UK country star Kezia Gill has released her latest single, Local Man’s Star 2026, a moving new version of one of her most personal songs, available now via Snakefarm/Universal.

Timed to coincide with Father's Day, the track revisits Gill's fan-favourite tribute to her late father, Eddie McGill, a respected musician and entertainer whose influence helped shape her own musical journey.

Originally written in 2018 and released the following year, Local Man's Star has become a standout moment in Gill's live performances. The song has often been delivered in an intimate acoustic format, including a memorable appearance on national daytime television earlier this year when Gill performed it live on Jeremy Vine.

The newly reimagined version was produced and mixed in Nashville by acclaimed artist and producer Alyssa Bonagura, who also worked on Gill's chart-topping album All On Red. Bonagura enlisted a team of award-winning musicians to help bring fresh life to the track while preserving its emotional core.

Speaking about the release, Gill said: "This song is dedicated to my father, telling his story from being a young man with raw talent to enjoying retirement after 50 years as an entertainer. Following his death in 2020, this re-write has been years in development and now takes the number on a new journey of me living the dream he always had for me and wanting to honour his memory, making him proud every day. This is as personal as storytelling gets, and this new version lets me breathe fresh life into a song that means so much to me."

Bonagura described the project as one of the most meaningful productions she has worked on.

"This was such a special song to produce," she said. "I think Kezia's voice and the track itself shine in a new way now. I wanted to incorporate the Celtic influence in the production to pay tribute to Kezia's Irish father and to bring out the country storytelling in a sensitive and authentic way. I think listeners will get to know Kezia and feel the spirit of her father when they listen to this."

The release follows a landmark year for Gill. Her latest album, All On Red, reached No.1 on the UK Country Albums Chart and has earned widespread praise from both fans and critics. The record features popular singles including Dublin's Outta Whiskey, If Heaven Has A Honky Tonk, Gut Feeling and Life You Always Dreamed Of.

Gill has described the album as her strongest body of work to date.

"This is the best album I've written," she said. "It feels like a body of work that combines the sound and skill of Nashville with what I stand for in terms of storytelling and honesty as a proud British artist. It's a Nashville record with a British heart."

Following a successful headline tour earlier this year, Gill continues to build momentum on the live circuit. After appearances at Bearded Theory Festival and Buckle & Boots Country Music Festival, she is set for a busy summer festival season, including a main stage appearance at the inaugural State Fayre in Chelmsford alongside headliners Kings of Leon, Alanis Morissette and The Lumineers.

Further festival appearances include Beverley Folk Festival, Belladrum and The Long Road Festival, cementing Gill's reputation as one of the UK's leading country music performers.

Kezia Gill 2026 UK Live Dates

June 20 – Beverley Folk Festival
June 26 – State Fayre, Chelmsford
June 27 – Summer Sessions / State Fayre, Glasgow
July 4 – Country On The Common, London
July 19 – Country Night at the Dell, Hampshire
August 1 – Belladrum, Inverness-shire
August 30 – The Long Road, Leicestershire

This song is dedicated to my father, telling his story from being a young man with raw talent to enjoying retirement after 50 years as an entertainer.

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.