Artist - Wayne Graham 1

"This is our home base" explains drummer and vocalist Hayden Miles, as he introduces his band Wayne Graham during the first song of their Holler Railbird Session. Setting up in the room above the slot machines at Red Mile racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky, the group settle in as the Saturday evening sun sets, a surprisingly suitable environment for their easy Appalachian listening.

The vivid pictures the four-piece band paint, not only with their music but even with the story behind the name of the band, make them an inventive and approachable outfit. They ponder over life and the many characters you stumble upon, not necessarily possessing all the answers to the hurdles you'll face but, in their own gentle way, guide you along as they work it out themselves. 

"This is about recognising that some days are harder than others" explains Hayden Miles. "Everybody has a bad day sometimes and it's just something you have to deal with in this life. But, everything's going to be ok". Noodling over some bright-eyed harmonies like CSNY at their most observant and empathetic, the band evoke a softer, more emotionally-endearing nature when performing acoustically than in their versatile live set, adding another layer to their already chameleonic expression as a group.

Taking over vocal duties, Hayden's brother Kenny delves into the brit-pysch-esque sensibility of 'Mr Green Thumb', a sparse and mysterious ditty about a nefarious character we don't quite get to know. Nevertheless, the performance is spritely and inventive; the band finding a neat balance between catchy subtlety and knotty experimentation.

"I wrote this song for a very good friend of ours, Mike Hall" Kenny reveals as he introduces their final song, 'Wooden Frames'. Playing out the opening of the song alone on his acoustic guitar, Kenny sounds like a wandering stranger, ruminating on the suffering he's caused to someone close and asking himself why he's done so. The symbiosis the band share together in the instrumental moments summons as much emotion as their lyricism, the weight of the dwelling middle-eights leaving room for consideration of those we've hurt in our lives.

Spending some time with Wayne Graham and their poignant yet imaginative music offers you a little space to gather your thoughts and find some clarity, perhaps even a little inspiration too.

Performing their songs 'Some Days', 'Mr Green Thumb' and 'Wooden Frames', this is Wayne Graham for the Holler Railbird Sessions.

Holler Presents Wayne Graham for the Holler Railbird Sessions, performing their songs 'Some Days', 'Mr Green Thumb' and 'Wooden Frames'.

Holler Railbird Sessions: Wayne Graham

Holler Railbird Sessions

Ross

Author - Ross Jones 2

Ashley

Artist - Ashley Cooke Holler Live Sessions 1

From four simple words, you can gage a lot of what Ashley Cooke stands for and what she is trying to achieve with her artistry. 

is an unknowing yet hopeful title to give your debut album; one that embodies a songwriter who is brazen and self-exposing, leaving every emotion on the page through intelligent quips and catchy couplets.

Even with this in mind, no one can say they truly expected her to drop a 24-track double album as her first foray into the format. But what an album it is - a finite collection of heartfelt ballads and gratifyingly relatable pay-offs that immediately cements Cooke as a one of the genre's most engaging new acts, alongside the Moroney's, Springsteen's and Watkins' of the world. 

"This first song is kind of about what it's like to date me. It's not weird!" Cooke laughs, ribbing with her guitarist and buddy Louis Johnson as they lead into the catchy yet affirming country-pop song 'getting into'. Immediately, Cooke's sharp banter and unreserved nature comes to the fore, suiting the resilient and memorable essence of the song; 

"I can burn it down, be a London pub closer / Sunday sittin' in a pew hungover" Cooke jokes as she sings, unburdened by ideas of who others expect her to be.

"I wrote this next song about the kind of love I hope to be in at some point. It's kind of a manifestation for the kind of love I want". First releasing the song independently, Cooke shared 'never til now' on social media, finding support from none other than Brett Young, who would go on to duet with her on the latest studio version of the song. 

"This is just the Ashley version", Cooke laughs once again, "imagine Brett being a part of this too". The most telling thing of all as Cooke performs is the joy she takes in these moments; she gleams from ear to ear as she sings what is a deeply intimate love song about the future.

"I had the craziest year of my life last year" Cooke explains as she introduces her final song. "I signed my first record deal, my first publishing deal, i went out on tour with Cole Swindell and Luke Bryan, my life was insane. I wrote this song kind of like a journal entry to music". 

 is summed up by any song, it's this - an artist striving to make sense of a world they've been thrust into, and loving every second of the journey it's taking them on. 

Cooke is one of mainstream country's finest new artists, and from a tiny pub in London, UK, she stakes her claim to stay.

Performing her songs 'getting into', 'never til now' and 'it's been a year', this is Ashley Cooke for the Holler Live Sessions.

Holler presents Ashley Cooke, performing her songs 'getting into', 'never til now' and 'it's been a year' for the Holler Live Sessions at The Betsey Trotwood pub in London, UK.

Holler Live Sessions: Ashley Cooke

Holler Live Sessions: Ashley Cooke Videos | Holler

Artist - Brit Taylor 3

Brit Taylor is a vision in blue when she arrives for her Holler Railbird Session in Lexington, Kentucky. It's a fitting look, too, her floating aquamarine dress celebrating what feels like a full-circle moment of sorts. 

Released in February, Taylor's sophomore album 

sees her reflecting back on all the things she's learnt on her journey to becoming the artist and person she is today. It's a determined record, one that offers tastes of bluegrass, vintage country and a little rock-inspired honky tonk for good measure. 

The title track begins her session set in a delicate and wistful manner. "I've been Texas tired, I've been New York wired, I've been Louisiana lonesome too. I've been Colorado high and I wish I was tonight, but I'm just Kentucky blue", she sings, her husband Adam Chaffins offering beautiful harmonies and some acoustic guitar backing. 

'Cabin in the Woods' follows, picking up the tempo. "We live in a little cabin outside of Nashville, Tennesee with five pygmy goats all named after country music stars", Taylor shares happily. "And what else we got? We got donkeys, cats, chickens, the whole nine yards. So this is a song about our little cabin in the woods". It’s a foot-stompin’, hillbilly revival about loving the simple things in life and having friends along for the ride.

The set closes with 'Rich Little Girls', a song that addresses the lavish lifestyle more fortunate women are able to lead - "Clink clink they drink champagne / Another hundred dollars ain't no thing". It's self-affirming though, as she states, "Well everybody plays with the cards they're dealt / Everybody's gotta work it out for their self / But I wouldn't wanna be anybody else but a working girl". 

Brit Taylor's songs are those of someone fun, free and wise, delivered with effortless grace and touch of joyful attitude. If 

 was anything to go by, then we felt assured we'd be getting plenty more from Brit Taylor, but this Holler Railbird Session confirmed that for us beyond doubt. 

Performing 'Kentucky Blue', 'Cabin in the Woods' and 'Rich Little Girls', this is Brit Taylor for the Holler Railbird Sessions. 

Holler presents Brit Taylor, performing her songs 'Kentucky Blue', 'Cabin in the Woods' and 'Rich Little Girls' for the Holler Railbird Sessions at Railbird Festival 2023 in Lexington, Kentucky. 


Holler Railbird Sessions: Brit Taylor

Holler Railbird Sessions: Brit Taylor Videos | Holler

Ciara

Ciara with Charley Crockett

Artist - Jillian Jacqueline Holler Live Sessions 1

, Jillian Jacqueline closed out another chapter in her already storied life. The album represented not only a maturation in sound for the Pennsylvanian singer-songwriter, but was a representation of creating something on her own terms, something she has always seemed to hold dear throughout her career.

Joining Holler at The Betsey Trotwood pub for her Holler Live Session, Jacqueline performs solo, stripping back the heartrending production of the record to somehow deliver something even more raw and sincere than on an album called 

Jillian's music is like a warm embrace when you're feeling unsure of yourself. She doesn't have all the answers, and knows she won't too, but is happy in working it out as we all go. "I wrote this song after I met my husband" She begins as she introduces her first track. "I wanted to express the idea that there's really not a lot that makes sense in the world, until you find that one person that you want to spend your life with". 

'Sure', with all it's unanswered questions and wonderings on why the world turns the way it does, is a beautiful perception of acceptance in the unknown, Jacqueline's soft, pondering voice echoing the strength of a commanding pop singer, even in her lowest of whispers.

"I wrote this next song about anxiety, actually", Jacqueline continues. "It's about what it's like when you've gone through many many years of dealing with it and being so driven by it that it causes you to run away from a lot of the people that you love and are just trying to help you". 

The weighty, sweeping production that embellishes the studio recording of 'Hummingbird' is washed away for her performance here, leaving the jewels of her moving lyricism to process and seek reassurance from. "I hate to be alone, but I'd rather be alone" Jacqueline immediately begins, so succinctly capturing the disquiet feelings so many of us have felt.

Closing with the frank 'Hurt Somebody Else', Jacqueline turns the familiar trope of heartbreak on it's head, an open admittance of the hurt that comes from breaking someone's heart; "I had to leave somebody that is a really good person and didn't deserve to have their heart broken. The person that does the breaking doesn't always get that much sympathy because you're the bad guy, so this is coming from that perspective".

A tough pill to swallow, Jacqueline isn't asking for sympathy; she isn't going to hide the pain and hurt that fills her in causing someone's suffering. It's unshielded and exposing, and some of her finest songwriting to date.

Performing her songs 'Sure', 'Hummingbird' and 'Hurt Somebody Else', this is Jillian Jacqueline for the Holler Live Sessions.

Holler presents Jillian Jacqueline for the Holler Live Sessions, performing her songs 'Sure', 'Hummingbird' and 'Hurt Somebody Else'.

Holler Live Sessions: Jillian Jacqueline

Joining Holler at The Betsey Trotwood pub for her Holler Live Session, Jacqueline performs solo, stripping back the heartrending production of her record to somehow deliver something even more raw and sincere than on an album called 

Holler Live Sessions: Jillian Jacqueline Videos | Holler

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Live sessions and music videos from the world of country, Americana and roots from Holler.

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Holler Railbird Sessions: Wayne Graham

Holler Live Sessions: Ashley Cooke

Holler Railbird Sessions: Brit Taylor

Holler Live Sessions: Jillian Jacqueline