I had the perfect solo date night on Valentine’s Day this year, having finally made it to a Good Company Songwriters Round. Set up and starring the inimitable Katy Hurt, I settled down in my usual back row chair at Thornton Hough Village Club for two hours of original music from Emilia Quinn, Tennessee Twin, and Katie Nicholas. It was the ideal blend of punchy and sensitive, as powerhouse vocals from all four brought real emotion. Stories of love and heartbreak the order of the day.
What I love most about my inconspicuous presence at these things is observing the reaction of those for whom these artists are new. To see one chap give an audible gasp as Hurt hit the high notes on ‘The Kiss’ and another nod with a smile to his compatriot as Emilia ended her second round gave me satisfaction that more converts had joined the ranks. As Quinn so passionately stated towards the end of the night, it is places like these and nights such as this that are the backbone of live music. And this was proof that you can find some real gems if you take a punt on a ticket. A fair few even went and bought some merch too.
For my own experience, I found ‘Rosary Beads’ to be the most affecting song of the night. The room held in silence as Quinn, with controlled affection, sung about loss, grief, and identity. In fact, the whole final round appeared to be a saving of the best until last – Tennessee Twin playing one of their most accomplished tracks in ‘When We Move’, while Katy Hurt ended on ‘Unfimished Business’, a personal favourite.
Katie Nicholas, for her part, played a couple of her greatest hits before the interval, having to leave due to illness at half time. But though her presence was missed, the songwriting spirit remained with the rest. And how strong it was. A captivated audience hanging on almost every word, if not enjoying themselves a little too much in the process.
It has taken me a while to get to one of these but, with any luck, and a fabulous next line up to come in May, I will do my damnedest to not miss any more.
This was written after attending the Good Company Songwriters Round on 14th February 2026 at Thornton Hall Village Club on the Wirral. You can check out future dates via Katy Hurt’s website here.
Featured Image (C) Katy Hurt
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