UK country audience ‘speaks for itself’: The Long Road on a record year
After 30% audience growth in 2026, creative director Baylen Leonard says country audiences and artists have never been more international
News By Ciaran Donnelly | 4 September 2026
The Long Road Festival (TLR) in the UK has said a growing reputation in Nashville has driven it to its “biggest year ever”, as the audience for country and Americana music in the UK now “speaks for itself”.
TLR 2026 saw a 30% uptick in attendance from the previous year at its Leicestershire site between 27-30 August, and creative director Baylen Leonard tells IQ that now “not a lot of convincing needs to be done” to secure top international talent…
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