Every year C2C Festival in London begins not with a full arena spectacle, but with something far more intimate. The CMA Songwriters Series has become the traditional curtain-raiser for the weekend, offering fans a rare chance to see some of Nashville’s finest songwriters perform in a stripped-back setting before the main festival kicks into gear. Instead of huge production and arena theatrics, the focus is purely on the craft of songwriting, with artists swapping stories, trading songs and revealing the inspirations behind the hits that define modern country music.
This year’s line-up once again blended star power with Nashville storytelling pedigree. Global country superstar Keith Urban headlined the evening in what promised to be a genuinely special opportunity to see one of the genre’s biggest names in such an intimate environment. He was joined by Sugarland’s Kristian Bush, rising star Ashley Cooke and, following a late line-up change after Aaron Raitiere and Meg McRee were forced to withdraw, traditional-leaning singer-songwriter Emily Ann Roberts, whose sharp wit and classic country sensibilities added plenty of charm to the evening. Together they set the tone for the weekend ahead, offering a reminder that great country music always starts with a great song.
This year’s edition may well go down as one of the most memorable in the event’s history. Featuring country superstar Keith Urban, Kristian Bush, and rising artists Ashley Cooke and Emily Ann Roberts, the evening blended storytelling, humour, virtuoso musicianship and genuine camaraderie. From the very first moment it was clear this would not be a polite “take turns and play your hits” writers round — this was going to be something far looser, funnier and more collaborative.
Urban set the tone immediately with an entrance that perfectly captured the relaxed spirit of the evening — accidentally knocking over a glass of wine before settling in with a grin. Within minutes the audience was deep inside a songwriter’s anecdote as he explained how he once began writing a song with Richard Marx, only to realise later that the melody had unconsciously drifted toward Midnight Oil’s ‘Short Memory.' Laughing at the accidental Australian homage, and even playing some of it, Urban pivoted into ‘Long Hot Summer,' with Bush happily playing along to the groove while Cooke and Roberts sang from their stools. If there has ever been a more joyfully chaotic opening to a writers round, it would be difficult to recall.
Ashley Cooke was the first of the two younger artists to take the spotlight and immediately disarmed the crowd. “It’s equally thrilling and terrifying to follow that,” she laughed, before recounting stories of songwriting retreats filled with the classic Nashville cycle of “drunk, writing, drunk, writing.” Her performance of ‘Baby Blues' turned into a mini jam session as Urban and Bush jumped in on guitars, adding a funky, blues-inflected groove. Cooke leaned into the moment, calling out, “Kristian — whatcha got?” before Bush launched into a playful solo. Celebrating the song’s Top 20 success, she finished with a grin as the crowd roared approval.
Bush, meanwhile, proved once again why he is one of country music’s great raconteurs. Introducing Sugarland’s ‘Stuck Like Glue,' he joked that love songs sometimes hide darker truths. “It’s about the person you want to kill the most — people outside this room just don’t know that,” he deadpanned, acting out exaggerated knife-thrust motions mid-song to the audience’s delight. The moment perfectly captured the loose, comedic rhythm the night had found — serious musicianship wrapped inside playful storytelling.
Emily Ann Roberts brought a different energy — wide-eyed excitement mixed with deep respect for the artists she grew up admiring. “This is crazy — y’all raised me up,” she said to Urban and Bush before launching into a spirited story song about “Jill Daniels breaking Jack Daniels’ heart.” The retro-leaning country tune had shades of classic Nashville storytelling and even a touch of Dolly Parton in its bright, charismatic delivery. Cooke sang along enthusiastically while Urban and Bush backed her instrumentally, and by the end Roberts was laughing: “I’m up here sweating — I’m up here with Keith Urban!”
Urban soon returned with another writer’s tale, recalling sessions with producer and songwriter Jon Shanks (now a member of Bon Jovi.) He joked that they spent nearly an hour looping the riff to ‘Love Somebody' before anything resembling a song appeared. Demonstrating the riff again, he then launched into the full song, with the whole stage joining in and the audience quickly following. After the crowd participation turned into a chorus of enthusiastic voices, Urban quipped, “Just guys named Dave,” sending the room into another round of laughter. And there turned out to be a lot of Daves in the room!
The collaborative spirit only intensified. Cooke debuted an unreleased “messy love song” titled ‘Exes,' with Bush and his brother Brandon jumping in spontaneously on guitars and keys. Bush then followed with a brand-new heartbreak song inspired by his East Tennessee upbringing, joking about the mythical “beach in Tennessee.” The room fell silent — you could hear a pin drop — as his delicate melody filled the venue, a reminder that beneath the humour sat deeply skilled songwriters capable of moving an audience with a single lyric. Where else in the world but London could Kristian Bush debut a brand new song and have the audience hanging on every line? Pat yourselves on the back London, good job!
Roberts’ next contribution, ‘Easy Does It,' came with a heartfelt introduction about meeting her partner in high school and learning that real love doesn’t need to be a rollercoaster. The gentle, wistful performance had Cooke quietly singing harmony from her stool, further reinforcing the sense that this was less a showcase and more a musical conversation. That theme continued when Urban cheekily asked, “Can you write a song with one chord?” before demonstrating his playful ‘One Chord Song,' a ridiculous and brilliant musical exercise that somehow turned into a full crowd sing-along.
As the night deepened, the emotional moments began to land even harder. Bush delivered a soulful performance connected to his Dark Water project, explaining the unusual backstory of the upcoming song — “five guys out of prison who found the Lord.” The resulting narrative brought a gritty Southern-rock flavour to the evening, culminating in a lively jam between Kristian and Brandon Bush that may have been the night’s most musically adventurous moment.
But the evening’s most powerful moment came when Roberts introduced an unreleased song about her father, ‘Things You Didn’t Know.' Explaining his struggles to provide for their family, she delivered the performance with visible emotion, her voice cracking slightly during the final lines. The room responded with rapturous applause as the other artists watched quietly, clearly moved. “Songs from the heart, Emily — what an amazing concept,” Keith Urban joked gently from the stage, but the sincerity of the moment lingered. Again, in a room of Country legends, raconteurs and egos a relative new comer stamped her mark on the evening. Pat yourselves on the back London, good job!
Urban ultimately brought the night to a triumphant close, standing to perform ‘Wasted Time.' In keeping with the night’s improvisational spirit, he even slipped in a playful “Sugarland on the radio” lyric in tribute to Bush. The crowd sang along loudly, turning the finale into a celebratory communal moment — the perfect launch into the weekend of the Country to Country Festival.
For those who have attended many CMA Songwriters Nights over the years, this one felt special. The sense of equality on stage — from a global star like Urban to emerging voices like Cooke and Roberts — created a genuine musical community. Artists jumped into each other’s songs, shared unreleased material, joked freely and even played novelty songs, a sure sign of how comfortable the room felt. As the opening night of C2C 2026, it wasn’t just good — it was magical, the kind of evening that reminds you why the songwriter remains the beating heart of country music.
