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Artist Spotlight – John Fishell & Deepak Ram

With new album Notorious Partners in Crime, John Fishell and flautist Deepak Ram fuse East and West into an adventurous collaboration built on friendship, respect, and fearless creativity

You’ve described your partnership with Deepak Ram as “like a fancy wine with a greasy cheeseburger.” What first drew you to this collaboration, and how did you know it would work musically?

I met Deepak in the mid-90s when I moved to South Africa, and we’ve been close friends ever since. Over the years, we both moved around the US until we found ourselves in the same place — my hometown of Washington DC. That’s when I decided to leave teaching and put everything into being an artist. Deepak and I are very sensitive to each other’s strengths, and our instruments just sound good together. We played a few small shows, realised it clicked, and now here we are with a full record and tour.

The new album Notorious Partners in Crime reimagines some of Deepak’s instrumentals with your lyrics. How did you approach writing words for pieces that already had strong identities in instrumental form?

I had to be very careful. For “Lenasia,” I went through countless rewrites trying to capture Deepak’s stories of growing up in apartheid-era South Africa with some kind of poetry. Deepak prefers me to follow his melodies note-for-note, but I haven’t managed that yet. Instead, I used his motifs as instrumental breaks and sections within the songs. My priority was to leave his parts intact while shaping the pieces into proper popular music songs.

“Space Time” is an especially adventurous track, shifting time signatures and blending genres. How do you balance technical complexity with keeping songs accessible?

For me it’s about pairing complexity with a simple, effective melody or a groove that works with a straightforward lyric. That makes it more digestible. The Beatles and Led Zeppelin were masters at this. When I play those songs, I’m counting frantically in my head while trying to look relaxed — Deepak, of course, handles it effortlessly.

You lost several guitars in a flood but recorded “If I Were a Carpenter” on a restored 1952 Gibson J-45 from your father. How did that affect your connection to the track?

Honestly, I have a stronger bond with that guitar than the song itself. It’s been in my life forever, and it just suited playing with Deepak. The flood was devastating — most instruments were ruined. But the J-45 was at a repair shop, so it survived. That guitar carries enormous emotional weight.

Your career has spanned rock, jazz, world music, and teaching. How did those paths prepare you for this cross-cultural project?

Deepak is a bansuri master, while I’m more of a jack-of-all-trades. But I’ve always been the “pop/rock guy” who brings punch and structure to jazz, classical or world music. What really matters is our mutual respect and the supportive relationship we share. That’s the foundation.

You’ve got a UK tour coming up in October. What can audiences expect from a Notorious Partners in Crime live show?

This time we’ll be performing as an acoustic duo, so everything will be fully exposed — no percussionists or bassists to hide behind! It will be more intimate, which is both exciting and terrifying. I’ll lean on the strength of the songs, while Deepak is always wonderful to watch in any context.

With Notorious Partners in Crime about to be released, what excites you most about this next chapter?

I hope this is only the beginning. We definitely have another album in us if this one does well. More than anything, I want to perform this music around the world. If there’s an audience, I want to be there.

Spotlight – Casey McQuillen

From arena tours to her latest single “Wedding Day,” Casey McQuillen shares how honesty, resilience, and advocacy are shaping her most powerful chapter yet

You’ve been announced as an advocate for Ditch The Label. What makes this partnership feel like the right step for you at this stage in your career?

I’m so excited about this partnership. Ditch The Label is doing such important work, and I feel honoured to be part of it. My whole career has been about creating safe, honest spaces through music, and this feels like the perfect extension of that mission. At this point, I don’t just want to make music—I want to be part of something bigger that actually makes a difference. To use my voice and my platform to support people going through struggles I’ve faced—that’s exactly where I want to be.

You’ve long been open about your personal experiences with bullying and body image. How have those challenges shaped both your music and your mission as an artist?

Those experiences shaped everything. They were painful, but they gave me a deep understanding of why music matters. Music was my safe place, my way of turning hurt into something beautiful—and now I get to share that. I’m passionate about being open because I know how powerful it is to hear someone say, “I’ve been there too.” If my songs help someone feel less alone or more confident, that’s the heart of my mission.

This year you’ve toured with both Anastacia and Loreen, performing to hundreds of thousands of people across Europe. What was it like stepping onto those big stages night after night?

It was surreal. Walking out in front of that many people every night, the energy was electric—you could feel it before singing a note. Touring with icons like Anastacia and Loreen was inspiring, and sharing my music with audiences that size was exhilarating, terrifying, and joyful all at once. It stretched me in the best ways as a performer.

You’re currently travelling the UK and Europe for your The Better Tour. What can fans expect from your headline shows compared to the arena support slots you’ve been doing?

The arena shows were amazing, but headline shows are more intimate and personal. I get to tell the stories behind the songs and really connect with the audience. Fans can expect a lot of heart, honesty, and some surprises too. Seeing people who are there just for my music never gets old.

Your new single “Wedding Day” arrived in the summer. What inspired the track, and how does it fit into the next chapter of your music?

“Wedding Day” is about the bittersweet reality of situationships; dreaming about forever with someone who was never really yours. It’s a push and pull between fantasy and truth, romantic and warm but tinged with sadness. That contradiction is something I think many connect to. For me, it marks a step into being honest about the messy sides of love, wrapped in lush, emotional music.

Looking ahead, what are your biggest creative or personal goals for the next couple of years?

Creatively, I want to keep being braver in my writing, digging into the messy parts of life and turning them into songs that feel both personal and universal. Personally, I’d love to create more spaces where fans feel like part of a community, not just an audience. Long-term, I’d love my tours to fill arenas on my own. That dream feels closer than ever, and I’m so excited to chase it.

Lifestyle Spotlight – Vera Black

From Portobello Market to global festivals, Vera Black has become a fashion staple of the country and Americana scene. Here she shares her journey, inspirations, and future plans

How and when did you start the Vera Black brand?

It all began quite organically. My husband Luke and I were musicians for almost 20 years – I was a singer-songwriter, and Luke played drums and guitar. We toured extensively, even across the States, where I won a Nashville songwriting award for my song “The Fool”.

During that time I became inspired by the stage looks I saw, but I couldn’t find what I wanted. So, I started buying beads, feathers, and materials to make my own jewellery and accessories. I had no formal training, just learning as I went along.

When we moved to London in 2011 for artist development, I began building the brand on the streets – first at Portobello Market, then Brick Lane and Camden. It wasn’t long before we found success, and the brand began to grow rapidly.

Where did the inspiration for your unique designs come from, particularly your now famous hats?

Portobello Market had a huge influence, especially given its history with style icons like Jimi Hendrix. Around 2013, I was invited to trade at the very first C2C Festival. Customers there suggested I design hats to match my jewellery, and by the third year I introduced them – they sold out instantly.

This was the start of the Americana country boom in the UK, and our designs became a staple at festivals. From there we began catering to the US scene as well.

You’ve also styled a number of artists. Can you tell us about that?

Styling is something I absolutely love. I started with my own music videos and fashion films, then moved into working with other artists. I’ve collaborated with music photographer Rob Blackham on shoots with Elles Bailey, Troy Redfern and American artist Arielle.

We’ve also had celebrities wear our pieces, from Johnny Depp, Tom Hardy, Brenton Thwaites and Dougie Poynter to Drake White, Adam Ant, Dee Snider, Brown Mark, The Veronicas, Everette, Robert Plant and Eva Green. The list keeps growing.

Do you have a physical shop, or are you mainly on the festival circuit?

We had a shop in Camden for a few years, which really boosted the brand. When the pandemic hit, we shifted focus online and doubled down on festivals like The Long Road, C2C, Black Deer and Buckle & Boots.

We’ve since moved to the Shropshire Hills and enjoy working from there while taking the brand out on the road.

Can you tell us about the materials you use in your designs?

We handmake all our jewellery here in the UK. We have four of us who are constantly making pieces all day every day. All our feathers are ethically sourced, our wood and gemstone beads are of the highest quality and we use a strong faux leather where possible. Our hats are bought as blanks, handmade in Texas & Mexico, and I have a unique technique of burning, painting and distressing them.

What’s next for the Vera Black brand?

At this year’s Long Road Festival we introduced Vera’s Blackbird Café, which got amazing feedback. That inspired us to develop a roaming bar concept.

We’re renovating our 1972 Dodge van into a pirate ship–style cabin with a travelling bar, booth seating, marquee, lighting, rocking chairs and karaoke. The idea is to let people rent it for weddings, birthdays, corporate events or parties – the full Vera Black country/rock ’n’ roll experience. We hope to have it ready by spring 2026, so watch this space!

Rachael Sage: Canopy of Hope

With her new album Canopy, Rachael Sage brings together resilience, inclusivity, and a fearless sense of creativity. She speaks to Maverick about collaboration, identity, and finding light in dark times

It’s been just over a year since we last featured you in Maverick. How has life and work been for you since then?

I’ve done an enormous amount of touring since the spring, some of it unexpected. I had just recorded Canopy and thought I’d lay low for a while, maybe book a few shows for the autumn. But then my wonderful peer Kristen Ford invited me to go on a co-bill tour with her.

It came at a moment when things were very heated politically in the US, and as LGBTQ+ artists we felt we needed to do something positive—creating a safe space through our live performances. That became the Joy = Resistance Tour. We’ve been criss-crossing the US and I’ve also played shows in the UK under that banner. It’s been incredibly gratifying to be out there building community and sharing music every night.

Canopy is your first full-band album credited as Rachael Sage & The Sequins. Why did now feel like the right time to embrace that format?

After nearly 30 years of doing this, I realised just how vital musical community is to me. It wasn’t a sudden epiphany, more a gradual awareness that the recordings people know me for have never been just me.

Yes, I write, produce, arrange, sometimes co-produce—but these albums are the result of extraordinary players I’ve been lucky to work with. I’ve toured with some of them for almost a decade now, and they are truly among the finest musicians in the world. There’s a unique chemistry when we come together, and I wanted to highlight and honour that by putting their name right there with mine. It’s giving them their flowers.

The title track opens the album with a direct, almost mission-statement quality. How did Canopy set the tone for the record?

It’s one of the most straightforward songs I’ve ever written. I tend to be cryptic and poetic, but Canopy begins with “I believe.” For me, that line framed the whole record.

I was writing in the first person, but it was also a reflection of the beliefs of many people I love and care about. Once the song was born, I realised I had the chance to curate songs—old and new—that carried the same ethos of inclusivity.

It’s about connecting even when we disagree, about listening. That’s something I experience deeply in the UK, where conversation after shows often inspires me as much as the performance itself. The album really grew from that urge to connect.

The record moves between jubilant energy on songs like “Live It Up” and more contemplative moments such as “Nexus.” How did you find that balance?

Honestly, I joke that my ADD is useful musically. I get bored by sameness. Whether painting or composing, I like to approach the same themes from multiple angles.

So if I’ve written a contemplative ballad like “Nexus” or “Underneath,” my next instinct is usually to lighten the mood, to soothe myself with something upbeat, even if the lyrics are equally fraught. It’s about dynamics. As a listener, I love records that take me up and down emotionally, and I try to offer that same experience.

You were recently named the first artist ambassador for Rainbow Mind. How does that role connect with Canopy?

When Rainbow Mind approached me, I was enormously honoured. Their work feels vital right now, when divisiveness and rejection of difference seem so widespread.

Their approach—LGBTQ+ individuals helping other LGBTQ+ individuals—is unique and powerful. It’s peer-to-peer support, which can make a world of difference. As someone who came out long before social media, I can hardly imagine navigating that today, with so much hate out there.

The album reflects that same mission: to create safe havens, to say that mental health matters, and to remind people they are not alone. It’s music aligned with empathy…

Read the full interview here.

Jaywalkers Announce Autumn UK Tour

Following the release of their album Move On earlier this year, Americana powerhouse trio Jaywalkers have announced a UK tour this autumn. With singles getting picked up across national radio, including support from BBC 2 Folk Show, BBC Radio 2 Blues show, as well as BBC 6 Music Cerys Matthews show, alongside 5 Star reviews in the music press, their latest record delivers the band’s virtuosic brand of Americana with a sound that feels both fresh and familiar, with the three outstanding musicians’ tight bond and well-crafted, tasteful arrangements on full display.

Jaywalkers are an English Americana trio featuring Jay Bradberry (lead vocals, violin), Mike Giverin (mandolin) and Lucille Williams (double bass). Drawing from a melting pot of influences from Country heartbreak to Bluegrass dynamism, the combination of powerhouse bass, flame-fingered mandolin, blistering fiddle and three-part harmonies pack a punch as fiery as Jay’s lead vocals.

There’s no better way to experience Jaywalkers than in person. Their live shows are fun, intimate, and full of the kind of energy that can only come from a band completely immersed in the music they create.

For more than 10 years, Jaywalkers have toured regularly across the UK and Europe, honing their craft and releasing their fifth album Move On this year. Mandolin maestro Mike Giverin is also the chief songwriter, and the band’s originals cover themes including the travails of the travelling musician, saving the planet and even tales of being stranded halfway up a mountain. All of these stand proudly alongside their clever covers, foot-stomping bluegrass tunes, and superb interpretations of old country classics.

With a passion for storytelling and a dedication to their craft, Jaywalkers latest album cemented their place in the roots music community, and the autumn tour is a chance to see them at the top of their game.