THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2008
Song contest winners announced tonight
Winners in the 2008 ASA (Australian Songwriters' Association) Australian Songwriting Contest will be announced in Sydney tonight.
  Among the country writers in the finals are Katrina Burgoyne (left) and Ronni Rae Rivers who have four and three songs, respectively, in the finals as well as being named in the top 10 for the Rudy Brandsma Award.
Ronni Rae's three feature in six times in five categories – Stranded in "International", "Open" and "Rock/Indie", Waiting On Lonely in "Ballad" and "Country" sections and Things I Want in the "Spiritual" section. All songs are from her new album Whole Heart To Give due for release in October.
Katrina's four finalist songs feature in three categories – Dumped in "Open", Old Post Card and Perfect in "Country" and Second Gear in "Contemporary".
Carter & Carter have three finalist songs in two categories – My Little Girl and Open Road in "Country" and When God Takes A Photograph in "Spiritual".
With two finalist nominations each are Danny Hooper and Brent Lillie have two finalist nominations each, Danny's are Just Thought You'd Like To Know in "Ballad" and Hold On in "Country"; Brent's both in the "Australia" section – Aussie Alphabet Stew and Bundy Barramundi
With one nomination each are...
Andrea Barnett with Loose Ends in "Country"; Terry Bennetts with Freight Train Boogie in "Instrumental"; Brad Cole with Hold Me In Your Arms Tonight in "Country"; Bob Corbett with Share Crop in "Country"; Brenda-Lee Heathcote (the winner of last year's Rudy Brandsma Award) with Talking To Ghosts in "Ballad"; Kelly Hope with No Matter in "Spiritual"; Jo Kelly Stephenson with Perfect Chance in "Country" and "International"; Marcela Taylor with Move On in "Instrumental"; and Camille Te Nahu & Stuie French with Choices in "Country".
Andrea Barnett and Jo Kelly Stephenson are also finalists for the Rudy Brandsma Award.
Alec Raymer and Johnny Kaye have one finalist nomination in the "Australia" category with Footprints In The Sand as well as for the Rudy Brandsma Award. Alec has three finalist nominations in the "Lyrics" category – Badge of Courage, Park Upon The Hill and This Great Land.
The Australian Songwriting Contest offers more than $36,000 in prizes. APRA/AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association/Australian Music Copyright Owners Society) is the major sponsor, providing $3,000 to the Songwriter of the Year award.
"The ASA has a lot to offer people who create original music in Australia," a spokesman said, "from the grass roots amateur to experienced and published songwriters.
"The ASA's annual Australian Songwriting Contest is the largest competition in the country, providing great prizes and industry exposure to all finalists.
"Our services extend from personal assistance, to professional feedback on new material and live performance opportunities for all original performers across Australia, via our network of Wax Lyrical events."
Weblink – www.asai.org.au.
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A patriotic release for Terry & Jenny
 Songs Of Our Land is album number three and the latest release – "a patriotic release" – for West Australia’s singer/songwriter duo Terry & Jenny Bennetts.
"It’s a collection of songs about people, places, war, farming, truckies, dogs, horses and some personal reflections about how our home Australia has changed down through the years for better or for worse," Terry says.
Recorded at Moondyne Studios, the album is described as another quality effort from the much accomplished writers.
"We would like to thank all those who helped in the making of this album," Terry said, "the muso’s, especially Peter Denahy who travelled from his home in the East to play fiddle on this album for us – thanks, Pete, Mark Donohoe for helping with the mixing and our mates Dirk and Claudine from Kwik Kopy for CD cover design."
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JW supports campaign against stock routes grab
John Williamson has offered to become patron for Australian stock routes in the campaign to stop the handover of travelling stock routes (TSRs) to the State Government.
 "The Land" reports that drovers, farmers, the Wilderness Society and birdwatchers have united to voice outrage at the plans when about 50 frustrated people travelled hundreds of kilometres from across NSW to Dubbo on Tuesday to join forces against what was the latest indignation over proposed Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB) reforms.
NSW Lands Minister Tony Kelly has pledged to protect the State’s "long paddocks" once the Department of Lands takes control of them when RLPBs are merged in December but Tuesday’s movement lead by 43-year-old lifelong drover Robert Groth from Boggabri, aims to stop the TSRs being handed over.
The rally’s organisers estimated they had six months to stop the Department's move on stock routes and formed a "Mates of the TSRs" committee at the Dubbo saleyards public meeting.
"I think it’s a matter of people realising they’ve got to pull together," Robert said. "We’ve got to be there to stop any plans to shut stock routes – it’s no good waiting until it’s all over.
"It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to save stock in a drought, if you’re an apiarist, or Mum and Dad and the kids wanting to fly a kite on the river, if they get to the point where they close the routes, what will be left for the future?"
John Williamson jumped on board and aroused an applause at the gathering when, in an absentee message, he pledged his willingness to become a patron for Australian stock routes.
His message went so far as to suggest that shutting off stock routes would be as bad as banning the iconic Australian song, Waltzing Matilda.
– The Land
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Chart update – Amber's five weeks at number one
Amber Lawrence (pictured) retains the number one position for the fifth week in a row on the coming week's Country Tracks Top 30 singles chart with her hit Good Girls.
 Harmony James' Home edges up another place to sit at number two, Alan Jackson's Good Time is at three and Lee Forster & Travis Sinclair's Good Tones is steady at four.
Montgomery Gentry are down to five with Back When I Knew It All, Brooks & Dunn are at six with Put A Girl In It while 8 Ball Aitken's Cyclone Country edges up one place to seven.
Chasing Bailey's Little By Little is at eight, Jasmine Rae's Country Singer enters the top 10 at nine and Adam Brand's Comin' From/Khe Sanh is at 10.
Bullet performers for the coming week include Matt Frost's Second Home Town (15 to 12), The Sunny Cowgirls' Acting Stupid (19 to 15), John Williamson's Drink A Little Love (23 to 19), Melinda Schneider with Be Yourself (28 to 23) and Adam Harvey's Genie In The Bottle (new at 25).
Another new entry to the chart is 2008 Toyota Star Maker winner Talia Wittmann's Reckless Side Of Me (new at 30).
The full chart can be viewed at www.nfspublicity.com.au.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2008
Warwick Bennet – a Freeman of Country Music Capital
A former Mayor and a leader in the tourism industry has been presented with the highest civic honour in Tamworth, Australia's Country Music Capital.
 Warwick Bennet, the retiring chairman of Tourism Tamworth and Mayor of the city for seven years in the 1980s, has been named a Freeman of the City, the biggest tribute a local government body can make.
Warwick is the 10th Freeman of the city since the first such honour was presented to the Hunter River Lancers in 1960. Others have included former NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler, local historian Lyall Green, former Tamworth politician Noel Park and his wife June, a former Tamworth City Council Town Clerk Malcolm Keys, former Councillor and long serving electricity industry leader Ray Walsh and former Mayor David John.
In a surprise announcement at a function last Thursday night, Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) Mayor James Treloar said the Freeman’s title recognised Warwick’s "distinguished and meritorious service to the community". This included contributions to the fields of business, local government and tourism.
Warwick, now 65, was first elected to the then City Council in Tamworth in 1974 and became Mayor in 1979. He served until 1986 and is credited with driving some major city projects including using his casting vote in 1986 to set the wheels in motion to create Bicentennial Park as a bicentenary project for 1988 and suggesting a slide for Scully Park pool – and then being the first person to use it.
A spokesman for TRC said Warwick pushed for the installation of a revolving luggage rack or carousel when the Council took over the Tamworth Airport in 1982, copping "a fair amount" of criticism from some at the time because they thought it was too grandiose for Tamworth.
In business, Warwick was credited with constructing about 300 houses during his years in spec-home building. He is responsible, together with Max Ellis, for the 12 metre high fibreglass Golden Guitar which was erected in 1987 and with originally creating the Golden Guitar tourist site, including acquiring the first 20 of the wax museum's country music star figures and putting the collection at the tourist site.
Warwick was appointed the first Chairman of Tourism Tamworth when it was created by the Council in 2001 and has served ever since in that capacity. He will retire in about four weeks. His work and support and his legacy in tourism circles since the 1970s has also been acknowledged with major awards over the years.
"His interest and love for tourism over 40 years may well have been sparked from his early days," the TRC spokesman said. "After leaving school he signed on as a deck hand on a Swedish freighter and sailed around the world visiting 35 countries."
Warwick was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2002 for his contributions to tourism, local government and the community. He lives with his wife Margaret in Tamworth. The couple has three sons and five grandchildren.
As one of the rewards of the ancient Freeman system, Warwick is allowed to "graze stock on the town common free of charge and drive animals down the main street without hindrance whilst on the way to market".
He says he’s never owned a cow and he’s too old to get into a new career now, but he appreciates the gesture and is deeply moved and honoured by the new title.
Photo: Warwick (right) while Mayor of Tamworth in the early 1980s with the Lord Mayor of Sydney Doug Sutherand during a promotional trip for Country Music Capital's January festival.
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Sharon set to sign with Hardrush
 Dubbo, NSW, based artist Sharon Lane, a recently announced contender for the Deadly Awards 2008 Album of the Year, a 2008 Golden Saddle finalist in three categories and last year’s Deadlys New Talent winner, is set to sign a music contract with Canberra based music distributor Hardrush Country.
Kelvin Fahey, Hardrush Chief Executive, said Sharon was well advanced in discussions with Hardrush Country covering closer ties with the label.
"Sharon is a solid performer with great vocals and impressive songwriting. We are very interested in being part of her career path in country music."
Weblinks – www.hardrush.com, www.shazlane.com.
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New single from Jasmine
 This year's Telstra Road To Tamworth winner Jasmine Rae has released a new single, Look It Up.
Recording her debut album in Australia and America, Jasmine has had string of achievements in the time since winning the leading talent search.
In June, she performed at the CMA (Country Music Association) Music Festival while in Nashville, performed at the third State of Origin match in Sydney and on morning television nationally.
Jasmine released her debut single, Country Singer, which is still getting airplay on CMC and regional radio and recently aired on ABC Television's "Rage" program, appeared on US Cable television network GAC and much much more.
Weblink – www.jasminerae.com.au.
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Galston Festival update
The Galston Country Music Festival has changed a bit this year, according to Festival Chairman Richard Young.
 "It is exciting times, indeed," he said, "however we want all our regulars to know that our Sunday event will still be the same great value-for-money family day it's always been."
This year, the Festival will run over three days, from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th September, "and we think we have something for everyone to enjoy," Richard said.
On Friday 12th, The Dural Country Club will play host to a fundraiser starring Peter Denahy, Caitlin Harnett and Steve Passfield. At the same time, at Berowa's Waterview Restaurant, a seafood buffet will be laid on with entertainment by bush poets.
"The Cooper's Golden Saddle Awards have undergone a lot of change this year," Richard said. "They’ve been moved to their own night on Saturday 13th at The Galston Club and, instead of one award, there are now three... that the three finalists – Matt Frost, Sharon Lane and Drew McAlister – will be vying for.
"As well as the main prize, the beautiful hand-crafted Golden Saddle trophy, there is now a magnificent custom-built Tomkins Guitars acoustic/electric guitar, the new perpetual trophy for the Performance Award. This guitar has been purpose built for the Golden Saddle Awards by Allan Tomkins and will be awarded to the winner on the Saturday night."
Also for the first time this year there is a Peoples Choice Award which will be won by the artist who gets the most votes both on-line and from the audience on the Saturday night. "We’re hoping that lots of country music fans will come along and support their favourite artist," Richard said.
Another first this year will be the Songwriter's Workshop with Roger Corbett on Saturday 13th during the day with the opportunity for songwriters to showcase their material the following day during activities at Fagan Park which will include the Poet’s Breakfast, the Main Stage with a lineup including Victoria Baillie, The Borderers, Carter & Carter, Peter Denahy, Nicki Gillis, Jonah’s Road and the Golden Saddle finalists.
Weblink – www.galstonfestival.com.
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Longreach Muster coming up in September
The second annual R M Williams Longreach (Qld) Muster will run from September 11-13.
 "Held at The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre, the event will bring together the best of the bush, combining tradition, competition and good old fashioned sportsmanship," according to a spokesman for the organisers.
Anticipation for this year’s event is heightened following the cancellation last year due to equine influenza.
R M Williams Chief Executive Hamish Turner said the event was generating much enthusiasm from cattle companies, Muster fans and the Outback community.
"The event is the only one of its kind where Australia’s leading cattle companies get the chance to compete in the Outback sporting arena against each other," he said. "It is very special as it brings the people of the bush together, and where better than to do so but in Longreach, the heart of the Outback."
Additions to this year’s event schedule include the first ever R M Williams Ride and the Stockman’s Challenge.
The RM Williams ride will take place on the Thursday with more than 150 men, women and children participating in the 37 kilometre ride. At sunrise, riders will gather to muster 200 head of cattle from Ilfracombe to the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame at Longreach.
Prior to reaching the Hall of Fame, all 150 riders will parade down the main street of Longreach ensuring an impressive site for spectators.
The following day, Australia’s best stockmen and young guns battle it out in the "bush challenge" which is set to test the stamina, agility and bush skills of each competitor from Australia’s leading cattle companies.
On the Saturday, the Longreach Muster will begin with the invitational Golden Spurs Campdraft and International Australia versus New Zealand Rodeo.
Rising country music singer and star of the Australian Outback Spectacular Shandell Tosoni (pictured) will entertain the crowd afterwards and the event will conclude with a live big screen broadcast of the Australia versus New Zealand Bledisloe Cup rugby union test.
Proceeds raised from the event will go to the Stockman’s Hall of Fame and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
– The North West Star
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Daniel wins Hobart Telstra Road to Tamworth heat
 Daniel Bicanski won the Hobart heat of the Telstra Road to Tamworth (TRTT) competition at Wrest Point Casino on Saturday night.
Seventeen-year-old Daniel spends his days singing to customers at his family owned business in Devonport, said a TRTT spokesman, and fills his spare time devouring books and writing poetry.
"Travelling from Devonport with his family to the Hobart heat, Daniel impressed the sold out local crowd and judges with his beautiful, unique voice.
"Looking visibly shocked when his name was announced, Daniel managed a "woo hoo - this is cool" response as he accepted his winner’s trophy and cheque."
Daniel will now join fellow heat winners travelling to Tamworth in January for the talent search finals.
Winner of the competition will receive as part of their prize package, a full album recording with ABC Music and a return economy airfare to Nashville to record the album and undertake a range of performances.
Weblink – www.beinvolved.telstra.com/countrymusic.
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New country music outlet opens in Nambour
A new store called Horse and Rider Saddlery has opened in the main street of Nambour in Queensland and has also become an outlet for country music.
 The store is owned by Katrina Trist-Johnson and Brad Johnson who are well known in the horse riding world. They have appointed, as their store manager, Sharon Sparrow, daughter of well know country music identity Wally Sparrow.
Wally was invited up from Adelaide for the opening and immediately saw an opportunity to create an outlet for country music. As a result, Sharon has included a country music section as one of the store's core products. Local entertainer Don Costa came in and joined Wally on the opening night to ensure the country music message was well distributed.
Store owners have been very encouraged by the sales of country music to date and manager Sharon would like to invite artists coming through the area to arrange in-store promotions with her. If artists give her a couple of weeks notice, Sharon will arrange local press and radio publicity for the event and ensure product is available.
Several major acts have already notified their intention to appear (they may have noticed the trendy new shirts Don Costa and Wally Sparrow were wearing)
The store is located in Currie Street, telephone number is 07 5441 4445 and Sharon’s mobile is 0437 089 944.
Photo (from left): Katrina, Don, Brad, Sharon and Wally.
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Vale – Buddy Harman
Buddy Harman, one of Nashville’s most-recorded drummers, has died. He was 79 years old.
 He died last Thursday (August 21), reportedly from congestive heart failure.
Harman played drums on more than 18,000 recordings, including Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman, Patsy Cline's Crazy Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire, Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man and Elvis Presley's Little Sister.
He was an early staff drummer on the Grand Ole Opry and among the first prominent drummers in country music history.
Radio WSM air personality and country music historian Eddie Stubbs called Harman the father of modern country drumming.
– ap/kansascity.com
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CMC Top 50 – Sunny Cowgirls hang on to number one
The Sunny Cowgirls have retained the number one position on the coming week's CMC (Country Music Channel) Top 50 playlist with the clip of their song Acting Stupid.
 Jasmine Rae's Country Singer edges up one place to number three while Keith Urban's You Look Good In My Shirt rises to seven, Catherine Britt's Lucky Girl enters the top 10 at eight and Jayne Denham's Country Girl with A Rock N Roll Heart is steady at 10.
Bullet performers for the week include Talia Wittmann's Reckless Side Of Me (18 to 15), Adam Brand's Blame It On Eve (20 to 17), Rob Black's We Have Kids (new at 23), Tamara Stewart's Lessons (I Will Survive) (27 to 24)), Victoria Baillie's Melt (32 to 29), Tracy Killeen's All Kinds Of Beautiful (36 to 32), Brad Cole's Hits Me Like Lightning (39 to 36), Graeme Connors (pictured) with Whatever It Takes (new at 39), Danielle Blakey's Driving Song (44 to 40), Dallas Steele's Won't Go Back Again (47 to 43), Melissa Bajric's Too Long Between Drinks (50 to 46) and Matt Frost's Second Home Town (new at 47).
Other new entries to the playlist this week include Jason Lee's Boy Into A Man (new at 48).
The coming week's CMC Country Pick is Ronnie Rae Rivers' I Would Want To from her forthcoming album.
The playlist can be viewed at www.countrymusicchannel.com.au.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2008
Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival 2008
Dorrigo NSW's Folk and Bluegrass Festival on the last weekend of October (24 to 26) is billed as an event with something for everyone.
 Organisers say: "There is a great line-up of performers presenting concerts and workshops across a weekend full of great entertainment, in a small, friendly and relaxed environment.
"As in previous years, the Festival will include some concert style presentations, some dancing, workshops, jamming round the camp-fire, fun for kids and delicious food! And for the lovers of the bush ballad, there is a walk-up poet’s breakfast in the Heritage Hotel."
Some of the performers for the weekend confirmed so far include...
Bluegrass Parkway from WA, are one of the longest continuously performing bluegrass bands in Australia (the band is also appearing in a special pre-festival concert which traces the history of bluegrass and its traditions in Dorrigo’s Old Gazette Theatre)...
Pat Drummond & Karen Lynne, both solo performers in their own right but also performing as a duo (Karen will also be performing with her acclaimed bluegrass band Acoustic Shock)...
Twisted Oak, a "hot" new bluegrass band to hit the New Zealand and Australian scene (18-year-old George, Australia's 2007 Fiddle Champion), 17-year-old BB ("the international banjo goddess fresh from touring in the States with Long Road Home), 18-year-old Daniel ("flat picking genius") and "the Aussie" (from Newcastle)...
Ange Takats, a singer/songwriter and winner of the Lis Johnston Award for Vocal Excellence at the National Folk Festival earlier this year.
Early bird tickets for the Festival have gone on sale for $55 ("for the entire weekend!").
Weblink – www.dorrigo.com/festival.
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Junior CM festival entries close September 1
Entries in the annual Junior Country Music Festival to be held at Oakey, Queensland, on September 6 and 7 September, close on Monday September 1.
 The event, which is hosted by the Garden City Country Music Association and sponsored by Martin Fallon Cavilier Homes, is held every year at the Oakey Cultural Centre and gives the opportunity for country music artists under the age of 17 to perform in front of a live audience as well as have the opportunity to win "some fantastic awards".
This year's special guest artist at the Festival will be last year's overall winner, Dana Hassall (pictured). Dana has a long list of achievements and is described as an established and award-winning songwriter.
Her accolades include a Tamworth Songwriters' Association (TSA) scholarship to Camerata 2007, first and third place in the Junior Section of the TSA South East queensland Songwriting Competition 2007 and a finalist placing in Q Song's "Courier Mail" People's Choice Awards.
"The Best experience of my musical career so far would have to be Camerata this year," Dana said. "I had the best time (in Tamworth) and I got to songwriter with some of the best in the business and meet tons of new people."
The Oakey Junior CM Festival is open to the public with an admission price of $6 a day. Profits from the event go to the Toowoomba Hospice.
Entry forms can be downloaded from www.gardencitycountry.vze.com or requested by emailing wilsonpc@optusnet.com.au or telephoning 0407 572 786.
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Call for entrants in the Arrowfield busking competition
Buskers are being invited to participate in the 2008 Arrowfield Buskers Challenge to be staged at the Arrowfield Estate Winery (Golden Highway, Jerrys Plains, NSW) on Saturday October 18.
 Potential entrants can contact Arrowfield Estate on 02 6576 4041 or visit the website (see below).
Visitors to the event are being invited to pre-book tickets, "to ensure they don't miss out".
"Musicians, clowns, street performers, food, wine, market stalls and plenty to do for the kids" will all be a part of the day's entertainment and activities, organisers say.
"Everyone is welcome to attend this unique, fun and exciting event."
All proceeds of the day will be donated to the Leukaemia Foundation.
Weblink – www.arrowfieldestate.com.au.
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Ed says goodbye to the CMA
Ed Benson, Chief Strategic Officer and former Executive Director of the American Country Music Association (CMA) is retiring.
Described as "one of the real gentlemen of the country music industry", Ed was the organisation's Executive Director from 1992 to 2005 when he put his exit strategy into effect.
That strategy placed Ed in the Chief Strategic Officer positon in 2005 as current CMA CEO Tammy Genovese took office.
This year, the CMA is celebrating its 50th anniversary, beginning in 1958 as the first trade organisation formed to promote an individual genre of music.
Ed Benson will be launching a business "consulting and executive coaching in organisational dynamics and workplace environment" as well as continuing his volunteer work in Leadership Music and other Nashville area organisations.
– www.allaboutcountry.com
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Chart update – Amber still at number one after four weeks
Amber Lawrence retains the number one position for the fourth week in a row on the coming week's Country Tracks Top 30 singles chart with her hit Good Girls.
 America's Montgomery Gentry remains at number two with Back When I Knew It All while Harmony James' Home edges up one place to number three and Lee Forster & Travis Sinclair are up another two places to four with Good Tones.
Adam Brand's Comin' From/Khe Sanh is at five, Alan Jackson's Good Time is at six while Chasing Bailey are steady at seven with Little By Little.
8 Ball Aitken is also steady, at eight, with Cyclone Country, Brooks & Dunn are at nine with Put A Girl In It and The McClymonts' Finally Over Blue is at 10.
Bullet performers for the coming week include Jasmine Rae's Country Singer (16 to 12), Matt Frost's Second Home Town (18 to 15), Graham Rodger's Give This Hug To Daddy (20 to 17) and The Sunny Cowgirls' Acting Stupid (24 to 19).
New entries to the chart are Melinda Schneider with Be Yourself (new at 28), Drew McAlister's Part Of The Family (at 29) and Matt Manning (pictured) with The Saddle (at 30).
The full chart can be viewed at www.nfspublicity.com.au.
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