Travelling singer's Nashville dreams

John Churton, who has spent much of the last three years travelling around Europe, needs to find around €1,000 to get to the home of country music to produce an EP.

Former Hindley High School pupil John has been developing his blend of British and American folk and roots music busking on the streets and even playing at a memorable private party.

He was offered the chance to head Stateside to the place known as Music City while travelling in Iceland but is now using his songwriting and performing skills to raise enough cash to fly across the pond.

John, 20, said: “I’ve sold quite a few things I own and I’m basically giving up everything to get to Nashville.

“I met a video producer in a hostel in Reykjavik and it’s come about that way. I’ve got a co-writer waiting for me and hopefully a record label deal.

“I’m a full-time street busker. I had a great experience in Copenhagen recently when three really drunk Finnish guys walked over and asked me to play at their penthouse. They paid me for a house gig, which was remarkably weird but amazing. That’s the best experience I’ve had yet.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played an actual concert while I’ve been travelling, which is crazy. It’s always the street.”

John first developed his musical talents aged 16 and wrote his first song a year later, with early live performances including an open air Wigan town centre appearance for a Christmas Cracker event.

Since then he has continued to teach himself guitar and singing while being influenced by artists such as John Martyn and Johnny Cash.

Having lived in the town centre and Abram he decided to leave college aged 17 and go travelling following several difficult teenage years, spending time in Scotland before heading onto the continent to visit Spain and Scandinavia.

He is currently living in the Danish city of Aarhus but will head out to Romania to perform in bars and other venues, with donations being taken for his Nashville trip.

He plans to record a five-track EP when he gets to Tennessee, with the record featuring some of his own songs and a couple of covers written by a friend and fellow musician which will also be recorded for the first time.

Find out more about his fund-raising or donate