The County Affair Celebrate Weekend Cowboys on New Single
‘Weekend Cowboy’ is the new single from British duo, The County Affair, released on 13th January 2023 on XandY Records.
The single is the first track to be lifted from the band’s second album Two Days’ Drive, which is set for release in March and, like their 2021 debut album Off The Grid, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
Having played a 20-date UK tour with Ward Thomas in 2021and performed at London’s C2C festival, The British Country Music Festival and Black Deer 2022, The County Affair are now ready to give everyone a taste of what is to come with ‘Weekend Cowboy’.
The single pays homage to fans of Country Music across the world, but in particular those who are dedicated to following the movement each weekend, attending shows, supporting local artists and enjoying the culture of Country Music – the fastest growing genre in the UK, with over 6 million people now claiming to be fans.
Brenna says, “It is amazing to see the sheer level of interest in Country and Americana music in the U.K. Seeing so many people immersing themselves in the genre while on tour and at the festivals we’ve played at inspired the idea for Weekend Cowboy.”
The County Affair story was 30-years in the making for childhood best friends Kevin Brennan and Tony Regan. The pair met in Nottingham in the 1970s, travelling together on the same school bus each day. They talked endlessly about music and the ‘country rock’ and ‘outlaw country’ sounds that were emerging from the US at the time. “Our school friends were listening to The Clash or The Police,” says Kevin. “But Tony and I were much more interested in checking out Joe Ely, Waylon Kennings and Gram Parsons.”
As teenagers, the pair gigged together extensively thanks to Kevin’s Dad having an Irish Showband, for which there was huge demand in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
In their early twenties, Kevin and Tony decided to go travelling across America. Spending extended periods performing gigs in Texas, they soon became a household name within the wider Irish community, receiving glowing reviews from local press and radio.
Eventually landing in the thriving music scene of San Francisco, Tony and Kevin became sought after by venues across the city, sometimes playing up to four sets a night, four nights a week.
It wasn’t long before they were approached to sign to management and turn professional, but with post-graduate jobs waiting for both of them in the UK they decided it was time to go home.
30 years later, married with families and successful business careers under their belt, the duo decided in 2020 that the time was right to address what felt to them like unfinished business. Kevin began working with Tony on some of songs he had been writing and in no time at all The County Affair was born.
Having made a few tracks available on Spotify, veteran songwriter-producer Tom Nichols heard Kevin on the radio talking about The County Affair. Tom liked what he heard and looked the band up. Kevin says, “Tom got in touch and very kindly offered to take us under his wings. We then went to Abbey Road studios to make what would become our debut album, Off The Grid and we haven’t looked back.”
To stream/download Weekend Cowboy: https://lnk.fu.ga/thecountyaffair_weekendcowboy
Watch the video for Weekend Cowboy: https://youtu.be/y9NEURzXUA4
