BY MICHAEL CHOWNE

A special gig on Monday 27th July 2026 as Georgia, USA born Caylee Hammack brought her ‘Bed Of Roses’ Acoustic Tour to lowerthirdsoho.

Starting and finishing solo, she was joined for the middle section by her partner Kurt Ozan who is a member of Luke Combs’ touring band and here played both acoustic guitar and banjo. Caylee also played acoustic guitar, banjo (the latter bought for her, and taught, by Kurt) and harmonica and put on a sizzling show.

Caylee has such a strong voice and it’s quite something to hear her combine this with her equally powerful songwriting. Added to that is an engaging personality for an all round winner! Shades of Reba and Dolly in some of those songs too.

Caylee had asked on her socials for requests and duly obliged playing many songs from her back catalogue in an hour and a half set (that had only been billed as an hour – a lot of fun was had!). I think there were five songs from the latest album, plus new single ‘Must Be Nice’ (not on the album).

A highly emotional ‘Forged In The Fire’ was superb (I can’t imagine what it must have been like for Caylee to receive a call telling her that her home was on fire, whilst she was at a songwriting camp in Florida). No Caylee show would be complete without ‘Family Tree’ (originally written for Carrie Underwood when Caylee was a Nashville staff writer) and ‘Small Town Hypocrite’ which brought the gig to a joyous close.

We were also treated to an earlier really beautiful set from a new name to me in Riley Music from Glasgow. A very different voice to Caylee, understated but pure and gorgeous, Riley gave us plenty of character on stage as she sung some lovely country pop including songs from her latest EP, ‘Married In Vegas’. Thanks for battling a tortuous day of trains to get down Riley – I’m sure you gained many appreciative fans!