The Radio City Sessions | A Nashville-style songwriters’ round
The Country Café are excited to announce our first ever Nashville-style songwriters’ round.
Hosted by The Jackson Line, the Radio City Sessions were established by the band in Chelmsford in 2021, to showcase incredible country and Americana songwriting talent from across the UK and beyond.
And now they are bringing some of that magic to The Country Café, where they will be joined on the night by crowd-favourite Menno, alongside the winner of the Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award in 2023, Robbie Cavanagh, and award-winning, critically acclaimed UK country artist, Katy Hurt.
Doors open at 1.00pm and Music starts at 2.00pm.
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Showcasing the best in Country and Americana songwriting talent from across the UK and beyond, the Radio City Sessions are magical listening-room style nights, taking you behind the scenes of the songwriting process and bringing you up close to some of the finest Americana musicians. Discover the stories behind the songs, the lessons learned along the way and then hear the songs in the most ‘country’ way possible – a guitar and a vocal.
The songwriters' round is a staple of the Nashville music scene, and the Radio City Sessions capture the intimacy of those events. All artists sit on stage together, taking turns to sing songs ‘in the round’. Each artist performs their own music as well as a cover song that has a particular meaning for them.
The Jackson Line frontman Keith Porter guides you through the evening, sparking conversation with the musical guests, while the band often join in with guitars or harmonies to create truly unique experiences.
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Meet the artists:
Robbie Cavanagh
Well known across the UK as one of the finest Americana musicians on the scene, award-winning artist Robbie Cavanagh returns to Essex to showcase his exceptional original music.
Winner of the ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award in 2023, Robbie released his much anticipated third record that same year and has since been touring prolifically as a headline artist, as well as in support of American trio ‘The Wood Brothers’ across the UK and Europe.
Tough Love has seen Robbie perform at The Long Road Festival, The British Country Music Festival, Celtic Connections, Cambridge Folk Festival, Your Roots are Showing and as an official showcase artist at Folk Alliance International in Kansas City.
Menno
MendoMusic was born from a deep love of folk and country music—a soundtrack for winding drives through mountain roads, where melodies become a companion to life’s reflections. The name “Mendo” was coined by his friends during his early skateboarding days.
After coming of age, Mendo enlisted in the army, where he discovered a passion for songwriting. During a leave, Mendo and his friends spontaneously set up a home studio, transforming their shared enthusiasm into recorded songs.
Blending Americana, folk, and country influences, Mendo’s music is a heartfelt exploration of raw emotion. His powerful bass voice resonates with warmth and nuance, delivering songs rich in depth and meaning.
Katy Hurt
Born in London and raised in the US, Katy Hurt found her voice in the rich sounds of Country, Americana and classic rock, inspired by icons like Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, The Eagles and Patsy Cline. Her music blends these influences into a sound that’s both timeless and distinctly her own.
A prolific songwriter and powerhouse vocalist, Katy has released a string of critically acclaimed singles and EPs, earning accolades including Female Vocalist of the Year, Best EP, Best Song, and Best Video at the UK Country Music Spotlight Awards. She’s toured extensively across the UK and internationally, lighting up stages at major festivals such as C2C, Pilton Party on Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage, and the Isle of Wight Festival. In 2024, her single “Face to Face” was featured in the movie Slingshot, starring Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne.
Katy's creative journey also took her to Canada, a place she now calls her second home, where she wrote and recorded a wave of new material. Among them were “Sounds Good In A Bar” and “Wish I Could Give You Up,” both of which soared to Number 1 on the UK iTunes charts. These tracks gained international traction, earning radio play on CBC, SiriusXM, KIX Australia, and a spot on Amazon Music playlists.
Produced by Juno Award-winner Murray Pulver (Doc Walker, The Bros. Landreth), the songs form part of Katy’s long-awaited and widely praised debut album “Gimme A Break” which was released on May 23rd.
The Jackson Line
Featuring singers Keith Porter, Jamie Cook and Claire Williams, harmonies were always going to be front and centre in The Jackson Line, who deliver a modern take on classic country and Americana. While they're comfortable sitting in the country genre, each member, including guitarist Jim Cross, brings a wide range of differing influences to the table to create thoughtful, melodic songs, which capture the essence of Americana while allowing their other influences to shine through.
Over the last few years, the band have been playing and releasing songs from their sophomore EP, California, recorded in Winnipeg, Canada with Juno Award-winning producer Murray Pulver (The Bros. Landreth, Katy Hurt). The first single, Shade of the Pines, featured on Apple Music’s 'Today's Country' editorial playlist, while the second, Gonna Get To You, was showcased on Baylen Leonard's Front Porch on Absolute Country as well as on Countryline Radio.
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