Maverick Country Music Magazine

1 July 2023

A dream came true for me in this issue as I got to speak with country music legend Dolly Parton. Parton is just as lovely in real life as you’d expect her to be, and full of fun too. Just when we think we’ve seen everything from the 77 year old she springs another surprise on us as this time she tackles rock music. The first two singles from the album went straight to number one on the rock charts. Although she’s country through and through and always will be she really is showing herself to be a real rockstar as well! A topic which has always fascinated me is controversy in country music. The Chicks were at the centre of one of the biggest controversies in music history twenty years ago now, an event that derailed their illustrious career. However, watching them perform in Manchester and studying their music both before and after the event, it’s easy to argue that what happened made them even better entertainers than they were before. Those who know me know that I am particularly passionate about those behind the songs, the hitmakers that write and produce the music of our favourite artists. One of my all time favourite songwriters is Lori McKenna so it was a joy to chat to her about her career to date and in particular about her new studio album which is full of compelling lyrics. There’s been a number of brilliant records released this year and we do try to catch up with as many of those musicians as we can. David Nail first crossed my radar in 2009 and I have been a fan ever since. His latest EP is one of his best collections whilst Lukas Nelson and Justin Moore have both released fantastic albums recently. Beyond Nashville allows us to look at country music from around the world, I love receiving music from other countries outside the US and finding out how their surroundings influence the songs they create. A new German duo crossed my desk this time, Sunset Mavericks and it was lovely to hear from them after just releasing their debut single. They are certainly one to keep a close eye on. Have a peruse of our revamped Lifestyle section, where we’ll be highlighting the rich culture around country music in the form of fashion, accessories and gadgets, showing that the country scene touches not only music but influences lifestyle. It’s another packed issue which I hope you will enjoy reading!