We had the pleasure of chatting to the rising UK country star Liam Price at The Long Road the other week about him playing the main stage there, getting to support Larry Fleet and much more! Check it all out below!
How’s this weekend been for you? Been pretty busy by the look of things!
Well, as you’ve seen, it was pretty wet yesterday. But everyone’s in the same boat, so to speak. And today the sun came out for our set on main stage, which is incredible for everybody! So, yeah, crazy weekend, but it seems to be my life at the moment!
Yeah! I suppose the rain packed out the VIP tent yesterday for you, too!
Yeah. I thought I was a big deal, but then I realized it was absolutely chucking it down out there and everyone was in there!
Is it a similar sort of set for the VIP one?
Yeah, just a stripped back, very intimate set. I’ll probably chuck a couple of covers in there as well.
You won the competition here last year. How is it to come back and do the big stage this year?
Yeah, I mean it’s just crazy. To do the little stage last year, little stage yesterday, and then all of a sudden you’re on the Rhinestone stage with a few thousand people! It was great turnout. So happy with everyone coming out and seeing me. That was really kind!
I saw you had quite the queue of people wanting to take photos and all this, which was pretty cool!
I’ve got some really good fans, some really good friends that support me all over the country, and I appreciate them greatly!
You say you’ve had a pretty full-on year so far. I saw you around the US, and you’re there again next month, right?
Yeah, I’m going to go and open for Larry Fleet! It’s going to be really cool. And he’s actually a massive inspiration for me. I tell the story; when I went in the studio to record ‘The Grass Ain’t Green’, I had to give a reference track about like how I wanted it to sound and mix, and I gave ‘Where I Find God’ by Larry Fleet. So, to get the call to go and play with him, like it’s crazy!
You’ve come from more of a tribute background. How is it kind of transitioning into a more originals kind of sound?
I mean, tribute background in terms of the country scene, but I’ve been writing songs since I was 16 years old! I was in like a pop-punk band back in the day.
But, yeah, I mean the transition’s been pretty simple, pretty easy. The main thing about this genre is people are so supportive for roots music, like, you know, grassroots. So, they want to hear anyone’s new songs, and that’s why it’s a pleasure to be part of this genre!
Yeah, definitely. I feel like because it’s still such a newish thing in the UK as well for this country music boom, anyone that’s kind of picking up some steam is so readily like is kind of let in!
Bang on the money. Long may it continue!
And then you obviously put out a single May, right? Are we expecting some more music to follow?
Priority this this year, just to keep writing and get some tracks together and and get them out. Maybe another EP! Potentially an album. But you know, writing and recording, it really is a huge cost. Easily upwards of, you know, fifteen K.
Yeah. I’ve spoken to a few people this weekend about what goes into the decision to put stuff out, and it’s so hard I feel, especially with streaming and all this nowadays.
Yeah, and nine times out of ten you’ll find the reason EPs are released is just because it’s all the budget allows at the time. For four tracks, you know. And I feel like they’re easier enough to get in a studio and do in a couple of days as well.
Have you got a busy rest of the year planned after September then? Have we got some more shows coming in?
yeah, I’ve got some shows. So I’m going to do the Larry Fleet thing, and then I’ll be doing just some individual shows. I’ll be playing at like Rodeos Barbecue, Wolverhampton, doing some stuff there, and Birmingham. I’ve just got little splinter shows all over the country. I’ll be playing the Ulster Hall in Belfast as well in December, which is like a bucket-list venue.
And obviously I’m busy with the tribute thing, some things have rolled over my head. But yeah, just doing a load of that. The the joy is you never know what’s going to happen, so we’ll see we’ll see what what opportunities come, you know!
I imagine the Larry Fleet thing was a little last minute, was it?
Yeah, I had a call and they just said we’d love you to come and to the open. I was like, when is it? Eight weeks?! I was like, all right, we’ll get we’ll get it together! And I’ve ended up getting another show on the back of that in North Carolina, so I’m going to go do a couple of shows out there, and then come back. At least it kind of covers the cost a little bit more, we’ll break even, a couple of days out of them!
My budget mainly goes on great food out there! I like barbecue and I’ll do all that stuff, no problem!
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone still on the bucket list?
It’s a bit of a crazy one, but I’m an absolute… like Chris Stapleton for me, is like God. So I’d love to be on that lineup. But then also I think why would I ever want to be on a lineup with him? He’s like totally going to wipe the floor. He’d outclass any singer in the world. Yeah, the guy’s unbelievable. He could sing the phone book, couldn’t he? Like, yeah, that’d be amazing. A tour with Chris Stapleton or maybe on a little bit of a lower level like Marcus King. But King’s blowing up now too! So, yeah, but anyone who wants to take me on tour, I’m available, I play anywhere!
If you could have written one song from history, do any spring to mind?
One of my favorite songs of all time is ‘Always on My Mind’ by Billy Joel!