Press Conference: ZAC BROWN BAND, C2C Country 2 Country 2017, London, The O2

I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Press Room at C2C Country 2 Country 2017 getting to chat with some of the biggest artists along with other members of the press. Read on for questions and answers from Zac Brown Bands’s Press Conference, including details on the upcoming album, comparisons with Charlie Daniels Band, and why they keep coming back to the UK. 

Q: So we’ve heard one track so far from your upcoming album, which sounds a bit like the early Zac Brown Band stuff. Can you tell us about the new record?

A: It’s called Welcome Home, kind of getting back to purist roots of a song, and the band. It’s probably the most personal record that we’ve ever written, and it’s the first record that we set out to write specifically just for this record. A lot of the other records had older songs that we’d started on but never finished or just had bits and pieces of things that we put together, but everything was written for this record, and a lot of personal inspiration came into it. I’m really proud of it and it definitely gets back towards the first record more so than the other ones that we have.

Q: The last record was very eclectic with a lot of songs from different time periods, is that right?

A: Yeah, we basically just cleaned off the entire whiteboard of songs that we had started but not finished for that one.

Q: So how long was the process for this upcoming album?

A: Basically we’ve written most of it in the last year. The recording was all done in six days.

The last record took about three months of recording, not including writing, but this one, once we got in the studio, we recorded in six days. I would have bet my entire life savings that we wouldn’t have been able to do our entire album in six days. Everything takes longer in the studio than you think it would, but we got in, it was never rushed, and there was a great feel between Dave Cobb and the band. Dave is from Georgia, which is where we’re basically all from, so there was a lot of similarities between his personality are ours, he knew the same jokes that we grew up with, so there wasn’t a lot of getting to know each other, we just basically got right in it.

There was a really strong base to it, and he also had enough belief in us as producers and engineers, so he would give us a little bit of leeway to finish up vocals or finish up certain guitar parts, and then come back in the morning and listen to them ready to start. So there was a lot of trust from him and the band on what we were doing. It went really smooth, there were no hiccups, and we just felt really inspired the whole six days. We also tracked the whole thing together as a band rather than recording things separately which helped get it done really quickly.

Q: How surprised were you to find that your songs have a comprehension here?

A: It’s very exciting. We’ve been excited to come back and play every couple of years now, but it’s a big deal. To go from someone in the States who’s like in the NFL of touring, and then coming here and having to prove ourselves again from scratch, but still having some love from radio and the press is very exciting. We’re excited coming back with a lot to say, a lot to sing about now.

Q: You’re probably one of the bigger names to have been here in the UK so many times – why do you keep coming back?

A: It’s a new land to conquer. It is a new challenge for us in making people feel what we feel when we create music, and getting the chance to try and get everyone in the crowd involved and show them what we do and connect with them. That’s what it’s all about, the connection with the people.

When we first started playing in the States, we’d show up and we didn’t have cowboy hats on, just a bunch of husky Georgia guys, and everyone would be like ‘what is this?’ So we kind of faced adversity when we first started and were able to prove ourselves – we really like winning over the crowds, so coming over here to a crowd who’ve not seen us before reminds us of like eight or nine years ago and just wanting to give it hell. Every time we come over there’s a little bit of a spark when we perform.

It takes a little effort to get over here, but it’s worth it.

Q: There are a lot of similarities between you and the Charlie Daniels Band – what’s your opinion on him?

A: He’s a legend. Still killing it. He was a pioneer in a lot of ways and created some of the best songs in the history of country music, like The Devil Went Down To Georgia. Fantastic musician, and someone who dedicated his life to his craft. All of us dedicate our lives to try and be the best musicians we can be, the best songwriters, the best players.

I was talking to Pharell about this not too long ago and he was saying the average life span of most groups is 5 years, so you have to be looking around the corner and be curious about what’s next and what’s coming, and for us we’re very blessed to have been able to do this for a long time. I feel like we’ve just hit the stride. We have a lot to prove, we have a lot to say, and we want every single night that we hit the stage to give everybody their money’s worth. That’s what great music should do. You should feel something when you hear it. If you don’t feel something, it’s probably rubbish. There’s a good bit of that out there, and I’m glad there is, because the stuff that does make you feel something wouldn’t stand out if it was all great.

We like to think of ourselves as kind of the Dave Matthews-Daniels Band!

Q: Many of your songs are about the idea of home and growing up in the South, and on the other side of that you have this very island, tropical vibe. How did you get those two very different styles to fit together and flow?

A: I think being influenced by Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffett, and loving reggae music. I listen to it a lot when I’m off because it has this spirit about it. If you’re having a bad day, you put it on and it makes you feel better. And Florida’s a big part of our growing up, spending time out on the islands, out on the water. My favourite thing to do in the world is to spearfish, and when I’m out there I listen to Bob, so that’s definitely the influence for me.

On vacation when we were kids, I’d say we probably all went to the Gulf of Mexico at some point. Like if there was four days off, your parents were going to go to the Gulf, so we spent all our family time in the Gulf of Mexico, so that was kind of the highlight of when we were young. It’s kind of tapping into that too. When I think back to when I was younger, and freedom, and being relaxed, it’s the beach, so it’s easy to tap into because it’s kind of always been there, you know?

Q: What new artists in country make you excited?

A: Maren Morris. She’s really good.

Brothers Osborne, I love their new album. They have killer guitar playing and great songs. They’re two brothers who I think are in it to win it. I was really excited to get to see those guys were over here playing as well.

Interested in reading more interviews with great artists? Make sure you follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry to be the first to know when new content is posted!

Press Conference: DARIUS RUCKER, C2C Country 2 Country 2017, London, The O2

Following my interview with Darius Rucker (which you can read here), I got the chance to catch up with him again at one of the C2C Press Conferences – read on to find out his thoughts on C2C over the years, starring on Eastenders, and CMT Crossroads.

Q: Over the years, C2C has grown massively – what are your thoughts on the development and progression of country music in the UK?

A: It feels great watching it grow over the years and working on my career. The thing we talk about a lot in Nashville is the explosion that’s happening over here. When we played Glasgow last night, it was just amazing to see everybody enjoying country music. People seem to be loving what we’re doing, buying our records – it’s one of those things that’s just great to hear. I was here for the first C2C, and it’s been a fun ride since then.

Q: Your performance really was sensational that first year, and a lot of the rock bands that play here, they sound like their records; and the huge thing is that your records are great of course, but your live shows are something else! Do you consciously work on making it something that is different?

A: Live music is live music – you want to play the song slightly differently to a live audience. It’s important to me to put on a show.

Q: Wikipedia says your father was once in a band called The Rolling Stones, is that correct?

A: Yes, that’s true!

Q: You’ve said that one of your acting ambitions is to be on Eastenders?

A: Yes, that’s my next career goal! My ambition is to move to London for a year and become a regular on Eastenders. I don’t mind being either a goodie or a baddie. I can be the nasty American that comes over and steals everybody’s girlfriend – I’m up for that.

Q: You have just filmed for CMT Crossroads with John Mellencamp – what was that experience like?

A: John is one of those guys that instantly back in the 80s became one of my favourite artists in the world – he influenced me so much with that guitar sound he had and how real his lyrics were. To do that Crossroads with him was unbelievable. The song I love the most was this acoustic version of Jack and Diane, because I remember how important that song was for me as a kid.

Q: So you’re from South Carolina – would you have heard country music growing up?

A: Oh absolutely, where I grew up country music was everywhere. You’d hear the likes of Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, everyone. 

Interested in reading more interviews with great artists? Make sure you follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry to be the first to know when new content is posted!

Press Conference: BRAD PAISLEY, C2C Country 2 Country 2017, London, The O2

I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Press Room at C2C Country 2 Country 2017 getting to chat with some of the biggest artists along with other members of the press. Read on for questions and answers from Brad Paisley’s Press Conference, including sneak peeks of his upcoming album, working with Timbaland, and the advice he’d give to up-and-coming artists.

Q: You’ve come a long way in your career - how do you feel now knowing that you’ve come such a long way?

A: I’m way beyond anything I envisioned as a kid. I think that anyone who ever walks onto a stage, whether that’s at a vocal picnic or opening for someone or anything, thinks and dreams of something like this. My goal really was very simply to have a hit song or two and a tour bus. That’s what I wanted, very simply, enough hits to drive around the country with a band, people show up and they know the words. Really the bus was the big thing. That’s a great way of going in America, we don’t do that as much here with buses. I shot right past that, and I’m very lucky to be able to create new goals and achieve them from time to time.

Q: Have you ever had the chance to play live on stage with Stuart Smith or Albert Lee?

A: I’ve gotten to play with Albert several times – we’re good friends. He’s actually here in London right now but can’t make it, but we invited him tonight to play. Stuart Smith I know, but I haven’t played with. Albert and I have done a lot of stuff together – we collaborated on a song on my acoustic album called Clusterpluck – careful with how you say that.

Q: Little Moment, You Didn’t Have to Be, and now Today. What gems have you got on the upcoming album Love and War?

A: Thanks for asking about the new album. Our goal was to have that out this week, but we didn’t make it. I started making the album you’re going to get in April in September 2015. The very first recording session was with Mick Jagger – Mick and I have become good friends so I told him we need to get together and write, you can stay in my house and no one will know you’re there, other than my whole family who show up then! We ended up writing a bunch, and my idea was to collaborate with some of these people I’ve gotten to get to know over the years and see what happens when these strange worlds collide.

The goal was to get it out in early 2016, so you can see how badly I did at achieving that goal! But the true reason it’s not out yet is because I wanted it exactly as I’d envisioned it, and in the process, I had the idea to collaborate with a few others – John Fogarty and I are good friends and I had an idea for a song that I wanted to write with him so he came to the farm, spent three days. Three days is about the amount of time you need – the first days is when you eat food and chill, the second day is when you get something done, and the third day you cut it. So he did the three day thing with the idea that I had with him, which when you hear it, is one of the more important things I’ve tried to do in a song – it’s the album title, Love and War.

The next person to come in was Timbaland, and there’s two songs on there that we collaborated on. Bill Anderson came out and did some songs. The strangest collaboration I’ve got on the album is with Johnny Cash, and how we did that is his son John Carter, has had this idea for a while for people to finish his fathers songs, and he came to me and said I’ve got a couple of songs, one of them’s a gem and I think you can do something with it. And then there are other songs on there that are just me, but again I try to say things that I haven’t said before, and I think that’s the beauty of country music, and why it works in England is that when you say something that you believe in real life and try to tell the story about it, it doesn’t matter what country you’re in.

Q: Grey Goose Chase sounds like some kind of folk song.

A: It’s kind of like that. That’s one of the songs I did with Timbaland and that’s the ‘guitar song’ on there.

Q: Can you tell us a little about Timbaland?

A: I don’t know how to describe him. He’s an R&B, pop, rap producer; he’s never done country before. When we got together, he said where our worlds collide the best is bluegrass – those beats where the mandolin’s doing something, the banjo’s doing something – and that’s where we went. The country stuff on the record is nothing like the usual.

Q: Dying To See Her sounds like a country song.

A: Yeah, that’s a country song. I am as proud of that as anything I’ve ever written. I called Bill and said I’ve been saving an idea for you. He’s 80 years old, and the greatest living country songwriter, without a doubt.

Q: So Love and War – that’s an arresting cover with your hat flying off your head.

A: We did that in an anti-gravity chamber. No, I’m just kidding, but I did jump for it.

Q: Something that strikes me about C2C is the opportunity it gives to new artists as well as excellent established artists, who like yourself, have had so much success. What advice would you give to those artists who are up-and-coming?

A: I think that’s it’s all about the song in the end. I’ve always thought that anybody who had the songs that I had, the catalogue that I had, would be as big or bigger a star as me, I just happened to either write them or find them. I think that you can never let yourself think that it’s about you – rarely is it. Elvis might have been a star, but the rest of us need songs. It’s really important that you figure out who you are song-wise and then you’ll go as far as you can.

Q: What’s the most embarrassing record you own?

A: There’s a thing called – this is going to sound incredibly vulgar, but hey, it’s on iTunes – it’s called The Singing Butts, and it’s songs done sounding like flatulence. Everything from Happy Birthday to Auld Lang Syne. It’s worth checking out.

Q: What UK artists do you think are good?

A: I’m a big fan of UK music – I like everything from Coldplay to some more obscure bands like Sand and Snow. I like Ed Sheeran. Everything from The Rolling Stones to The Beatles – the classic stuff, Pink Floyd. The UK is so beyond what percentage you should have of influential artists, because population wise you’ve got so many in comparison! It’s not fair, honestly, that some of the greatest artists of all time come from this country.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the experience of making Forever Country?

A: Forever Country was the brainchild of a couple of songwriters, one of them being Shane McAnally, who’s brilliant; and the CMA had this idea for 50 years to put a lot of us together and mash-up a couple of these songs. In theory that shouldn’t work – it should be like salad and jello, but it was basically the greatest casserole you could ever expect. It’s testimonial to how brilliant those writers were in getting the right mash-up. We went in the studio, Carrie and I, and then started down the path of getting everybody on board. Everyone did it on their own time and then they did a bunch of green-screen stuff so it looks like we’re all in the same room, but thankfully we didn’t have to see each other. I’m hoping we can do the award show that way.

Interested in reading more interviews with great artists? Make sure you follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry to be the first to know when new content is posted!

Interview: CLARA BOND, C2C Country 2 Country 2017

If you’ve not yet heard of up-and-coming singer songwriter Clara Bond, I’m making it my job to change just that. I caught up with the 23 year old Devon native after her incredible few sets at Country 2 Country 2017 to discuss playing to big crowds, John Mayer, new EPs and more!

Ciara’s Country (CC): First of all, could you introduce yourself to us? A fun fact that no one knows about you would be an added bonus too!

Clara Bond (CB): Hi everyone, my name is Clara and I've failed my driving test 4 times. I think it's 4. It could be 5 and I've just lost count. Still going though! 

CC: So this was your first year at C2C – how did you find the festival?

CB: Ah it was just amazing. Obviously performing was the best feeling ever, but on top of that, the whole atmosphere was so great and everyone is so lovely. I mean it! Not just the audience but the acts are so lovely too! No divas! Everyone who was working backstage was in such a good mood too because all the acts were so nice to work with. I laughed so much over that festival that I had smile creases in my makeup! 

CC: I caught you playing to a massive crowd in the Town Square and heard you pulled big audiences every time you were playing – what was that like?

CB: It was pretty mind blowing. It's just the best feeling to be welcomed by such a large amount of people that are so committed to country music. I saw someone in the audience singing my songs back to me and was so taken aback I nearly forgot the lyrics. I can't take all the credit though, my band are phenomenal. It's an incredible thing to be able to share that experience with 4 of your best friends. 

CC: Being a big John Mayer fan, I loved your cover of Love On The Weekend – how did you decide that that would be a good song to countrify?

CB: Oh John. Sweet, sweet John. I heard that song for the first time through my phone speakers at about 4am after a drink or 3 and immediately picked up my guitar and started playing along to it. Sometimes a song just hits you and you immediately love it after one listen. I knew it would sound great countrified because it's quite guitar lead and is a great story. At the end of the day, country music is all about telling stories through great melodies and hooks. 

CC: So you’re out supporting your Out of Towners EP – can you tell me a bit about the creative process behind your songwriting? 

CB: I have these little Kate Spade notebooks that I write my songs in. I usually have an idea running around my head for a couple of days before I actually sit down to start turning it into a song. I always start writing on a guitar and I just play with the melodies until I get something strong enough that I still remember it when I get up to make a cup of tea.

CC: Is there a song that’s been particularly interesting for you to write?

CB: Love Can't Stay was the most complex one I've ever written. I started writing it on the flight from Austin to Seattle and it's about the guy I was visiting in Austin. I had so much to say that I didn't want to waste a single word. I was always changing the lyrics. I found it so hard to settle on it as I needed to use that song to create my own closure as I never got any from him. I wanted that song to be the only song I ever had to write about him. I rewrote the second verse in front of the mic as we recorded it. Nothing like last minute eh? 

CC: You’ve got a lot of gigs lined up over the next few months – what’s touring life like for you?

CB: Actually it's the best part of my job. I get to travel around the country with my best friends playing music I love to amazing people. The only problem is that I'm the smallest one in the band so I always get the middle seat and it sucks! But obviously, I can't do the driving. 

CC: In terms of the country music genre as a whole, is there one artist out there who you think is currently underrepresented and deserves more recognition?

CB: Maren Morris. I saw her at C2C and was blown away. She's so great and she's definitely created her own sound that is uniquely hers. That's what every artist ultimately wants to achieve. 

CC: And finally, (don’t think too much!) what’s one question you wish you were asked in interviews, but never have been?

CB: I can't actually think of one! It's more of a general thing, but I like it when people ask me about the lyrics themselves. Like the meaning behind them or what my favourite lyric is. 

CC: Can you answer that for me?

CB: I think my favourite lyrics are the chorus of Love Can't Stay. The line "Too much time and space drifts a love the wrong way, till the distance decides that Love Can't Stay" is probably my favourite. 

CC: That’s all my questions for now, thank you for taking the time to answer them! I look forward to seeing you on tour soon!

If you enjoyed this interview, make sure you check out Clara on Twitter @ClaraBondSongs, and stay tuned for future interviews by following me @CiarasCountry!

Interview: SETH ENNIS, C2C Country 2 Country 2017, The O2

I caught up with Seth Ennis on his first trip performing in the UK – read on to find out what he thought of C2C, his new EP, playing at the Bluebird Café, and more.

Ciara’s Country (CC): I’m joined by a very special guest – none other than up-and-coming Nashville star Seth Ennis! So first of all, thank you so much for joining me today.

Seth Ennis (SE): Thank you, that was pretty impressive – I liked that little introduction!

CC: Thank you! And of course, welcome to C2C!

SE: Thank you for having me!

CC: Is this your first time in the UK?

SE: It’s not my first time over here, but the only other time I was here, I was a super young kid, so I don’t really remember any of it – this is my first time remembering my stay here.

CC: Aside from all of the press and music stuff that you’ve been doing over here, have you managed to get out and do anything quintessentially British or touristy while you’ve been here?

SE: I wouldn’t say like anything touristy – I kind of drove by some things downtown, but I’ve been kind of tied up doing stuff around here so I haven’t had much downtime yet.

CC: And while you’ve been at C2C have you had the chance to check out any of the other acts?

SE: Yeah, I was at all the shows on the first night, and it’s cool because all the people here are all a close-knit family in Nashville, and we see each other at festivals and things like this all the time. I was actually talking to Cassadee Pope last night – that sounded like such a name drop! I was talking to Cassadee Pope last night and she was saying it’s so weird to see everyone over here, it’s hard to believe we’re not in America right now. It just feels weird because it feels like a festival or show back home, except even better, so it’s pretty cool.

CC: And this being your first time performing in the UK, I think a lot of UK fans are really excited to get to see you. How has the response been so far?

SE: It’s been incredible – I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s awesome.

CC: I can say personally we’re thrilled to have you here following the massive few months you had after the release of your single Woke Up In Nashville. What was it like having the song take off so quickly?

SE: I mean it’s pretty crazy, it feels like I’m in a dream and I still haven’t woke up yet. That sounds like I was about to segue into my song (laughs). No, it’s seriously crazy. It’s hard to believe what’s going on, I guess when I was younger and I dreamed about being the guy on stage singing the songs, I thought I would feel different once things started to happen, and it doesn’t feel any different. I feel like the same old Seth. I’ve got a really awesome team behind me, people are listening to my song and singing it back to me, so I guess that’s different, but everything feels the same, I’m still having fun.

CC: I think keeping it grounded is very much a country way to handle success.

SE: Yeah, I think people who don’t stay grounded should just go back home!

CC: And you’ve also just released your first EP Mabelle – can you explain the title?

SE: Yeah, so Mabelle is the first apartment complex I lived in when I moved to town, and the album cover is actually me sitting on the steps of that apartment. I moved to town with three of my best friends, and we lived in a one bedroom apartment there, and it was like in four bunk beds. I think my rent was only like $150, which is mega cheap for Nashville, but that’s all I could afford. That was seriously the best year of my life – that’s where it all began, so I thought I’d make that the first project I put out.

CC: I take it that experience of starting kind of from the bottom in Nashville really influenced the songs on that EP.

SE: Yeah, absolutely. A lot of the influence is from things I’ve pulled from high school, stories about me in college, stories since I’ve moved to Nashville. I don’t really write about my kindergarten days too much!

CC: What would you say has been the most interesting song for you to write so far?

SE: I went on a writers retreat in Cabo, and I wrote a rap song. That was pretty interesting.

CC: Will we be seeing that on an upcoming album?

SE: Maybe so!

CC: Looking forward to it! And you also play your own instruments too?

SE: Yeah, I did on Woke Up In Nashville. And then on some of the other songs I’m still singing background vocals on, and on a couple of them I’m playing like keys and guitar here and then.

CC: What comes first for you – the melody or the lyrics?

SE: It depends on the vibe in the room and what my co-writers are doing. Sometimes you’ll be writing with somebody who’s really good at lyric but can’t really sing, and sometimes you’ll be writing with somebody who’s really good at singing but can’t write a lyric, so I kind of try to play to the strengths of whoever I’m writing with.

CC: Once you’ve got the idea for a song, how do you turn that into the finished product?

SE: I have no idea how it happens, it just happens!

CC: Still figuring it out!

SE: Yeah. If there was a magic formula, I would pay a lot of money to know it.

CC: I take it the last few months have been pretty hectic.

SE: Oh yeah, they’ve been pretty crazy. It’s so fun though. I like a fast-paced life.

CC: Do you have a highlight so far?

SE: Oh man, there’s so many of them! The first time I heard somebody sing a song back to me that I wrote. Another highlight would be when Little Big Town introduced me at the Opry, that was pretty awesome. I wrote a song on Lauren Alaina’s record, and she was playing at the Ryman and had me come out and play the piano and sing background vocals, that was pretty special. And then being here, obviously!

CC: Sounds like some great highlights!

SE: Oh yeah, my life doesn’t suck!

CC: And of course, anyone who follows you on social media will see that you’ve been waking up in different cities on your radio tour – what was one of your favourite places to visit?

SE: Some of my favourite places were Boston, the North West like Seattle. I tried to have as much fun as I could everywhere I went.

CC: And it seems that you’ll be waking up in the UK a bit more often since you’re coming here again later in the year as well.

SE: I sure am! I’m coming to Manchester, Birmingham, Gateshead, Glasgow, Bristol, and right here in London to the Royal Albert Hall. That’s a bucket list place for me.

CC: There you go, make sure you get tickets to go see Seth then! In terms of the music you listen to, is there one artist who you think is currently underrepresented and deserves more recognition?

SE: Oh, wow! Man, I played this Bluebird round today with Charlie Worsham and Cassadee Pope, and Charlie is unbelievable. He’s a great guitar player, and I guess I’ve never seen him in that kind of environment, and I was very impressed. I’d like to see him on some bigger stuff pretty soon.

CC: Speaking of the Bluebird, have you played the one in Nashville?

SE: I have, I’ve actually played the Bluebird accompanying someone else, and then I’ve played it myself, and now the Bluebird in London.

CC: I think we’re all very glad you were able to join us there at the Bluebird.

SE: It was so fun.

CC: As we draw the interview to a close, I have to ask you what is the one question you wish you were asked in interviews but never have been?

SE: What’s your favourite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?

CC: And the answer is?

SE: Oh, I don’t even know. I feel like everyone says Michaelangelo. I like Leonardo, he’s the leader of the pack. I’m not even a fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I don’t even know why that came to my mind!

CC: One of the most unique answers I’ve heard nonetheless! Thank you so much for your time and answering my questions today.

SE: Of course, anytime!

Huge thanks to Seth and his team for agreeing to this interview – I had great fun interviewing Seth and watching him perform over the weekend. If you’d like to be kept up to date with future interviews and reviews, make sure to follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry!

Interview: DARIUS RUCKER, Country 2 Country 2017

I caught up with C2C: Country 2 Country returner Darius Rucker ahead of his headlining set at this year’s festival to chat about all things from UK vs US fans, social media, upcoming albums, and what it was like to be a part of the musical event of the decade, Forever Country.

Ciara’s Country (CC): Hi Darius, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me this afternoon!

Darius Rucker (DR): No, thanks for talking to me!

CC: So to start things off, how are things going for you so far this year?

DR: Oh, lovely. Getting a record together has been a blast, and now being over here playing some shows in Europe has been a blast, so this year’s looking up. I’m having a great time.

CC: This is your second time as one of the C2C headliners – what do you think will be different from the last time you were over?

DR: I’ve heard it’s got a lot bigger! You know, I played the very first one in 2013 and it was big then, it was a packed house and people stood up and danced and had a great time, but I’m here with 50 acts and stuff all over the grounds. It’s got a lot bigger and it’s great to see country music really getting a foothold over here in the UK.

CC: The genre is definitely growing – would you say that you find more fans from the UK and Europe listening to your music and wanting you touring over here?

DR: Oh absolutely. Just the shows we’ve played so far here have been huge, just really big, you know, a lot more people than we thought were going to show up! You can see how people are really gravitating towards country music and enjoying it, loving it, and wanting to be a part of it.

CC: What do you think are some of the reasons for country’s recent growth in popularity, particularly this side of the pond?

DR: I think one of the reasons is that everyone has a country song they can relate to, and that’s one thing that’s really helping – country music’s so open and relatable, and people are loving that. Everyone’s finding a song that they like, and then when the acts come over here, they want to come out and see them. That’s what’s getting all my friends in country music to come over here and play because so many people want to come out and see it, and that’s a great thing.

CC: Absolutely! And I’d say that one of the highlights for many country fans last year was the release of the fantastic Forever Country track which you were featured on alongside many other C2C alumni. What was it like being a part of that?

DR: That was amazing. To have been asked to do that with all those big names in country music was amazing to me. I remember when the video came out, I was just so moved to have been a part of it. To know that the people who were putting it together wanted me to be a part of that was amazing. It was a great song – Shane McAnally produced the hell out of that song, it was so great; and seeing me up there on the screen with Little Big Town, Charlie Pride, Willie, and Dolly Parton, and to know that I was going to be a part of something like that was absolutely amazing.

CC: It must have been quite the experience to work alongside some of the greats you mentioned there – would you say there’s one artist in country who’s been an idol for you throughout your career?

DR: You know for me, Kenny Rogers will always be the guy who started it all for me back in the day. I’ve got to know Kenny over the years and that’s been one of the cool parts of my career – over the last ten years, I’ve got to meet everybody who was featured in the Forever Country video. When you watch that video, it’s iconic, it’s just so many big names and people, so many winners of Entertainer of the Year and all this great stuff. You watch it and you go ‘wow, that’s true country music’.

CC: And alongside Forever Country, you also released your own single If I Told You last summer – does this mean we can expect a new Darius Rucker album sometime soon?

DR: Oh yeah, absolutely. The record will probably be out hopefully in the fall. Really, really excited for people to hear it. I’ve started working with a new producer, and I can’t wait to put it out. I’m so excited.

CC: So are we! How would you say the sound has changed from your last album to this upcoming one?

DR: You know, just working with a different producer makes your sound change. I think this record’s going to be a little more upbeat – not as many ballads as the past. I don’t know how to explain it, I just can’t wait for people to hear it. It’s a brighter, newer sound for me, because we just tried to go for something different, and Ross did a great job taking the songs we had and making them as great as they can be.

CC: I think a lot of people also love your music because of the content in each of your songs – is this something that you’ve tried to pull through on the upcoming album too?

DR: Absolutely. There are a few songs on there that are pretty autobiographical, but that’s just the way I write. So there’ll definitely be deeper stuff, but there’s also a lot of fun stuff too, so that kind of evens it out.

CC: The best of both worlds then! And once you’ve got an idea for a song, what’s your creative process for turning that into the final track?

DR: For me, I’ll just do a guitar / vocal demo and then I let the producer do his job. That’s the way I like to make records. I’m not really that guy who writes a song and knows exactly what it’s supposed to sound like, I write a song and then I go ‘let’s talk about what I’m thinking, what you’re thinking, and try and put it on paper’.

CC: So it’s very much a continual process then.

DR: Absolutely, and it’s definitely a case of me and the producer just sitting down and getting it done. A lot of the time it’s the band that’s playing with us in there too, just sitting down and going ‘what do you think?’ There was this one song I wrote called Amazing and we had no idea how to cut it until one of the bands guys said ‘let’s cut it like this’ and I was like ‘wow!’ We went in and did it, and it came out great.

CC: Is there one song that you’d say has been the most interesting for you to write?

DR: Probably this song off my last record called So I Sang. It was fun writing that, just really going back into my childhood to write songs that meant something to me. That was very interesting writing that song.

CC: And when you perform, do you think that there’s a difference in the way audiences in the US and over here respond to your songs?  

DR: Audiences to me are so similar. That’s one thing that I really learnt at the first C2C – I was shocked when I hit the stage because I was nervous as heck but then everyone stood up and started singing along and I was like ‘wow, they know my songs!’ That’s what happens in the States too – when they come and see you, they’re ready, they know your songs and they want to sing along and dance, and it’s the same thing over here. You know, you hear that UK audiences are a little more subdued, but I don’t see that. They’re just as fun and crazy as American audiences.

CC: We hope so! It’s funny that you said you got nervous when you came on stage at C2C because obviously we don’t see that when you’re performing and selling out stadiums like that.

DR: Yeah, but I mean I just remember I was playing before Carrie Underwood and I was really nervous. I just didn’t know what was going to happen, I’d never played in a place as big in the UK and I could come out there and they’d not know any of my songs and just clap politely at the end, but it wasn’t like that at all. Everyone just had a great time and partied. Once I got in the middle of a song I was like ‘man, this is awesome’.

CC: I can certainly say from having been there, you were a tough act to follow!

DR: Thank you!

CC: So I’m a fan of your various social media channels and like the way that you always post your Song of the Day – what inspired you to start doing that?

DR: Believe it or not, it was Connie Wilson from the band Wilson Phillips. She did it, and I follow her. She’s got like a Song of the Day and a Song of the Night and I thought ‘well that’s too much – but I can do a Song of the Day!’ And it’s fun for me, cause every song I put up there is a song I know, I know every word of, I know every nuance of, I’ve listened to the song a million times. It’s really cool to me to put out to folks the songs I listen to, because I listen to such an eclectic brand of music – everything from rap to deep country to classical, I love it all! So I love sharing with the fans the songs that mean a lot to me.

CC: It seems like a great way to connect with the people who listen to your music and introduce them to other music as well.

DR: Absolutely. We’ve even started a Spotify channel where I put my songs on every day, and it’s one of those things where it’s so funny because I’ll get people that Tweet back at me or they hit me up on Instagram, and they download every song I put up. That’s pretty cool, that somebody’s going to go and spend 99 cents to get the song cause I put it on there and they want to have it, I think that’s pretty cool.

CC: Well, you certainly seem to know your music! And in terms of country, is there one artist who you think is really quite underrepresented and deserves more recognition?

DR: I think the one name that should be known by everyone is Radney Foster. I think he should have been Entertainer of the Year cause for me, he’s the reason I’m singing country music. He’s by far my biggest idol, his first solo record Del Rio, TX 1959 changed the way I heard music, all music. It really blew my mind. So for me, he’s got to be the one artist I think deserves a lot more recognition than he gets.

CC: Well hopefully with people like you listening to him and spreading the word, that will happen! So as we draw the interview to a close, I have to ask, what’s one question that you wish you were asked in interviews but never are?

DR: Oh my goodness, what a great question! Wow. What a great question. I have never thought about that. I have no idea! That is a brilliant question. I really don’t know.

CC: How about you tell me what you get up to when you’re not touring or in the studio then?

DR: Well I’ll be honest with you, my only hobby is playing golf. But my favourite thing in the world is being with my kids. I mean doing everything – whether it’s sitting around, watching some bad television shows, driving around, talking and laughing, or just sitting around playing cards or whatever, my favourite thing in the world is to be with my kids.

CC: That’s a pretty good answer! But I’ll leave you to think about what question you’d like to be asked for the next time I interview you then!

DR: Absolutely, next time you interview me make sure to ask me that question because I’m going to be thinking about that all day!

CC: Wonderful, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions today, and look forward to seeing you perform at C2C this weekend!

DR: Great talking to you!

A big thank you to Darius for taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk to me – if you’d like to see more interviews like this as well as brand new reviews, make sure to follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry; and check out my reviews of C2C on this blog!

Concert Review: C2C COUNTRY 2 COUNTRY 2017 (Day 3), London, The O2

March 12^th marked my third and final day at C2C 2017, and as per usual, it started in the Indigo2, where I had front row balcony seats to see Seth Ennis. Although it was early, he’d packed out the venue to capacity, which was pleasant to see considering he’s still a relatively new act. However, it soon became clear to see why so many people had come to see him, as he played songs from his recently released EP Mabelle (which people were already singing the words to) as well as covers of everything from Justin Bieber to Ed Sheeran. My highlight was watching him perform Lauren Alaina’s Three, which I hadn’t known he’d written. It was a song which extended beyond the usual content of many country songs, to discuss the sacrifices artists have to make for “three minutes on the radio.” Thought-provoking, and an excellently penned song.

Next up were some more new additions to the country genre, this time in the form of three-piece Temecula Road. I’d heard a few of their songs recently, including a cover of summer hit Closer by The Chainsmokers, and was really impressed by their performance. Although young, Emma, Dawson & Maddie all have very strong voices, and it’s where these voices combine that you get heavenly harmonies. I’m calling it now – I can see these three becoming the next Little Big Town! They were able to highlight their songwriting abilities with tracks such as Mind On You and Everything Without You, but oh my gosh, I have never seen an audience more engaged than when they began to sing The Eagles’ Desperado. To have an audience respond like that to their first show this side of the pond is something to be proud of. Plus, the group seem like really nice people too – joking with the crowd, taking a mega-selfie at the end, and making sure to shake hands and talk with everyone who came to their signing. Another one to watch.

The trio were followed shortly afterwards by Drake White who appeared to let the audience choose what songs he would sing, hopping around the stage as he performed. His songs are catchy, that’s for sure, with upbeat tracks like Live Some and Livin’ The Dream. I think the audience especially appreciated his made-up-on-the-spot track at the end about his London experience.

It was a lucky thing that I’d been in Indigo2 for most of the morning, as I’m sure a lot of people were turned away at the door before the next act, as I saw the queue snaking far around the side of the building. No surprise, this was for The Shires, without a doubt the UK’s most successful homegrown country act, and it seemed like the most popular act to play the BBC Radio 2 stage judging by the size of the crowd. Whilst enjoyable, and it was undeniable that the crowd were very much into the duo, singing along to all their songs, I worry that The Shires veer away from their UK roots – for instance in the song Daddy’s Little Girl, which although beautifully written, left me confused from the first lines “The smell of Old Spice, a flat cap on the dash,” which to me sounded rather American, and not heralding the UK country the duo represent. Likewise, the same can be said for State Lines, a song which I thoroughly enjoy, but is very US-oriented. Props to the duo for sticking around for almost an hour after their set to sign every autograph in the long queue of fans waiting to meet them.

The final act to play the Radio 2 stage was Cassadee Pope, who was able to get the audience invigorated with catchy songs like Summer and I Wish I Could Break Your Heart. I particularly liked the ballad Kisses At Airports, and the story she told behind it about visiting her UK based relatives and knowing she’d be heading back to the States soon. My highlight however was Me, Myself and Wine – if this is an indication of what we can expect from Cassadee’s next album, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Following a profitable morning in the Indigo2 stage, I headed back to the Press Room for Zac Brown Band’s Press Conference, an interesting experience given that all eight band members were crammed around a few microphones on the table!

It was then time to head into the Main Arena where Brothers Osborne were kicking off the evening. They brought a really rocky vibe with songs like It Ain’t My Fault, again highlighting the variety of country styles we’d seen over the weekend. I didn’t think I was too familiar with the duo, but I found I knew a few of their songs such as 21 Summer and Stay a Little Longer, and enjoyed the rave-like atmosphere they created as everyone rocked along to their songs. A proper party starter for what was set to be an exciting evening.

Drake White was again playing the Yamaha Stage, although this time without his band. He nonetheless managed to stand his own, and gathered a considerable crowd around the stage.

The next act was the one I was most excited for out of the whole C2C line-up. Having been introduced to Maren Morris at C2C last year, when she played the Yamaha stage, and been very impressed by her voice, I made sure to check out her debut album Hero when it was released last year. It’s since become one of my favourite albums, and so I was very much looking forward to Maren performing a full set this year. There’s not a song on her album that I don’t like, and so it was great to let go and sing along to all the songs with personal favourites being How It’s Done and Just Another Thing. Someone sitting near me mentioned that they thought she was the most ‘mainstream’ of all the acts playing the weekend, and that may be true, but her mainstream success is due to her fantastic repertoire. Although not everyone was knew her songs as well as I did, I’d be surprised if not everyone in the Arena stopped to join in on My Church, which made for quite the atmosphere. Without a doubt my favourite act of the weekend.

The Yamaha stage was reserved for Lucie Silvas, who proved that even with a sore throat, she could still capture the entire Arena with her vocals and extremely well-written lyrics.

Marty Stuart was the only act on the headlining bill that I wasn’t aware of. I had assumed that he would be the Vince Gill of this year’s line-up – an artist who had been around before I’d started listening to country, and was perhaps more well-known for his guitar-playing skills. As a result, I wasn’t sure if he would be my cup of tea, but you know what, I actually enjoyed his set quite a lot. Sure, it’s not the music I would listen to on a daily basis, but it’s country as country is known for – mandolins, twangs, and fast-talking lyrics. Not only were his guitar-playing skills obviously very admirable, but I enjoyed a lot of his songs, not least Tempted and Dark Bird, but also those sang by members of his band, which I thought added a very nice touch rather than just focusing solely on the frontman.

The final act on the Yamaha Stage was Jana Kramer, who I was also looking forward to seeing, having been a fan of tracks such as Why You Wanna and I Got The Boy. Jana has a very country voice, and proves she is so much more than ‘that actress from One Tree Hill’. I hope she’ll return to the UK soon.

And finally, to close up the show was none other than Zac Brown Band. One might be mistaken to think that Zac Brown would be the star of the show, but in fact each and every member of the band had their shining moment, each given the opportunity to show off their instrumental skills at one point or another. Again, you couldn’t help but sing along to the band’s songs including Goodbye In Her Eyes, Toes, Free, and Colder Weather. An added bonus was found in the band’s rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody, which even those who wouldn’t count themselves as ZBB fans were able to get up on their feet and sing along to. Prior to this weekend, I wouldn’t have said that I was the biggest Zac Brown Band fan, but I think I may have proven myself wrong. A really great end to a really great weekend.

I’ll finish by adding that throughout the whole weekend, sitting in front of me was a woman who must have been between 80 – 90 years old, and not once did she sit down for the entire weekend, with I think just goes to show not only how addictive the acts were, but how there was definitely something for everyone over the course of the weekend. Was C2C 2017 as good as previous years? In my opinion, no – I would’ve liked to have seen more big acts who haven’t toured the UK in years, if ever; and also felt that last year had dealt better with signings and things from bigger artists than this year (for instance, Maddie & Tae did a signing last year, where there was nothing of the sort this year). Would this put me off going again? Never in a million years.  

You can check out my reviews of Days 1 & 2 of C2C 2017 also on this blog! Stay tuned on reviews and interviews by following me on Twitter @CiarasCountry and be sure to let me know your thoughts!