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Ronnie Wood to step in at UK country festival after previous headliner withdraws from line-up
Ronnie Wood has been confirmed as a replacement headliner for The Long Road country festival in Leicestershire, after original Saturday headliner Bailey Zimmerman withdrew from all upcoming UK and European dates to focus on family matters. Wood will now headline alongside Imelda May, marking his first live appearance since the release of The Rolling Stones' latest album and offering festival organisers a high-profile fix to their line-up crisis.
The Long Road runs at Stanford Hall from 27 to 30 August, with Wood and May playing the headline slot on 29 August, joining other acts including Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle. The pair had also been due to appear together at Sandringham Estate on 23 August, but that show and other Heritage Live events were cancelled owing to poor ticket sales linked to rising costs and the cost-of-living crisis. Wood also confirmed The Faces are working on new music for possible release next year, while further live dates are planned in Spain in September and Latin America in November; Mick Jagger, meanwhile, has said a Rolling Stones tour is unlikely this year.
In short
- Ronnie Wood replaces Bailey Zimmerman as Long Road festival headliner
- He'll play with Imelda May on 29 August in Leicestershire
- Comes after Sandringham gig was cancelled due to weak ticket sales
Explained simply
The Long Road is a country music festival held at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire. Its programme brings together country performers and musicians from related styles, including established artists such as Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle.
Ronnie Wood is a guitarist with The Rolling Stones and was also a member of the Faces, a British rock band. Imelda May is an Irish singer whose music draws on rockabilly and blues; the festival appearance pairs two performers from outside country music’s core tradition.
Festival line-ups can change when artists withdraw, and organisers may need to find replacements for prominent slots. The event is part of a wider summer of live music in the UK, where rising costs have also affected some shows and festivals.