Darius Rucker sits in, Ashley McBryde guests and Jon Pardi joins from the Opry stage!

Darius Rucker sits in, with exclusive music and wise words from Ashley McBryde, alongside a preview of the HIghways Festival with Jon Pardi and Carly Pearce!

In fact, we have some very special music from Jon, three songs recorded live at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville where he topped the bill only a couple of days ago! Carly introduces her new single with Riley Green, Kacey Musgraves is our re-issue of the week, The Washboard Union are our Horizon Artists and we have a first play of the new single from Harleymoon Kemp as well!

A highlight of Radio 2's recent Piano Room season, country superstar Darius Rucker is a multi-million selling artist in not one, but two genres! He started off as the lead singer of Hootie & The Blowfish - first album went platinum 22 times over! - and then transitioned into a solo career as a country star, with signature hits like Wagon Wheel which he performed to huge acclaim at last year's Opry 100 celebration in London's Royal Albert Hall.

Currently recording a new album in London, he's found time to sit in for the legendary Bob Harris, who is taking a break for a few weeks.

Produced by BBC Audio for BBC Radio 2