Crawley date for Montana-grown singer-songwriter Miller Campbell, cousin of Glen

Montana-grown singer-songwriter Miller Campbell – cousin of Glen Campbell – is delighted to be heading back for her third tour of the UK, with dates including an appearance at Crawley's High Street Summer Sounds.

Crawley High Street comes alive every Thursday evening until September 10 with music from local talent, as well as national acts and international acts. It’s all free to attend – a chance to enjoy live music and support local bars and restaurants in the process.

July 30 is Americana-country music night, and the line-up is: 5 to 5.45pm: Gina Larner; 6 to 6.45pm: Alex Francis; and 7 to 8pm: Miller Campbell.

Miller said: “I am beyond excited to be coming back to the UK. I think the music scene in the UK is so different to audiences in the US. Every time I play in the UK, people are so enthusiastic about going to see live music and supporting it, and people are really into the lyrics. The venues are just so hospitable and everyone is so fantastic. It's just such a great music scene, and I love being there.”

Her appearance comes as Miller works towards a new album release: “We have been touring off the first full-length record over the last year. But we've just started releasing singles from the second album. The second album will be out in the fall sometime. I don't have a title yet. I'm still determining how I want it to be. It is always such a steep learning curve when you're releasing music and the technology just changes all the time.

“But the new album is a step forward and it's also a development in the sound as well. My last record was a big shift. I was always pretty much the traditional country artist but for the last record I leaned very much into Tom Petty and The Pretenders sound. And I've just kept going down that road. It's going to be a lot more of a rockier sound than we had and the lyrics are going to be really tight. The songs are fast-paced and more fun and exactly the kind of songs that you think that you want to hear them live.

“Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) is my favourite vocalist of all time. It's her delivery and the fact that she's so fantastic. She has really inspired me as a performer. She's got the attitude and she owns every bit of every song that she puts out there.”

For Miller it could all have been so different. She could have joined the CIA.

“When I was growing up my dream was to be an ambassador. My dream was to travel the world. I've got two degrees, one in international studies and the other is in Turkish. I absolutely love Turkey. And then the CIA recruited me and offered me some positions but it was right at the same time that I was getting into music and I really wanted to give music a go. It was good to be asked. It was good that they had confidence in my abilities! But I've never regretted it. I love being a musician. I grew up in a blue-collar family and it never occurred to me that being an artist was a job.”

Despite the fact that Glen Campbell was a cousin.

“It's not difficult to carry that name. He is such an inspiration. He inspires me to practise every day, and he also inspires me that he was just so diversified and varied in what he did. He was a studio musician and an actor and a TV host, and whatever he did, he would just dive into it with such passion.

“I met him a few times when I was younger but unfortunately when he was doing his last tour, I was too young to attend. I never got to see any of his shows so it was really a distant relationship but definitely a relationship that inspired me.” Gina Larner is a Brighton-born Americana and pop-rock artist whose powerful vocals, sharp storytelling and distinctive edge have marked her as one of the UK’s most compelling rising performers.

Alex Francis is a contemporary singer-songwriter known for his soulful voice and blend of contemporary pop and classic soul. He has built a reputation for live performances and songwriting, having toured with artists including Sting, Stereophonics, James Bay and Alanis Morissette.