BY MICHAEL CHOWNE
Thursday 3rd September 2026 was the sort of special experience that you can only really get in an intimate, independent music venue. Big thanks to Madeline Christy of Briar Bookings for consistently putting on great finds from Nashville’s country scene for us.
It seems astonishing that, whilst Zach Bryan and Luke Combs are selling out stadium gigs in the UK, Hey Joe Music in Brentwood can host a gig for artists that have graced The Grand Ole Opry stage 40 times! The country duo in question were SmithField – taking their band name from their surnames, Trey Smith and Jenn Fielder have known each other since they were 10 years old! They moved to Nashville 14 years ago now, from just outside of Dallas, Texas and are currently touring over here. They played The Long Road last weekend and have gigs in York, Birmingham, Newcastle and in London at St Pancras Old Church (supported by Vic Allen on 9th September). My friends going to The British Country Music Festival in Blackpool this weekend should not miss them there – they’re playing the main stage on Sunday afternoon and I told them to look out for the UK Country Music Association stand!
Having already released their album ‘Country With Heart Part One’ in 2024, they now have a new album to promote as Part Two is being released very soon. They’re now exclusively selling at gigs a double album vinyl, fearuring both parts, a real find for all you vinyl collectors out there. Many of the songs they played last night came from these two albums, along with a couple from their ‘Love You To The Moon’ 2025 EP, one from their 2021 ‘New Town’ EP and, of course, their 2018 single ‘Hey Whiskey’, which reminded me that I’d seen them live once before at C2C Country to Country in London in March 2023.
Jenn told us that she’s the country girl through and through, whilst Trey has more of a rock leaning. Together they sounded great – the real magic happens when their voices are blended together.
Opening the evening was a new act to me live in 18 year old Will Edgar from Bolton. Will is a confident young man and well he should be after reaching the final of The Voice Kids in 2023. Pete Waterman, no less, has likened him to a young Bob Dylan – no pressure there! – and his influences include Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell, Damien Rice and Noah Kahan. Leaning towards folk and americana, as well as country, he’s already spent time in Nashville and had just returned from Pennsylvania where he was on summer camp teaching music to kids (he’s also a sound man in Manchester in his spare time!).
Possessing a strong, sometimes gravelly voice, comparisons to Zach Bryan are certainly not wide of the mark. I detected a little Del Amitri too (though Will may not have heard of them!). Great to hear his originals, including his two releases so far, ‘Too High’ and ‘Flatland Boy’, and watch out for a big announcement about new music coming soon! Nice to hear that when he sung ‘Cover Me Up’, recently covered by Morgan Wallen, he harked back to the original Jason Isbell version.
A young man with a bright future, definitely worth catching live and following his progress.
Really nice to meet Nat Hills at the gig too, a newer full time country rock artist worth looking out for.
