalgia are all pieces of the puzzle that make the Ryman Auditorium such an architectural icon. Come celebrate the Mother Churches 130th Birthday this year, you won’t regret it! To stay up to date on the latest country music news, please register to receive our newsletter here. Media contact Eric Dahl Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823920 Email: editor@maverick-country.com

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Luke Combs brings on special guest as he brings the house down at C2C

Leave a Comment / Live events, News / Rochelle Mills

Luke Combs closed out C2C with a bang as he performed one of the most energetic headline sets that I’ve ever seen at C2C and there was a surprise in store as he welcomed Ed Sheeran to the stage for a special duet! The day got off to the very best of starts as Caitlyn Smith opened the Town Square stage at 10.30am. For many, including myself, she has been one of the highlights of the whole weekend with that stunning voice and thoughtful songwriting. Callie Twisselman also really impressed me on the two occassions I saw her perform today, just happy to be up on stage, she engaged with the crowd well. Due to some back line issues Walker County had to adapt their set and their usual set-up but still managed to pull off a brilliant performance. The Indigo reached capacity crowd for Tenille Arts which was no surprise but luckily we managed to sneak in to catch her gripping performance. On the spotlight stage today, Avery Anna’s vocals impressed me and her unusual yet beautiful rendition of ‘Ring of Fire’ and ‘Forever and Ever Amen’. Seaforth made that stage into a party stage with their single ‘Good Beers’ whilst Tenille Arts once again had the crowd in the palm of her hand for her set. To the main arena and problems somewhere along the line getting artists from Ireland to London meant that none of the artists gear had shown up so things were running a tad late and they were all having to share the same instruments that C2C had acquired from somewhere. It was worth the wait though as Hailey Whitters, a songwriter I greatly admire, took to the stage to share some new songs from her album which comes out next week as well as some fan favourites and a cover or two. ‘Everything She Ain’t’ was a real highlight for me whilst ‘Heartland’ was a crowd pleaser. She also performed Trisha Yearwood’s debut single ‘She’s In Love With the Boy’. Her rendition was energetic and charming. Flatland Cavalry was the band I knew the least about coming into the weekend but the level of musicianship they displayed blew me away, perhaps the next Zac Brown Band? It’s a proper Texas country band, their brand of authentic country music slightly different to anyone else on the line up. They opened with ‘Some Things Never Change’ and my foot instantly began tapping. Lead singer Cleto Cordero invited his wife Kaitlin Butts on stage to sing ‘A Life Where We Work Out’. They had already won me over by this point but I thought this was a particular highlight. The tempo stayed high after that as they got the crowd singing along to John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’. They followed this with Wesley Hall showing off his fiddle skills in their rendition of ‘Dueling Banjos’ before concluding with ‘Stompin Grounds’. Ashley McBryde followed, it’s been nice watching her progression over the years from performing acoustically on the pop-up stages to performing on the main stage the very next year and now, next to the headliner. It’s been a deserved journey though and a joy to watch. She opened with the feisty ‘Martha Divine’, introducing us to the slightly rockier show that she was about to put on. She kept the tempo high as she danced her way through ‘El Dorado’, ‘Never Will’ and ‘Living Next To Leroy’. The moment of the night was when she talked about ‘young folks (folks not old enough to drink)’ and how bringing them to concerts like that showed them they could stand where she is standing. This led nicely into ‘Girl Going Nowhere’. McBryde looked overwhelmed by the crowds reception of the song as she said “London, you’re going to make me cry!” ‘Dive Bar in Dahlonega’ was another special moment between the fans and McBryde and when she concluded on ‘One Night Standards’ the fans were begging for more. Unfortunately, time was tight though and before you knew it, it was Luke’s turn. If it was loud before, it just got louder. He made a dramatic entrance, walking out to the band playing the intro of ‘When It Rains It Pours’ but as he started singing there was no sound for us out front. Down at the front, they managed to get his attention that they couldn’t hear and he told his team who swapped out his mic all whilst the band kept on playing. He stopped proceedings to ask if we could all hear now. Ever the professional, he took it from the top again. He worked the stage as he sang ‘1, 2, Many’ and told us the story behind ‘Houston, We Got A Problem’. The whole crowd were up on their feet, belting out ‘One Number Away’ before Combs asked permission to perform a cover. Here came the big surprise as he began ‘Dive’ by Ed Sheeran before welcoming the man himself to join him on stage which judging by the gasps and screams from the audience meant they were quite surprised to see him! The pair performed it together perfectly. ‘Dive’ wasn’t the only cover he did as he sang ‘Brand New Man’ a song made famous by Brooks and Dunn, a song he sang with the duo on their ‘Rebooted’ record. The powerful one for me was ‘Beautiful, Crazy’ which saw a tear prickle my eye. Though he’d taken it down a notch for that last song he cranked things back up with ‘She Got the Best of Me’ and ‘Hurricane’ – his concluding song. But there was time for an encore and the level of noise suggested the crowd weren’t going to go anywhere until he’d come back out. He performed two more number one’s upon his return – ‘Forever After All’ – a tug of the heartstrings, romantic tune, followed by ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’. I don’t know how much beer he must have gone through after throwing

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Darius Rucker blows the roof off the O2 (again) on 2nd day of C2C

Leave a Comment / Live events, News / Rochelle Mills

It was Darius Rucker’s turn tonight to blow the roof off the O2 and he certainly did that! Day 2 was packed full of fabulous artists both in the main arena and on the outer stages which showcased the broad spectrum of country music. There was something for every type of country fan! My day began with a beautiful Bluebird session in the O2 Blueroom featuring Luke Dick, Laci Kaye Booth, Jeff Cohen and Tony Arata. I was excited, the caliber of these writers was second to none, and it was about to be a morning full of tears and laughter. Luke Dick kicked things off with ‘Polyester’, the song he opened with on Thursday at the CMA Songwriters Series, bringing a little bit of humour from the first note of the show. He’d go on to play ‘Burning Man’ and ‘Bluebird’, talking about the different kinds of birds he’d seen since he arrived in the UK in his introduction. Laci Kaye Booth impressed with her soft, whispy vocals as she sang songs such as ‘True Love’, a tune that has seemingly got stuck in my head over the past few days! Next to her was Jeff Cohen, the man behind such songs as ‘Postcard From Paris’ by The Band Perry and ‘Take Me As I Am’ by Sugarland but today he played a song that has just been play-listed by the BBC, ‘I See Stars’ which The Shires co-wrote with him and recorded, followed by ‘In Her Eyes’ in the second round, a song which Josh Groban made famous and he told the endearing story of how this track impacted a family in Australia. In his final round he played a mash up of Paw Patrol and Crazy For This Girl, the latter of which was the first song of his that went to radio. Tony Arata was situated last in the round and his credentials alone blew me away, he’s written for the likes of Trisha Yearwood and Emmylou Harris. His voice was rich as he sang ‘Here I Am’, a song Patty Loveless took to number 4 on the charts back in the mid 90’s. he concluded the whole show with the song that changed his life and explained the story behind how Garth Brooks came to record it – ‘The Dance’. It was breathtaking to hear Tony sing such a well crafted song that has truly stood the test of time. A few weeks ago, Maverick joined forces with Sony for a competition to see Tenille Townes and Friends in an intimate fan showcase. It was a joy to host that today. Tenille Townes, Caitlyn Smith and Alex Hall all took to the stage for a songwriters round before we opened it up for the floor to ask questions. Our Canadian Queen, Tenille played some new music off her upcoming EP ‘Masquerades’ before concluding with the song that propelled her into the limelight – ‘Somebody’s Daughter’. Meanwhile, Caitlyn Smith has impressed me all weekend with that breathtaking voice whilst Alex Hall was a fairly new name to me this year but has equally captured my heart just like the two girls when I first heard them a few years ago. Their rapport on stage was entertaining in itself, like being invited into the living room of three friends. Alex and Tenille’s duet was a particular stand out performance of the whole weekend! In the main arena later Tenille performed with her full band, it was incredible to see the difference and the value in both a small acoustic songwriters session to a full band arena set. She owned the stage, those unique vocals shining with every note, her smile lighting up the room. She kicked things off with a high tempo set which included one of her latest releases ‘Girl Who Didn’t Care’ and ‘White Horse’ but knew when to strip things back with the more intimate ‘I Kept The Roses’ and the tear-jerker ‘Jersey on the Wall (I’m Just Asking)’ which sounds intense when the full band joins in after the chorus. Tenille belonged on that stage, it set the tone (and the bar) for the rest of the night! So far this year, I feel there has been more music and less talking between songs (except for in writers rounds!) and the sets seem to have a higher energy to them. This was certainly a thought that crossed my mind during Scotty McCreery’s set as he played songs such as ‘Whereever You Are’ and ‘Damn Strait’. He talked briefly of the story behind the latter, touching on what a huge inspiration George Strait was to him. He played a few cover songs as well, pulling off a fantastic version of ‘She’s Not The Cheating Kind’. He showed his softer side with songs like ‘This Is It’ a song written for his wife and ‘Five More Minutes’, a song written about his Grandfather. This song was a particular highlight of the festival, his words and delivery causing tears to stream down my face whilst the rest of the arena shone their lights in the air. Brett Young followed and the audience seemed to swoon over him – he did have a good rapport with them from the off. Again, he focused on the fun, upbeat numbers of his back catalogue for the most part. Most were up dancing by the second song in, ‘1, 2, 3, Mississippi’. ‘Ticket To LA’ had everyone singing along whilst Brett invited everyone to slow dance with whoever was sat next to them during ‘In Case You Didn’t Know’ and as I looked around, couples were taking the opportunity to enjoy a romantic dance. He took the tempo down a notch further with sad song ‘Mercy’ which received the biggest reception of the weekend upon it’s conclusion. He concluded with ‘Sleep Without You’ but the audience was begging him to stay. Though he focused on keeping the energy levels high, he had a nice mix of slower, more heartfelt

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CMA Songwriters Series returns to London after three years

Leave a Comment / Live events, News / Rochelle Mills

IT’S BACK!! Live music has returned, C2C has kicked off in style with the CMA Songwriters Series. It was a show that, in true songwriter fashion, took you on a journey through all the emotions and gave an insight into some of the biggest hits from recent years. The main line-up comprised Luke Dick, Caitlyn Smith, Russell Dickerson and Shy Carter whilst the fifth chair saw an array of guests join each round. This year the focus was very much on introducing the future of the genre as Everette, Morgan Wade, Tiera Kennedy and Priscilla Block joined the writers to share their latest hits and singles. Luke kicked off the night with a fun, upbeat autobiographical track called ‘Polyester’ which he originally released with Miranda Lambert back in 2020, it nicely set the tone for the night and introduced the comedy to the evening. The pinnacle of this humour came in the fourth round when Luke played a less well known song called ‘I Am Steve’ explaining the story behind it had the audience in uproar, and even funnier was the tale of how he came to play it that night after watching British television earlier in the day. In amongst the comedy, he played plenty of hits too which pleased the crowd; ‘Kill A Word’, ‘Burning Man’ and concluding on the Nashville Songwriters Association Song of the Year, ‘Bluebird’. Luke was followed by Caitlyn Smith who brought a tear to my eye with her first song and most recent single ‘High’, originally released by Miley Cyrus. Smith is the full package with incredible songs delivered by this captivating voice. When she sang the room fell silent, you could hear a pin drop. Before performing her second song, Caitlyn made an emotional speech about chasing after your dreams, something many in the room could relate to. Then she launched into ‘This Town Is Killing Me’. She channeled the emotions well, tugging on the audiences heartstrings with every soft pluck of the guitar. She also performed her first number one, ‘Like I’m Gonna Lose You’ a song inspired by a dream that co-writer and artist, Meghan Trainor had. It was another that brought a tear to the eye of those around me. Then it was the turn of our host for the evening, Russell Dickerson who began with ‘Every Little Thing’, his 2019 chart topper, in fact, almost all the songs he played were number one hits on the airplay chart; ‘Yours’, ‘Love You Like I Used To’ and ‘Blue Tacoma’. The crowd joined in with every one but particularly enjoyed his latest single ‘Home Sweet’ and the endearing story behind it. He was a great host who clearly had so much respect for his fellow writers, they had a rapport with each other whilst Shy Carter instantly built a rapport with the audience. He knew how to work the stage and his energy was infectious as he began with ‘Stuck Like Glue’ which featured on Sugarland’s ‘Incredible Machine’ album. He beatboxed and freestyled throughout. He performed ‘God Whispered Your Name’ involving the audience once again by picking out Nicola and singing her name. The writers were clearly having a whale of a time and so were the crowd. During his rendition of ‘Heaven’ I realised just what a special voice Shy has, he’s another full package artist, though you’re engrossed in him as a performer he knows how to write a fantastic tune and has a smooth voice that serenades you perfectly. This was on full display as he duetted with Caitlyn Smith on the song ‘How Did You Sleep’ a track they co-wrote together. The night was full of magical moments but none more so than at the end of Caitlyn’s second song. As the writers laughed and joked around with each other, Caitlyn invited Shy to make his Grand Ole Opry debut in April. The audience erupted into rapturous applause at the news, a well deserved invitation to a dream realised. There was no better way to welcome back live music than with the CMA Songwriters Series; the tears, the laughter, that’s what country music is all about! If tonight is anything to go by we are in for a treat over the next few days.

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Russell Dickerson announces UK tour

Leave a Comment / News / Rochelle Mills

Ahead of a huge show at The O2 Arena in London for C2C Festival this weekend, multi-platinum selling country star Russell Dickerson has announced he will return to the UK for a run of dates this Autumn. The tour includes a date at London’s Electric Ballroom on October 12th. Currently in the middle of his US ‘All Yours, All Night’ headline run, which included sold-out dates at New York’s Irving Plaza and Nashville’s iconic venue The Ryman, the UK tour comes in celebration of his acclaimed 2020 sophomore album Southern Symphony and follows ‘She Likes It’, Russell’s cross-genre collaboration with Jake Scott. “It’s time to take the All Yours All Night Tour WORLDWIDE!!! I can’t wait to turn up with all my U.K. and Irish fam this fall!” Russell said of the dates. Watch the video for ‘She Likes It’ Here. Known for his energetic shows, Russell brings the party to the following dates in the UK this October. General tickets will go on-sale on Wednesday 16th March at 9am GMT from HERE. October Tues 11th – BRISTOL, Thekla Weds 12th – LONDON, Electric Ballroom Fri 14th – GLASGOW, St. Luke’s Sat 15th – MANCHESTER, Academy 2 Sun 16th – BELFAST, Empire Music Hall Tues 18th – BIRMINGHAM, O2 Institute 2 Weds 19th – NOTTINGHAM, Rescue Rooms

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The Academy of Country Music Awards lit up Las Vegas!

Leave a Comment / News / Rochelle Mills

What a night it was in Vegas! From the moment the country music community began to congregate on the Red Carpet to the very last acceptance speech, the night was filled with smiles and celebrations as the industry came together for one of the first times since the pandemic began. Tenille Townes put on a dazzling performance at the Red Carpet show to kick things off before gushing to me how excited she is to be coming back to the UK for C2C, “I don’t know how I managed to fit everything in one suitcase, but we’re packed and ready to get on that plane tomorrow!” She also spoke of her excitement of seeing her friend Lainey Wilson perform who had already accepted the award for New Female Artist of the Year but the night got even better for Wilson as her song ‘Things A Man Oughta Know’ beat out tough competition to take home Song of the Year. The night was hosted by the legendary Dolly Parton who couldn’t have found a more dazzling outfit if she tried, she truly lit up the room in more ways than one! With her new novel co-authored with James Patterson coming on sale that day along with her new album to go with it, Parton treated us to a duet of ‘Big Dreams and Faded Jeans’ with Kelsea Ballerini. She recognised that despite the jubilant occasion there was a sombre tone to the night as the people of Ukraine would be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Old Dominion acknowledged this too, speaking in their press conference how uncomfortable it felt to be celebrating their win for Group of the Year with Matthew Ramsay saying, “My heart hurts for those hiding in basements right now,” meanwhile, as Ramsay spoke those words backstage, the arena was reflecting on the events of 2017 at the Route 91 festival where 60 people lost their lives. Jason Aldean was on stage that day when the gunman opened fire and he, filled with emotion paid tribute to them before introducing Chris Stapleton who performed a song he had written in the aftermath. He would later go on to pick up the award for Male Artist of the Year, whilst Carly Pearce won Female Artist of the Year to accompany the earlier award she picked up for Music Event of the Year, an award she won for her duet with Ashley McBryde on ‘Never Wanted To Be That Girl’. The pair took to the stage to sing the song in what was an emotional, heart-string tugging performance. And talking of strings, Thomas Rhett’s performance of ‘Slow Down Summer’ off his upcoming album boasts a beautiful string arrangement on the record but in a live setting it really amplified the emotion. The ACM awards are known for their fantastic duets and collaborations so it was wonderful to see Breland and Rhett performing together and of course Carrie Underwood joining Jason Aldean for a rendition of Single of the Year ‘If I Didn’t Love You’, with Carrie coming down from the ceiling on a sort of hula-hoop. One of the performances of the night came from Kelly Clarkson who paid tribute to Parton with her rendition of ‘I Will Always Love You’. This was followed by the announcement that the top prize of the night, Entertainer of the Year, was won by Miranda Lambert! Earlier in the night she had picked up the award for Video of the Year alongside Elle King for ‘Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)’ but she has had an incredible year with various projects such as The Marfa Tapes having wide success. She truly deserves this award and it has been a long time coming for the Texas native who accepted the award via video link from London where she is staying ahead of Country 2 Country festival. The Academy of Country Music put on a truly breathtaking show in Las Vegas which truly showcased the broad spectrum of what country music is today. With it being streamed on Amazon Prime it meant people from all over the world could watch the event live for the first time. The winners were deserving and the collaboration showed just what a tight-knit community we have in the genre.

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Ones to watch at C2C

Leave a Comment / Live events, News / Rochelle Mills

C2C have confirmed the full complete line up of festival stages across The O2, London featuring over 100 performances across the weekend. C2C provides an incredible opportunity for fans of country to discover and support new artists from all over the UK, Europe and the US. C2C ticket holders will have access to The Town Square, The Big Entrance, BBC Radio 2 Stage (at Indigo at The O2), Country Music Week Hub and The Saloon (All Bar One), The Icon Stage and The Garden Stage. It’s going to be a busy weekend with you feeling like you need to split yourself in two so as not to miss any of your favourite artists! However, we’ve got you covered as we highlight a couple of key, not-to-be-missed performances from each stage. BBC RADIO 2 STAGE AT INDIGO – Alex Hall, Avery Anna, Breland, Brittney Spencer, Caitlyn Smith, Callie Twisselman, Callista Clark, Erin Kinsey, King Calaway, Matt Stell, Robyn Ottolini, Shy Carter, Tebey, Tenille Arts, Tim Hicks, Walker County, Willie Jones Willie Jones – This is such a packed line-up that it was hard to narrow down but Willie Jones seriously impressed me in 2019 at the Music City Cares concert which featured Carly Pearce and Rodney Atkins. Right now I’m really enjoying ‘American Dream’ a song he released just over a year ago now. He’s a versatile performer and definitely one not to be missed. Callista Clark – Our cover star from the last issue has some great songs and a phenomenal voice, she also plays eight instruments! She may be young but she will own that stage and captivate the room. The song I’m most enjoying right now is ‘Real To Me’. THE TOWN SQUARE – Alex Hall, Avery Anna, Breland, Caitlyn Smith, Callie Twisselman, Catherine McGrath, Everette, Jaret Ray Reddick, Jess Moskaluke, Kezia Gill, Laci Kaye Booth, Laine Hardy, Laura Oakes, Morganway, Robyn Ottolini, Seaforth, Shy Carter, Tebey, Tim Hicks, Twinnie, Walker County, Willie Jones Seaforth – These boys are so much fun and have some really catchy songs. All the way from Australia, the duo have brought their own flavour to the Nashville scene and have teamed up well with other artists and writers. The song they’ve done with Jordan Davis, ‘Good Beer’ is a standout. Kezia Gill – Kezia is one of the fastest rising stars of the UK scene. Recently named Entertainer of the Year at the British Country Music Association awards, Kezia’s power-house vocals will reel you in on first listen and her live performance will most certainly impress. ‘Whiskey Drinkin Woman’ is my song of choice. CMW HUB – ALL BAR ONE – Alex Hall, Catherine McGrath, Kaitlyn Baker, King Calaway, Laci Kaye Booth, Laine Hardy, Robyn Ottolini, Shy Carter, Tebey, Tim Hicks, Twinnie, Walker County Shy Carter – There are plenty of chances to see this hitmaker throughout the weekend but take as many of those chances as you can because he is a real gem! I’m hoping and praying with all my heart that he’ll play ‘Speak to a Girl’ a song he wrote that featured on Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s album along with ‘Stuck Like Glue’ a hit he penned for Sugarland. However, listen out for some amazing new material from Carter because his new record is brilliant! Laci Kaye Booth – Texas native, Laci Kaye Booth rose to fame through American Idol but has since impressed the Nashville community, regularly writing with the likes of Laura Veltz and Jimmy Robbins. Her song ‘Shuffle’ is a great tune. BIG ENTRANCE – Caitlyn Smith, Eric & Jensen, Essex County, Everette, Gary Quinn, Harleymoon Kemp, Hayley McKay, Izzie Walsh, Jaret Ray Reddick, Jess Moskaluke, Kaitlyn Baker, Katy Hurt, Kezia Gill, Laci Kaye Booth, Laine Hardy, Laura Oakes, Morganway, Ruthie Collins, The County Affair, Tim Prottey-Jones, Twinnie Harleymoon Kemp – Daughter of Martin Kemp, music runs in the family for Harleymoon Kemp and she was always destined to excel at it. She’s bound to impress at C2C. ‘Love On The Radio’ is probably my favourite track of hers. The County Affair – This duo have a lovely story about friends reunited and the EP that they released last year is a standout on the UK scene. I’m excited to see these songs performed live. ‘Every Ghost’ is definitely worth a listen. ICON STAGE – Catherine McGrath, Danny McMahon, Eleri Angharad, Eric & Jensen, Essex County, Gary Quinn, Harleymoon Kemp, Izzie Walsh, Jeannine Barry, Jess Thristan, Kaitlyn Baker, Katy Hurt, Lucy Grubb, Pete Gow, The County Affair, Tim Prottey-Jones Katy Hurt – It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Katy Hurt, I just think she’s one of the brightest stars in the UK scene right now. ‘Sounds Good In A Bar’ was released last year and I think it’s one of the best songs she’s released. Kaitlyn Baker – Kaitlyn Baker is a really talented artist and has opened for the likes of Craig Morgan and Jim Lauderdale. Dubbed the new coal miner’s daughter due to her family’s background, her songwriting speaks directly to the hearts of ordinary people. ‘Drinkin’ Hours’ is my go-to track of Kaitlyn’s. GARDEN STAGE – Danny McMahon, Eleri Angharad, Eric & Jensen, Essex County, Everette, Gary Quinn, Harleymoon Kemp, Hayley McKay, Jeannine Barry, Jess Moskaluke, Jess Thristan, Katy Hurt, Kezia Gill, Laura Oakes, Lucy Grubb, Pete Gow, Ruthie Collins, The County Affair, Tim Prottey-Jones Jess Moskaluke – Jess brought out a wonderful album last year called ‘The Demos’ which featured songs she’d co-written with some Nashville hit-makers such as Liz Rose and Corey Crowder and they deserved to be hits themselves – there was some fabulous songwriting on there. The Canadian will be one of the most talked about artists on these outer stages I am sure. Chosen song – ‘Mapdot’. Eric & Jensen – Eric and Jensen are the new kids on the block of the UK country scene. The two brothers are just starting out on their journey but have some covers on youtube

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COMPETITION: Win tickets to Tenille Townes fan event at C2C!

Leave a Comment / News / Rochelle Mills

Maverick has teamed up with Sony Music Nashville to deliver an intimate fan event with Candaian country star Tenille Townes! The event shall take place on Saturday 12th where Tenille will take to the stage with a series of special guests joining her. This will then be followed by a Q&A with Tenille. To enter just follow the link HERE but be quick, today is your last chance! To get you in the mood, take a listen to Tenille’s latest single ‘When’s It Gonna Happen’ below.

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Audra McLaughlin announces new single

Leave a Comment / News / Rochelle Mills

The new single ‘Beautiful Pain’ from Audra McLaughlin not only showcases her phenomenal range but with magical backing vocals from iconic singer Robert Bailey, this stunning blend of voices leaves listeners feeling awe-struck. Robert Bailey is best known as the longtime backing singer of Garth Brooks and has a long list of credits to his name, including recordings for Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes and more recently Dan + Shay (to name a few!). The song was co-written with hit songwriter, Pete Sallis who’s songwriting credits include Ronnie Dunn’s ‘Once’ and Maddie & Tae’s ‘Shut up and fish’. Once again we hear the incredible playing from Nashville Veterans Johnny Garcia and Jimmy Mattingly as Musicians on the track. With bitter sweet lyrics that will resonate with many, big soaring vocals and a soulful sound that wouldn’t sound amiss on a Carrie Underwood record and the unmistakable polished production from Garcia and Mattingly – this single is the most ambitious one yet from Audra McLaughlin! It’s out on 31st March 2022 and is available to presave NOW! Producer, Songwriter, Publisher, and guitar player Johnny Garcia has been playing on stage with Garth Brooks since 2000 and for Trisha Yearwood since 1991 (he also serves as Trisha’s music director). Johnny owns ‘Busy At Play Publishing’ on Music Row with a long list of publishing credits to his name. Producer, Songwriter, and award-winning fiddle player, Jimmy Mattingly, is also a touring and recording fiddler for some of the biggest Country acts of all time, including Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Brooks and Dunn, Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, and Trisha Yearwood. Check out the interview we did with Audra in the last issue available HERE! To stay up to date on the latest country music news, please register to receive our newsletter here. Media contact Zoe Hodges, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823920 Email: editor@maverick-country.com

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