Rockfield Country Music Festival

Ian Highland, 2 Card Trick, Texas Tornadoes, Chris James, Doggone, Darren Jones, Sidewinder, Spur, Kay D, Chloe, Rachel Cain

The third Rockfield Country Music Festival is a 4-day extravaganza of country music and Wild West entertainment. With twenty six bands performing there will be country music to suit all tastes ranging from the modern pop-country stylings of Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum and Keith Urban, right through to the old-school country sounds of Johnny Cash, Elvis, The Eagles and George Strait.

Performers include many award winning acts like British Country Music Awards' Best Duo, Spur; Rising Star winner, Kay 'D'; Hall Of Famers, Texas Tornadoes; Line Dancer Magazine Hall Of Fame and Best Act winner, Glen Rogers with 2 Card Trick; and Nashville Star Search Winner, Rachel Cain. Other bands flying in for the event include the 2011 Rockfield Battle Of The Bands Winner, Sidewinder from Holland.

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the Festival holds a Battle Of The Country Bands contest where a dozen acts play their best material in 30 minute sets to try and win the most audience votes and the prize of £2000 of recording time at local Monnow Valley Studio. Each year, the standard is extremely high with many acts returning the following year as headline bands. 2012 looks to be better than ever with artists such as Ayesha Jeffries who studied at the Australian College of Country Music under country legend Pam Tillis.

An amazing Wild West atmosphere is created over the four days with most people dressing in authentic western clothes, especially in the evenings. With a different western theme each night (such as Saloon Girls & Gamblers, Cowboys & Crinolines, Hillbilly, Mexican, and Native American) many country festival enthusiasts bring several outfits to the event and compete for the nightly 'Best Dressed' prizes. Last year, some of the ladies brought 10 or more dresses to the event. (Many traders will be on location selling American cowboy hats, boots, leather ware, clothes and accessories for those that want to 'blend in'!)

Performing in the arena on Saturday through Monday evenings will be The Lawmen (Bristol) who will re-enact Wild West shoot-outs and brawls amongst their ghost town scenery. And dozens of 'Authentics' will be camped at the event living in nineteenth century, pioneer conditions, sleeping in tents and wooden shacks and cooking their food on camp fires. Apparently, one Authentic was offered a light for his camp fire last year, but said he wasn’t allowed to use anything made after 1862!

As in previous years, there will be Fast Draw competitions on Saturday and Sunday evenings to see who is the quickest gun in town. But this year there will be various categories and the public are encouraged to take part in the Beginners' Section. If you've ever wanted to shoot a real Colt 45 here is your chance!

On Bank Holiday Monday, Rockfield are also holding the first Lamb National sheep race. Punters will place bets on the who they think will be the winning ewe, with any proceeds going to the Festival's charity of the Victoria Eye Unit at Hereford Country Hospital.

The Rockfield Country Music Festival takes place on the Queen's Jubilee bank holiday weekend from Friday 1st of June to Monday 4th June 2012. Adult day tickets are £12 and 4-Day Weekend Tickets including a free camping spot for tents or caravan start from just £30 per person. More information and tickets are available from www.CountryMusicFestival.co.uk or by calling Norman Crockett on 07903 949 902 or Karen Edwards on 07761 119 283.