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This website brings you the latest Australian country music news. News releases can be sent to news@countrymusicbulletin.com.au |
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2018 Top selling albums of the year – update! The ARIA 2018 year-end charts on their website are incorrect. Details from 2017 have been listed as 2018. This story will be updated when the correct information becomes available. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2018 TSA finalists announced Finalists have been announced for the 2019 Tamworth Songwriters' Association Salute Awards.
They are... For New Songwriter of the Year (pictured above from left)... Tim Channon with Just Another Fork Along the Road, Lloyd Clarke with Threading The Eye Of The Needle (Loch Ard Lament), Rob Imeson with Sugar Cane Town, Ben Mawdsley & Kate Appleyard with Meant To Be and Chloe Styler & Fanny Lumsden with When Your Light Burns. For Novice Writer... Blake Dantier with Layover and Whisky Is My Woman, Sean Griffiths with Fall To The Ground, Robert Knox with Houlies Ukulele and Keely Johnson & Estelle Poots with Turn This To Gold. For Youth Songwriting... Felicity Dowd with Road Called Life and Never Going Home, Bonnie Melbourne with Better Than This, Cassie Marie with Cupid and Lucy Parle with I Used To Love You. For Lyrics Writer... Peter Campbell with Don’t Give Me Halloween, Carolyn Carvalho with My Heart Is Like A Dust Bowl, Lloyd Clarke with Wool on the Water, Glenn Jones with Big Bill Jones, Robert McIntosh with You’re Not Putting Me In A Home and Kevin Pye with Eucalyptus Breeze. For Gospel/Spiritual Songwriting... Carmelo Cacciola with A Friend Forever, Shaza Leigh & Jean Darnell with Part of Our Father’s Plan, Dianne Lindsay with Hold On, Dianne Lindsay & Peter Simpson with Final Judgement and Cill Van Der Velden When I Fall. For Bluegrass Songwriting... Kylie Adams Collier with Moonshine, Dave Diprose with Hillbilly Radio, Virginia Hermel with Face The Wind, Brenda Kelly with Wildhorse Mountain and Lester Treuer & Michelle Treuer with Who Was the Dancing Man. For Country Blues Songwriting... Ian Burns with Singing For The Money, Cathy Dobson with A Moment Like This and Nobody’s Business, Kiara Rodrigues with Pretty Baby Blues and Brendan Smoother with Behind The Seen. For Comedy/Novelty Songwriting... Lawry Bucholz with Grandad’s Farm (We’ve Got Weeds), Ron Buckpitt & Greg Williams with Hold’er, Hold’er, Hold’er, Paul Grierson, Chris Rieger & John Healey with The Truck Song, Kiara Rodrigues with
Mr Vanity and Wendy Wood with I Don’t Want To Go To Tamworth. For Country Rock Songwriting... William Beggs with The Boy From Lightning Ridge, Michael Carpenter & Ryan McMahon with Let It Burn, Cathy Dobson with The Borderline, Paul Grierson, Chris Rieger & Matt Scullion with White Side Of The Fence, Brad Marks & Troy Kemp with Yesterday and Kiara Rodrigues with Playing With Fire. For Alt Country Songwriting... Michael Carpenter & Kylie Whitney with One Trick Pony, Aaron D’Arcy & Tim Bruns with I Give My Heart To You, Rob Imeson with Cold Hard Truth, Brendan Smoother & Lola Brinton with Big Black Car and Chloe Styler & Fanny Lumsden with When Your Light Burns. For Country Ballad Songwriting... Michael Clare with The Bloke From Bendemeer, Cathy Dobson with A Break In The Clouds, Tyson Lucas, Tammie Lucas, Peta Cherae Peters & Jayson Peters with Lessons Learned, Wendy Wood with Every Once In A While and Andrew Wrigglesworth & Allan Caswell with The Roses Fall. For Traditionak or Bush Ballad Songwriting... Terry Bennetts & Keith Lethbridge with Station Minderoo, Peter Coad with Tommy Mac, Susan Lily with Tough As Geranium, Wendy Wood with The Old Plough Inn Hotel and Trinity Woodhouse and Allan Caswell with Me And Sandy. For the Anzac Songwriting Award... Benny Allen with We Will Remember, Terry Bennetts with Such A Shame, Simone Lee with Lest We Forget, Elizabeth Steadman with Brothers In Arms and Andrew Wrigglesworth and Allan Caswell with The Roses Fall. TSA Country Song of the Year will be awarded from the winners of all sections, that is, the song with the highest overall scoring. For TSA Songmaker... Barry Forester, Ian Quinn and Graham Rodger. Award winners will be announced Tuesday evening, January 22, in Tamworth. Weblink – www.tsaonline.com.au. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2018 Country stars at Carols
Travis Collins and Amber Lawrence featured at Adelaide Carols on Saturday December 15. Troy Cassar-Daley was a special guest at the Sydney Carols in the Domain tonight, where he invited daughter Jem to join him on stage for his second song. On Monday night, Adam Harvey (pictured) will feature at the traditional Christmas Eve Carols in Melbourne. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2018 Adam and Amber to host Golden Guitars
"I am honoured to be hosting the Awards this year," said Adam. "It’s 20 years since I went to my first ever Golden Guitar Awards night. I could never have imagined then that I would one day be asked to stand up there as a host...just wow!!!" "It’s really exciting to be hosting the Awards with Adam," Amber said. "I’ve been lucky enough to sing at and win a couple of Golden Guitars over the years, so now to be asked to host them is a pretty cool honour! I hope to bring a little sparkle, fashion and my own sense of humour to the night." "We are over the moon about having Adam and Amber as the hosts for the 2019 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards," said Awards Executive Producer Peter Ross. "Both these artists are renowned within the industry, are previous Golden Guitar recipients and always up for a good time. We couldn’t ask for a better duo to stand up on that stage, acknowledge the dedication of all artists involved in the Awards and help us celebrate another fantastic year in country music." A preliminary line-up of artists who will perform on the night has also been announced, including Kasey Chambers, Travis Collins, Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont, Morgan Evans, Adam Harvey, Andrew Swift, John Williamson and The Wolfe Brothers. The Awards are the peak event of the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival which will run in 2019 officially from Friday January 18 to Sunday January 27. Unofficially, the week before the official start has dozens of events and many visitors call Tamworth home for all of January because of the Festival. An aggregate attendance of 300,000 is expected. More than 700 artists will performing during the 10 days at almost 3,000 individual events across 120 venues. All ticketing and more Festival information can be found at www.tcmf.com.au. Here at the Country Music Bulletin, we also have a dedicated Festival page which highlights a number of events and major venues. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2018 People's Choice finalists Two of the most popular acts in Australian country music – Brothers3 and Graham Rodger, each representing two distinct ends of the country music sector – again feature strongly among finalists for the Australian Country Music People’s Choice Awards.
Graham tops the number of individual finalist placings with five, a clear refelction of his huge fan base. His finalist placings are for Best Album and Best Bush Ballad (for Ringers In The Sky), Best Male Vocal, Best Song (with I’ve Been A Fool Too Long) and Best Video (for Uluru). Dale Duncan has notched up four placings from his What’s Country All About album released earlier this year. He is a finalist for Best Album, Best Bush Ballad (with Station Minderoo, written by Terry Bennetts & Keith Lethbridge, Best Male Vocal and Best Song (with Diamantina Coming Down, written by Norma O’Hara Murphy & Manfred Vijars). Perrenial favourite The Long And Short Of It also have four finalist placings… for Best Album (with Requested Favourites), Best Group and Best Song and Best Video (for Old School). Last year’s Best Album winner Paul Costa is back with three finalist placings… for Best Male Vocal, Best Song (with Best Version Of Me) and Best Video (with Off The Grid). A number of newcomers feature strongly in this year’s Awards including Casey Barnes who, although not a finalist for Most Promising Future Star, has finalist placings in Best Abum (with The Good Life), Best Male Vocal and Best Video (with Set Sail). Maddi Lynn – a graduate from the Australian Academy of Country Music – has three finalist placings… for Most Promising Future Star and Best Album and Best Video (with Scars And Memories). Rachel Jillett has scored two finalist placings… for Best Bush Ballad (with Every Girl Wants A Cowboy) and Best Female Vocal. Newcomer Tony Cook also has two finalist placings… Best Bush Ballad (with That’s Country) and Best Male Vocal. And The Wolfe Brothers are finalists for Best Group and Best Album (with Country Heart). Winners will be announced at a gala awards presentation at Our Lady of The Rosary Cultural Events Centre in Tamworth from 7:30pm Thursday January 24. Tickets are now available – details on the website peopleschoiceawards.com.au. A full listing of finalists…
MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2018
ABC Music have announced two new signings to the label this week, Amber Lawrence (pictured) and Felicity Urquhart. Both artists say they are excited to be joining the iconic Australian country music label. Felicity, who has had a connection with the ABC for some time as host for the Saturday Night Country radio program, is set to release her new studio album in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Weblinks – www.amberlawrence.com.au, www.felicityurquhart.com, www.abcmusic.com.au. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2018 New signing for Troy Kemp Multi-award winning Troy Kemp has signed to Checked Label Services | Kobalt Music Publishing globally.
Founder of the Checked Label Services Group Will Osland fsaid: "Troy is not only an extremely talented artist, but an incredible songwriter as well. What he has in the pipeline may just be the best of his career so far." Troy has a new album in the pipeline for next year. "Troy joins a great roster of other publishing artists including Bill Chambers, Lyn Bowtell, Luke O’Shea, Aleyce Simmonds and Brad Butcher," Will said. Originally half of the very successful McAlister Kemp (with Drew McAlister), Troy has worked solidly on developing a solo career after the duo folded in 2015, both locally and overseas. His debut solo album Against The Grain was released in December 2015. Weblinks – www.facebook.com/troykempmusic, www.checkedlabelservices.net. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 National Live Music Award winners
Fellow finalists were Brad Butcher, Hana & Jessie Lee’s Bad Habits, Freya Josephine Hollick and Fanny Lumsden. The awards were held in Melbourne with satellite events in states and territories. All Our Exes Live In Texas took out the gong for Best Blues and Roots Live Act from John Butler Trio, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks, CW Stoneking and Dan Sultan. Weblink – www.nlmas.com.au. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018 Champagne Country Twenty-eight independent country music artists have gathered together to release Champagne Country, a double disc CD with a collection of songs in what is described as a unique artist owned CD concept.
Artists with a track on the double CD are Kylie Adams-Collier, Alan & Trace, Don Allen, Deidre Bentley, Lance Birrell, Kel-Anne Brandt, Kalesti Butler, Tony Clarke, Aly Cook, Tony Cook, Karen Craigie, Kelvin Cummings, Kris Cummins, Destiny Band Oz, Lana Doublet, Phil Doublet, Brendan Dugan, Dale Duncan, Col Gentles, Dan Higgins, Phoebe Jay, Emma Jene, Jase Lansky, Jacinta Laws, Tony Lee, Becci Nethery, Michelle Russell, Gina Timms and Chris Williams. Artists will be celebrating the new album at a number of showcases at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January. A competition is currently running at the Key 2 Artist Promotions website (see below) for anyone who buys the album before Christmas. The showcases are at Moonshiners at The Family Hotel from 3pm Friday January 18 and 3p Friday January 25. Ticket details Artists will also appear at The Big Golden Guitar on Wednesday 23rd January 23 between 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Weblink – www.key2store.com. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2018 Keith in Tamworth this January – tickets sold out Tickets for a Keith Urban drought relief concert in Tamworth this January during the annual country music festival and prior to the launch of his Graffiti U World Tour have sold out.
The concert will be held on Tuesday January 22 in the famous Tamworth Town Hall – where he launched his professional career as the winner of the Star Maker Quest in January 1990. All money raised by ticket sales go directly to Rural Aid which provides an holistic support program to rural Australia, including those in NSW and most of Queensland who were hit hardest by the drought. An established charity, Rural Aid was formed to provide assistance for the relief of poverty, illness, distress or disadvantage of individuals and families conducting primary production businesses that have been adversely affected by natural disasters. With record dry conditions, financial hardship brought on by the drought, money is needed for essential items. "A no frills, no production, free form set list and all to help people who could really use it," Keith said. "It’s gonna be a blast playing the old Tamworth Town Hall!" Keith launches his world tour the following night at a sold-out concert in Newcastle then shows in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne. Weblink – www.keithurban.net. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 New committee for CCMA Tamworth's Capital Country Music Association (CCMA) has a new committee, elected at the association's annual general meeting last month.
Sue Hartley was elected as the Association's new Secretary. Lex Grant was re-elected as Vice President while Ron Buckpitt was re-elected Treasurer and Jeanette Bucher was elected Publicity Officer. Committee members re-elected were Dot Gilchrist, Patti Morgan and Rodney Walker. New committee members are Dave Alexander, Lynette Guest and Nev Miller. Shaza-Leigh Butler has been announced as the CCMA’s new Patron. The Capital Country Music Association (CCMA), based in Tamworth, Australia's Country Music Capital, is the longest running country music club in Australia, perhaps the world, and was founded by enthusiastic community members who wanted to promote and nurture the then fledgling local country music scene. They would never have dreamed then that, more than 50 years later, the club would be running the iconic National Talent Quest and Jamboree for a 53rd time this coming January. Weblink – www.ccma.net.au. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2018 Kasey among headliners for Big Red 2019 Kasey Chambers has been announced as one of the headline acts at the seventh Birdsville Big Red Bash in July next year.
Country's own Aussie superstar will join Midnight Oil on their first appearance on home turf since November last year and The Living End.
Founder and event organiser Greg Donovan said he recognised the success of the event is about being more than just a music festival... "it’s an incredible destination for travellers and adventure seekers alike. The journey alone adds to the experience as campers, four-wheel drivers, caravaners, travel enthusiasts and music lovers travel from across Australia and the world to gather at the iconic Bashville pop-up festival site..." In addition to the headliners, another 13 artists and bands – all Australian – will be announced next week. Tickets went on sale on Friday. As the largest event in the region, the Big Red Bash is important for supporting both local and broader outback tourism. Diamantina Shire Mayor Geoff Morton is welcoming back the event again this year boasting: "We know that events like the Big Red Bash play an important role in growing a sustainable local tourism industry. This is a fantastic family friendly event and there’s plenty for families to do while they are visiting the region, whether that’s paddling a kayak at Pelican Point, tasting the Birdsville Bakery’s famous curried camel pie or just soaking up the local hospitality at the Birdsville Hotel." Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said Birdsville was renowned as a world-class event host. "In 2018, we saw tens of thousands of visitors travel to Birdsville for the Big Red Bash and famous Birdsville Races. "To see the town swell to more than 80 times its normal population is a wonderful boost for Outback Queensland’s tourism economy which is why the Queensland Government is proud to support the Big Red Bash through Tourism and Events Queensland’s Destination Events Program." Despite its success, the event will be limiting its size to around the 2018 level which attracted just over 9,000 festival-goers. Those interested in attending are advised to get their tickets early as they are strictly limited. Even through the event is very remote, there are a number of ways to get to it... from chartered flights, to bus tours and, of course, the 4x4 self drive. The event website has all the information visitors will need on how to get there and the packages currently available. Weblink – www.bigredbash.com.au. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2018 Song contest entries close next week Entries in the Regional Song Contest organised by fRETfEST close at 5pm on Saturday December 15.
Songwriting competitions and activities feature strongly, as evidenced by our recent news story on the Tamworth Songwriters' Association. Now in its fifth year, the competition has prizes including a professional remix of the winning song, i-Tunes release of the track, on-air radio interview to accompany the release, a new Tanglewood acoustic guitar, a six month music mentorship and guaranteed live performances at the Tamworth Country Music Festival 2019 for the winner, runner-up and the 10 finalists. The winner will be announced on Friday, January 5. fRETfEST is a a music mentoring program and live music concert provider "offering a holistic approach to launching an indie music career and supplying music concert packages to venues wanting acoustic music and audience development," according to their facebook page. Photo: the 2017/2018 contest winner Clinton Hoy from Dubbo on stage in Tamworth. Entry can be made, and further information obtained, here. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018 Phoebe Jay joins with Tommy in suicide prevention campaign Young Australian country singer Phoebe Jay has joined Tommy Emmanuel to raise funds and awareness for Rural Aid's Suicide Prevention Campaign. Phoebe has written and recorded Free Air, a lullaby sung to a person who, through economic and emotional stress, has come to the point where they believe there is only solution to their problems, taking their own life.
“Air is free,” says Phoebe Jay, “and tomorrow is another day where there is always more than one choice. “The song speaks to them to follow me, I will lead the way to people who can help with Rural Aid providing a real solution to confronting and emotional stories that rural families face. "Rural Aid helps with counsellors driving up the driveway to 'come have a cuppa at your family kitchen table with real help and support'." Tommy joined with Phoebe Jay in the campaign with acoustic guitar accompaniment as only one of the world’s leading guitar players can do. Robert Mackay produced and engineered the recording at PIM (Pacific International Music Studio, Hervey Bay) and also provided bass guitar. In launching the suicide awareness campaign with Phoebe Jay, Rural Aid said it was bringing to the forefront the despair that suicide leaves, the forgotten, the friends and family. They said they have seen a massive growth in demand on the ground and via calls to its counselling service launched in July. "The drought affecting Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australian farmers is growing like a sludge across our landscapes and through our minds… sadly, a slow methodical depressive weather event. “Each day we look at the sky and see what we should be so happy to see, a blue sky but for those in drought its fear of what the day brings, feeding stock, trucking water, avoiding telephone calls, not going to town and seeing a friend, it’s isolation on a daily basis." The suicide awareness campaign is about raising people’s capacity to see the signs and better understand what friends and loved ones may be going through and that help is available. Phoebe Jay is a talented Australian singer/songwriter who lives around the cane-fields of Bundaberg. She had previously released a debut EP which contained the song 14 Cents At The Gate” in support of dairy farmers. Weblinks – www.ruralaid.org.au, www.phoebejay.com.au. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018 "Australia's Got Talent" returns in 2019 The Seven Network has announced a return of "Australia’s Got Talent" in 2019.
Despite its patchy run in Australia, the program franchise is very big globally with 71 versions across Africa, the Americas, the Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle-East with a total viewing audience in 2018 of 500,000 people. "Britain's Got Talent" is the number one entertainment show in the US and the 2018 series reached an audience of more than 33 million in the UK. Weblink – www.facebook.com/GotTalentAU. MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2018 Keith in line for global award Keith Urban is a nominee in the 30th annual Pollstar Awards which honours top achievers in the live entertainment industry.
It's also features in Kelsea Ballerini's nomination for Best Support/Special Guest category. Other Australian nominees in the Awards are Air Supply – the duo of Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell – for Best Soft Ticket Act. A "soft ticket" (for the uninitiated) is a ticket purchased where an artist can be one of a number of acts on a show or at a festival or other event, compared to a "hard ticket" which is a purchase specifically for one major artist on a show. Air Supply formed in Sydney in the 1970s and eventually relocated to America. And promoter Michael Chugg is a nomineee for International Promoter of the Year. The Pollstar Awards will be held in Los Angeles in February. Weblink – www.pollstar.com. |
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Colin Buchanan was special guest at Tamworth's Carols in the Park on Saturday December 8.
The announcement was made jointly by the Country Music Association of Australia and Tamworth Regional Council.
Brothers3, who have just released a new album, have two finalist placings… Best Group and Best Song, for Thoughts Of You, the lead single from their album Brand New Day.
Amber and Felicity sign to ABC
The deal covers all past and future recordings of Troy's.
Marlon Williams has been named winner of the National Live Music Awards Best Country Live Act.
Key 2 Artist Promotions has facilitated the album which was released yesterday in time for the busy Christmas market.
Details for the concert were announced this morning and tickets were gone by mid morning.
Former President Peggy Gilchrist (pictured) has been elected President taking over from Steve Newton who has been at the helm since 2011.
The Big Red Bash takes place in the red sands of the Simpson Desert against the backdrop of the legendary 40-metre-high Big Red Dune, 35 kilometres west of the famous, but tiny, outback town of Birdsville.
As we inch closer to the January country music festival in Tamworth, Australia's Country Music Capital, news of the many activities that either culminate or feature during the event, continues to be announced.
Responsible for propelling a number of country stars into the limelight – like "Smokin'" Joe Robinson and The Wolfe Brothers (pictured), this will be the ninth year of the UK originated show in Australia after being suspended by Seven in 2012 and running on the Nine in 2013 and 2016.