Page 66 – Maverick Country

Conner Smith drops new single ‘Meanwhile In Carolina’

Leave a Comment / News / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Conner Smith has released his latest single ‘Meanwhile In Carolina’, ahead of his debut album, ‘Smoky Mountains’, which is released on 28th January. Penned by Smith alongside Blake Pendergrass, the sweethearts ballad feels like leafing through a sonic photo album and reveals the genesis of Smith’s real life romance with fiancé Leah Thompson – one lyrical breadcrumb at a time. “’Meanwhile in Carolina’ shows the heart of my debut album and is one of my favourite songs I’ve ever written,” Smith shares. “You always imagine that person, you always think about ’em, wonder where they are, wonder what they’re doing. I was so proud of this song after we wrote it, because I knew it was one that mattered – it was a song that meant something.” “It very much took 23 years to make these 12 songs,” Smith says. “I felt like I found my own lane I was able to drive down and I’m really proud of what it has become. There’s not a wasted second on the record – every song matters. And I think it really shows all the different things that make me ‘me’ – as a songwriter, a vocalist and as a performer.” Smith’s authentic storytelling and soulful voice has resonated with audiences nationwide, earning him a dedicated and passionate following. Recently touring alongside some of country’s biggest artists including Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, Chase Rice and Jordan Davis, Smith continues to put on his signature high-energy performances while headlining his ‘Creek Will Rise’ tour in the U.S. before traveling across the pond for C2C Festival in March, joining CMA’s Introducing Nashville Line Up for performances throughout the U.K. and Europe. To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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It’s all about ‘Trucks, Ducks, Bucks & Beer’ for Brian Kelley

Leave a Comment / News / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

Brian Kelley’s “talkin’ ‘bout ‘Trucks, Ducks, Bucks & Beer,’’’ in his newest release. “I’ve loved this song since the moment we wrote it. I had saved the title for this specific group of songwriters, and it turned out just as I envisioned… with all of my favorite things in one song,” shares Kelley. “Country music can evoke so many emotions, and with ‘Trucks, Ducks, Bucks & Beer’ I feel several at the same time.” Inspired by his time in the country in wife Brittney’s native Georgia, roots run deep in the rural real estate where wildlife still roams free and for those who enjoy it most – hunting, fishing, and proudly buying “camo and ammo” with every hard-earned dollar. Kelley will be in the UK this March to play mainstage at C2C (Country To Country) Festival in London, Glasgow and Belfast. To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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HARDY releases ‘QUIT!!’ and announces accompanying tour

Leave a Comment / News / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

Kicking down the door on his next chapter of music, HARDY returns with “QUIT!!,” an autobiographical and referential spoken word track that recaps his journey to becoming “Nashville’s nü-metal king”. Calling back to his infamous 2022 ACM Honors speech accepting the ACM Songwriter of the Year award, HARDY’s ‘QUIT!!’ continues to push the boundaries between country, rock and metal music. “Thank you for inspiring me to be great,” HARDY says. “I guess sometimes holding a grudge is a good thing.” Taking ‘QUIT!!’ and more new music to come directly to fans, HARDY also announces today his 15-date summer ‘Quit!!’ tour, bringing Kip Moore, Travis Denning, Ella Langley and Stephen Wilson Jr. with him to amphitheatres and arenas across North America. Quit!! tour Dates May 30 – Rogers, Ark. – Walmart AMP May 31 – St. Louis, Mo. – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre June 1 – Noblesville, Ind. – Ruoff Music Center June 6 – Toronto, Ont. – Budweiser Stage June 7 – Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Broadview Stage at SPAC June 8 – Buffalo, N.Y. – Darien Lake Amphitheater June 14 – Charlotte, N.C. – PNC Music Pavilion June 15 – Raleigh, N.C. – Coastal Credit Union Music Park June 20 – Holmdel, N.J. – PNC Bank Arts Center June 21 – Mansfield, Mass. – Xfinity Center June 22 – Gilford, N.H. – BankNH Pavilion June 27 – Camden, N.J. – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion June 28 – Bristow, Va. – Jiffy Lube Live July 25 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Riverbend Music Center July 27 – Tinley Park, Ill. – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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CMT Campfire Sessions season three to premiere 12th January

Leave a Comment / News / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

CMT kicks off 2024 with Season 3 of its star-packed, fan-favourite fireside series CMT Campfire Sessions, premiering 12th January and continuing every Friday night through until 1st March Music’s biggest names gather around the fire to strip down their biggest hits, share new music and swap stories with friends for an intimate night of music. The full eight-episode lineup of ‘CMT Campfire Sessions’ includes: Jan. 12, 10p/9c (premiere) – Chris Young Jan. 19, 10p/9c – NEEDTOBREATHE Jan. 26, 10p/9c – Riley Green Feb. 2, 10p/9c – Dustin Lynch Feb. 9, 10p/9c – “Love Songs” episode ft. Caitlyn Smith, Chris Young, Darius Rucker, Dustin Lynch with MacKenzie Porter & Madeline Merlo, NEEDTOBREATHE, Riley Green, Sara Evans, and Tenille Townes Feb. 16, 10p/9c – Sara Evans Feb. 23, 10p/9c – Darius Rucker Mar. 1, 10p/9c (finale) – “Classic Country” episode ft. Brittney Spencer, Chris Young with Mitchell Tenpenny, Darius Rucker, Dustin Lynch, NEEDTOBREATHE, Priscilla Block, Riley Green, and Sara Evans To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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Tigirlily Gold release breakup track ‘I Tried A Ring On’

Leave a Comment / News / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

Powerhouse duo Tigirlily Gold released their debut EP ‘Blonde’ last summer, establishing sisters Krista and Kendra Slaubaugh’s as certified entertainers with rowdy and empowering songs inspired by the years they spent performing in bars on Nashville’s Lower Broadway. Building on the success of the project’s top 40 track ‘Shoot Tequila’, the duo today unveils a new side to their songwriting, with their emotional new single, ‘I Tried A Ring On’. ‘I Tried A Ring On’, written by Kendra and Krista, alongside Pete Good and Josh Jenkins, and produced by Pete Good, was inspired by their real-life heartbreak. Adding depth to their evolving story, ‘I Tried A Ring On’ conveys a heartfelt tale of love’s illusion and the sobering aftermath of shattered expectations. “We were noticing how many of the breakup songs in country music talk about how hard it is to get over someone, but another extremely hard part of heartbreak that not a lot of people talk about is the gut wrenching feeling of having to start over again when you truly thought you had forever with someone,” Tigirlily Gold shares. “‘I Tried A Ring On’ tells that side of the story, and we are excited for people to discover this whole other side of who we are as writers and as artists.” To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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Elvie Shane will release new album ‘Damascus’ in April

Leave a Comment / News / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

Singer/songwriter Elvie Shane has announced that he will release his sophomore album ‘Damascus’ on 19th April. Shane co-wrote all but one of the songs on the project produced by his frequent collaborator, Oscar Charles. Speaking about his upcoming release, Shane said: “I feel like I’ve grown a lot since ‘Backslider’. I’ve attained just about everything I ever dreamed of…seen the world and made a living with music. I’ve been on top and back down in the mud. In that travel and experience, I’ve paid close attention to people more than anything. I’ve seen a lot of struggle, but in that struggle I found common ground and inspiration. ‘Damascus’ is a record that aims to pick a fight with what holds people down. Normal every day Blue Collar America…my people. These are not all my stories, but they are all stories I believe to be true. But ‘What do I Know.’” He’s given listeners a taste of the project with releases of ‘Baptized’, ‘Jonesin’’ and ‘Forgotten Man’, with the latter dubbed “an ode to blue-collar workers that exposes the heart-aching realities of the working class” and with his latest track “Pill,” critics praised its gripping honesty as it “further cements Shane as a new voice of the damaged, addicted, and lost in country music”. Building his reputation as an artist “that would do Merle Haggard proud”, Elvie Shane reminds us that we’re more alike than different with “What Do I Know,” written by Shane, Oscar Charles, Dan Couch and Jonathan Sherwood. Full of lived-in honesty and fundamental truths, Shane puts his gritty, powerful vocals on display with a mid-tempo version of his classic country-rock sound. To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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Priscilla Block makes her debut supporting Old Dominion on tour

Leave a Comment / News / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

Priscilla Block made her name like many artists do, cutting her teeth in Nashville, a grueling schedule of playing the bars on Broadway and sitting in rounds night after night and hoping one day to take the big stage in Nashville. For years, Priscilla performed at Pete & Terry’s Tavern at Bridgestone Arena, telling her bandmates that one day they would make it inside and play that stage. On Friday 15th December, Priscilla’s dreams came true as she took the stage in support of Old Dominion during their ‘No Bad Vibes Tour’ stop at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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Watch the making of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Stoned Cold Country’ now

Leave a Comment / News / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

In celebration of The Rolling Stones’ 60th anniversary, country’s biggest stars came together for ‘Stoned Cold Country’, released earlier this year and a documentary of the album’s in-studio creation. The documentary, available now to rent or purchase, takes fans behind-the-scenes and into the creation of this love letter to The Rolling Stones from Nashville. Filled with reimagined versions of the legendary rock band’s catalogue, enlisting the help of country stars Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Eric Church, Steve Earle, Elle King, Marcus King, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris, Elvie Shane, Koe Wetzel, The War and Treaty, Lainey Wilson and Zac Brown Band, to sit down with each to dive into the Stones influence on their individual careers. All of these artists share the same spirit as The Rolling Stones – rule breakers and trailblazers. Music is in these artists’ make up, fame or no fame, each of them would be playing music even if they didn’t have a record deal. ‘Stoned Cold Country’ also illustrates the recording process of each of the songs with each artist. Take a deep inside the studio and how all the tracks and vocals were recorded in the same room. The Stones created their music together and by doing so, you can feel the intimacy and connection when it’s done that way. Singers, musicians, engineers and producers are working fully together and feeding off their combined creative energy. Long fascinated by the The Rolling Stones – and specifically their country roots – Deaton, long-standing executive producer of the CMA Awards, spent the past several years on a specific mission: namely to shine a light on the Stones’ influence not only on country music at large, but more specifically on some of its most convention-busting contemporary artists. To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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Review: Mickey Jupp – Hallelujah to Amen LP

Leave a Comment / Top Picks / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

Mickey Jupp is a legend in the R&B Pub Rock ‘N’ Roll circuit in the UK. Unlike many other musicians, he has been executing his genius for almost 50 years without the need to court fame. With his new album, ‘Hallelujah to Amen’, Jupp brings together references to rock ‘n’ roll, blues and hints of psychedelia. The rip-roaring starter ‘I Should Be Loving This’ kicks the LP off with a heavy guitar rock ‘n’ roll sentiment, but by the time of ‘Out On The Edge’, Jupp has slid easily into blues and basslines. Produced in his cottage using vintage recording equipment, the sound feels true bluegrass – to the point you can imagine a smoke-filled bar with only Jupp’s blues and mysterious strangers for company. The wit, emotion and exceptional quality of Jupp’s musical abilities makes you wish you’d discovered his work earlier if you hadn’t and want to see him perform live only to get a dusting of his energetic talent. To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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Review: Randall King – Hang of Hangin’ On EP

Leave a Comment / Top Picks / Rebecca Morpeth-Spayne

King’s new EP comes a few months before he drops his third album in January 2024. The Texas native utilises his mother tongue in this latest batch of songs, with a heavy emphasis on a sound that grows as his audiences do. This is good stadium country music, emotional songs to draw the listener into his internal world and conflicts sit comfortably alongside the rougher, rockier tracks on the EP. Due notice was taken on the slower tracks of King’s impressive use of harmony that creates some not-so-run-of-the-mill country ballads. Taking notes from 80s country twang style – think George Strait and Keith Whitley – if this is King’s taster for the upcoming album, then he’s onto a winner. To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: [email protected]

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