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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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Catching up on Tamworth – talent battle winners Hundreds of entrants and spectators converged on Country Music Capital’s historic town hall in January for the annual talent quests under the Coca Cola sponsored “Battle of” mantle.
And this year’s winners and placegetters were... Battle of the Young Stars – Junior: Noah Robertson (Midge Point Qld), Intermediate: Emmagen Rain (Murwillumbah NSW), Senior: Elias Barthomeo (Banksmeadow NSW). Battle of the Bluegrass – Junior: Elias Barthomeo (Banksmeadow NSW), Mandolin: Paddy Montgmery (Preston Vic), Fiddle: Jonathan Behne-Smith (Newcastle NSW), Guitar: Daniel Watkins (Macedon Vic), Banjo: Bennett Sullivan (Henderson, Hendersonville USA). Battle of the New Stars – Harriet Kelly (Hillston NSW). Battle of the Golden Oldies – Dan Mullins (Lilyfield NSW) – pictured. Battle of the Bands – Vixens Of Fall (Caboolture Qld). Vale – Bill Robertson Bill Robertson – recognised for decades as a country music expert within EMI – has died. He was 90.
A judge of the Golden Guitar Awards for a number of years, he won the Country Music Capital Award in 1984 and was inducted into the Hands of Fame in 1998. Bill joined EMI in 1947 when EMI decided to look after their own distribution. He was picked out as one of the bright young men to join the company. Bill’s knowledge of the product, and his encyclopaedic memory of all things including catalogue numbers, became legendary. Over the years he moved more into the Artists & Repertoire (A&R) area. The roster of artists he worked with and supported in Australia could fill a Hall of Fame for the music industry but he was a great champion for Australian music artists, particularly in the field of country music. He would also prefer – and promote – Australian product over the imported brand. Other Country artists Bill helped around this time included Johnny Ashcroft, Smoky Dawson, Reg Lindsay, Gladys Moncrieff, Chad Morgan and Tex Morton. Photo: Bill Robertson (at right) presenting a gold record to Slim Dusty and producer Rod Coe. Aussie duo wins Christian Music Grammy Australian duo For King & Country – Joel and Luke Smallbone – have won the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance.
It was written with Josh Kerr, Jordan Reynolds and Tedd Tjornhom, and recorded in 2019 after several other remixes with Timbaland and Echosmith. During their acceptance speech, Joel and Luke began by thanking everyone for their donations and prayers to those in Australia following the devastating bush fires, and asked for support to heal. "When we stepped in to write this song, we were all walking through really hard moments," Joel said. "As many of you writers know, when that happens you tend to put something on paper so you can reach out to people who are going through the same circumstances." "To dear Dolly Parton, who is an incredible human being, it's one of the great moments of our career to collaborate with her and her team," Joel said. "I talked to her manager's sons in Sunday school, they were kind enough to reach out to her and play her the song. But she said something on a call, she said, 'I love this song because it's reaching to the marginalised, to the depressed, to the suicidal, which is all of us at some point'. The Grammys were handed out in Los Angeles on January 26). Weblink – www.forkingandcountry.com. Joy McKean elevated to Australasian country music's highest honour Joy McKean, elevated to the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown in Tamworth on Saturday night, is undoubtedly the industry’s most highly regarded and respected leader.
Joy’s Roll of Renown award is in recognition of the extraordinary leadership role she has performed over many decades, mentoring and supporting the country music industry and its members in so many ways. But it was her unmatched skills as one our nation’s most prolific and talented songwriters that has given Joy McKean a status and and respect among fans as well as the artists who make and perform the music. Her widely acclaimed works, generally written for and performed by her husband Slim Dusty, included classic songs such as Lights On The Hill, Indian Pacific and The Biggest Disappointment. These and many other of Joy’s renowned bush ballads and her constant support and involvement, helped propel Slim into becoming one of Australia’s most successful recording artists and ensured that Joy herself was widely known and recognised. Her songs have also been covered and tributes written and recorded by many of today’s stars including Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Sara Storer and Keith Urban. In keeping with her record as the very first person to receive a Golden Guitar on the inaugural Country Music Awards in 1973, Joy becomes the first person among those honoured on the Roll to feature twice, once as a member of the popular McKean Sisters Duo in 1983 and now again in her own right. She now joins daughter Anne Kirkpatrick, who was elevated to the Roll in 2010, and, of course, her late husband Slim Dusty who received the honour in 1979. Since the Roll was inaugurated in 1976 with the naming of legendary pioneer Tex Morton, there have been only 50 other stars selected for the honour and Joy becomes the 51st recipient. In making the presentation to Joy, Country Music legend Troy Cassar-Daley, a close friend of Joy’s, said she had been an inspiration to him and most of his generation. Co-presenter and Chairman of the Roll of Renown Selection Panel Max Ellis said the genuine affection Joy attracted from the Australasian music industry in general was remarkable and reflected her “wonderful strength and generosity and the huge contribution she has made over the past eight decades”. In the venue, Joy’s sister Heather sat with Joy’s daughter Anne Kirkpatrick and son David Kirkpatrick and other family members including grandson James Arneman. Joy’s plaque on the famous Roll Of Renown granite boulders outside TRECC was unveiled yesterday morning. Queen of Country Music crowned Tamworth’s Queen of Country Music Quest came to a conclusion last night with the announcement of winners. Emily Lysaght was named overall winner and will hold the title Tamworth Queen of Country Music for the next 12 months. The competition runner up – who wins the title Country Music Princess – is Susie Rixon.
In addition to the key winners, the Quest also names a Miss Congenialty and a Miss Social Media. Chrissy Ryan is the Quest’s 2020 Miss Congeniality while Jasmine Whitten is the 2020 Miss Social Media. The Queen of Country Music Quest was inaugurated by Tamworth & District Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 1984 and is currently run by the Zonta Club of Tamworth. Pictured above (from left): Queen Emily, Princess Susie, Chrissy and Jasmin. Tamworth Busking Champion 2020 Naomi Connell from the Queensland Gold Coast has won the 2020 Tamworth Busking Championship.
At the finals event in Tamworth last night, Namoi claimed the prize from runner-up duo Ella & Sienna (Mt Barker, SA) and third place winner Georgia Grae (Grafton, NSW). The duo Nate Scholes (William Scholes and Wink Fleming from rural NSW) won the peoples choice vote. Fellow finalists were Jacinta Byrne (Thargomindah, Qld), Gavin Chatelier (Melbourne, Vic), Simon Gudgeon (Port Macquarie, NSW), Jorja & Kaleb (Jorja Belle from NSW and Kaleb Rowe from the Qld Sunshine Coast), Bella Mackenzie (Mackay, Qld) and Jamie Stefanovic (Sydney, NSW). Photo: Naomi, Ella & Sienna and Georgia. Keith leads country Australia Day honours
The award designation is for "distinguished service to the performing arts as a singer and songwriter and to charitable organisations". Andrew Farriss, an original member of pop group INXS and now turning his hand to country music, was awarded an AM (Member in the Order of Australia) for "significant service to the performing arts as a musician, composer and producer". Broadcaster Carter Edwards was announced as a recipient of an OAM (Order of Australia Medal) for "service to the broadcast media, particularly to radio". Bill Warburton, an accountant by profession in Tamworth, and a director of the Australian country Music Foundation since 2010, was awarded an OAM for "service to the community of Tamworth". Felicity dominates Golden Guitars Felicity Urquhart has dominated this year's presentation of Golden Guitar Awards winning a total of five in her own right plus one as a co-writer. Her awards included the prestigious Female Artist of the Year recognition, won in stiff competition from Ashleigh Dallas, Amber Lawrence, Gina Jeffreys and Sara Storer.
Sing Me A Story – the song she wrote with Luke O'Shea – also scored Felicity a Golden Guitar when it won Heritage Song of the Year for Luke and Lyn Bowtell. The song scored a second Golden Guitar for Luke and Lyn when they were announced as winners of Vocal Collaboration of the Year. The album category wins for Felicity also results in two posthumous Golden Guitars for Glen Hannah as producer of Frozen Rabbit. Expat Aussie Morgan Evans joined Luke and Lyn with two Golden Guitars each with his win of the Male Vocal and Contemporary Album of the Year categories (for Things That We Drink To). Brad Butcher won Alt Country Album of the Year with Travelling Salesman, produced by Matt Fell. Bush Ballad of the Year went to Allan Caswell and Manfred Vijars for their work Country Copper, recorded by Allan. Group of the Year went to Kevin Bennett & The Flood for their recording, Blood Red Ties. Fanny Lumsden won the Golden Guitar for Video of the Year with Real Men Don't Cry (War On Pride), directed by Dan Stanley Freeman & Fanny Lumsden. Instrumental of the Year was won by Rod McCormack with Timeless Traveller. Kristy Cox won Bluegrass Recording of the Year with Yesterday's Heartache. Blake O'Connor (the 2019 winner of Toyota Star Maker) won the New Talent Golden Guitar with Worth A Little More. Lee Kernaghan was presented with his Top Selling Album of the Year Golden Guitar, the accolade, based on 2019 ARIA records of album sales, havng been announced earlier this year. And, perhaps the biggest award of the night was Joy McKean's elevation to the Country Music Roll of Renown. More on Joy o Monday! Weblink – www.country.com.au. People's Choice winners Brothers3 were the biggest winners at tonight's Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards in Tamworth taking home Best Group and Best Song for Another Day.
Ian Burns, a regular finalist in the Awards won another of the night's biggest accolades, Best Album for Two Sides Of Me. Best Bush Ballad went to John O'Dea for his self penned The Drover's Friend. Relative newcomer to country music Benny Allen was voted winner of Best Video for his Never Knew I Was Country. Emma Jene was announced winner of the Awards' Most Promising Future Star (new talent) accolade. The People's Choice industry awards, recognising popularity in country music broadcasting, were dominated by broadcasters with Central Coast country radio todayscountry94one... Dianne Lindsay and Peter Simpson jointly won Most Popular Country DJ for their work on the Australian Bush Ballad Show which airs on a number of radio stations as well as todayscountry and Alan Gilmour snared the Most Popular Country Music Program for the Australian Country Songwriters Show on todayscountry. An almost capacity crowd in "The Chapel" – a dedicated auditorium newly established by Tamworth's Northwest Church – witnessed another classic People's Choice Awards concert and ceremony where most of the Awards finalists perform in a relaxed "acoustic" environment. Photo: Brothers3 with the first of their two awards received tonight. Weblink – www.peopleschoiceawards.com.au. TSA winners A swathe of awards were presented to the cream of Australia's country songwriters tonight at the annual TSA (Tamworth Songwriters' Association) Awards in Tamworth.
Country Song of the Year – Like My Old Man by John O’Dea & Stuart French (pictured) Bush Ballad of the Year – The Euco Cutter by Brian Stitt. Traditional Song of the Year – Red Flowers by Virginia Hermel. New Songwriter of the Year – Aaron Jurd with Changed. Anzac Song of the Year – The Lost Soldier by Peter Campbell & Brendan Walmsley. Gospel/Spiritual Song Award – Across The Jordan Wide by Peter Christie. Bluegrass Song Award – What I Did by Virginia Hermel. Country Blues Song Award – Devil’s Road by Andrew Wrigglesworth, Laura Coates & Lachlan Bryan Comedy/Novelty Song Award – Wouldn’t Be Dead For Quids by Eric Read. Country Rock Song Award – Hard Habit To Kick by Blake Dantier. All Country Song Award – Patient Heart by Chloe Styler, Jenny Mitchell & George Goodfellow. Country Ballad Award – Like My Old Man by John O’Dea & Stuie French. Novice Songwriting – Garry Jones with Kalgoolie Dreaming. Youth Songwriting – You’ll Never Win by Lucy Parle. Lyrics Only – Edward Street by Lloyd Clarke. The Tex Morton Award was presented to Adam Harvey and Ian Quinn was presented with the Association's Songmaker honour. Weblink – www.tsaonline.com.au. Keely and the "golden octopus" There are many wonderful stories in country music… in song and behind the songs. There have also been many over the years that come to light during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. The story of Keely Johnson and the Golden Octopus Foundation, which she founded, is one such story, not a result of Tamworth by any means but significantly associated in 2020.
As the name suggests, the daily showcases are for up and coming artists and are being hosted by Keely. As well as the daily featured “emerging artist” the event also has a special invited mystery guest each day. Speaking about the Foundation, Keely said: “The idea of a Golden Octopus came to me as there needs to be a charity that covers all childhood cancers. There are eight groups of childhood cancers and the octopus has eight arms … plus, gold is the colour of childhood cancer.” As a child, Keely was diagnosed with Germinoma of the brain, a rare type of germ cell tumour that is slowly treatable. She was frequently away from her home to receive treatment. Due to early misdiagnoses, and long stays away from her family, she now focuses on supporting children with cancer, in their own homes. “Families struggle financially and emotionally while a child undergoes treatment,” Keely said. “Children suffer from isolation during prolonged stays away, have school attendance interrupted and lose contact with sporting and other social activities.” A major initiative Keely is undertaking this year in May is a fundraising trek to the Kokoda Track. The aim is to enlist 21 people to walk the Track with her and she is also seeking sponsors to assist with other costs. Each of the 21 will raise $1,500, plus pay their normal tour fees. “Five walkers have already registered and interest is growing rapidly,” Keely said. The aim of the walk is to reach $120,000, which will complete the $380,000 needed to employ the first childhood cancer nurse in a community. Imagine you have survived 30 radiation sessions, sixty rounds of chemotherapy… and six brain surgeries. Keely Johnson has done this, and more, and in May, she, together with her fellow fundraisers, will walk the notoriously challenging 96-kilometre Kokoda Track. “Unlike other Kokoda walks, this one will be slower: no daily goals and walkers go at their own pace,” Keely said, “we will be walking in the steps of heroes, for heroes." Weblink – www.goldenoctopusfoundation.org.au. Harriet wins Aristocrat
The competition, finalised tonight at Wests Diggers in Country Music Capital, Tamworth, featured a performance from Harriet that included a song she wrote with Shane Nicholson at the Dag Sheep Station Songwriters Retreat in July 2019. "The talent again this year was phenomenal," said co-ordinator Gina Timms, "making it extremely tough for the judges. "This is my 28th year judging and, gosh, our future of Australian country music is in good hands for a long time to come with all this amazing talent." Senior placegetters in the competition were runners-up Queensland sister trio Vixens of Fall and, in third place, Asra Ginders from New Zealand. New Zealand’s Ocean Waitokia won the Nathaniel O’Brien Encouragement Award. "Twelve year Sarah Hamze took out the junior section after a dynamic performances in her heat and grand final," Gina said. On his first visit to the Country Music Capital, Dennis Comino was junior runner-up and Keely Swlika took out the third spot. Prizes for the competition included $2000 cash to the senior winner plus 10 hours recording time while the junior winner pocketed $700. Photo: Harriet during one of her performances at Tamworth this year. Photo: Bob McGahan. Weblink – www.wtlc.com.au.
Sammy White has won Toyota Star Maker 2020. Originally from Townsville, Sammy is now based in Newcastle and has already released two successful singles – Drowning My Sorrows and I Can't Outrun You – from an upcoming EP. Sammy won the title from nine fellow contenders, El Cosgrove, Hannah May, Zoey Mills, Leigha Moore, Juliet Oliver, Taylor Pfeiffer, Clancy Pye, Chloe Styler and Jarred Taylor. Weblink – www.starmaker.com.au.
Hands of Fame inductees announced Five new hands will be imprinted in Australia's Country Music Hands of Fame cornerstone next Saturday (January 25). The inductees were announced at a ceremony at the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame. They are (pictured below, from left)... Catherine Britt, Travis Collins, the Gottani sisters Jenny and Pauline) and Eddie Tapp.
The Hall of Fame also announced inductees into the Australian Country Music Broadcasters Hall of Fame... Graham Bell and Ian Crombie (pictured above right). A final accolade announced yesterday was a recipient of the Eric Watson Literary Award... Ted Egan. The award is named in honour of Australia's most prolific historian, the late Eric Watson. Weblink – www.countrymusichalloffame.com.au. Queen entrants This year's Queen of Country Music Quest in Tamworth has drawn nine entrants. They are Siobhan Carroll, Terleea Crowe, Felicity Hubbard, Lauren Hunt, Emily Lysaght, Roya Moddi, Carissa Ryan, Susie Rixon and Jasmine Whitten.
The entrants were presented with their sashes this morning (Friday). The quest aims to find two young women to act as ambassadors for the Tamworth Region and the Tamworth Country Music Festival with their roles involving many official and some informal duties at the Festival. Also, "entrants must have a genuine interest in, and good knowledge of, the Tamworth region and the Tamworth Country Music Festival." National Guitar Museum opens Australia's National Guitar Musem has opend in Tamworth, Australia's Country Music Capital. The Museum is located with the Country Music Gallery of Stars wax museum behind the iconic big Golden Guitar, a very appropriate location according to Tamworth Mayor Col Murray during an opening address this evening. It will open to the public tomorrow (Saturday January 18. The Australian National Guitar Museum currently features more than 45 guitars, including the likes of Smoky Dawson’s original rifle guitar from the 1950s era when he was reigning supreme on radio, records and in comics, Tommy Emmanuel’s first Maton guitar from the start of his career along with one of his much-used Fender guitars, the two final and customised guitars that belonged to Slim Dusty, made by Maton for the exclusive Slim Line, along with a number of signed guitars, including from Keith Urban, One of the which played at his Nissan Stadium Performance in Nashville in 2015 says “Tamworth, where it all began”, referring to the city and the festival as the launch pad for his music career. A number of signed guitars from high profile American country stars Brooks & Dunn, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers are also featured, together with non country acts like The Eagles, Brian May (Queen) and Paul Stanley (Kiss). Country Music Manager at Tamworth Regional Council Barry Harley said: “the guitars we have been gifted are a tribute to Tamworth’s reputation – something that we... are so proud of." The collection of guitars in the Museum is complemented by a world-class photographic exhibition, famously exhibited and captured over the years by Chuck Bradley. The exhibition, titled “Instrumental” is an illuminating picture collection of guitars and other instruments from country and rock icons such as Troy Cassar-Daley, Guns ‘n’ Roses, INXS, Midnight Oil, Archie Roach and more. The collection will continuously grow as Chuck is still photographing. "To quote Paul Kelly, 'from little things big things grow' – we have great plans for the growth and expansion of the National Guitar Museum over time," Barry said. "This is just the beginning of our collection but all in all we are thrilled to add another fantastic facility to our region that visitors will be able to enjoy not only throughout The Festival, but year-round.”
Country music everywhere in Tamworth One of the unique features of the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival is the number of different venues and venue types that provide entertainment to the crowds during the 10 day event.
All four of Country Music Capital's major shopping centres have entertainment for between four and the entire 10 days. The Atrium Shopping Centre (previously the Tamworth Arcade) will be running a substantial program on every day of the festival. Performers will include Aaron D'Arcy, Benny Allen, Glenn Bidmead, Ian Burns, Blake Dantier, Peter Dawson, Destiny Band Oz, D Henry Fenton, Rick Ferret, Mariah Jane Duo, Sally Jane, Emma Jene, Keely Johnson, Tony Kennelly, Felicity Kircher, Dianne Lindsay, Tom Maxwell, Renee McAlpin, Becci Nethery, Kora Naughton, John O'Dea, Gayle O'Neil, Rory Phillips, Ben Ransom, Piper Rodrigues, Cush Ryder, Brendan Smoother, the String Loaded Celtic Fiddle Band, Georgie Taylor and Trinity Woodhouse. Tamworth Shoppingworld has a nine day program (Friday to Saturday) featuring… Bo’Ness Duo, The Bushwackers, Brad Butcher, Piper Butcher, Paul Costa, Ella & Sienna, Melanie Gray, Haystack Mounain Hermits, Johanna Hemara, Hillbilly Goats, Homegrown, Hurricane Fall, Katie Jayne, Felicity Kircher, Amber Lawrence, Cassi Marie, Montgomery Church, Chad Morgan, Taylor Moss, The Pigs, Redneck Gentlemen, Bryce Sainty, SaltbushSix, Colt Seavers, Aleyce Simmonds, Sky Valley, Sweet Jelly Rolls, Jarred Taylor and Vixens Of Fall. Tamworth Square has a six day program (Monday to Saturday) with... 8 Second Ride, Elias Bartholomeo, Fred Bear, Chelsea Berman, Sophia Chesworth, Jessica Emily-Odgers, Jess Ferris, Asra Ginders, Della Harris, Missy Lancaster, Joel Bear Mckay, Leigha Moore, Gayle O’Neil, Juliet Oliver, Taylor Pfeiffer, Eddie Rawk & The Racketeers, Karen Thomson and Dani Young. Centrepoint Shipping Centre has a four day schedule (Tuesday to Friday) with James Blundell, Catherine Britt, Brothers3, Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, Kristy Cox, Adam Eckersley Band, Andrew Farriss, D Henry Fenton, Haystack Mountain Hermits, Hurricane Fall, Bec Lavelle, Montgomery Church, Melanie Dyer, Fanny Lumsden, Tammy Moxon, Kora Naughton, Andy Nelson, Becci Nethery, Ben Ransom, Sara Storer, Aleyce Simmonds, Smith & Jones, Vixens of Fall, Weeping willows and The Wolfe Brothers. Many of the artists at Centrepoint and Shoppingworld tie there performances in with retail promotion with, respectively, JB HiFi and Sanity. Country Under The Vines Country Under The Vines has become one of the Tamworth Country Music Festival's most iconic events.
New England-North West Ronald McDonald House Community Engagement Co-ordinatior Rebecca Barry said the event was a vital part of supporting regional families. "We're 100 per cent community owned and operated and we rely on the community to help keep families close to their sick children," she said. "Our volunteers are amazing people who offer their help at no cost, but still we have bills to pay to ensure we can keep families together. "This year, we are aiming to provide 220 nights of accommodation to local families from the funds we raise at this event. "We're really looking to make this year's event a special event and hope that a big crowd comes along. Country Under The Vines begins at the Longyard Hotel from 11.30am on Sunday January 19 with tickets available at the door or at tickets via oztix.com.au As well as a day of music, the event will host raffles, auctions and collection buckets. Balladeers Homestead at Tamworth One of the most unique venues at any country music festival can be found at the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival in January... the Balladeers Homestead. Successfully operating for some time now, the venue on the Sydney Road which, for most of the year is actually the Salvation Army complex, becomes a permanent home for Australian bush balladeers during the festival run by the Australian Bush Balladeers Association (ABBA). The Homestead operates from the first official day of the Festival – Friday January 17 – through to and including Friday January 24 with numerous concerts, shows and walkups. Artists appearing in 2020 will include Kylie Adams-Collier, Alexis & Suzie Duo, Marcia Armstrong, Lloyd Back, Greg Bain,, Denise Barnett, Alice Benfer, Owen Blundell, Jeff Brown, Pat Brown, Jeanette Parsons Cains, Kylie Castle, Peter Coad & The Coad Sisters, Virginia, & Lynette Coad, Ashley Cook, Malcolm Doyle, Greg Dillon, Laura Downing,, Malcolm Doyle, David Elson, Ray Essery, Bruce Forbes, Angus Gill, Lilly Goller, Terry Gordon, Johnny Greenwood, The Gunbarrell Highwaymen, Sarah Hamze, Jim Hermel, Wayne Horsburgh, Tom & Talia Kennedy, Anne Kirkpatrick, Lachie & Georgia, Brian Larkin, Cheryl Lethlean, Brian Letton, Dianne Lindsay & Peter Simpson, Ken (Chainsaw) Lindsay, Dusty Mann, Tom & Phil Manning, Tom Maxwell, Peter Monaghan & Denise Parker, Robyn Norton, John O'Dea, Jim O’Neill, Rhonda Owen, Rod Owen, Brian Pattison, Lorraine Pfitzner, Noel Pohlmann, Reg Poole, Bill Rowland, Tracey Rowland, Sandy Rasmussen, Rebel, Anita Ree, Runaway Dixie, Amy Ryan, Ron Sadler, John & Christine Smith, Ken Smith, Pete Smith, Col Thomson, Trevor Tolton, Mike Tyne, Ian Wilkinson and Geoff Williams.
Two special shows at the Homestead will be the Brian Young Tribute Concert raising funds raising funds for Country Music Capital's Bronze Bust Association and the Country Music Hall of Fame Fundraiser. Stars of the Hall of Fame Fundraiser will include Kylie Adams-Collier, Tom Chesterfield, Lynette Coad, Graham Doubleday, Jim Hermel, Virginia Hermel, Phil Manning, Chad Morgan, Patti Morgan, Dave Prior and Col Thomson with host Lorraine Pfitzner. For the duration of the Balladeers Homestead, the Salvation Army will operate a canteen. Full details of artists, shows, days and times can be found at the ABBA website here. The Association will hold its annual general meeting at the Homestead at 2pm Saturday January 25. A spokesman also said: "Due to ongoing drought and bushfires some artists previously advertised in the Balladeers Bulletin and also the Official Tamworth Gig Guide will be unable to attend. We have done our best to update our program of these changes as advised. Photo: a pic from one of the many shows at the Homestead last year. Lee equals Slim's Golden Guitar record
And come January 25, there is a very good chance Lee will overtake Slim as he is a finalist in eight of the judged categories to be announced on Awards night. Lee's tally hit 37 in 2018. Troy Cassar-Daley joined Lee on the magic number when he took home the Heritage Golden Guitar last January. Fellow finalists for the the top selling award, given for the highest selling album in 2019, of new material first released in 2019, were Amber Lawrence's Spark, Dan Mullins' Duende, Sara Storer's Raindance and Felicity Urquhart's Frozen Rabbitt. Backroad Nation was released in May 2019 and produced by award-winning Australian songwriter/producer Lindsay Rimes. It debuted at number one on the ARIA Country Albums Chart and has at numerous times since. Weblink – www.country.com.au. Top Aussie albums 2019 ARIA – the Australian Recording Industry Association – has released its annual charts for 2019. Eleven Australian albums feature in the country top 50, more than 20 percent which is a better than average result given the dominance of foreign release in the Australian music industry.
Lee Kernaghan – Australia’s leading locally based country recording artist – has taken the number one spot with his latest studio album Backroad Nation. Morgan Evans – Australia’s most successful new act on the international scene – is at number two with Things That We Drink To. Keith Urban – our most successful country music export ever – takes third place with his latest studio album Graffiti U (and holds four of the 11 places with his studio album Ripcord and the two “best of” collections, The Story So Far and Greatest Hits: 18 Kids). And Slim Dusty – the nation’s most prolific country recording artist – is in fourth place with his best of collection The Very Best Of Slim Dusty which hit a massive 1078 weeks in the chart at the end of 2019 (more than 20 years in total). The full listing is…
Weblink – www.ariacharts.com.au. People's Choice announce second round of artists and bushfire fundraiser Organisers of the Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards have announced the second, and final, round of performers at this year's Awards and a bushfire victims fundraiser.
They join previously announced Benny Allen, Brothers3, Ian Burns, Peter Dawson, Destiny Band Oz, Laura Downing, Mason Hope, Emma Jene, Shaza Leigh, Dianne Lindsay & Peter Simpson, The Long & Short Of It, John O'Dea and Graham Rodger. In announcing the final round of artists, spokesman for the organisers Bob Kirchner said the decision had been made to dedicate 25 percent of total net ticket sales to go to assist victims of the bushfires currently ravaging parts of Australia. "Funding arrangements for the People's Choice Awards are basically to cover costs," Bob said, "but we thought it was only right that we put our bit in to help where we could. "Thousands of the voters who help decide our award winners come from areas which have been devastated by the fires." The People's Choice Awards will be staged in the newly built North West Church Auditorium (to be known as "The Chapel") on Thursday evening January 23 at 7:30pm. The new auitorium is the former 10 pin bowling alley in Anne Street, Tamworth, located next to the original church. The new space has been purpose-converted into a modern, air-conditioned performance venue. As well as the performances in the gala concert, 10 awards will be presented for Best Female and Best Male Vocal, Best Group, Best Album, Best Song, Best Bush Ballad, Best Video and Most Promising Future Star, together with two broadcast awards... Most Popular Country Music DJ and Most Popular Country Music Program or Radio Station. Tickets can be purchased via the Awards website peopleschoiceawards.com.au. TSA finalists Finalists for the 2020 Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Songwriter Salute Awards have been announced.
For Alt Country… Blake Dantier with I’d Do It Again, Lucy Parle with You’ll Never Win, Derani Sanders with This Is Me, Brian Stitt with It’s Not Quite A Ghost Town and Chloe Styler, Jenny Mitchell & George Goodfellow with Patient Heart. For Anzac Song of the Year… Peter Campbell, Brendon Walmsley with The Lost Soldier, Lloyd Clarke with Anzac’s (Biscuits From Home), Diana Davis with The Horses That Died, Ben Mawdsley & Kate Appleyard with My Soldier and John O’Dea with Another Sunrise. For Bluegrass Song of the Year… Ian Burns with The River, Allan Caswell & Damian Cafarella with Bad Politics, Peter Christie & Roger Corbett with Born Again, Virginia Hermel with What I Did and John Littrich & Neil McCann with Point Of No Return. For Bush Ballad Song of The Year… Terry Bennetts, Ray Rose & Tom Maxwell with Dust Of Australia, Allan Caswell & Manfred Vijars with Country Copper, John O’Dea with Back In Birdsville, Anita Ree with Sweet Sugar Cane and Brian Stitt with The Euco Cutter. For Comedy Novelty Song… Eric Read, Merle Shelly Jones & Lester Treuer with Wouldn’t Be Dead For Quids, David Reeve & Bruce Spiers with It’s Good To Be Alive Today, Matt Scullion with Slanguage and Paul Whittaker with A Poor Man’s Violin. For Country Ballad Song of the Year… Allan Caswell & Michael Waugh with Train To Godforsaken, Virginia Hermel with Won’t Be Here Again, Tony Kennelly with Leave The Gate Open, John O’Dea & Stuart French with Like my Old Man and Matt Scullion & Paul Grierson with Aussie As. For Country Blues Song of the Year… Geoffrey Bates & Kym Watling with In The Dead Of Night, Dave Diprose with Old School Blues, Aly Cook, Kay Bidstrup & Buzz Bidstrup with We Hold up Half the Sky, Virginia Hermel with Country In My Veins and Andrew Wrigglesworth, Laura Coates & Lachlan Bryan with Devil’s Road. For Country Rock Song of the Year… Aly Cook, Buzz Bidstrup & Kay Bidstrup with Red Dirt Road Trip, Blake Dantier with Hard Habit To Kick, Damien Hosken with Dancing With You, Renee Jonas with Hook Line And Sinker and Aaron Jurd with Hard To Breathe. For Gospel Spiritual Song… Peter Christie with Across The Jordan Wide, Patricia Cruzado & Paul Bonner-Jones with Talking To The Lord, Jason Greenwood with Horizon, Damien Hosken with Promised Land and Susan Muranty & Renee Jonas with Glorious Failures. For Lyrics Only… Lloyd Clarke with Edward Street, Dave Diprose with In My Fathers Time, Michelle Morgan with Winter’s Almost Here, Kevin Pye with The Moon Is Sending Kisses and John Walsh with The Poets Curse. For the New Songwriter of the Year Award… Aaron Jurd with Changed, Patrick Kenny with Watch It All Come Down, Tessa Libreri & Thomas Libreri with My Family And Me, Andy Penkow with This Old House and Kim Wright with Home. For Novice Songwriting… Felicity Dowd with Wouldn’t Change A Thing, Kelsey Giarola with Bonnie Road, Garry Jones with Kalgoolie Dreaming, Annalise McHugh with River Run Dry and Derani Sanders with Drive South. For Traditional Country Song of the Year… Lloyd Back with Everyone Has A Story, Laura Downing with The Guardian, Virginia Hermel with Red Flowers, Justin Landers with A Campfire Waltz and Anita Ree with Webb Brothers. For Youth Songwriting… Felicity Dowd with Wouldn’t Change A Thing, Mackenzie Lee Hall with These Old Boots, Grace Mae with Doesn’t Matter Anyway, Lucy Parle with You’ll Never Win and Trinity Woodhouse with The Real You. Weblink – www.tsaonline.com.au. Big line-up for The Atrium Country Music Capital's The Atrium Shopping Centre is gearing up for another big January festival announcing the current line-up today.
The major feature act this year – with six performances – is the very popular String Loaded Celtic Fiddle Band (pictured). A number of special showcases with finalists in this year's Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards will run daily at 1pm. Finalists booked in so far are Ian Burns, Della Harris, Emma Jene and Dianne Lindsay. The Pub Group offering for Tamworth Festival Another major venue group in Country Music Capital is The Pub Group and again, for 2020, the four hotels have a substantial line-up of artists and special shows.
Next up is The Pub (the first venue established by the Group on the Gunnedah Road) with artists including Kevin Bennett & The Flood, James Ellis & The Swinging Guys, The Family Circle, Charlie Fittler Band, Stuie French, Hillbilly Goats, John Krsulja, Brendan Nawrocki, Shane Nicholson and Lucky Oceans. Special events at The Pub will include the Slim Dusty tribute show Travellin' Still and activitis like the Bill Chambers Sessions like The Pub Songs & Stories and a fundraiser for farmers. Prior to the Festival's official start, The Pub will host a special concert for participants at the 2020 Australian Academy of Country Music currently underway. The concert is on tomorrow night (January 10) at 8pm.
Special events at The Family include Remembering Reg Lindsay on the Monday afternoon. And finally, there is the Southgate Inn with an artist roster including Blues Bombers, Cruisin' Deuces, Eight Second Ride, Eric Grothe & The Gurus, Katie Jayne, Tyson Lucas, Chris Matthews Band, Redneck Gentlemen, Eddie Rawk & The Racketeers, Colt Seavers Band, Sky Valley, The Sweet Jelly Rolls Zac & George, Jarred Taylor and The Water Runners. Southgate also wiill have a number of special sessions including a Junior Academy Showcase, Country Young Guns and Songs & Stories. Weblink – www.thepub.com.au. Early arrivals for Tamworth Festival As is the case every year, a small number of visitors to the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival have already taken up residence in the northern NSW city. Both regulars and first-timers are among those who have settled in for the duration with many more expected to roll in in the next couple of weeks.
These will ultimately be joined by the many thousands who stay in local hotel, motel and Air BNB accommodation and the tens of thousands of day visitors from the broader regions. And, of the course, the many who call on the hospitality of friends and family. Many will have visited before – indeed, records of 10, 20, 30 and even 40 years are claimed. And just as many will have taken the opportunity to experience arguably the world's biggest country music festival – Nashville is substantial but not as varied or as concentrated over a longer period of time. Visitors come for the music, the friendship, the partying but mostly, the experience which cannot be obtained anywhere else in the world. And when it comes to the music, visitors experience some of the best in the world... bar none. From old-style and traditional ballads and "hillbilly" to the more modern, more contemporary country through to the still more rocky style. This year is the 48th Tamworth Country Music Festival which began in 1978 as a three day activity over the then January long weekend. Today, an aggregate of more than 300,000 people visit the city across the 10 days which features more than 700 artists and 2800 shows at dozens of venues throughout the city and nearby towns. Photo: from a previous year, just one of the many caravan/camping areas in Tamworth during the annual country music festival. Weblink – www.tcmf.com.au. |
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After combining elements of the historic Capital Country Music Association talent quest and the previously instigated Rural Press Events Battle of the Young Stars, Battle of the Bands and Battle of the Bluegrass, a substantial program of talent searches is now staged each January.
Even after he retired, Bill continued as a consultant and over the years was responsible for many compilations and re-issues of historic country music material.
The duo won for the remixed collaborative version of their God Only Knows song featuring Dolly Parton.
The announcement and presentation was a fitting climax to a week-long celebration of Joy’s 90th birthday which she reached last week and celebrated at a sell-out tribute concert in Country Music Capital’s biggest venue on Wednesday with dozens of artists performing in honour of Joy and the occasion.
Keith Urban has been presented with the second highest honour in today's Australia Day honours list, an AO (Officer in the Order of Australia).
Frozen Rabbit – the album produced by Felicity's late hisband Glen Hannah – was named Album and Traditional Album of the Year while the song Chain Of Joy – written by Felicity with US songwriter Kim Richey – won Song of the Year and Single of the Year.
Graham Rodger won the prestigious Best Male Vocal gong while newcomer Della Harris was voted Best Female Vocal, her first People's Choice Award.
The full winner's list is...
During this year’s Tamworth Country Music Festival, Keely, one of Australian country music’s fastest rising young stars, is running a daily “Emerging Artist Showcase” from 10am at the Fanzone stage promoting awareness of the Foundation which has as its key objective to improve oncology facilities in all regional areas, including the implementation of childhood cancer nurses in children’s local communities.
Hillston, NSW, local and Australian Academy of Country Music graduate Harriet Kelly has won the prestigious Wests Aristcrat Entertainer of the Year quest.
Sammy wins Star Maker
A significant case in point being local shopping centres.
Raising funds for Ronald McDonald House, the eighth annual star-studded line up of music acts this year features Roo Arcus, Jasmine Atkins, Chelsea Berman, Catherine Britt, Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, Darren Coggan, Jayne Denham, Luke Dickens, Hayley Jensen, Jetty Road, Heath Milner, Amy Nelson, Taylor Moss and Matt Ward with a number of surprise guests.
Lee Kernaghan has equalled the late Slim Dusty's record tally of 38 Golden Guitars with the announcement that his album Backroad Nation will be acknowledged at the upcoming Country Music Awards of Australia as the top selling album of the year for 2019.
The new arists announced to appear on the People's Choice 2020 stage are Della HArris, Gayle O'Neil, Anita Ree, The Silverline and Souly Us – all finalists this year – together with special guest Brendan Smoother and compere Steve Passfield.
They are…
The Atrium Festival Stage will feature a number of established and rising stars, including Glenn Bidmead, Aaron D'Arcy, Blake Dantier, Peter Dawson, D Genry Fenton, Rick Ferrett, Sally Jane, Mariah Jayne Band, Tony Kennelly, Tom Maxwell, 
A number of special events will also be held at The Longyard including a daily bush poet's breakfast, songwriter sessions and the gala TSA (Tamworth Songwriters' Association) Awards on the Wednesday night.
The third venue in the group is The Family Hotel in Bridge Street which will highlight acts like James Blundell, Liam Brew, Piper Butcher, Melanie Dyer, Jayne Denham, Eight Second Ride, Ella & Sienna, Fredbear, Homegrown, Katie Jayne, Hayley Jensen, Jake & Jackson, Kaylens Rain, Felicity Kircher, Mr Cowboy, Norm Price, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Trappa John and Michael Waugh.
Eventually, when the special caravan/camping areas open, parts of the city will resemble a huge gathing of temporary and mobile homes.
