New country music showcase at the Cavern brings Liverpool and Nashville closer

Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club will be reaching out to Nashville this weekend with a new night of southern style hospitality and the best new country music acts.

A celebration of the best up-and-coming talent in the country music scene, will bring some of the best-respected names in the industry to The Cavern, celebrating the links between Liverpool and Nashville, two of the world’s most iconic music cities.

Performances on the first night, taking place on the same weekend as C2C, the Country to Country festival, include:

Jack And Tim

Jack & Tim are a singing duo who participated in Series 12 of Britain’s Got Talent. Jack was aged 12 at the time of audition, whereas Tim was aged 43 at the time of audition. They received Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer to go through to the live shows.

Neeve Zahra

Northwest musician and songwriter, Neeve Zahra is captivating audiences with her unique voice and beautiful lyrics which are beyond her years. Neeve’s voice is flexible, powerful yet delicate and unique to her. Her songwriting is reminiscent of the Nashville Sound’s greatest storytellers.

Roisin O’Hagan

Roisin O’Hagan is a singer-songwriter and Fender Undiscovered Artist finalist. Able to produce lyrical hooks seemingly in her sleep, she writes catchy, heart-felt songs delivered beautifully.

Jeorgia Rose

Jeorgia Rose is a dreamer and doer in equal parts. Hailing from Cheshire, she discovered an instant love for music when she began learning the piano aged 6. She made her stage debut the following year and had written her first song, Missing You by the age of 9.

Phil Hooley

Phil Hooley is the founder member and frontman for the alt country band The Woolgatherers. On 14th May 2021 he released his first solo album, Songs From The Back Room.

Savannah Jaine & Lee Meadows

Savannah Jaine is a dynamic and versatile vocalist and writer. Featured on America’s Most Talented Kids when she was 15, Savannah toured with Radio Disney before working as a songwriter in New York and Nashville. She has performed at the Bluebird cafe in Nashville and 54 Below in New York City. Lee Meadows graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Popular and Recording Music from the University of Salford.

The festival has been created by Liverpool-born country star Ethan Allen, who moved to Nashville aged just 19. From there his group The Cheap Seats won CMT International Video Artist of The Year, BCMA Rising Star and Best Group. He recorded an album with Raul Malo from The Mavericks The Mavericks and played Wembley Arena, with Steps as a support band, and line-dancing legend Rob Fowler choreograph songs to their dances. His dance – The Beast – for Somethin’ In The Water, still attracts millions of hits a year on YouTube.

Now living back in the UK, in Aughton, Ethan hosts a hugely successful Country Music show on Liverpool commercial radio station Liverpool Live, and hosts a new podcast. He decided to put on the new night to help country acts and acoustic musicians to get back on their feet after the pandemic, and to give audiences a chance to hear live music again.

Ethan says: “It’s so good to be back putting on shows in the city again after such a long enforced hiatus. Liverpool often misses out on events like this as they mainly happen in Manchester or further afield but with the city’s deep heritage in country music it is something I definitely wanted to promote.

“This is one of the best lineups of new talent that you’ll see anywhere this year and it’s set in the historic Cavern Club, which makes it extra special.”

Country music is now Britain’s fastest growing genre. The songs of love and loss have long been the melodic backdrop to rural and small town America, now it’s booming in Britain too.

One look at the digital streaming numbers tells the story. They’ve shot up almost 50% in the past two years, according to new data from the Country Music Association. So get boot scooting and head down to see the best new acts in country, in a Liverpool venue steeped in musical history.

March 13, Horizon Stage Liverpool, cavernclub.com