Spaghetti westerns are Western films made by Italian directors, primarily in the 1960s and 1970s. They're characterised by extreme close-ups, distinctive musical scores by Ennio Morricone, and a grittier, more violent approach than traditional American westerns.

The most famous examples include Sergio Leone's "Dollars Trilogy" starring Clint Eastwood, particularly "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" which remains one of the most celebrated westerns ever made.

You can find classic cowboy songs on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. Look for playlists featuring "Classic Country," "Western Music," or "Cowboy Songs."

Many public libraries also have CD collections, and vinyl records are increasingly available in specialist record shops. We've curated some excellent playlists in our music section above.

Start with these essential westerns: "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966) for spaghetti westerns, "The Searchers" (1956) for classic Hollywood westerns, "Unforgiven" (1992) for modern revisionist westerns, and "True Grit" (2010) for contemporary takes on the genre.

These films represent different eras and styles of the western, giving you a comprehensive introduction to the evolution of cowboy cinema.

C2C is Europe's largest country music festival, held annually in London, Dublin, and other European cities. Since 2013, it has brought top American country acts to British audiences, featuring headliners like Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and Carrie Underwood.

The festival has been instrumental in growing the UK's country music scene and introducing British audiences to both established stars and emerging country artists.

Absolutely! The Shires were the first UK country act to reach the Top 10 in the UK Albums Chart, whilst Ward Thomas (twin sisters from Hampshire) have also achieved significant success.

Catherine McGrath from Northern Ireland and the comedy genre "Scrumpy & Western" from the West Country also represent the diverse British take on country and cowboy culture.