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This website dedicated to bringing you the latest Australian country music news |
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THE LATEST NEWS DATELINE : WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2007 Victorian award winners Winners in the 2007 Victorian & National Country Music Awards were announced on Friday night during the annual Whittlesea Country Music Festival.
Rebecca Lee Nye won Victorian Female Vocalist of the Year with Gotta Say Goodbye (for the second year in a row) while Sovereign won the Victorian Group/Duet award with It's My Town. In the national section, Lee Kernaghan was named Male Vocalist of the Year with The New Bush which also won him the songwriter award together with Garth Porter and Colin Buchanan. Beccy Cole won Female Vocalist of the Year with Poster Girl, The Wolverines took out the Group award with Angel Eyes while Sharnee Fenwick won the Hawking Brothers Best New Talent award with How 'Bout Never. Travis Collins won the Trailblazers Heritage Award with his recording of I Am Australian, Bush Ballad of the Year went to Anne Kirkpatrick with Peppimenarti Cradle, Instrumental of the Year was taken out by Mike Kerin with Triona Akba and the Bluegrass & Traditional Country award went to The Davidson Brothers with Don't Turn Me Down. The 16th annual Awards highlighted the depth of talent from artists in genres ranging from bluegrass and ballad through to country rock, according to organisers. Whittlesea Country Music Festival President Innes Creighton said: "Each award is special recognition for their winner whether they be someone new to performing, an ascending star or at the pinnacle of their country music career." A capacity crowd of 500 marked packed the Plenty Ranges Arts Centre for the Awards which marked the start of the Whittlesea Festival. Weblink – www.whittleseacountrymusicfestival.com.au. Country Aussies strike out at the Grammys, Wolfmother wins Two of Australia's nominees at the 49th Grammy Awards announced in Los Angeles on Sunday night have come away empty handed while rock group Wolfmother have taken the gong in the Hard Rock Performance category for their recording, Woman.
Tommy Emmanuel (pictured) was a nominee for Country Instrumental Performance with Gameshow Rag/Cannonball Rag, but the category was won by Bryan Sutton & Doc Watson with Whiskey Before Breakfast. In Female Country Vocal Performance, Carrie Underwood was named winner with Jesus, Take the Wheel while the Dixie Chicks won the Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal Grammy for Not Ready To Make Nice. Country Collaboration With Vocals went to Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles with Who Says You Can't Go Home while Country Song was won by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson for Carrie Underwood's recording of Jesus, Take the Wheel. Carrie also won the Best New Artist Grammy while the Dixie Chicks also took out Song of the Year for Not Ready To Make Nice. Weblink – www.grammys.com. WA Awards this weekend Finalists in the 2007 WA Country Music Awards to be announced this weekend during the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival have been released, together with winners of the junior and senior songwriter categories.
Winner of the Best Original Australian Content Material Senior Songwriter award is Debbie Beckett from Craigie. Finalists for Best Young Country Music Junior Artiste are Chelsea Basham, Amber Forsyth from Cooloongup and Kate Tunstill from Kalannie. Finalists for Best Country Music Vocals, Female, are Debbie Beckett, Vicki Lee from Mandurah and Linda Rogers from Pemberton. Finalists for Best Country Music Vocals, Male, are Michael Craig from Wilson and Stan Rogers from Derby. Finalists for Best Country Music Open are Cowboy X from Pemberton, Two Rowes Back from Perth and Super Dextas from Lesmurdie. Finalists for Best Country Music Gospel, Open, are Jodie Boni from Boyup Brook, Joanne Foster from Bunbury and Wendy James from Swan Valley. The Boyup Brook festival gets underway tomorrow and runs until Sunday. The Awards will be announced on Saturday night. Weblink – www.countrymusicwa.com.au. Keith versus Keith over website Keith Urban has filed a lawsuit against a painter of the same name over the latter’s lesser known website, claiming that the painter's site violates US federal trademark and cyber-squatting laws.
The painter’s website includes the statement: "You have reached the site of Keith Urban. To those who don't know, oil painting is one of my hobbies." It then directs viewers to a gallery of paintings and offers a limited edition of prints for sale. The entertainer, whose web address is www.keithurban.net, claimed in the lawsuit that the painter is using his keithurban.com domain in a deceptive manner and is misleading people into believing the website belongs to him and is selling merchandise as if it were produced or endorsed by him. The complaint said the lesser known Urban "registered an Internet domain name and has structured a related web site with the intent of producing confusion" about who's sponsoring the site and the source of the merchandise for sale. In his filed lawsuit, Keith the singer wants keithurban.com transferred to him and asks for unspecified monetary damages. He also seeks a permanent injunction barring the painter from using keithurban.com or any website that suggest a connection with the singer. – themoneytimes.com Australian Chart awards Kasey Chambers (pictured) is country music's only representative at the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) #1 Chart Awards on Thursday February 22.
Acts represented include Crowded House, Eskimo Joe, John Farnham, Human Nature, Damien Leith, The Living End and Kylie Minogue. Kasey's latest album Carnival spent one week at number one shortly after it was released in August. ARIA Chairman Denis Handlin said, "The top charting success of these artists deserves to be celebrated. It also highlights how much enjoyment Australian artists bring to the public as well as the vast array of excellent talent we have in Australia." John Parker, Chairman of the ARIA Chart and Marketing Committee, added: "When you assess the achievements of these 14 acts, you get a genuine appreciation of the diversity of our local talent and the fact that so many different styles have the ability to make it to the top of our charts." SonyBMG Music Entertainment Australia had nine chart toppers, Warner Music Australia and EMI Music Australia had three each. The 13 month period also saw 30 singles and 39 albums by Australian artist reach the ARIA National Top 10. Ten singles were accredited gold (for shipping 35,000 units) and seven platinum (70,000). A total of 73 Australian albums were accredited gold, platinum or multi-platinum status. Weblink – www.aria.com.au. Vale – Les Scott Well-known Sydney-based instrumentalist and singer Les Scott died suddenly at the weekend from a heart attack. He was 52. The following tribute was written by long time friend and associate Greg Williams. Just writing this is painful, as it confirms what I’d rather not accept, that my old mate Les is gone. But there’s something driving me to continue, as he deserves what little I can give to his memory, as he was a very special person, and my good friend. Since his death, it's become apparent how well loved and respected he was in the music industry, with so many people contacting me, knowing our close friendship. I just hope Les realised while he was alive how much so many people thought of him, as in most cases this emotion isn't expressed until it's too late. Most of our time together was to do with music, and the great love of ours country music was always predominant, even though we both loved lots of genres. Les could play just about any Beatles tune, Eagles, and so many other great songs and styles. He could play guitar (and bass) so well, and bring any song to life.
The next time I saw him, I remember very well (about 10 years ago?), as it was at the Tamworth Country Music Festival the year Bill Chambers and Audrey were doing their Hank Williams tribute shows. It was a great pleasure to be playing drums for the first show at The Longyard, and a bit scary too. I remember getting familiar with someone else’s drum kit on stage in the dark, and I thought I’d better meet the other players, especially the bass player as we’re the rhythm section, and we were doing the gig "cold" – no rehearsal, no talkthrough, no nothin'! I walked across to him and said "Hi, I’m the drummer, Greg Williams" And he answered "Yes, I know, we used to play in bands together in North Queensland 20 years ago, I’m Les Scott". Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather, I stepped over the monitor wedge on the stage floor and said "Bloody hell, mate, this is amazing, I'd better give you a hug!" We had a great gig that day with Bill leading the band, and from then on during that festival Les came and sat in and played at my gigs. That chance meeting created the opportunity that whenever I was close enough to his Sydney base for him to travel to play with me. Till the end of 2007 Tamfest, Les has played most of my guitar (or bass) playing gigs. There have been hundreds of gigs since then. I describe him as the perfect sideman for any singer, always playing the right notes, supporting all the time, picking great tasteful solos when required, singing nice harmonies, never getting in the singer's way, just superb he was! He also had a great work ethic. If you booked Les Scott, you knew he’d be there, and most times he’d beat me to the venue, to load in, play, and just enjoy our time together. It was never just a gig with Les, it was something we both enjoyed. I'm gonna miss him, no doubt. He was more than that though, and even what I can recollect now doesn’t really do him justice, as he had a wonderful politeness about him, which inspired like minded behaviour from all he met. He was a very private man, which engendered respect towards him, and he was totally gentle in his behaviour, which also came through in his playing. A very thoughtful and kind person, whenever I stayed at his place in Sydney, there'd always be a fresh towel and cake of soap sitting on the guest room bed, and when he stayed at my Tamworth home for the many festivals we did together, he'd always give me a present of some kind, and he was great at sussing out what I may need and use. I always wished I had that insight of giving presents that someone would actually use, a rare skill I reckon. I now treasure the coffee maker he gave me just a few weeks ago, as I use it every day, and "I think of you, old mate". I've lost count of the number of Jazzer talent quests at Tamworth Country Music Festival Les played for, but its almost as many as I’ve done, and I think I’m up to 12 or 13 years now. He was ideal for this job, as he could back anyone, whatever their skill was. He especially loved working with the Young Country Stars concert performers, mainly Camerata graduates, which has run at The Pub for the past nine years, and also for my Winners & Grinners shows for eight years. Les would study all the songs, plus whatever other gigs he was doing, before the festival and in the time between gigs, and give each performer such excellent guitar playing support, and he loved doing it. I feel so privileged to have known Les Scott, a rare individual, a wonderful man and great player. But most of all Les was my friend! An open invitation to all who knew Les has been extended to "come along and share memories in story and song" at a Memorial Jam at Cooks River Motor Boat Club, Sydney, from 3pm Sunday February 25. Funeral arrangements are not known at this stage but will be posted here when they are. Debra wins runner up at IAMA
Winners were chosen by a judging committee comprising music industry professionals including A&R (artist and repertoire) managers from record labels, publishers and producers internationally. Debra will be featured with her award winning track Happiness on the IAMA compilation CD which goes out to radio stations in the United States and elsewhere. "The (IAMA) CD will heighten awareness and increase exposure for Debra and, most importantly, help further her career," Debra's publicist said. New album on the way for Drew Drew McAlister (pictured) is back in the studio this month to complete his debut album These Days which is scheduled for release in April.
"To win my first Golden Guitar from my first nomination is something that I could never have believed would happen," Drew said. "It is 100 percent the highlight of my career, no doubt about it. It’s a dream come true." Drew is no stranger to the country music scene – he’s been working hard for the past couple of years honing his craft and preparing for his debut album. In 2003, he took out the Toyota National Country Music Muster talent search at Gympie, a competition which spear-headed interest and support from the country music scene. Graham Thompson from Compass Brothers Records saw Drew’s potential and invited him to record The Shearer’s Dream on The Australian Storytellers compilation album. Since then, Drew has continued to write songs and perform live with fellow country artists including Mike Carr, Beccy Cole, Tania Kernaghan and Melinda Schneider. His latest single, Broken Angels, is at radio now. Weblink – www.drewmcalister.com. Perth City Muster '07 Claremont Showgrounds host the 2007 Perth City Muster on Saturday February 24.
Local country music radio personality Brendan T Moylan introduces eight hours of country music from 3pm with, in order of appearance… Magnificent Seven, The McClymonts, Beccy Cole (pictured), Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Brand, Mick Denigan and Lee Kernaghan rounding out the show. Tickets are available from BOCS Ticketing on 08 9484 1133, freecall 1800 193 300 or via www.bocsticketing.com.au, Mandurah Tourist Centre, Kalgoorlie Sound Centre, Geraldton CD Centre, NOB's Music Bunbury, Southern Sound Albany, Trax Mirrabooka & Morley or at the gate on the day. Weblink – www.citymuster.com.au. Chart Update – Felicity still at number one Felicity Urquhart (pictured) holds on to the number one spot for the fourth week this week on the Country Tracks National Top 30 Singles Chart with Big Black Cloud.
Lee Kernaghan's latest single Love Shack bounds from eight to four, Gina Jeffreys' Live It rises to five, Adam Brand slides to six with Cigarettes And Whiskey as does Jeanette Wormald's Opal Blue from six to seven. The hit duet by Paul Costa and Aleyce Simmonds – The Way You Make Me Feel – drops to eight, American multi Grammy winner Carrie Underwood rises to nine with Before He Cheats while Anne Kirkpatrick's Showman's Daughter enters the top 10 at 10. Bullet performers this week include Donna Boyd with Luckiest Girl Alive (15 to 12), Dean Perrett with Jewel On The Newell (26 to 21), Alex Watt's Watch The Sun Go Down (27 to 22), Catherine Britt's I'm Gone (28 to 23), The Davidson Bros' Raised On The Road (29 to 26) and The Sunny Cowgirls' Still Circling (30 to 27). New entries to the chart this week include Dianna Corcoran with Then There's Me (in at 28), Tom Maxwell with Sing Me Another Bush Ballad (in at 29) and the Golden Guitar winning vocal collaboration by Allan Caswell and Drew McAlister A Little Bit Of Country In Us All (in at 30). The full chart can be viewed at www.nfspublicity.com.au. CMC Top 50 – Steve hits the top
Gina Jeffreys is back up to number two with Live It while Nick Kingswell's former number one his 2006 Telstra Road To Tamworth prize singleHope For Me Yet drops to number five. Dianna Corcoran's Then There's Me edges up one place to seven, The Sunny Cowgirls Still Circling is up two places to nine while Melinda Schneider's Men In Trucks is steady at 10. Bullet performers on the playlist this week include Matt Scullion with Giddy Up (16 to 13), The Pigs with Crazy (24 to 20), Tom Curtain with Born Out Here (new at 30), The McClymonts' Something That My Heart Does (new at 40), The Harmonators with Wish I Didn't (new at 41) and Camille Te Nahu and Stuie French with Let's Make A Family (48 to 43). New entries to the playlist this week include Jetty Road with The Day I Die (in at 46) and Beccy Cole with Poster Girl (new at 47). The playlist can be viewed at www.countrymusicchannel.com.au. © Copyright 2007, ICMB Publishing | ||||||||||
Paula Costa (pictured) was the big winner on the night taking out five awards in the Victorian section... Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year with Love Is Not A Game, Album of the Year and Smoky Dawson Best Independent Release with his second solo album Restoration, and Duet of the Year with Aleyce Simmonds with The Way You Make Me Feel.
Keith Urban was nominated for Male Country Vocal Performance with Once In A Lifetime but lost out to Vince Gill with The Reason Why.
Winner of the Best Young Country Music Junior Songwriter award is Chelsea Basham (pictured) from Wongan Hills with her song The Outback.
The singer filed the suit in Nashville on Friday against Keith D Urban of Wayne, New Jersey who uses the website address 
The Awards, to be held in Sydney, highlight 14 Australian acts who spent a combined 41 weeks at the top of the ARIA Singles, Albums and/or DVD charts between December 1 2005 and December 31 2006.
Our friendship's history was long, and interrupted, as we met when he was attending James Cook University in Townsville North Queensland in the 1970s. I can't recall the exact moment of our meeting, but it was probably while I was running a music shop and booking agency in Townsville, and a very active band scene was in action at that time. Les and I played in bands together (and they were good ones!) in Townsville, until he graduated and moved away from North Queensland, still in the 1970s. We didn’t meet again for about 20 years!
Debra Byrnes has won the runner up award for Best Female Artists at the third annual International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA).
One of Australian country music’s most exciting new talents, Drew won his first Golden Guitar in January for his vocal collaboration with multi Golden Guitar winner and songwriting partner Allan Caswell for their duet A Little Bit of Country In Us All and followed this up with a Victorian Country Music Award at the weekend (see above).
This year’s Muster will feature a “beaut ute” show, the WA Whip Cracking Championships and a display of restorations by the WA Chamberlain 9G Tractor Club.
George Strait edges up one place to three with Just Give It Away swapping places with Rodney Atkins who slipped to number three with If You're Going Through Hell.
Steve Ford & The Flange hit the top of the CMC (Country Music Channel) Top 50 playlist this week with the clip of their song Aussie Philosophy.