who we are

My father is to blame for my love of Country music. I remember back in the ‘70s he bought a set of 6 Country & Western cassette tapes (remember them?) from a newspaper advert. I got into serious trouble as I wore tape number 5 out by playing it so much! I would love to know now what was on that tape! Unfortunately in 1976 my father died and apart from what was on the radio (Terry Wogan in particular!) Country music was switched off in our house.

Talking to mum now, we are not sure why and we have come to the conclusion that it wasn’t actually a conscious decision by any of us!

My love was reignited in the 90’s when a trip to Calgary Stampede introduced me to Garth Brooks & Friends in Low Places in particular. The song was EVERYWHERE!! Every bar, dance hall, shop, radio station, TV programme. I came home with the No Fences CD! Went back the following year & bought more CDs, another Garth Brooks CD, Clint Black & Lorrie Morgan amongst them. I kinda then went quiet again. Country music just didn’t sound right back in old Blighty!!

A trip to the CMA Awards in Nashville started me off again (for the 3rd & final time!) in 2010. This time it was Miranda, Lady A & Sugarland who had me hooked. Shortly after I got home I discovered Spotify which made all the Country music I was beginning to love, easily accessible and then in 2012 the 1st Country 2 Country (C2C) festival was announced. From there on in Country music DID sound right in this country. Not only that, everything else began to pale by comparison!

I have been to all every single day of every single C2C (& have my tickets for next year!)

In 2015 I decided to give FSA Fest a go. This opened up a whole new world to me, UK
Country artists, many of whom have been Pop Ups at C2C. Several of these artists have
since become friends & I have become as passionate about them as I am about the US artists!
Starting Country Lowdown is a new challenge, one which Caroline, Kate & myself are very excited to be doing, let’s hope it isn’t a bumpy journey! Happy readings!

Hi, I’m Caroline. I live in the heart of Northamptonshire and am lucky to be close enough to Birmingham and London to travel regularly for gigs. A rowdy Irish household shaped my childhood and introduced me to the classic country legends that are Don Williams, Jim Reeves, Willie Nelson, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, to name just a few.

Particular highlights of my childhood are my grandad teaching me to play ‘Any Dream Will Do’ on his accordion & harmonica and listening to him sing ‘Nobody’s Child’ at our family jam nights (which were usually every Friday and Saturday night after the pub!). I spent most of my early years devouring as much rock music as I could get my hands on (courtesy of my parents’ record collection), and I fell deeply in love with CCR, Joplin, Hendrix, Rush, Neil Young, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. A subsequent trip to Nashville cemented my love for all things Americana & Country/Country Rock. My current playlist is an eclectic hotchpotch with everything from Charlie Worsham, Merle Haggard and Don Gallardo to Lukas Nelson, Kacey Musgraves, Brothers Osborne, Pearl Jam and Myles Kennedy.

In my spare time I try to embarrass my two girls as much as possible; drive my husband insane by playing nothing but country constantly; over-indulge my little French Bulldog, Ozzy (yes, named after Ozzy Osbourne as he’s completely mental); fail miserably in a battle of wills with my cat, Velma; watch Supernatural & The Walking Dead and play guitar (very badly) when I’ve had a few sherries. My favourite current obsession is staring at the banjo I’ve just been gifted, wondering when I’ll open the ‘Bluegrass for Beginners’ book.

Don’t be shy, come and say hello if you see me out and about. I LOVE meeting like-minded people – see you at a gig soon!

I’m Roger, from South East London. I work full-time & when I’m not at work I’m pretty much always listening to some kind of music, traveling, reading about traveling or watching TV Box Sets. I’m a Football & Cricket fan.

To say I have eclectic taste is probably an understatement. That’s stems from my childhood, mum being a big Jim Reeve’s, Tammy Wynette, John Denver & Marty Robbins fan. Dad being into the Stones, The Beatles, Floyd & Skynyrd. I listen to everything from Metal to Classical, from Techno to Folk & Prog Rock. I’m a huge Texas Country\Red Dirt\Americana fan. My favourite artists are Cody Jinks, Lukas Nelson, William Clark Green, Turnpike Troubadours, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Austin Allsup, Waylon Jennings ,.  I also love me some Eric Church, Zac Brown Band, Luke Combs, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson.

I can normally be found somewhere near the front at a gig. If you see a guy with a big grin on his face, looking at the audience then it’s probably me! Come & have a beer & a chat, I love meeting like minded people, & people who have a story to tell!

My pathetic love of country came from driving around Florida, which except Disney and some bits along the coast is very The South, so every other radio station is a country one. Growing up listening to all sorts of music, I always had a liking of guitar-based music so listening to country as I flew up I95 or along route 1 out of Miami to the Florida Keys seemed like a good fit. I returned to the UK with some CDs, including a young upcoming artist by the name of Taylor, and some names to check out and it went from there. My first country gig was C2C 2013, the year it all started. I saw Carrie Underwood and Leann Rimes were both playing, and I just had to go and dragged my Bon Jovi loving friend along. Turns out this other chap, Darius Rucker, was also on the bill and there was 20,000 people singing along. I had found my people.

Fast forward to late 2016 I’d summoned up the courage to go to gigs alone and as Thomas Rhett was lighting up stage at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, I got chatting to a member of the C2C Attendees group on Facebook, run by our esteemed leader Helen. I joined and so began a deepening of my love affair with country music, and the opening up of a whole heap of opportunities. I live in London so prior to the pandemic I was at 3 or 4 gigs a week, and most were country music. I owe a lot to country music as I have a collection of friends who are very dear to me. I have been to Nashville, and on a solo road trip across the South I took in the sights and some concerts along the way. I even went to Vegas specifically to go see the king of country George Strait, which I can highly recommend if anyone gets the chance.

Away from the cowboy hats and boots I am a keen sports fan, being a season ticket holder at Harlequins RFC and Chelsea Women FC, I work for a youth sports charity – the Lord’s Taverners, volunteer with Crisis at Christmas and have started to volunteer at major sporting events in London.

If you see me at a gig, or at C2C, or even on the street, come say hi!

Cowgirl Lesley here, excited to join the Country Lowdown team! 

I’d say my love for the genre started in the 70s with Linda Rondstadt, but I got a bit “ sidetracked” by glam rock and disco! My taste in music is still pretty eclectic but it’s Country that has stolen my heart for sure. I particularly enjoy the  singer/songwriter style and smaller acoustic gigs and tend to prefer listening female artists…among my favourites are Brandy Clark, Erin Enderlin and Ashley McBryde. When it comes to male artists, I love the gritty, blues vocals and writing of Brent Cobb, and am a massive American Aquarium fan. 

Living in rural Buckinghamshire now I also love exploring the beautiful Chiltern Hills with my three rescue dogs and having recently retired have a new obsession…..golf! Oh and a warning to anyone in the area that I’ve just started performing at local open mic nights….a mix of originals and covers….keeping it Country of course!