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As part of Radio 2's coverage of the second C2C (Country To Country) Festival at London's 02 Arena, Paul Sexton takes the pulse of country music in the UK.

As part of Radio 2's coverage of the second C2C (Country To Country) Festival at London's 02 Arena, Paul Sexton takes the pulse of country music in the U.K. with the help of Nashville stars, writers and executives who are frequent visitors to our shores. He also talks to some British artists who are taking country music across the Atlantic in the other direction.

The documentary assesses exactly where country music is in the U.K. in 2014, as the genre enjoys its highest profile here for years. That's thanks in no small part to the C2C event itself (which last year starred major names like Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and LeAnn Rimes and this year features Brad Paisley, The Band Perry, the Dixie Chicks and more) and the huge popularity of the 'Nashville' TV series. Many viewers who thought themselves to be country agnostics have professed the show to be their "guilty pleasure."

So, what are the reasons behind the new country upswing, and can the genre shed the old-fashioned image it's always fought against in Britain without becoming pop music in disguise? Contributors will include artists such as The Band Perry, Brad Paisley, Chris Young and Brantley Gilbert; the man who signed Taylor Swift when she was a 15-year-old unknown, Big Machine Label Group President Scott Borchetta, Tennessee native and country music observer Laura Cantrell and 'Nashville' soundtrack songwriter Trent Dabbs, who penned the song 'Undermine' for the first series with country's hottest new property of the last year, Grammy-winning Kacey Musgraves.

The show will also include an exclusive live session performance by a new British duo who have been the subject of huge label attention in recent weeks, The Shires, one of several promising artists determined to export their English country roots to their American counterparts.

Paul Sexton is a frequent visitor to Nashville who's written and broadcast about country music for many years and presented Radio 2's live coverage of the CMA Awards in 2007. He has deputised on Bob Harris Country as well as presenting previous country-themed documentaries for the network such as 'Roots, Rappers & Rednecks.'.

57 minutes

Last on

Thu 6 Nov 2014 22:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

  • Country Nights

    Find out more about the Country Music season on Radio 2 and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Four

Music Played

  • Johnny Cash

    Ring Of Fire

    • Johnny Cash - Man In Black.
    • Columbia.

  • Jim Reeves

    Distant Drums

    • Acuff-Rose Opryland Music: 50th Anniv.
    • Acuff-Rose Opryland.

  • Dolly Parton

    Jolene

    • Million Sellers Vol.15 - The Seventie.
    • Disky.

  • Shania Twain

    That Don't Impress Me Much

    • Now 44 (Various Artists).
    • Virgin.

  • Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett

    It's Five O'Clock Somewhere

    • (CD Single).
    • BMG.

  • Lady A

    Need You Now

    • Need You Now.
    • Capitol Nashville.
    • 1.

  • Florida Georgia Line & Nelly

    Cruise

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
    • 1.

  • Brad Paisley

    Outstanding In Our Field

    • Wheelhouse.
    • SME.
    • 4.

  • Pitbull & Kesha

    Timber

    • HItDisc: HA201341 (PG Advisory).
    • SME.
    • 8.

  • Avicii

    Hey Brother

    • (CD Single).
    • Universal.

  • The Band Perry

    End Of Time

    • Pioneer.
    • Republic Nashville.
    • 12.

  • The Band Perry

    Better Dig Two

    • Pioneer.
    • Universal Republic Nashville Records.
    • 1.

  • Chris Young

    Text Me Texas

    • A.M..
    • RCA Nashville.
    • 8.

  • Chris Young

    Aw Naw

    • HitDisc: HC201318 (PG Advisory).
    • SME.
    • 6.

  • Chris Young

    Who I Am With You

    • HItDisc: HC201401 (PG Advisory).
    • SME.
    • 6.

  • Sam Palladio

    Shine

    • The Music of Nashville: Season 1.
    • Lions Gate.
    • 16.

  • Hayden Panettiere & Charles Esten

    Undermine

    • The Music of Nashville: Season 1.
    • Lions Gate.
    • 3.

  • Kacey Musgraves

    Merry Go Round

    • Same Trailer Different Park.
    • WARNERS.
    • 3.

  • Brad Paisley

    Southern Comfort Zone

  • Brad Paisley

    We Danced

    • Who Needs Pictures.
    • Arista Nashville.
    • 9.

  • Brad Paisley

    The World

  • The Band Perry

    Independence

    • The Band Perry.
    • Universal.
    • 9.

  • Brantley Gilbert

    Country Must Be Country Wide

    • Now That's What I Call Country Volume 5.
    • 15.

  • Taylor Swift

    Red

    • Red.
    • Mercury.

  • Taylor Swift

    Begin Again

    • Begin Again (Single).
    • WARNERS.
    • 1.

  • Thomas Rhett

    It Goes Like This

    • HitDisc: HC201317 (PG Advisory).
    • WRASSE.
    • 2.

  • The Shires

    Nashville Grey Skies [Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park]

  • Ward Thomas

    Footnotes

    • WTW.

  • Ward Thomas

    The Good And The Right

    • (CD Single).
    • WTW.
    • 001.

  • The Black Feathers

    10,000 Times

    • Strangers We Meet EP.
    • Bird in the Hand Records.
    • 2.

Broadcasts

  • Thu 20 Mar 2014 22:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
  • Thu 6 Nov 2014 22:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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