James Daykin

James Daykin

Journalist, blogger, podcaster. Writes & interviews for Lyric Magazine and Your Life In a Song. CMA member. I am now also working closely with the talented team at Triple Fret Records - the UK's premier independent record label, specialising in quality, modern Country music. The website link is in the options above.


I wrote for print magazine, Maverick, for over two years and interviewed Jason Aldean, Little Big Town & Kelsea Ballerini for them in that time.


I currently produce a weekly iTunes podcast - 10 Minute Country - the world of Country music in 10 minutes a week! You can listen to it via the link in the top right of this page.

Recently, I wrote a press release / website bio for a UK-based Americana band who used it to gain a support slot with Jools Holland. The press release is below - contact me if you would like me to do one for you at a very reasonable cost!


Entertainment Focus •

Interview: Desmond Child talks working with Bon Jovi, Meat Loaf, Ricky Martin and his upcoming autobiography

Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated songwriter/producer Desmond Child is one of the music industry’s most revered and prolific hitmakers. With a career that spans over five decades, Desmond has been credited on more than 80 Billboard Top 40 hits including Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer and You Give Love a Bad Name, Aerosmith’s Dude Looks Like A Lady and Ricky Martin’s Livin’ La Vida Loca. He has sold more than 500 million records worldwide. It was a career highlight & an absolute pleasure to chat with him.
LYRIC Magazine •

LYRICinterviews: Lori McKenna Ahead of Her Visit to the UK for The CMA Songwriters Event in London

Lori McKenna. Songwriter supreme. One third of the ‘Love Junkies’ with Hillary Lindsey and Liz Rose. Creator of such classic modern hits as ‘Girl Crush’ and ‘Humble & Kind’ as well as such deep & meaningful songs with the likes of Brandy Clark (‘3 Kids No Husband’), Carrie Underwood (‘Cry Pretty’) and many tracks for Little Big Town aside from ‘Girl Crush’. This was a 'bucket-list' interview for me and so fun to do as well!!
LYRIC Magazine •

LYRICreviews: 'It All Begins With a Song' - An Intimate Look Behind the Scenes of the Nashville Songwriting Machine

My first ever film review came 24 hours after Nashville was struck by tragedy as a tornado barrelled through many residential areas of the city. Isn't that just SO Country music? The triumph and the tragedy go hand in hand and nowhere is that more in evidence than on this uplifting & beguiling documentary about the art, the craft and the mechanics of the Nashville songwriting machine.
Your Life In A Song •

ALBUM REVIEW: Carly Pearce (Self-Titled Album)

Country music is a genre ripe, rich and fecund with female voices, hell, a large part of its creation and genesis can be attributed to Sara and Maybelle Carter back in the 1920s. Right down through the decades, female performers have stamped their presence across Country music in bold, bright and expressive ways. Patsy, June, Loretta, Tammy, Dolly, Reba, Trisha, Faith and Shania..............and now Carly Pearce, with this album that is 'of' and 'about' the experience of being a woman.
LYRIC Magazine •

LYRICinterviews: Brett Eldredge About his Upcoming UK Shows, Songwriting, His New Album & Which of His 'Deep Cuts' Are His Favourites

Kicking 2020 off with a real bucket-list interview. The super-talented and very cool Brett Eldredge. 7 Number one hits and numerous quality albums, including my go-too Christmas album, 'Glow'. Brett has been long on my list of artists I've wanted to speak to and the experience didn't disappoint. We talked in depth about his career, his writing and and his new, upcoming album.
LYRIC Magazine •

LYRICinterviews: Old Dominion on Album Release Day. Find Out Their Thoughts on the New Album, Track by Track & Why They May Never Make Another Album!

Today, October 25th, Old Dominion release their third album. Self-titled and appearing on the cover of an album for the first time, the reigning Vocal Group of the Year (CMA Awards) have made a number of changes, both cosmetic and with their sound which sees them making progress as songwriters and musicians. We were lucky enough to talk to the band before their recent show in Birmingham, UK about the new album and some of their inspirations & thoughts behind the process that went into making it.
Buzzsprout •

10 Minute Country - Episode 41 - Kip Moore Talks About Acoustic Shows v Electric & Gives a New Album Update and MORE! - 10 Minute Country

James managed to grab 15 minutes with Country rocker and 'adopted British citizen' Kip Moore before his show in Birmingham on May 29th. Kip spoke with his usual openness and honesty about the longevity of previous single, 'Last Shot' and how that was a blessing and a curse, about who he is when playing acoustic shows and the difference between the electric ones and he gives a major update on the writing and delivery of his new album, due later in the year.
LYRIC Magazine •

LYRICinterviews: Chris Young On Early Chart Failures, Industry Changes Christmas Songs & More

Chris Young is one of the leading artists in Country music right now. As he prepares to release his seventh album, preceded by the awesome song, ‘Raised on Country’, Chris took time to talk to me about his career, from those early chart failures to where he is now and he even managed some chat about Christmas songs along the way too! You can read the transcript of the interview or even listen to it as a podcast. The link to the podcast is at the top of the screen - follow the link to '10 Minute Country', episode 35.
Your Life In A Song •

ALBUM REVIEW: Maren Morris - 'GIRL'

Texan born, Nashville based ‘pocket-rocket’ Maren Morris set the world ablaze in 2016 with her homage to Country music in ‘My Church’. She burst into tears at the C2C Festival in London when the crowd at the O2 Arena sang the song back to her, unprompted, whilst she performed from the B stage at the back of the hall. This was an early indication for Morris that the song had cross-nation and cross-genre appeal. *Read the rest by clicking on the link*
LYRIC Magazine •

LYRICinterviews: Ashley McBryde On Her Grammy Experience, New Music & Her Love Affair With The UK

What a year it’s been for Ashley McBryde since she emerged triumphant from her appearances at last year’s C2C Festival in London. Lauded as the ‘breakout’ artist of the whole festival, she embarked on a whirlwind year that culminated in a Grammy nomination for her debut album, ‘Girl Going Nowhere’ and Vegas shows with George Strait. She’s back again this weekend (March 8th – 10th) in London for C2C BUT on the main stage this time. We were thrilled to speak to her all about it.
LYRIC Magazine •

LYRICinterviews: Hunter Hayes On Returning To The UK For C2C, New Music & The Ever-Changing Industry

It’s been two years since we last saw Hunter Hayes on a UK stage and four since since he, seemingly, released a musical project although he’s been very busy behind the scenes releasing songs on streaming platforms. 2019 sees Hunter back in the UK with three songs from his upcoming new album and a rejuvenated outlook on life and the music industry. It’s lovely to speak to you today Hunter, thanks for giving up your time. You have a great relationship with the UK crowd, haven’t you? Man, I do! W
Your Life In A Song •

ALBUM REVIEW: Randy Houser - 'Magnolia'

Randy Houser’s fifth album has been heralded by many websites and magazines as a ‘back to basics’ return to the bluesier Mississippi infused days of his roots. The title itself, ‘Magnolia’, is a nod to his home state and he even went as far as telling Billboard magazine, ‘“I started sort of paying for the album out of my own pocket because I honestly thought that once they (Stoney Creek, his record label) heard what I wanted to do that they would drop me,” he says.
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