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Prior to a super busy few days for the group, Runaway June took time out of their schedule to let us know what they have in store for C2C How are you feeling about C2C? Naomi Cooke: We came over last year to write with some BMG writers here and that was such a fun experience, but we haven’t performed yet. We’ve been dying to! Hannah Mulholland: We’re excited to see the fans because we’ve heard the best things about the crowds here, so this will be the first time we’re experiencing the crowds. You’re playing five times over the weekend, which is remarkable – how did that come about? Hannah: I don’t know! There are some that I don’t even know if we’re going to be able to get there – we have one at 9 and one at 9:30 or something, so I hope we get to five shows, but we’ll see! Naomi: This is not a place that we’ll be able to come often so we want to take advantage of being here and do as much as we can. Hopefully we haven’t overstepped and hopefully we’ll make it to every show! Hannah: It’s exciting that we can play that many times, it’s a really good feeling. Were you shocked to be headlining the Spotlight Stage? Jennifer Wayne: Yeah!! We’re shocked to headline any stage, over the years you play so many types of stages and tents where there’s nobody in them and you just go through all of the rounds. To be at the point where we’re headlining any stage is just an amazing feeling. Naomi: It feels really good, we’ve really been on the grind for years – and we still are – but it’s always an honour to see that we’re headlining. We always feel like, ‘oh my God, are we ready for this? Like, this is a lot of responsibility!’ but it’s exciting. To be doing that here in the UK feels really kind of surreal.    

As part of our chat with cover star – and C2C 2019 headliner – Keith Urban, we asked him a few quick fire questions about several different things. 2018 was a sensational year for you with ‘Graffiti U’ being released to critical acclaim and then winning Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards – how have you coped with all the adulation sent your way? I mean, firstly that whole CMA moment was quite surreal – and as you can clearly see in the playback, I was completely stunned when Lionel Richie called my name. On the album front, the response from people all over has been way beyond what I could’ve hoped for…and now getting to come to the U.K and play live feels exhilarating. It had been 13 years since you last won Entertainer of the Year and you joined an elite category of musicians who had won it twice – just how important is that award for you? You know, all I ever had my sights set on was making my own music and hoping they’d play it on the radio and hoping people would wanna come to hear those songs live, but some shiny hardware given to ya feels bloody damn nice too! I love playing and touring. That fire and passion is just as strong in me now as it’s ever been. It seemed likely that you’d have a release with Post Malone out in mid-January – what happened to that? Post and I played together for an Elvis special marking the anniversary of his 1968 television show (aired on Feb 17). I first heard Post on his Stoney album and all I can say is that it spoke to me. I really wanted to do something with him and the Elvis thing was it. We met for the first time that day, said hi, grabbed our guitars and started running the song right there on the set with the band. It was crazy how it clicked immediately. Post has such a  musical depth – I knew that’s what was speaking to me right from the beginning. Country, hip-hop, R&B, soul…it’s all in there and so much more. I f****** love that dude. You’ve only got a handful of tour dates after C2C before your 2019 is finished, what’re your plans for when you come off tour? Ha, I got so many plates spinning in the air this year, I reckon I could get a gig with Cirqe De Soleil! A full feature with Keith Urban is available in the latest issue of Maverick (March/April 2019)

Ashley McBryde has revealed that she will be heading on her biggest UKand Ireland  headline tour to date at the end of September and start of October. The American ‘Girl Going Nowhere’ star will be playing four dates on a brief visit this side of the Atlantic, which have been announced ahead of her Main Stage appearance at C2C 2019 this weekend. McBryde’s last trip to the UK was hugely successful as her headline gig had to be upgraded to Islington Assembly Hall due to demand, while she also supported recent CMA New Artist of the Year winner Luke Combs on his UK tour. Tickets go on sale at 9am on March 8 and can be purchased here. Ashley McBryde will be playing: September 27 – O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London, England September 29 – Manchester Academy 2, Manchester, England September 30 – Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow, Scotland October 1 – Dublin Academy, Dublin, Republic of Ireland

Seven-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood will be returning to the UK for a five-date arena tour at the back end of June and start of July. Underwood’s last UK appearances were when she headlined C2C 2016, though the 2005 ‘American Idol’ winner was last pencilled in to headline The Long Road Festival last September, but had to cancel due to illness. The five dates will make up part of Underwood’s ‘Cry Pretty Tour’ and she will be supported by UK act The Shires throughout the duration of the brief tour. One thing Underwood has done is ensure that £1 of every ticket sold goes to the Danita’s Children charity, which provide a safe haven for abandoned and vulnerable children in Haiti. Tickets go on sale at 9am UK time on March 7. Carrie Underwood will be playing: June 28 – Birmingham Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, England June 30 – Cardiff Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales July 2 – The SSE Hydro Arena, Glasgow, Scotland July 3 – Manchester Arena, Manchester, England July 4 – The SSE Wembley Arena, London, England

Breakthrough artist Tenille Townes has unveiled a new song, ‘White Horse’, which is the latest single to be released from her upcoming debut album. You can listen to the song here. The album is due for release later this year on Columbia Nashville and has been produced by Jay Joyce. The song itself – written by Townes, Daniel Tashian and Jeremy Spillman – debuted on ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris’ Country Show on BBC Radio 2 on February 28. Speaking about the song, Townes explained that it is about how love can be viewed in a different light than what we were perhaps expecting it to be. “‘White Horse’ is a song about how love can look a little bit differently than we might expect it to,” she said. “I think we grow up in our society completely surrounded by that fairy tale idea of what love should be, but maybe love is even bigger than that. “I think it’s important to be open hearted and to push the boundaries of what society might build up in our expectations. I love that this song stands strongly in the idea that love isn’t always about the ivory towers and the roses.” The Canada born artist, who resides in Nashville, is currently on the road supporting Dierks Bentley as part of his ‘Burning Man Tour.’ The tour, which kicked off in Ontario in January, features performances across Canada and America.

It’ll be a month shy of 12 years since Keith Urban was last on tour in the UK when he performs at Kentish Town and this is how he’s kept himself busy 2007– Seven months after what would prove to be his last UK gig for a very long time at the then named Carling Academy in Birmingham, Urban released a best of compilation in ‘Greatest Hits: 18 Kids’ 2008 – Urban embarked on the ‘Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Carnival Ride World Tour’ with Carrie Underwood in January and also recorded a new version of You Look Good in My Shirt. Also in 2008, Urban became a dad as Sunday Rose Kidman Urban was brought into the world by the singer’s wife – Nicole Kidman–  and he also won a Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Stupid Boy). 2009 – In March, Urban released ‘Defying Gravity’ – his seventh studio album – and this became his first album to peak at No. 1 in the US Album Charts. Urban went on the ‘Escape Together Tour’ and brought the likes of Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Jason Aldean with him, while he also won a CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year (Start a Band w/Brad Paisley). 2010 – It wasn’t long until Urban was back in the studio and 2010 saw the release of his eighth studio album, Get Closer. From that album, Without You, Long Hot Summer andYou Gonna Fly all went to No. 1 on the US Hot Country Chart. Urban also picked up his third Grammy, this one again for Best Male Country Vocal Performance (Sweet Thing) and had a second daughter as Faith Margaret Kidman Urban was born. 2011 –Urban picked up his third Grammy in four years for Best Male Country Vocal Performance (‘Til Summer Comes Around) and embarked on the ‘Get Closer World Tour’, which covered America, Australia and Canada. Urban was announced as a judge on the Australian version of The Voice, but was there for just the one series. 2012 – In 2012, Urban was invited to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Vince Gill and was subsequently inducted into it in April. 2013 – Urban’s ninth studio album, ‘Fuse’, was released into the world in September and peaked at No. 1 in the Album Charts in both Australia and America. From that album, Raise ‘Em Up ft. Eric Church and We Were Us ft. Miranda Lambert both peaked at No. 1 in the US Country Airplay Chart. Also in 2013, Urban released his signature guitar line. 2014 – The awards kept coming and in 2014, Urban won three ACM Awards for Music Video of the Year (Highway Don’t Care), Vocal Event of the Year as Producer (We Were Us ft. Miranda Lambert) and Music Video of the Year Duet (We Were Us ft. Miranda Lambert). 2015 – The songs John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16 and Break on Me were both released ahead of Urban’s next album, while he also celebrated the 10th anniversary of his third album, ‘Golden Road’, going triple platinum – meaning it sold over three million copies. 2016 – ‘Ripcord’, Urban’s 10th studio album, is released, while Urban was also cherry picked as one of 30 artists to perform on Forever Country – which was a medley of On the Road Again, I Will Always Love You and Take Me Home, Country Roads to celebrate 50 years of the CMA Awards. 2017 – Female, a song partially inspired by the Harvey Weinstein scandal, is released as the first single of Urban’s 11th studio album, which features Kidman on backing vocals. 2018 – ‘Graffiti U’ is released on April 27 with a world tour and at the CMA Awards in November, Urban took home Entertainer of the Year for the second time in his career

Prior to her performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium (February 27), the Country Music Association (CMA) awarded Kacey Musgraves the International Artist Achievement Award for 2019. The recent Album of the Year winner at the 2019 Grammy Awards was surprised backstage by the CMA, who gave Musgraves the award that “recognises outstanding achievement by a United States-based artist who has demonstrated the most significant creative growth, development and promotion of the Country Music industry outside of the United States during the eligibility period.” In 2018, Musgraves headlined C2C 2018 in the UK and Ireland – six years after playing in the UK for the first time – while also becoming the first country music artist to perform at Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. On Musgraves’ most recent tour, she performed a sold out headline gig at Wembley Arena and also played in Oslo for the first time. This is the second time that Musgraves has won the award – 2016 being the first – and expressed her gratitude for receiving the accolade. “Thank you so much to the CMA for honouring me with the International Artist Achievement Award,” Musgraves said. “I absolutely love experiencing new cultures and playing overseas.” In a surprising twist, Musgraves duetted with Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams at the subsequent show, with the two singing Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun in front of a packed Nashville crowd.

American artist Jesse Dayton will headline the inaugural Country in the Afternoon mini-festival, which takes place at The Half Moon in Putney between June 1-2. The event is organised by Cumbrae Promotions Limited – who run the Millport Country Music Festival – and both days will have four acts performing between 12:30pm-5pm. Opening on the Saturday is Maverick’s Emerging Talent Showcase Winner at Millport Country Music Festival 2018, Zoee, before Two Ways Home and The Blue Highways take to the stage. The Saturday headliner is being kept as a surprise for now, with the artist set to be announced in the coming weeks. On the Sunday, Katee Kross & The Amberjax kick things off, before Russ Tolman and Morganway will perform. Following Morganway’s set, Dayton will close the festival. Tickets for Country in the Afternoon are £15 for a day or £25 for both. Saturday tickets can be purchased here, while Sunday tickets can be acquired here. Both links have the option to purchase a full weekend ticket.

Harold F Eggers, Jr MY YEARS WITH TOWNES VAN ZANDT: MUSIC, GENIUS AND RAGE Backbeat Books Townes Van Zandt, one of country’s most enigmatic songwriters, was a curious character and that’s never been in doubt. A character in turmoil whose well-spoken gentlemanly charm was in sharp contrast with his intake of drink and drugs. He died on New year’s Day 1997 from heart problems caused by decades of self-abuse, aged only 52, yet the creator of songs that sold millions of copies, but only by other artists. There’s Pancho And Lefty (a No. 1 for Willie and Merle) and If I Needed You (a top 10 hit for Emmylou Harris and Don Williams) for starters, with many more such as For The Sake Of The Song, honoured by others (not least our own Danny and the Champions of the World). Yet what has never before been documented quite so profoundly – and sadly – is the true depth of Townes’ internal pain. This book comes from the inside looking out, Eggers (“H” as Townes knew him), the artist’s long-time road manager and in his later years, business partner. While the tragic tale of the downfall of a genius, the book is also full of laughs, able to chronicle Townes’ knife-edge switches from cheeky schoolboy to demented depressive. For every pained story of the problems caused by his teenage electric shock treatment to stem his rebellious personality, there’s one of madness on the road as he and H fled gangster club bosses, climbed out of windows and high-tailed it across the US like something from a silent comedy film. The road heads from Austin to Nashville and all the way to the UK (he worked with Brit country-rock artist Michael Weston King, recording his song Riding The Range with his then band, the Good Sons) and back. It’s the story of a poet and a performer never quite able to live with himself, leaving others to live with those conflicts instead. Sad, beautiful – and laugh a minute. Nick Dalton www.backbeatbooks.com  

Danny Schmidt STANDARD DEVIATION Live Once Records **** Wonderful heartfelt songs, superb singer, excellent band – get your plastic out Danny Schmidt has been out there making a name for himself for the last 20 years and this is his 10thalbum. It’s a largely acoustic affair with terrific singing, a wonderful band and songs that will stay with you. The opening track, Just Wait Til They See You, highlights Schmidt’s expressive voice and some lovely acoustic guitar. His themes are big and across the album, he sings of gentrification, honesty and the importance of family. Having said that, one of the real plus points here is just the tone of his voice that just draws you into the songs and that feeling is enhanced by the warmth of the bands playing. The title track, Standard Deviation, sounds quietly epic as it opens with a lovely acoustic guitar figure and his plaintive vocal and a lonely fiddle and strong characters emerging from within the song. It builds gently to a lively climax with talk of “poetry and greed” with some heavenly backing vocals and a rolling piano. A quiet masterpiece. Schmidt’s influences come from Appalachian folk music and he cites strong writers like Dylan, Leonard Cohen and John Pine as his main influences. That’s not to say that he is in any way a copyist as he has his own gentle style and songs like Blue Hole in Time have their own template and it’s Danny’s voice and urgent delivery that give this album a unique feel that’s a rare thing today. Perhaps the standout track here is Newport ’65 that seems to be an oblique tribute to Bob Dylan and his world shaking performance at that famous US folk festival back in 1965 when Bob went electric and there’s talk here of “shepherds and sheep” that might be a reference to those attending that historic festival. The lyrics tells us that “the path of the prophet is crooked and cruel where every false turn means a fall from the truth”. Then there’s some very Dylanesque harmonica playing that precedes a snatch of The Times They are A-Changin’. It’s a heartfelt cheeky tribute that tells you were Schmidt is coming from. So if you like your music articulate, thoughtful, intelligent and melodic, then get your plastic out for this one – it’s an understated corker. Greg Johnson www.dannyschmidt.com