A Thousand Horses Announce Debut Visit to the UK at This Year's C2C Festival

A Thousand Horses have announced their debut visit to the UK with a performance at C2C, the UK’s biggest country music festival, at the O2 Arena alongside an intimate headline show at The Barfly in Camden, London.

The band recently revealed the video for their latest single ‘First Time’. C-Listed at Radio2, the track is an effortless union of southern rock with an anthemic soulful vibe throughout that mixes Black Crowes-style groove with undeniable swagger. The video features a montage of footage taken from their smash hit US tour when the band hit the road as a nine-piece complete with three backing singers, a fiddle and a keyboard player.

That very same nine-piece will be bringing their thundering sound to London where they will be performing at The Brooklyn Bowl in The O2 as part of the C2C festival alongside Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Dwight Yoakam, Little Big Town, Kacey Musgroves, Eric Church, Striking Matches and many more.

"Since we were kids we have dreamt of performing in the UK and to finally make it happen is a dream come true” says DeLoach. "The Beatles, Oasis and Led Zeppelin are some of our favorite bands. We are super stoked to come play in the UK” concludes Satcher.

Don’t miss A Thousand Horses when they gallop into town this March:
Sun 13th – C2C Festival, The O2 Arena
Tue 15th – The Barfly, London

A Thousand Horses released their critically-acclaimed debut album Southernality last year which features their Planet Rock Radio A-listed UK debut ‘Trailer Trashed’ – a ballsy, southern-rock party anthem with a slick groove, soulful backing vocals and big, big harmonies.

The band have been nominated for the Academy of Country Music Award for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year and were hotly tipped by Rolling Stone Country and USA Today for their soaring ballad ‘Smoke’, which saw them become the first band to have a debut single reach #1 on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart this decade while its video received a nomination at the CMT Music Awards.

Taking the finest from their influences they have created a fresh fusion of classic sounds – a hybrid of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, Black Crowes and Exile on Main Street-era Rolling Stones – wrapped up in a modern-country context.

Single of the Week: 'Sit Here and Cry' - Aubrie Sellers

Aubrie Sellers mixes country, Americana, bluegrass and rock effortlessly. The daughter of Jason Sellers and Lee Ann Womack, music runs in her blood and her debut album, New City Blues has received critical acclaim since its release last month and quite rightfully so, for it would be a stunning piece of work for any artist, let alone it being the first - of many - for Sellers.

If you're looking for an example of raw talent, then you've found it with 'Sit Here and Cry'. There are echoes of Womack, Musgraves and Lambert but, really, Aubrie is very much her own performer and this song of heartbreak demonstrates this, her voice and personality strong and shining with every word.

One to watch, for sure.

Single of the Week: 'Pay The Price' - Mandy Bo

Canada has always offered the country scene some strong leading ladies such as the iconic Shania Twain, the critically acclaimed Lindi Ortega and the emerging Lindsay Ell who looks to have a bright future ahead of her. Mandy Bo, from Ontario, is like Ell, another upcoming talent as she follows in the footsteps of Ortega, and currently plying her trade on the independent scene, waiting for her big break.

'Pay The Price' is the first single from her EP, Making Herstory and is a satisfying fusion of country twang and a dance-y beat that'd be at home at any club right now. It's catchy...it's really catchy and, for some, the opening line of 'Woke this morn, hell of a hang' will strike an all too familiar chord...let's just hope that for those some that that's where the similarities end and do not involve a visit from the boys in blue or an arrest for the events of the night before that the narrator is slowly starting to remember. And she has a hell of a 'price to pay' for her night.

Fortunately, you do not have to pay any price to get your hands on our single of the week - Mandy is offering it as a free single on her site right now. Go get it.

Follow Mandy on Twitter.

Like Mandy on Facebook.

Check out her site here.

Interview: A Few Questions with Jill and Kate

(Photo courtesy: Jill & Kate)

Jill Pickering and Kate Rapier - aka Jill and Kate - have toured the world both as backing singers for Kelly Clarkson and as a duo in their own right. The singer-songwriter duo, who first met in 2003, have amassed a strong following this side of the pond with a well-received appearance at Country 2 Country in 2014 which was followed a few months later by a tour of their own.

At the end of 2015, the duo released an album of lullabies, titled simply Lullabies. We caught up with them to chat about their latest release, the UK and more!

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You girls have a very loyal fanbase in the UK already but for those who may not have heard of you, can you tell us a little about yourselves?

Yes! We are a harmony-driven singer/songwriter duo based in Nashville, Tennessee and we've been singing together for 13 years. We are not sisters, though many people think we are! We love writing songs in hopes that they connect people to each other and that they prevent people from feeling lonely. We love coffee, wine, jumping pictures, and traveling...especially to the UK!

For nearly six years, you toured the world as backing singers for the incredible Kelly Clarkson. That must have been quite an experience.

It was so amazing. The places we were able to see, people we were able to meet, and the experience we gained from those 6 years were incredible. Kelly is one of the best singers in the world, so to sing with her every night was not only enjoyable, but also a great learning experience. We had so much fun with the band and crew who became like family...and they still are, even years later. Those 6 years were definitely a career highlight!

Lullabies

You’ve just released Lullabies - an album of, as the title suggests, lullabies - and caught everyone off guard with this sudden announcement of new music. it must have been hard to keep the project a secret from both your fans, as well as one of your friends who inspired you to write the album, surely?

So hard! We felt so secretive all the time when people would ask us what we were working on. We're not very good liars! Haha! This album was so different and so rewarding for us to make. It was a gift for our friend Jenny and her new baby, Annie...but it became so much more than that. It's always fun to work on something totally different than what you would normally do.

It’s a very beautiful and very well crafted album, from start to finish. How long did it take to make it?

Thank you!! That is very kind and means a lot. The writing process took about a month. We recorded it in our office completely by ourselves which took about a week. Then with mixing, mastering, and re-production, there were about another 3 weeks. So it took about 2 months all together!

As mentioned, you were inspired to make the album because of one of your friends’ pregnancies. Where else do you find inspiration from when writing?

As we started to write these songs, we realized the words and melodies were really important. It wasn't just a "Kids' album" but songs that would lull children and adults to sleep. As we were writing, we thought about what kinds of words and themes we would want spoken over us as we fell asleep. So a lot of our inspiration came from those thoughts...asking for "love to be near" or saying that "Angels are watching over you." We often find inspiration from life all around us. We find that you have to be experience life to gain inspiration and to write. Sometimes when you are stuck in a writing rut you just need to get outside and live for a bit--life continually offers inspiration...you just sometimes need to go out and live it.


In July, you played the main stage at Country Thunder to a crowd of around 30,000. Do you ever find yourselves nervous on stage, especially with huge crowds, or is it quite the opposite? 

Yes, that was SO much fun! There's always the tiniest bit of nerves whenever we have a show, but they're often excited nerves more than anything. Sometimes very intimate crowds are even more nerve-racking than huge audiences. We're not sure why that is, but that's what we find!

It’s been a little while since you last toured over here, with a handful of dates in England in 2014 as well as appearing at Country to Country that same year. I’ve heard many fond stories from your fans who got the chance to see you. Can they expect any more tours imminent (with maybe a date or two in Scotland for us Scots?), perhaps in 2016?

Jill and Kate and C2C in 2014 (photo courtesy: Jill and Kate)

Ahhhh! We would LOVE to come back ASAP and we hope to! We absolutely LOVE the UK. As independent artists, it can be difficult to financially make certain things work and traveling to the UK is one of those things. We are working on getting back over there (hopefully in 2016) and we hope to make a Scotland date happen too! Perhaps we can have a wee dram together!

Did you expect such a warm reaction when you first came over, for the Country to Country festival?

It was so wonderful. The UK audience has always been so welcoming and lovely to us. We didn't know there would be so many people at the C2C, so that was a welcomed surprise!

Finally, I just wanted to talk about your blog and, in particular, one of your recents posts you’ve made, ‘When Someone Calls You Huge’. It was a very inspiring post written about what was a horrible experience and, unfortunately, it’s not that uncommon in music for women. And, of course, at the start of the year there was the whole #SaladGate issue - the music world can seem like a pretty horrible and scary world for young girls wanting to pursue a career in the industry. Do you have any words or advice for them?

Yes, it was definitely a significant part of our year last year. What we most want to encourage young girls, (and really all women) to do, is to be yourself, love yourself, and to not be afraid. There are so many haters and people who thrive off of putting others down. If you feel overwhelmed, start small. Start making a list of things you like about yourself. Ask people you trust to help you if you need help. Say positive affirmations each morning. We all need to recognize that we are unique and each have a purpose. You are loved.

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Follow Jill and Kate on Twitter, like them on Facebook, check out their site and download Lullabies from iTunes.

Single of the Week: 'Gone' - Ty Dillon

Following in the footsteps of the great George Strait, Ty Dillon regularly played original material at the Cheatham Street Warehouse not long after making the move from San Antonio to San Marcos. He released his debut EP in 2013 before soon following it up with his debut album, Sunsets and Pickups.

'Gone' is the first UK release from that album and it's a good introduction to UK listeners. It's a fun song about being in love and wanting to get away from everything else just to spend some time with the special person in your life. Youth seeps through this song from this theme but Dillon's mature vocals and polished lyrics ground it with more meaning than your usual 'young and in love' sort of song.

Is it the stand-out track on his album? No. It's a great track but, for me personally, that title goes to the album's title track, 'Sunsets and Pickups', a song that has minimal production, letting the lyrics and Dillon's vocals shine. 

A fine singer-songwriter and still so young, Ty Dillon has a promising career ahead of him if he keeps producing material of this high level. One to watch.

Get 'Gone' on iTunes

Follow Ty on Twitter

Like Ty on Facebook

Check out his website

Interview: Lindi Ortega

Photo credit: Julie Moe

In today's country music scene, it can be hard to see past all the ballcaps, flannel shirts and red plastic cups. Yet if you do look hard enough, you can find the veil, black dresses and trademark red boots of Lindi Ortega, a Toronto native now based in Nashville. A fine singer and songwriter, Ortega has recently released her fourth full-length album, Faded Gloryville and has
been touring Europe in support of it.

Before her show at The Mash House in Edinburgh, Lindi was kind enough to take some time out to chat to us about her tour, her album, playing at the Grand Ole Opry and share her views on the current country scene.

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How are you finding the tour so far?

- Well, it’s been a little challenging just because I ended up getting sick in Belfast.

It’s a long tour as well, isn’t it?

- It’s a long tour but it’s really just started. We’re about eight days into it and for most of those eight days, I’ve been battling a cold. But I think it’s on the way out soon. I can’t imagine it can get worse than it’s been.

Lindi Performing at The Mash House (23/1)

What’s the tour been like so far? You’ve already played in England, how was that?

- We’ve only done a couple of shows in England. We started off in Ireland and then Glasgow last night and it’s been great. I mean, as good as it can be with me trying to battle a cold and make my way through the shows.

Do you like touring?

- Yeah, when I’m not sick, it’s fun.

Is it difficult being away for so long from friends and family?

- From family, it is. I also have cats so I miss my cats. It will also destroy any relationship you’ve ever had in terms of anything romantic. It doesn’t work out ever for me. It makes for good songs so at least I get something out of it.

You’re off to other parts of Europe after your UK dates. What’s it being from an English speaking country, what’s the language barrier like?

- I mean Sweden has a language barrier, Germany has a language barrier. I’m just used to dealing with countries that their first language isn’t English but people are always, if they like my music, they understand what I’m saying. They make an effort to speak to me. And I make an effort to speak to them, I try to learn little bits and phrases everywhere I go which I think is the kindest thing to do when you’re going to a country that doesn’t speak English.

Let’s talk a little bit about your album. I read that your Cigarettes and Truckstops album was inspired by a Hank Williams biography that you read?

- The album wasn’t inspired by that. I would say that my whole career has been inspired a bit by Hank Williams. My move to Nashville was inspired by that biography as I read a lot about Nashville from reading that biography but no, that record wasn’t really inspired by one particular thing.

So, is it fair to say that Faded Gloryville is the same, that it’s inspired by over the years and not just one thing?

- Yeah. I named – this is the problem I have with naming my record after one song as everybody thinks that the whole record is about the title of that one song and I’m starting to realise that the next record I make isn’t gonna be the title of any of my songs, it’s just gonna be completely different. Yeah, it was just one song that was inspired by a Jeff Bridges movie called Crazy Heart and I wrote this song but all the songs, they’re not all connected and there’s no major or overarching themes or anything.

What’s your songwriting process like? Do you write when you’re on the road or do you sit down and write when you know you’re gonna make an album?

- I don’t really have like a procedure or a formula for how I do it, I just do it differently. Sometimes I’m just inspired, I’ll think of song lyrics when I’m walking down the street and they’ll turn into something and other times they’ll just all come out at once.

Lindi's latest album, Faded Gloryville

You wrote and co-wrote this album all but one song on this album. Do you have a favourite song from the album or any that mean the most to you on the album?

- It changes. And that co-writing my album is very different, I’ve never did that before. I co-wrote a couple of songs on my records before but the reason there was so much co-writing on this record was time constraints, so we were just trying to get songs together in a particular amount of time. It sort of came up quite quickly the fact that we were gonna be making a record so I started to open myself up to working with a bunch of different people and try to come up with a bunch of songs but I rather enjoy writing my own.

There’s obviously a cover on the album, of a Bee Gees song. Was that also down to time constraints or was it just a song you really wanted on there?

- No, I actually really liked that song and I was singing it in my live sets for a really long time so I just wanted to put it on the record.

Last year, you were at the Grand Ole Opry. What was that like?

- It was amazing. I was nervous, I don’t think I’d ever been more nervous for anything in my whole life. That experience…I mean it’s the stage where all my country music heroes played and it was just an incredible experience. I can’t even articulate what it was because it was surreal to me.

What was it like to get that call to play?

- It was surreal. I mean, how could you say no? Are you even asking? Of course!

I read an opinion piece that you did on women in country music. Do you think it might be off putting for women wanting to pursue a career in country music right now, if they don’t think radio will play their music or they don’t think they’ll get heard in the same way that, perhaps, men do?

- It depends. What I do is not considered country music in terms of that world, in terms of mainstream market in new country and radio so I personally don’t chase that, so I can’t speak as I don’t know as that’s a world that I don’t really exist in, but I don’t think anybody should be dissuaded from wanting to do anything that they want to do. I just think that you have to follow, whether you’re a man or a woman or whatever, a path that feels right and passionate for you and don’t listen to what anyone else has to say if you intrinsically feel that way in your soul.

Lindi Performing at The Mash House (23/1)

I saw Angaleena Presley the other day and she performed a song called ‘Outlaw’ and she talked about how her lyrics are seen, by some, to be purposely controversial even though she is not trying to be. Your lyrics could also be seen to be edgier too – do you ever consider the potential reaction to them when writing?

- No. If I was looking to be on country music radio then I would be singing songs that I would hate to perform every night and I don’t have any desire to do that.

Do you think that’s [edgier lyrics] a reason why radio doesn’t want to play your and other women, such as say Angaleena’s and Brandy Clark’s, music as much?

- I honestly don’t know and I don’t think about it and I don’t really care. Country music, as far as I

know now right now and what they play on the radio are men talking about women in blue jean shorts, drinking beer, calling women ‘girl’ and dirt roads, hanging out in trucks, dirt roads whatever and it’s like…do I care that they’re not playing my music or that they wouldn’t play something edgy? No, I don’t. I honestly don’t care.

How would you define country music?

- I couldn’t define it. I have no idea what it is right now. I could tell you what it was and where it came from and the history of it. Right now, country music as far as mainstream radio is concerned is something that is so foreign and alien to anything that I would have considered country music of what I traditionally would listen to. I love classic country. I love Hank Williams – he’s one of my favourites -, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton. Dolly Parton is a really good example because she’s one hell of a songwriter and a lot of people don’t realise what a huge repertoire of songs she has and what a smart business woman she was. And it seems like lyrics were really such an important thing in country music for a long time and now it seems like they, lyrics, are taking a back seat and that it’s really more for the party crowd and for people going to the bar and wanting to drink and frat boys on a Friday night with their trucks and it doesn’t appeal to me in any sort of way so I really can’t comment on something that…you know. I really can’t comment on it as I don’t listen to it enough. I’ve heard it and it hasn’t seemed to change, it’s the thing that has been going on for the past two, three years. Until it changes, until it becomes something that’s not all that all the time, I’m not really interested in listening to it.

Do you think it will change anytime soon?

- I don’t know. We keep thinking that’s gonna happen when people like Kacey Musgraves win CMAs and get mainstream attention. The same thing with Chris Stapleton but whether that translates to it actually changing and to whether country radio is actually to start playing more songs like that is yet to be seen. And they don’t seem to want to change the formula and perhaps, cycling back to your mentioning of my article that I wrote, perhaps it’s because people like Keith Hill, who was the radio programmer who suggested that we take women out of country music radio, perhaps it is those damaging words that lead to this stagnancy in country music radio and a lack for it to evolve in any sort of way and it’s been the same way for three years so until the evolution really starts occurring, which I don’t know what the catalyst for that is – I thought that maybe it would be a Kacey Musgraves, I thought maybe it would be a Chris Stapleton but we have yet it see it happen.

Finally, one of the things our blog is about is promoting upcoming artists in UK. Do you have any advice for any new artist trying to break through right now?

- I do have advice for somebody who wants to make a living doing what they love and I would just say: be prepared to work your tail off and to sacrifice your rooted life and don’t do it unless you absolutely love it because otherwise you’ll end up resenting it because it takes you away so much. It becomes your whole life and it’s all encompassing. It’s something that you really shouldn’t do unless you have a great passion for it.

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Special thanks, again, to Lindi Ortega and to Six07 Press. You can keep up to date with Lindi through her website and through following her on twitter @lindiortega.

Caught Live: Lindi Ortega @ The Mash House, Edinburgh (23/1)

If Lindi Ortega hadn't included Lemsip amongst her thank yous at the end of the show, you would never have guessed that she was, and has been, suffering from a cold for much of the first half of her UK dates. With her band laying down the beat, Lindi bounded onto the small Mash House Stage promptly at half eight, setting a high energy level - that'd be impressive sans cold - from the get go.

The large crowd, crammed into the small room, welcomed her with rapturous applause. This crowd was diverse and dedicated, with a wide age range and with many who had travelled far to be there - such as the gentleman who told me he faced a three hour drive home- and many who had either been to see her already on this tour or were going to other dates. Some had, of course, seen her on her other visits to the UK but for others, including myself, it was the first time seeing her live - and she didn't just live up to all the good things I had heard about her live show; she completely smashed them.

The opener, fast paced and catchy 'Rundown Neighbourhood', was the first of many songs from her most recent release Faded Gloryville, the album that this tour was in support of. 'Half Moon', a lullaby to the moon, sounds gorgeous recorded but is a song that is even more gorgeous live, a perfect showcase of Lindi's unique and brilliant vocals and she showed off more of her musical talents when she toook briefly to the drums during 'Run Amuck'.

Songs from other albums were mixed in the set, including the fan favourites 'Tin Star' - with added twang - and 'Cigarettes and Truckstops', both from the albums of the same names and both proved especially popular. Three covers also featured: Lindi's take on The Bee Gees' 'To Love Somebody' (that also features on her most recent release), a stunning version of The Eagles' 'Desperado' and a brilliant cover of the Cash classic 'Ring of Fire' to close the night.

Between songs, she chatted about away about her love of Primark and haunted toilets as well as breaking into an impromptu Jazz song or two with her superb lead guitarist, 'Champagne' James Robertson (her backing band, comprised of Robertson, drummer Noah Hungate and bassist Ryan Gavel also just have to be mentioned as they were fantastic the whole night). An assured performer, Lindi looked completely at home on stage the whole night and, like the audience, seemed to be having a ball on stage, breaking into wide smiles at numerous points.

A big voice with a big talent, it's always a treat to see an artist and their band of such a high calibre at such intimate venues - that evening was no different. And if that was Lindi Ortega with a cold, then I'd love to see her without one - as she has already set some very high standards for all the 2016 concerts lined up in my calendar.

Still touring the UK, there are still chances to catch her on the following dates:
January 26 - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
January 27 - The Cluny, Newcastle
January 29 - East Village Arts Club, Liverpool
January 30 - The Ruby Lounge, Manchester
January 31 - The Globe, Cardiff
February 2 - Thekla, Bristol
February 3 - Komedia, Brighton
February 4 - Islington Assembly Hall, London