This is where you can read about clubs from their members or club promoters to see what is happening on the Country music circuit. It is updated as and when we receive reports and get the time to include them.
Silver Dollar CMC, Diss, Norfolk
Cardy & Coke
by Nick Catford
27th June 2026
I have known Wes Cardy and Jan Mellon for 35 years and it’s always good to catch up with Cardy and Coke but, on 27th June, it was a sad occasion as this was to be their last performance at a country music club before retiring after a lifetime on the road. Jan Mellon and Wes Cardy first met at the Colne Valley Theatre Group in Suffolk where they were both members. In December 1986, they formed Cardy and Coke duo and in 1989 this was expanded to become the five piece Wes Cardy band alongside the duo. They quickly established a loyal following in East Anglia and the south east. By the turn of the 20th century, band bookings dwindled as many clubs started booking only solos and duos in an attempt to keep costs down. The band played their last gig at the end of 2000, but Cardy and Coke went from strength to strength as a duo in clubs and at festivals. All good things have to come to an end. Wes turned 80 last July and the two of them felt it was time to hang their guitars up after a lifetime on the road. They took a few bookings after Wes’ 80th but only a handful were in country clubs with a few bookings in Irish clubs.
This was my first visit to the Diss Country music club where everyone was very friendly and welcoming. There were a number of other people there to see Wes and Jan’s swansong. I brought Jo Horniblow who runs the Carolina CMC in Bromley Kent. My good friend John Millidge who ran the Palomino CMC in North London after Bernie and Kim Clapton retired also made the long journey. It was also good to see Deb Alldis and Becky Ibbotson who put together a photographic display of Wes and Jan’s career. It was also good to catch up with Julie Dawn who will be appearing at the Silver Dollar on July 12th, I have known her as long as I have known Wes and Jan.
Wes and Jan share lead vocals and are both prolific songwriters having won numerous awards for their songs so it was good to hear a selection included in tonight’s programme. Some songwriters avoid singing their own songs which I think is a great shame. They opened proceedings with one of their co-writes New World Waiting which was followed by some real old country classics Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers’ Islands In the Stream, John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads and Dolly Parton’s Applejack – one of my favourite Dolly Parton song which is rarely heard these days. You can’t get enough Marty Robbins in my view but Red River Valley is one of his lesser known songs. Although recorded by Marty in 1960 it’s a much older song being first recorded by Carl T. Sprague in 1926.
Not everything was strictly country but following a week of intense summer heat I felt Cliff Richard’s Summer Hoiliday was probably quite appropriate. I don’t think I remember anyone else singing Lisa McHugh’s 2014 song Hillbilly Girl but I see there is a line dance for it.
Next it was time for a couple more original songs co written by Wes Cardy and Tony Nicol, East Anglian Skies and Suffolk Home. Quite a lot of Wes’ songs are about East Anglia where he was brought up and lived all his life. Charly McClain’s Sentimental Ol’ You followed and Jan mentioned that this was a favourite song of local singer Lindsey St. John back in the 90s. Strangely Issy Coe who fronted Suffolk Punch, Lindsey’s first band was also in the audience tonight. In those days, in the 1980s, Lindsey used her real name Lindsey Ball; she didn’t adopt the name St. John until she teamed up with Vic Woodhouse in Hickory Lake.
Cardy and Coke brought the first set to a close with Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and Bobbie Cryner’s Oh To Be The One, another song I don’t think I have ever heard in a club.
Cardy & Coke have a unique gentle presentation with plenty of good humour that stands them apart from other duos. There were also plenty of stories about their career. Set two opened with another original song, a nice waltz but not one of Wes’ songs. Can We Go Round Again was written by Al Dickinson for Irish singer Shawn Cuddy but it was recorded by Cardy & Coke and their version was picked up by BBC Radio Norfolk’s country presenter Roy Waller and it became one of their most requested songs.
Cardy & Coke have a unique gentle presentation with plenty of good humour that stands them apart from other duos. There were plenty of country favourites that kept the toes tapping from start to finish like Charley Pride’s Comfort Of Her Wings, Rodney Crowell’s Lovin’ All Night and Willie Nelson’s Party’s Over (Turn Out The Light). Next came another Wes Cardy song One More Story which was co-written by Rupert Kingston and also recorded by Shawn Cuddy in 2009.
Jan took lead on a couple of country classics Lorrie Morgan’s Til A Tear Becomes A Rose and Patsy Cline’s Crazy. These were followed Steinar Albrigtsen’s In Rosa’s Heart. I’m sure most reading this won’t be familiar with Steinar Albrigtsen. He is a Norwegian singer and guitarist. Wes had a close connection with Norway. In 1980 he went solo and turned fully pro making the first of eleven visits to Norway where he was well received with a programme that was predominantly country and folk which Norwegian’s liked.
Next we heard Walking With That Man Of Mine which was written by Pat O’Dea, lead guitarist with Bournemouth band Capricorn after 2003. Pat is also prolific songwriter, writing and recording under the name Owen Moore. The second set finished with another from Jimmy Buffett, Down at the Lah De Dah then, Highway 101’s Somewhere Tonight – I always liked Paulette Carlson’s voice and the song suited Jan’s style. Then it was another Wes Cardy and Tony Nicol song Relax Take It Easy With Me.
Set 3 opened with Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. Although not a country song I have heard a number of people singing it. This was followed by Sam Outlaw’s Love Her For A While, and then it was time to go way back to 1939 to hear Gene Autry’s South Of The Border. A real classic Country and Western song from the Singing Cowboy.
Although this is the last country club night, Cardy and Coke do have one more gig on Sunday 12th July at the Bures Music Festival in Suffolk. Wes was born and brought up in Bures and Cardy & Coke have been invited to perform on the closing day of the festival alongside Madness and ELO tribute acts amongst others. Wes feels it’s appropriate that he started his musical career in Bures when his 4-piece band got paid £12 for a New Years Eve gig at The Three Horseshoes pub and now he will end his career at Bures. Wes used to live in Cuckoo Hill at Bures so he wrote a song about it which later proved very popular with his Norwegian audience. That was his next song tonight. That was followed by Frankie Vaughan’s Green Door with Jan on lead vocals then Roy Orbison’s Penny Arcade which is still a surprisingly often requested song at clubs.
Wes remembered getting his first album by Johnny Cash album and The Tennessee Three (Johnny’s backing band for 25 years) while in Bures so next we heard a Johnny Cash medley, I Got Stripes, Folsom Prison Blues and Ring Of Fire then Jan sung a couple from Doris Day, Secret Love and Black Hills Of Dakota both from Calamity Jane. After Bing Crosby’s Don’t Fence Me In and Patty Loveless’ Mr. Man In The Moon we heard a particular favourite of Jans’ Boney M’s Rivers Of Babylon
As the evening drew to a close we heard what is probably Wes Cardy’s best known song, a sentimental folk ballad Special Absent Friends (co-written with Les Tingey). The song is a warm and nostalgic tribute to lost loved ones and is frequently used in remembrance services, charity events, and gatherings to honour friends and family who have passed on. Years ago this song reached the ears of Ken Dodd and Daniel O’Donnell both of whom recognised its potential. Ken Dodd started closing his theatre shows around the UK with the song and in 2001 recorded it on an album called Absent Friends for sale at his shows. Daniel O’Donnell also recorded (Our) Special Absent Friends on his 1997 album of the same name. It was also recorded by Roger Whittaker.
Wes has always liked Irish country and ended the evening with Foster and Allen’s Katie Daly with The Drifters’ Under The Boardwalk for an encore. The applause was loud and well deserved it was good to see this popular duo one last time they certainly went out in style amongst friends.
Click below to see my phone video.
Hickory Lake, Feering, Colchester, Essex
Stubby
by Wendy Haylock
28th June 2026
John Stubbs ‘Stubby’ gave us a great performance at Hickory Lake, John has such a powerful Country voice, and interacts with his audience well, he did many requests and kept the dance floor busy all evening despite it still being a very warm evening, we had a good attendance, we tried to keep it as cool as possible with the big fan going and all the windows and doors open. We thank you ‘Stubby’ for a brilliant evening of entertainment and we look forward to the next time.
We had one Birthday which was Sue’s, and John sang Happy Birthday to her and we all wished her well and thank you Sue for the lovely cakes and chocolates that were bought round to celebrate. It was lovely to see Margaret who comes along with Jim, back at the club again, you’re looking good Margaret.
Dave and Sylve looked after the raffle this week and we thank you Sylve for taking part, we also thank all who added prizes to the raffle table it’s much appreciated. As always we thank all our unique and special team of Hickory Lake helpers, you all do such a fantastic job in all that you each do from the start of the evening until the end, you are all very much appreciate. It’s always good to see all our Hickory Lake supporters and we thank you for your support of your club, and for coming along on still a very warm evening.
Love to you all Wendy xx
Denver Junction CMC, Kidbrooke, London
Tanya Turner
by Nick Catford
19th June 2026
Tanya Turner has been making a name for herself on the northern Country scene since 2012 having started her career as a cabaret singer in 2007. During lockdown, she reached a wider audience with live streams from her kitchen every Monday evening at 7pm. She only started travelling to the South of England in late 2023 and this was her first visit to Denver Junction and, knowing her reputation, club members were keen to see her for the first time – nobody went home disappointed. When I first saw Tanya in January 2024 it was quickly apparent to me, why she was nominated as CCN female artist of the year in 2023 despite only playing northern clubs. She is an outstanding singer with a great Country voice a big smile and a delightful personality.
Tanya kicked off with George Jones’ Billy B. Bad which soon had the dancers out of their seats. A girl singer pretty much guarantees a good helping of girls’ songs; for some reason male singers often avoid girls’ songs. After Scooter Lee’s Ribbon of Highway we heard one of the most popular songs around at the moment. Choosin’ Texas was a US No 1 earlier in the year for Ella Langley who only launched her career in 2024. This was followed by Garth Brooks’ The Dance, Kaylee Rose’s Going Blonde and Don Williams’s First Fool In Line.
Tanya described Blame It On Friday Night as “my song”. It was indeed recorded by her but it was written by singer/songwriter Kel Britton from popular north-east duo Brushwood. I have always loved original British songs and Blame It On Friday Night is a real cracker. Stephen & Lesley McKenna choreographed a dance for it in June, so Denver must have been one of the first clubs to hear what really is a great catchy song. There are lots of good original songs around which are rarely heard in dance clubs because they are unknown. I hope this song will get the recognition it deserves. I’m not a dancer myself but I do know a good song when I hear it and this is a good song.
A couple more girls’ songs followed, Eva Cassidy’s Songbird and Patsy Cline’s Your Cheatin’ Heart. Tanya grew up listening to traditional Country and lists one of her favourite singers as Patsy Cline and she always includes at least one Patsy Cline song. Robert Palmer’s Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) brought the first set to a close.
It’s always good to see a change of outfit each set something that was common in the 90s but rarely happens now. Tanya does play rhythm guitar but left it at home tonight which I felt enhanced her ability to entertain rather than just sing; after all her voice is her instrument! Without the constraint of a guitar she was always on the move around the stage; she was always smiling and clearly having a good time and that rubbed off on everyone as we were all having a good time too. She had little trouble creating a good rapport with everyone and was happy to sing requests and made regular useful dance suggestions; Tanya is a dancer herself.
The second set opened with Miranda Lambert’s Ain’t in Kansas Anymore, The Judds’ I Saw The Light and Swedish singer Jill Johnson’s Cowboy Up. Next was a special request for Sylvia, Johnny Logan’s Hold Me Now which was Ireland’s entry in the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest. The song has become increasingly popular amongst line dancers in recent years. This was followed by Chris Stapleton’s Tennessee Whiskey and DJTEXX’s AI generated line dance favourite Love Potion 666.
In complete contrast, my pick of the evening followed with what Tanya described as her all time favourite song. It’s not a country song but a real 60’s classic, Cilla Black’s You’re My World which she sung with a lot of emotion receiving loud and prolonged applause. Comments from some of the club members included, “Sung with such emotion that really got to me “, “Wow!! It sure got us” and “I think we all had a teary eye and lump in the throat after that performance”. I can’t disagree with those comments; I feel Tanya really excels with power ballads. I never saw Cilla singing live but I have seen Sheridan Smith singing this song and I think Tanya was as good – a very difficult song to follow.
Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson’s Trailblazer followed, Tanya describes Lainey Wilson as one of her favourite contemporary singers. It was now time for a barn dance and Jeff Moore’s Fever followed by Lonis/Daphne Willis’ Good To Go which gave Tanya the opportunity to join the dancers on the floor something she always enjoys doing. This brought the second set to a close.
Tanya Turner made a lot of new friends at Denver Junction with a well chosen mix of newer songs and country classics that kept the dancers on the floor from start to finish. A few from the final set included Josiah Siska’s 3 Tequila Floor, Ella Langley & Riley Green’s You Look Like You Love Me and a classic from Mary Chapin Carpenter.
On a hot night it was good to see plenty of people in the club determined to have good time and thanks to Tanya Turner that’s exactly what happened. The evening came to and end with Mark Wills’ Places I’ve Never Been, BR5-49’s All Week Long (Seven Nights to Rock) and another AI generated song, DJTEXX’s Wild West & Wicked. Tanya took us with James Johnston’s Old Country Barn. The comments and the well deserved applause ensured a return visit from Tanya at the earliest opportunity.
Click below to see my phone video of Tanya Turner at Denver Junction.
Roffey CMC, Roffey, nr Horsham, West Sussex
Rob Childs
by Nick Catford
16th June 2026
Ruth Chaplin opened the evening with the sad news that Roffey’s former MC Duncan Marshall had passed away earlier that day. He was MC at the club for many years. He also ran the Durrington Rebels CMC on a Monday night. He was also an occasional line dance teacher and was a real gentleman on the country scene and very funny man as well. When he was at Roffey he was always saying “has anybody seen my glasses?” In response to this members used to buy him funny glasses when they were on holiday. He will be missed by everyone a Roffey, Goffs Park (Crawley), Durrington and other clubs he regularly visited. Rob started with Duncan’s favourite song, Alan Jackson’s Remember When and Ruth asked members to take to the floor in his memory.
Rob Childs is a regular visitor to Roffey and made a welcome return on 16th June, I have known Rob for 35 years, he is very good at interacting with the audience and had little problem creating a great rapport very quickly. He always includes a varied selection of country classics, usually with a suggestion of a dance that will fit. There were plenty of newer songs too including a few IA generated songs – I will pontificate about them later in my report.
After Neon Union’s Made In Mexico and George Strait’s All My Exes Live In Texas, it was then time to go way back in time with Hank Williams’ I Saw The Light, a song Rob used to sing with Nadine Somers when they had a residency at the Sheraton Hotel at Heathrow in 1994.
Rob is a multi-instrumentalist and has a large collection of guitars. He has been “messing about” (his words) with guitars since 1964 when he was 3 and always brings at least three to each gig so, as usual, he was switching between guitars throughout the evening. Guitar players tend to play many different styles of music and each guitar suits different styles and has a different sound.
A few songs that stood out in the first set included Dan + Shay’s Bigger Houses a heartfelt ode to the American dream, exposing the never-ending pursuit of materialistic bliss, Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy) followed by Marty Stuart’s country arrangement of Elvis’ Don’t Be Cruel and BR5-49’s All Week Long (Seven Nights To Rock).
Now it was a time for a duet with Rob being joined on stage by his partner Izzy Archer to sing Ella Langley and Riley Green’s You Look Like You Love Me. Rob told me that Izzy is shy but that certainly didn’t come across. People first got to see Izzy during lockdown when Rob kept busy streaming Country music two days a week when his ‘Cactus Club’ entertained us which was a sort of online Country magazine with plenty of good music, chit chat and lots of wacky antics from Izzy. I am glad that he has now transferred this to his stage act. A lot of artists sing this song as a duet sometimes calling on someone in the audience to assist or adding Ella Langley to the backing track. Rob and Izzy interacted together very well and it was very entertaining and definitely the way to sing it. I have included it on my phone video.
After George Jones’ Billy B Bad the next song couldn’t have been more different with DJTEXX’s Love Potion 666 the first of three AI generated songs. I am still in two minds about whether this kind of song is a good thing or not. DJTEXX is a musical project rather than a specific person or group and Love Potion is a viral AI-generated country-dance song created by music producer Andrew Frelon. It’s a high-energy country line dance track that is proving very popular in clubs which in itself must be a good thing. I think AI can be a useful tool if used carefully and wisely (I use it in photography), it brought us Randy Travis’ Where That Came From (which Rob sung in the second set) with AI generating Randy Travis’ voice after a stroke left him without the ability to sing. That however is a nice melodic country song, Love Potion 666 couldn’t be described as melodic but it did keep the dancers on the floor so I will keep an open mind for now.
Set 2 opened with Blinding Lights from Canadian singer/songwriter The Weeknd after which it was time for a barn dance. Everyone enjoys a barn dance and it even gives me a chance to join in from my seat with some high-fiving. Some artists have been singing classic medleys to prolong the dance and this is what Rob did tonight with a new barn dance medley for him, From A Jack To A King, Take These Chains From My Heart and Singing The Blues. A couple of old favourites followed with Ty England’s Should’ve Asked Her Faster, a good cowboy charleston and John Prine’s Same Thing Happened to Me.
Next came the first of two Josiah Siska Do Si Dough followed by The Montgomery’s Brotherly Love and one of the lesser known songs by The Mavericks, Live Close By (Visit Often). The song was co-written by The Mavericks’ Raul Malo and K.T. Oslin and is deserves to be heard more often. After Jill King’s Can’t Let Go, it was time for another IA ‘song’, this time 2341studios’ Stomp 2,3,4. 2341studios’ is a musical IA project and production alias primarily associated with Rob Fowler, a well respected line dance choreographer. The music blends traditional country and western elements with modern pop, swing, and energetic club beats. I have included this in my phone video.
Rob opened the third set with Glen Frey’s (Eagles) Who’s Been Sleeping In My Bed and another from Josiah Siska with 3 Tequila Floor. Next we heard a nice song from rapper Post Malone with Falling In Love. Rob jokingly wondered if Post Malone was actually his name. Did the Malone family have a son they called Post. I can answer that one Rob, his real name is Austin Post, Post being his surname.
Rob told me many years ago that he doesn’t like singing girls’ songs but he did slip a couple in tonight. Earlier we heard Jill King and then Miranda Lambert’s Ain’t In Kansas Anymore. Rob told me about his interesting connection with Miranda Lambert. Many years ago, he knew a guitarist from Romford (Essex) called Spencer Cullum. Rob is a prolific pedal steel guitarist and Spencer saw him playing steel one day and took an interest in the instrument and decided to buy one and learn how to play. A few years later Rob was offered a position in a visiting American country band who needed a pedal steel guitarist for their UK tour. Due to other work commitments Rob was unable to do it himself so he recommended Spencer for the job. The band liked Spencer so much that they offered him a permanent position in the band. Spencer went on to become the long-time pedal steel and slide guitar player in Miranda Lambert’s band touring extensively with her (including her Vegas residencies) and contributing to her albums. If Rob had been available this could have been him but then of course he wouldn’t have met his fiancée Izzy Archer!
My favourite Bobby Vee song, The Night Has A Thousand Eyes was followed by a classic from Merle Haggard, Today I Started Loving You Again. DJTEXX Wild West And Wicked is the last of the IA generated songs tonight. It has rather strange lyrics!
Next came a really old song, Dean Martin’s Memories Are Made Of This which was brought up to date by The Dean Brothers. Rob remembers playing with The Deans well over 20 years ago and singing this song which was later choreographed by Maggie Gallagher and John Dean (The Dean Brothers) as Just A Memory and remains popular with dancers today.
There were plenty of requests throughout the evening and I think Rob got most if not all of them in; last request of the evening was from Ruth for Brad Paisley’s Wrapped around which almost wrapped up the evening. Rob took us out in fine style with Tim McGraw’s I Like It, I Love It and Brooks & Dunn’s Whiskey Under The Bridge. There was of course an encore Keith Urban’s Somebody Like You. Rob did us proud this evening as he always does, he will be back at Roffey next year.
Having worked with other people all his life either in bands, trios or duos, Rob went solo in 2014 but still occasionally works with Bob Keeley and Nadine Somers in the Nadine Somers Band and he has also been US country comedian Rich Hall’s right hand man since 2001 providing the musical accompaniment with his Black Liars Band in which he performs as Myron T. Buttram. Rob remains very busy with solo gigs when he’s not touring with Rich Hall.
Click below to see my phone video of Martin Boyd at Roffey CMC.
Hickory Lake, Feering, Colchester, Essex
Kevin Barry
by Wendy Haylock
14th June 2026
It was so great to have Kevin Barry back at Hickory Lake last night, what a great entertainer he is with his excellent guitar and banjo playing and repertoire of songs. He did many requests and is always popular with his audience; he kept the dance floor busy all evening. We had a good attendance and Kevin gave us all a great performance as always. We thank you Kevin for a fabulous evening and look forward to the next time.
It was nice to see two new faces all the way from Kentucky U.S.A. who came along with Hils and Brian, it was lovely to meet you both and hope you enjoyed your evening at Hickory Lake. We had one birthday which is on 18th June, Dave “The Rave”! Kevin sang him a special song and we all wished him well, and thank you for the chocolates that were bought round to celebrate.
The raffle was taken care of this week by Roger and myself, we thank you Roger for taking part you did a grand job, and we thank as always all who added prizes to the raffle table it’s much appreciated. Many grateful thanks to all our brilliant team of Hickory Lake helpers from the start of the evening to the very end, you are all first class in all that you each do for us and your club, and it’s very much appreciated. Also to all our Hickory Lake supporters, it’s always great to see you all and your support of your club is appreciated very much.
Love to you all Wendy xx
Silver Churn, Dartington, Near Totnes, Devon
Ridgeway Country
by Phil Jenkins
6th June 2026
A bit thin on the ground tonight but we still had brilliant night of non-stop, exciting Country music, from Ridgeway Country who have their own programme of interesting material, not just the run of the mill numbers which we hear every week.
We had music from Midland, The Eagles, The Mavericks, George Strait, George Jones, Elvis, Alan Jackson, Jonny Cash, Charley Pride and The Bellamy Brothers, all great stuff.
From all over southern England, they are Tony Heatherington on vocals and guitar, Tim Albins on bass and vocals, Ray Phillips on vocals steel and lead guitar and on drums and vocals Matt Jacobs.
Pam and Bill did us proud tonight with their homemade refreshments.
It was a great night of pure Country music keeping us on our feet all night and sending everyone home exhausted and happy.