Country Music in Britain, Why Not?- It Was Sorta Born Here
Brad Paisley, Marin Morris, Zac Brown Band, Dan + Shay, Bailey Bryan, Chase Bryant, Darius Rucker, Seth Ennis, and Reba McEntire were some of the names at this weekend’s Country2Country Music festival at London’s O2 Arena. The festival also spanned to Glasgow, Scotland and Dublin, Ireland.
There were over 50,000 country music fans that enjoyed live performances from the biggest country music stars in the world as well emerging artists from the UK, Europe and North America. The music-filled weekend had over 40 performances per day from up and coming, as well as established Country stars out of Nashville.
The festival brought the spirit of Nashville to London with several stages including the BBC Radio 2 Country Stage, the Town Square, C2C Late Night Stage and others. There were even free stages for O2 visitors without concert tickets.
Film was a big part of the Festival with the C2C Cinema that included screenings like, The 50th Annual CMA Awards, Born in Bristol, For the Love of Music, and The Story of Nashville and more.
Artist Highlights-
Seth Ennis, is a military brat grew up as a multi instrumentalist. The middle child, he had that middle child rebellion. His father wanted him to become a lawyer, but Seth followed his dream and traveled to Nashville to become a Country singer. For him, and as he noted, “failure wasn’t really an option.” He didn’t have an agency but got the chance to play at the CMA Fest when someone else dropped out. His hit, Woke up in Nashville, was done with his own background vocals and him playing the background music. When talking about his music he stated at C2C that “my music has a little bit of everything, pulled from experiences from my life.” Because Seth grew up abroad and in various American States, he wants his music to resonate with other foreign cultures. “I want to make my music international. For me it’s a big thing it’s really important to me.”
Dan + Shay- these men are down to earth, and it showed when Dan popped his head into the pressroom to talk with reporters. Their humble, open, and comical personality soon shone through in the duos’ interview. Dan and Shay met at a house party in Arkansas. Dan was really inspired by Rascal Flats, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, and rock n’ roll artists before making his big break with Shay. And Shay was influence by gospel artists and brought that genre element into their music. If you sit and listen to Shay for 2 minutes, his soulful voice leaves a room speechless. Their single When I Pray for You is featured in the upcoming film, “The Shack.” It’s a song that means a lot to the duo and Shay shared how the song was inspired by him becoming new father. Their set opened Saturday night’s show, and it was phenomenal with their Rock, Soul, and Country sound.
Hunter Hayes, he’s young and he’s a nerd. He loves calling himself a nerd. He’s performed for presidents at the White House. He’s been on the Country Music scene for several years now and at the ripe old ate of 26, Hunter lights up a stage. His Country music has rock infused elements. When asked about people trying to make it in the media and arts world, Hunter said one word: conviction. “There will be moments you won’t know what the proper way to go is. There is not one way to create art. You have to believe in yourself and go with that.”
Darius Rucker’s father was in a group called The Rolling Stones. Not the rock group, but a gospel quartet. Since he was in London, he was asked about his acting desire. He really wants to be on the TV show East Enders. When it comes to his music, Darius is passionate. He’s got a new album coming out in September of this year and for him, it's all about having an authentic sound. He wants his music to sound real to his fans, “It’s important for me that my music sound live,” said Darius at C2C.
I asked Darius about faith and what his faith means to him being in the Country Music industry. “Faith is a big part of my life since I was a kid. It’s great because you can still have faith and do things that mean a lot to you. It’s a big part of who I am, and I combine it in my music sometimes.”
Bailey Barfield is 19 but she’s full of life from Sequim, Washington. She credits Dan+Shay to being her mentors, who took her on tour with them. She’s doing all she’s ever wanted to do- be a country music singer. Her video for her song “Own It,” was shot from an iPhone, and incorporates social media. That social media element is a big part of Bailey’s music career. She wants to stay connected to her fans. On Saturday she performed on the Yamaha Stage. Surrounding her were her European fans, most of who knew the lyrics to her songs. “A lot of people knew the lyrics to my songs and that was great.” During Marty Stuart’s interview, Bailey joined the press pool because she wanted to listen and learn, a trait that will hopefully propel her music career, as she listens to those who have gone before her in Country Music.
In its third year, the Country2Country festival is a success. The arena seats were filled. British and European fans knew the artists and their lyrics. It’s clear that this part of the world is hungry for more Country music performances. The artists were happy to be in Great Britain meeting their fans and seeing that their fans adore them. Next year’s festival will be held March 9-11, 2018. Tickets are already on sale so get them now!