Editor, Author at Maverick Country

Blast from the Past: George Jones

With what would have been George Jones’s 95th birthday approaching on 12 September, it is a fitting time to remember one of the most distinctive and influential voices in country music history. Known affectionately as “The Possum”, Jones experienced extraordinary success alongside turbulent personal struggles, leaving behind a catalogue that continues to influence country artists today. From Texas to country music George Glenn Jones was born on 12 September 1931 in Saratoga, Texas, and grew up in a large, working class family. Music became an important part of his childhood, with Jones singing in church and learning guitar. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, he began pursuing music professionally and emerged from the Texas country scene during the 1950s. His first major breakthrough arrived with “Why Baby Why” in 1955. It established Jones as a rising country performer and began a recording career that would span more than half a century. George Jones finds his voice Jones initially drew inspiration from artists including Hank Williams, but gradually developed one of country music’s most recognisable vocal styles. His ability to communicate heartbreak, regret and vulnerability became central to his appeal. Songs including “The Window Up Above”, “She Thinks I Still Care”, “The Grand Tour” and “A Good Year for the Roses” helped establish him as one of the genre’s greatest interpreters of emotional songs. His most celebrated recording arrived in 1980 with “He Stopped Loving Her Today”. The devastating story of a man whose love ends only with his death became synonymous with Jones and is widely regarded as a country music classic. George Jones and Tammy Wynette Jones’s personal and professional relationship with Tammy Wynette became another defining chapter of his career. The pair married in 1969 and became one of country music’s most famous couples. Together they recorded songs including “We’re Gonna Hold On”, “Golden Ring” and “Near You”. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1975, but their musical partnership continued, with their voices remaining closely associated with the classic country duet tradition. Personal struggles and No Show Jones Behind his musical success, Jones endured serious problems with alcohol and drugs. His unpredictability led to missed concerts and earned him the nickname “No Show Jones”. Those struggles became inseparable from his public image for a period, but his life eventually became more stable. His marriage to Nancy Sepulvado in 1983 proved particularly important, and Jones later credited her with helping him rebuild his life and career. He continued recording and performing for decades, becoming an elder statesman for traditional country music as the genre changed around him. A lasting country music legacy Jones received numerous honours during his lifetime, including induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992 and recognition at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2008. He also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. George Jones died on 26 April 2013 in Nashville, aged 81. From his unmistakable phrasing to the raw emotion he brought to heartbreak songs, Jones helped establish a benchmark for country singing that generations of performers have attempted to follow.

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Eddy Mann. MTS Management. maverick-country.com

Eddy Mann releases worship single “We Are”

News / Editor

Veteran Christian singer songwriter and worship leader Eddy Mann has released “We Are”, a contemplative, jazz influenced worship song inspired by passages from the Book of Revelation. Officially released as a single on 21 August, “We Are” originally appears on Mann’s album “The Unveiling” and draws its inspiration from Revelation 4:8b and 4:11. The track transforms the biblical vision of worship into a meditation on identity, unity and humanity’s relationship with God. “We Are” draws inspiration from Revelation With a career spanning more than three decades, Mann has developed an extensive catalogue centred around faith, hope, compassion and the everyday realities of the spiritual journey. “We Are” continues those themes while exploring different musical territory, combining contemporary and contemplative worship with elements of sacred jazz. Mann explained that the song emerged from a personal moment of worship and reflection on Revelation chapter four. He said: “It’s a jazz influenced scripture song that grew out of a quiet time of worship, inspired by a devotional moment in Revelation, chapter four.” Eddy Mann embraces unusual 5/4 rhythm One of the song’s most distinctive musical characteristics is its 5/4 time signature. According to Mann, however, the unusual rhythm was not something he deliberately set out to incorporate. He said: “It wasn’t intentionally composed in 5/4 time; it simply settled there on its own, as though it had found the rhythm it was always meant to have.” The resulting arrangement brings musical complexity to a song built around a deliberately simple spiritual message. Worship song explores identity and unity The lyrics draw directly on the biblical inspiration behind the track, beginning with declarations of God’s holiness before developing into a refrain centred around collective identity, purpose and devotion. The song includes the declaration, “Holy, holy, holy/ Is the Lord Almighty”, before moving into its central message: “We are Your will/ We are Your desire/ We are Your pleasure.” Through those words, Mann places an emphasis on togetherness rather than separation and collective spiritual identity rather than individualism. While the wider world can encourage division and culture can place individual identity at its centre, Mann instead focuses the song around the concept of “we”. Eddy Mann continues three decade career Throughout his career, Mann has released more than 20 albums and received recognition through Christian radio and international digital charts. He has also developed a dedicated audience through his personal approach to faith centred songwriting. His catalogue has explored worship, relationships, suffering, perseverance and spiritual renewal, with Mann consistently placing authenticity ahead of commercial trends. “We Are” brings many of those ideas together, contrasting its unconventional musical structure with the simplicity of its message. More than 20 albums of Christian music Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mann is a singer songwriter, musician, worship leader and minister whose career has now spanned more than three decades. Across more than 20 albums, he has developed a sound incorporating contemporary Christian music, worship, folk, jazz and roots music. His creative approach is guided by what he describes as his “audience of One”, while his music continues to centre on faith, hope, compassion and the belief that every artist is called to discover and share an authentic individual voice.

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Maverick catches up with Parmalee

Live Events, News / Editor

At Country Calling last month, Parmalee‘s long awaited UK debut proved well worth the wait as they closed Saturday night with a high energy set build around songs that have defined their rise in the States. The band gave the UK crowd plenty to sing along to with songs such as “Cowgirl” and “Gonna Love You” before “Take My Name” provided another stand out moment. Earlier that day, Maverick was lucky enough to catch up with Parmalee. How have you been finding your first time in the UK? We’re loving it. We already feel like we’re right at home. Everyone has been so nice over here and the food has been great. We’re getting used to some of the British terms and phrases since being here as well. We asked someone for directions the other day and the guy said, “Well, that’s such a long journey from here.” It really wasn’t far at all! A bartender the other night asked, “Fancy a cocktail, do ya?” and I thought as a matter of fact, I do. It’s been fun picking up all the little differences from home since being here. What can you tell me about your tonights performance? How’re you feeling? We’re really looking forward to it. We’ve got a great set planned and we’re bringing everything we do in the States over here, plus some. The audience will be getting a little more bang for your buck. We’ve got some special stuff lined up for tonight too, so we’re excited. Everyone keeps telling us that the UK audiences really listen which is it’s kinda scary, it means we’ve got to be really good! No pressure! Can you tell me what your biggest inspirations for your career are? Honestly, probably not having to go back to the terrible jobs we had before. We all spent a lot of years working our $10 an hour outdoor jobs just trying to make the man happy. We’ve each done different things from an logging to farming. Two of us did Pizza delivery for a while. We did whatever it took and we had family and friends who supported what we were trying to do. They would help us get off early on a Friday so we could go out on the weekends and play Friday and Saturday nights. Sometimes, if we did have a Thursday night show they would let us off so we could go.

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Beyond Nashville: Gareth

Beyond Nashville / Editor

Northern Irish country artist Gareth has released his new single “One That Got Away”, offering the opening taste of his forthcoming debut album, “Halfway Home”. Set for release on 2 October, “Halfway Home” explores Gareth’s experience of building a new life and career in Nashville while remaining connected to his Northern Irish roots. “One That Got Away” opens new album Gareth co wrote “One That Got Away” with Jules Brave, whose credits include Lauren Spencer Smith and Will Linley, Autumn Buysse, who has worked with Dasha and Tyler Braden, and Seth Michael, whose credits include Dylan Scott, Warren Zeiders and Ashley Cooke. The song centres on appreciating the important relationships in life and holding on to the people who matter. Gareth said: “‘One That Got Away’ is a reminder to hold on to the people you love the most. Whether it’s a partner, friend, or family member, the song reminds us to stay close to the people who mean the most to us. “Sonically, this feels like a perfect way to kick off my debut album and gives you a taste of what is to come on it!” Halfway Home explores life between two worlds Gareth’s debut album, “Halfway Home”, is built around the experience of living between two worlds, the place that shaped him and the place where he is now pursuing his ambitions. Born in Northern Ireland and now based in Nashville, Gareth uses the project to explore what it means to leave home without completely leaving it behind. Family, memory and identity feature throughout the record as Gareth considers the sacrifices involved in pursuing a career thousands of miles away from loved ones. While his family remains at home in Northern Ireland, Nashville has become the place where ambition, heartbreak, personal growth and new possibilities collide. That tension sits at the heart of “Halfway Home”, capturing the conflicting emotions of missing home while knowing that leaving was necessary, and finding a sense of belonging somewhere new without losing a connection to where everything began. Gareth’s upcoming tour UK and European fans will have another opportunity to hear the new material later this year when Gareth returns for his *Halfway Home* Tour. The 16-date headline tour across the UK and Europe will take place in November, with tickets on sale now. From Castlederg to Nashville Originally from the small Northern Irish town of Castlederg, Gareth grew up listening to country legends including George Jones and Hank Williams Jr. He initially developed a loyal online following by sharing heartfelt cover songs before experiencing a breakthrough with a stripped down interpretation of Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season”. The performance went viral and helped provide the foundations for an international career. Now based in Nashville, Gareth has continued building his audience through original music. His “Steal Your Thunder” EP showcased the emotional storytelling and melodic approach that have become central to his style, while “Shoulders I Stand On” marked another chapter by combining personal songwriting with modern country production. Gareth surpasses 70 million streams Gareth’s growing catalogue has now accumulated more than 70 million global streams and helped him secure a publishing deal with BMG. His music has received editorial playlist support, including placements on New Boots and Today’s Country, alongside airplay from SiriusXM’s The Highway, Smooth Country and Absolute Country Radio. Gareth has also built a following of more than one million fans across social media. During summer 2024, he toured internationally, including sold out headline shows across the UK and Europe. He also performed at Belfast’s SSE Arena alongside Kip Moore.

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The Long Road Festival welcomes over 40,000 country music fans

Live Events / Editor

More than 40,000 country music fans came together across four days at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire as The Long Road Festival 2026 celebrated country, roots and Americana music. The festival brought together international stars, country legends and homegrown talent alongside food, classic cars and a packed programme of immersive activities. From traditional country and Americana to rock, folk, funk and contemporary country, this year’s event once again showcased the breadth of music represented at The Long Road. Country fans embrace the British weather Despite unpredictable conditions, festivalgoers made the most of the weekend, singing in the rain, dancing in the sunshine and forming new friendships beneath the rainbows that appeared over the site. The changing weather reflected the spirit of Dolly Parton’s famous words: “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” For The Long Road crowd, the sentiment proved particularly fitting as fans embraced everything the weekend had to offer. Across the festival, artists and fans paid tribute to country music legend Dolly Parton, who had passed away just days before the event. A specially dedicated Dolly Forever Wall gave festivalgoers and performers the opportunity to leave personal messages reflecting on Parton’s extraordinary legacy and the influence she had on generations of country artists. The Long Road Festival’s Creative Director, Baylen Leonard, said: “This year’s Long Road was a fantastic celebration of the spirit and community at the heart of country music. Offering a welcoming and inclusive environment, it’s a place where everyone can feel accepted, connected and part of something special. “There’s a real sense of coming home at The Long Road, and we want everyone who joins us to feel that the festival is a place where they can truly be themselves. As we continue to grow, we look forward to welcoming new faces, whilst seeing familiar ones return year after year.” The Shires headline Friday at The Long Road Friday got the festival off to a flying start as The Shires headlined the glittering Rhinestone Stage. The duo’s continued growth reflected the extraordinary rise of country music in the UK and the strength of the homegrown scene that has been an important part of The Long Road throughout its history. Steve Earle delivered a set filled with classics and the storytelling that has made him such an influential figure in country and Americana, while The 502s emerged as one of the day’s standout acts with their energy and enthusiasm. Harleymoon Kemp brought her commanding presence to The Interstate, while “pocket sized cowgirl” Chanel Yates made an impression with her vivacious performance. Ronnie Wood and Imelda May lead Saturday Saturday saw Ronnie Wood headline the festival, opening his set with The Rolling Stones classic “It’s Only Rock’n’Roll (But I Like It)” before performing a cover of Willie Nelson’s “On The Road Again”. Wood then welcomed Imelda May to the stage for a series of performances, with the pair coming together for a particularly poignant rendition of “9 to 5” in tribute to Dolly Parton. Josh Ross impressed on the main stage with his effortless charm, while First Time Flyers reached another milestone by performing on the main stage after previously appearing on every other stage at The Long Road. Australia’s Hayley Jensen opened The Interstate Stage with powerful vocals and show stopping outfits, while Twinnie performed her new single “Wild One” alongside tracks from her forthcoming album. Jason and The High Heat brought funk and groove to the festival, while Dawson Anderson attracted a large crowd at the Front Porch. Maren Morris closes The Long Road Sunday brought the festival to an unforgettable conclusion, with Maren Morris delivering her exclusive UK performance. Her set featured some of her biggest and best loved songs, including “The Middle”, “Bones” and “My Church”. Another significant moment arrived when Emmylou Harris took to the stage for the final UK performance of her European farewell tour. A close friend and musical collaborator of Dolly Parton, Harris delivered a deeply personal tribute with “When We’re Gone, Long Gone”, originally released with Parton in 1999. The performance took place as Stanford Hall was illuminated in pink, creating one of the weekend’s most poignant moments. Elsewhere on Sunday, Ryan and Rory brought plenty of energy, The Brothers Comatose added their distinctive folk sound to the line up, and Lily Fitts captivated audiences with her silky vocals. Josh Beer wins Homegrown Country Music Contest The Long Road continued its commitment to developing the next generation of British country talent through the Homegrown Country Music Contest. Hosted by Janet Devlin, the competition provided emerging UK artists with a platform to showcase their music. Josh Beer was named this year’s winner after impressing both audiences and judges against strong competition. Last year’s winner, Liam Price, returned to the festival to perform on the Rhinestone Stage, further establishing himself among the next wave of rising UK country artists. Country lifestyle takes over Stanford Hall Music was only part of The Long Road experience, with festivalgoers able to enjoy a wide variety of immersive activities throughout the weekend. Highlights included the car and bike show, Smoke & Fire BBQ food experience, food eating competitions and sold out sittings at the on site Red Dog Saloon restaurant. From afterparties continuing until 1am to crafts and line dancing at the Front Porch from 11am, the festival placed connection, conversation, celebration and creativity at the centre of the experience. Families, pets, lifelong friends, country newcomers and dedicated fans all came together throughout the four day event. The Long Road Festival confirms 2027 dates With The Long Road 2026 now complete, attention is already turning towards next year’s festival. The Long Road Festival will return to Stanford Hall from 26 to 29 August 2027. Earlybird tickets for The Long Road Festival 2027 will go on sale on Thursday, 3 September, at 9.30am.

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Queen of Country Music passes away

Exclusives, News / Editor

Celebrate the life of Dolly Parton, a true icon in country music known for her heartfelt songs and philanthropic spirit.

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Country Music Superstars

Dolly Parton receives 100 Million Album Sales Award

Interview: Dolly Parton – Simply Dolly

Blast From The Past, Exclusives / Editor

In our exclusive interview back in 2017, Dolly Parton bares her heart to Eve Barlow. Truly a people’s artist, Dolly Parton’s lyrical inspiration on her latest album, Pure & Simple, is the same as it’s always been. She famously titled the character of the song Jolene after a child with that name at the front of her show. She insists her new guitar-led album highlight Head Over High Heels, which references Adele, is no shrewd attempt at luring the biggest popstar of 2016 into the studio. It’s just about who she uses for make-up inspiration these days. “Ah! Don’t you love that song?” she says. “I was just writing it and I didn’t even mean to [namecheck Adele]. I started singing, ‘Put on ma high heels/Lips painted…’ and I was thinking about painting my eyes up and all of a sudden it just came to me – ‘…my eyes like Adele’. And I thought, ‘Oh I love that line’. All my little nieces, all my girlfriends, everyone’s always trying to paint their eyeliner like Adele, and I thought, ‘What a clever little line for that’. You always hear that saying, ‘I’m head over heels in love.’ Well, for me, it would be ‘head over high heels’. That’s clever, right?” This year Dolly also celebrated her 70th birthday. “Did you say 17?” she jokes. “I heard 17”. Another time-old saying is that age ain’t nothing but a number, and the track I’m Sixteen is testament to that – a song about how she still acts like a teenager in love. It was written about her sister. “She had two terrible marriages, they broke her heart and she was so devoted to both of them. She thought, ‘I’ll never love again’. So down and depressed. All of a sudden she meets this guy, they’ve been through similar stuff, they got together and they are so happy they’re like two little silly kids. I thought, ‘My God, they think they’re 16!’ That’s where I got the inspiration for that.” Feminism When it comes to her stance on feminism – a word she still says makes her feel uncomfortable – Dolly is quick to attest to the important males she’s looked up to throughout her life. “I never think about it like that [men vs women]. Every once in a while I’ll look around and think, ‘Oh my, I’m the only girl in here’. But I just always had what I had to offer. I grew up in a family of six brothers and my dad, my uncles, my grandpas. I was very close to them. I just understand men, I’m comfortable with men, unlike a lot of women. But I’m so, so proud of women – of us.” Even when discussing her former boss Porter Wagoner, who she co-starred with on The Porter Wagoner Show, and wrote I Will Always Love You about after parting ways with him, she’s gracefully measured. “He gave me a wonderful opportunity. I’ll always be grateful for that. He was a country boy and there was that inbred male chauvinist thing in him that a woman’s place is in the home. So when I started, and all of a sudden not only did I write songs but I sang them too, and had business thoughts, we clashed. We still need each other, men and women. We need our boys in their places and we need to be left alone to be in ours to do what we do. I think it’s wonderful that we’ve got to that point where we can be equal. Of course, there’s still a lot of work to do.” Staying Power Parton’s appreciation of men stems from the fact she inherited her acumen from her father, then built her career from it to ensure longevity and real staying power. “My daddy was a real smart person. Daddy was not educated at all but daddy had horse sense – that’s what we call it in the country, they call it street smart in the cities. That innate knowledge of what to do, what not to do, how to bargain, how to barter, my daddy was great at that. So I got my business sense from my dad. My daddy took care of everything, he counted every penny, he needed to know where everything was going, he had to. I learned that early on and I just applied that to my own business.” Parton played the long game and it’s worked. “I knew I didn’t wanna get hick-rich like so many young people do in the business. I didn’t wanna just make a bunch of quick money and then be gone tomorrow. This is a fickle business. You can have one or two hit records, or even just one, and think you’re the biggest star in the world and it never [takes off].” Passing down the generations, her god-daughter Miley Cyrus seems to have picked up some of that horse sense too. Parton doesn’t speak to Miley too regularly but the relationship there is authentic. “Don’t you love her?” she says. “I love Miley. We’ll send little messages back and forth now and then. I think the girl is so talented, so smart. She’s young and when she was going through all her stuff, she was trying to become who she is and that’s been hard for her, to crack through that other glass ceiling – that Hannah Montana entity – to be allowed to be Miley Cyrus. Everybody was so worried about her and I said, ‘Look, I’m not worried about her. I know she may be doing a lot of stuff but she knows what she’s doing. I don’t worry about how far or how high she jumps, she’s gonna land on her feet!’” Artistic Integrity Dolly knows how to fight for artistic integrity, too, having been criticised in the 80s in particular for turning her back on the country scene, and charging ahead into something more mainstream pop. “You have to do

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Dolly Parton’s Pure & Simple Debuts At #1 Worldwide!

News / Editor

A look back to 2016: World-renowned Dolly Parton has a worldwide #1 album to celebrate

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