James McVey joins Smooth Country to host five-part 'A-Z of Country Music'

14 October 2021, 09:15

We're very excited to announce that music star and songwriter James McVey is joining Smooth Country to host a five-night special in which he celebrates the very best country music artists.

The A-Z of Country Music with James McVey will be broadcast on Smooth Country from Monday 18th to Friday 22nd October, 9pm to 10pm.

A country music superfan and member of the band The Vamps, earlier this year James announced that it was his dream to be a presenter on Smooth Country.

His campaign on social media and on TV to host his own show worked, with James joining the station’s line-up next week.

Across five nights in The A-Z of County Music, James will celebrate some of the biggest names in country music, featuring legends such as Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks and Johnny Cash.

He will also cover the music of line dancing and the evolution of the genre from the rockabilly sound of the ‘50s to the ‘Bro Country’ phase in the early 2010s.

Launched in 2019, Smooth Country plays the very best in country music, featuring iconic artists including Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Shania Twain and Lady A.

James McVey said: “I'm over the moon to be joining Smooth Country to present The A-Z of Country Music. For me, country has always been the backbone of my songwriting, the core of my playlists and my absolute favourite genre to watch live.

"I've been a fan of country for 15 years, but my passion exploded after Taylor Swift sent me a collection of her favourite songs in 2014. I'm really looking forward to playing some of my favourite songs on air, but also excited to hopefully share a few anecdotes from my time with The Vamps.”

Smooth Country is available across the UK on DAB digital radio, on Global Player on your smart speaker (“play Smooth Country”), iOS or Android device and SmoothCountry.co.uk.

Meanwhile, Eamonn Kelly will count down listeners' favourite top 50 country artists of all time in Smooth Country Icons, airing on Saturday, October 23rd at 12-4pm. Voting closes at midnight on October 17.