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THE LATEST NEWS
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2009
Toyota Star Maker 2010 Top 20 finalists announced
Organisers of Toyota Star Maker, Australia’s most prestigious country music talent search, today announced finalists for the 2010 competition.
The 20 are...
Luke Austen (Grafton, NSW), Chelsea Basham (from Wongan Hills, WA), Armstrong Brown (Glenbrook, NSW), Rick Caballo (Wollongong, NSW), Megan Cooper (Brisbane Qld), Tori Darke (Wollongong, NSW), Neil Douglas (Brisbane, Qld), Jesse Emmanuel (Boambee, NSW), Fiona Fields (Sydney, NSW), John Flanagan (Melbourne, Vic), Leila Fisher (Orange, NSW), Amanda Halloran (Bribie Island, Qld), Cory Hargreaves (Brisbane, Qld), Mandi Jarry (Sydney, NSW), Vanessa Lea (Coffs Harbour, NSW), Rebecca Moore (Melbourne, Vic), Craig Morrison (Sydney NSW), Mickey Pye (Oberon, NSW), Chad Shuttleworth (Eumundi, Qld), Tiffney Stroh (Mount Barker, SA).
Toyota Star Maker 2010 will be staged at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre on Sunday, January 17. The Top 20 will run through the afternoon from 12.30pm to determine the top six grand finalists who will battle it out that evening from 7.30pm for the 2010 Star Maker crown.
"The Toyota Star Maker 2010 prize package is one of the Australian music industry’s biggest and most valued," said a spokesman for organisers Rural Press Events.
It includes "a big budget" recording session with one of Australia’s top producers, album recording contract with the award winning Compass Brothers Records, 12 months use of a Toyota motor vehicle, production of a professional video clip of one of the album tracks by an award winning director, media promotion and guaranteed performance bookings at a designated list of events.
Tickets for Toyota Star Makerare on sale now through the Tamworth Visitor Information Centre on 02 6767 5300 or on-line here.
Chart Update – Lee at number one
Lee Kernaghan's Planet Country hits the top spot on this week's national Country Tracks Top 30 chart.
Adam Brand's number one from last week – Ready For Love – slips to second place while Amber Lawrence's Don't Do Lonely Well is at three and Harmony James' Precious Little is up one to four.
Melinda Schneider's Courageous is also up one to five, The Bobkatz/Davidson Brothers duet The First Step jumps three places to number six and Carter & Carter's Surviving Black Saturday is steady at seven.
Dianne Lindsay's duet recording with her Dad Reg – Country All The Way – enters the top 10 at number eight, America's Carrie Underwood is at nine with Cowboy Cassanova and Brad Cole's Hold Me In Your Arms Tonight is steady at 10.
Bullet performers for the week include Felicity Urquhart's Roller Coaster (16 to 13), Adam Harvey's duet of King Of The Road with John Williamson (18 to 15), Jetty Road's World Keeps Turning (20 to 17), Paul Costa's Survivor 1932 (22 to 19), Luke O'Shea's How Well Have You Loved (26 to 22) and Aleyce Simmonds' The Keeper (29 to 26).
Weblink – www.countrymusicradio.com.au.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
Troy Cassar-Daley has taken out the 2009 ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Award for Best Country Album with his latest release, I Love This Place.
Troy was up against Shane Nicholson, Jasmine Rae, Keith Urban and Felicity Urquhart for the coveted award.
In addition to Troy's award, a highlight of tonight's ARIA Awards was a performance by Keith Urban.
The multi-nominated Jessica Mauboy (first winner of the Telstra Road To Tamworth talent search and now pop artist) took home the ARIA for Highest Selling Single for Running Back.
Weblink – www.ariaawards.com.au.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
Joy heads for another milestone
Without doubt one of "the" events of the 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival will be the "Happy Birthday Joy" Tribute Concert.
Joy McKean’s family, friends and fans will gather at Tamworth’s Capitol Theatre for a musical celebration of the 80th birthday of the "grand lady" of Australian country music.
Joy’s contributions to the Australian country music industry are unparalleled.
In a career spanning almost 70 years, she has been a 20th century Australian pioneer in so many ways – as a performer, songwriter, touring artist, concert promoter and country music radio broadcaster (weekly radio show on 2KY [in the 1950s]).
Then there’s Joy the country music industry benefactor (one of the founders of the Country Music Association of Australia and one of the strongest supporters of Tamworth's annual country music festival and annual Golden Guitar Awards.
She is also a self-taught Australiana historian and successful biographer (being responsible for the book "Slim Dusty: Another Day, Another Town").
Since Slim passed away in 2003, Joy has been the driving force behind the Slim Dusty Foundation, an organisation established to raise funds and generate support for the building of the Slim Dusty Centre in Slim’s hometown of Kempsey, NSW.
The Foundation’s efforts have been so successful that construction of the $10 million Centre is confirmed to commence next year.
Not only was Joy Slim Dusty’s wife and manager for more than 50 years, she also raised two children while on the road.
The "Happy Birthday Joy" Concert will be the first time many of the members of the family have performed together since their very successful 2008 Slim Dusty Family Reunion Tour.
Slim and Joy’s two children, Anne and David Kirkpatrick, will be there both as performers and also to co-host the afternoon’s proceedings. They will be joined on stage by members of Slim’s Travelling Country Band, other family members... and some very special guests.
"It will be a unique afternoon," a spokesman for the concert organisers said, "featuring some Joy McKean stories, many classic songs penned by her and, of course, a guest appearance by the Slim Dusty family matriarch herself... What a show it is going to be"
The concert will be staged at the Capitol at 2pm Thursday, January 21.
Tickets can be purchased on line here or in person at the Capitol Theatre box office in the Tamworth's Centrepoint Shopping Centre, by telephoning 02 6767 5300 or over the counter at the Tamworth Visitor Information Centre.
Adam Brand was successful at this year's AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) Awards last night.
He was named winner of Best Independent Country Album for his latest release Hell Of A Ride.
Adam was up against Kirsty Lee Akers' Better Days, James Blundell's Portrait Of A Man and Tania Kernaghan's Livin' The Dream.
Weblink – www.airawards.com.au.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
Rhonda honoured in WA Australian of the Year awards
Rhonda Parker (pictured) – a director with the Boyup Brook Country Music Club – has been honoured in the Western Australian Australian of the Year 2010 awards.
Rhonda was named WA's Local Hero 2010 and is now in the running for the national Local Hero title.
"Rhonda has worked passionately to better her community for the past 28 years and is part of the glue that holds the community together," the story on the Australian of the Year website reads.
"She is the driving force behind many local organisations... the longstanding Music Director for the Boyup Brook Country Music Club, which organises Western Australia’s largest country music festival.
"The festival runs for five days with over 100 performers and Rhonda has been integral to its success.
"A dynamic volunteer, she has held numerous positions within the golf club... she was also a keen participant of the Country Women’s Association, and a St John’s Ambulance volunteer, a role that is of particular importance in a rural and remote town like Boyup Brook.
"Rhonda is always willing to put her hand up to help but her motto is 'I am only one link in the chain'. Rhonda’s enthusiasm and lack of hubris make her a much-loved figure in this small town."
Professor Ralph Martins was named Western Australia's Australian of the Year 2010 and presented with his award by Governor Dr Ken Michael.
The 52-year-old is recognised as a world leader in research on Alzheimer's disease.
Weblink – www.australianoftheyear.org.au.
Chart Update – Adam takes over number one
Adam Brand's Ready For Love has taken over the number one spot on this week's national Country Tracks Top 30.
Amber Lawrence's Don't Do Lonely Well is steady at two while Lee Kernaghan's Planet Country jumps three places to number three and The McClymonts' number one from last week – Kick It Up – is at four.
Harmony James' Precious Little is steady at five, Melinda Schneider's Courageous is at six and Carter & Carter's Surviving Black Saturday edges up one to seven.
Lianna Rose's I Want My Tractor Back is at eight, The Bobkatz/Davidson Brothers duet The First Step enters the top 10 at nine and Brad Cole's Hold Me In Your Arms Tonight is at 10.
Bullet performers for the week include Jetty Road's World Keeps Turning (24 to 20), Paul Costa's Survivor 1932 (25 to 22), The Harmonators' Move In Close (27 to 23) and Luke O'Shea's How Well Have You Loved (30 to 26).
New entries for the week include Aleyce Simmonds' The Keeper (in at 29).
Weblink – www.countrymusicradio.com.au.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2009
Troy Cassar-Daley, The McClymonts and Melinda Schneider have come up trumps in country categories of last week's ACE (Australian Club Entertainment) Awards presented in Sydney.
Troy took our the Country Male Performer award from fellow finalists Adam Brand, Travis Collins, Adam Harvey, Wayne Horsburgh and John Williamson.
The McClymonts won the Country Group/Band award from Buckshot, Chasing Bailey, Feral Swing Katz, Bob Howe & Hillbilly Heaven and the Wolverines.
Melinda Schneider won the Country Female Performer title from Donna Boyd, Kel-Anne Brandt, Beccy Cole, Sara Storer and Felicity Urquhart.
Of related country music interest, perennial winner Darren Carr took out two ACE awards... in the Sight Act category and for Comedy Act.
Photo: Melinda accepts her award on the night.
Weblink – www.aceawards.com.au.
Winners of the fourth annual AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) Awards will be announced in Melbourne next Sunday.
Finalists for Best Independent Country Album are Kirsty Lee Akers' Better Days, James Blundell's Portrait Of A Man, Adam Brand's Hell Of A Ride and Tania Kernaghan's Livin' The Dream.
Featured performers on the Awards show will include Kirsty Lee Akers.
Weblink – www.airawards.com.au.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2009
Keith features again in CMA Awards
Keith Urban has again featured among the winners in the American CMA (Country Music Association) Awards.
Keith teamed with Brad Paisley to take our the Musical Event award for their duet Start A Band. Brad was also named Male Vocalist of the Year.
This year's Awards were dominated by Taylor Swift who won four categories, Album of the Year (for Fearless), Music Video of the Year and the coveted Female Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year awards.
The Vocal Group award went to Lady Antebellum while Sugarland took out the Vocal Duo award.
Weblink – www.cmaawards.com.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2009
Chart Update – McClymonts at number one
The McClymonts' Kick It Up hits number one this week on the national Country Tracks Top 30.
Amber Lawrence's former number one – Don't Do Lonely Well – slips to second place while Adam Brand's Ready For Love is at three and Melinda Schneider's Courageous is steady at four.
Harmony James' Precious Little is at five, Lee Kernaghan's Planet Country jumps to six and Lianna Rose's I Want My Tractor Back is at seven.
Carter & Carter's Surviving Black Saturday is steady at eight, Keith Urban's Only You Can Love Me This Way slips to number nine and Liam Brew's Girls With Girlfriends is at 10.
Bullet performers for the week included The Bobkatz/Davidson Brothers duet The First Step, Greg Storer's duet with sister Sara on When I Was A Boy, Felicity Urquhart's Roller Coaster, Jetty Road's World Keeps Turning, the Adam Harvey/John Williamson cover of Roger Miller's King Of The Road, Tori Darke's You Better Run and Jayne Denham's Girls Of '75.
The only new entry for the week is Luke O'Shea's How Well Have You Loved (in at 29).
Weblink – www.countrymusicradio.com.au.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2009
Finalists announced for 2010 Golden Guitar Awards
Finalists were announced in Sydney today for the 38th annual Country Music Awards of Australia, or Golden Guitar Awards, presented by Jayco.
Troy Cassar-Daley topped the list with seven places, for Single of the Year, Album, Male Artist, Song, Heritage Song, Video Clip and, with The McClymonts, Vocal Collaboration of the Year. All nominations, except Vocal Collab, come from his latest album, I Love This Place.
Keith Urban makes a potential return to the Golden Guitar winning stakes after not featuring at all in nominations over the last few years. He is a finalist for 2010 in four categories... Male Artist of the Year, Album, Single and Song of the Year.
Adam Brand, The Bushwackers, Jetty Road, Amber Lawrence, The McClymonts and Lianna Rose (her first time in) all have three finalist nominations each while Carter & Carter, Paul Costa, Davidson Bros, Harmony James, Tania Kernaghan, Greg & Sara Storer and Felicity Urquhart all have two.
Tamara Stewart also features in two finalist placings as writer of the Australian Country Music Unites Vocal Collaboration Tangerine Sky.
Other first time finalist nominees this year are Victoria Baillie, The Bobkatz, Liam Brew, Jayne Denham and Joe Robinson.
Rod Laing, Chairman of Awards organisers the Country Music Association of Australia, praised the standards of the finalists in all categories, saying it underlined the overall quality of our performers.
"Australia can be proud of the country music we create and perform in this country," he said. "This year’s finalists and the wide range of singers and songwriters just waiting for a chance confirms that country music in Australia has never been stronger.”
A full list of finalists follows.
Winners will be announced at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre on Saturday, January 23.
The 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival will run from Friday January 15 to Sunday January 24, preceded by the seven-day Festival Countdown.
Album of the Year
Defying Gravity – Keith Urban, produced by Dann Huff & Keith Urban
Hell of A Ride – Adam Brand, produced by Richard Landis
I Love This Place – Troy Cassar-Daley, produced by Rod McCormack, Troy Cassar-Daley & Jeff McCormack
Life at A Million Miles – Jetty Road, produced by Julian Sammut & Mark Moffat
Tailwind – Harmony James, produced by Herm KovacMale Artist of the Year
Adam Brand – Hell of a Ride
James Blundell – Good Wood
Keith Urban - Kiss A Girl
Paul Costa – Survivor 1932
Troy Cassar-Daley - I Love This PlaceFemale Artist of the Year
Amber Lawrence – When It All Comes Down
Felicity Urquhart – Roller Coaster
Harmony James – Precious Little
Lianna Rose – Angels
Tania Kernaghan – Second Time AroundGroup or Duo of the Year
Carter & Carter – Surviving Black Saturday
Davidson Brothers – A Showman’s Life
Jetty Road – Life at A Million Miles
The Bobkatz – The Long Haul
The Bushwackers – The Good Old Days
Vocal Collaboration of the Year
Ain’t Gonna Change For You – Troy Cassar-Daley & The McClymonts
Courageous – Melinda Schneider & Australian Girls Choir
King Of The Road – Adam Harvey & John Williamson
Tangerine Sky – Australian Country Music Unites
You’ve Got A Friend – Songbirds (Gina Jeffreys, Beccy Cole & Sara Storer)Bush Ballad of the Year
Droving Cattle with the Boys – written by Tania Kernaghan & Fiona Kernaghan, recorded by Tania Kernaghan
Old Black Quart – written by Coster/Coster/Quinn/Pritchard/Corbett, recorded by Tracy Coster
The Dust of Kalkadoon – written by Ian Quinn, recorded by Dean Perrett
The First Lady of Country – written by Graham Rodger/ Deirdre Willmington, recorded by Graham Rodger
The Road to Thargomindah – written by Colin Buchanan, recorded by the BushwackersHeritage Song of the Year
Chasin’ Rodeo – written and recorded by Troy Cassar-Daley
Surviving Black Saturday – written by David Carter/Merelyn Carter, recorded by Carter and Carter
Survivor 1932 – written by Costa/Costa/McCormack, recorded by Paul Costa
Tangerine Sky – written by Tamara Stewart, recorded by Australian Country Music Unites
When I Was A Boy – written and recorded by Greg Storer and Sara StorerInstrumental of the Year
Flying Pig – The Bushwackers
Fox On The Freeway – Davidson Brothers
It’s Not Easy – Joe Robinson
Jolly Swagman – Tommy Emmanuel
Waiting At The Station – Lawrie MinsonNew Talent of the Year
Jayne Denham – Shake This Town
Liam Brew – Girls With Girlfriends
Lianna Rose – Jack
Ronni Rae Rivers – Running on Fumes
Victoria Baillie – Make Me
APRA Song of the Year
Big Big Love – written and recorded by Troy Cassar-Daley
Girl In The Mall – written by Felicity Urquhart/Mark Seymour, recorded by Felicity Urquhart
Survivor 1932 – written by Costa/Costa/McCormack, recorded by Paul Costa
When It All Comes Down – written and recorded by Amber Lawrence
Why’s It Feel So Long – written and recorded by Keith UrbanVideo Clip of the Year
Big Big Love – Troy Cassar Daley, directed by Ross Wood
Don’t Do Lonely Well – Amber Lawrence, directed by Glenn Wilson
I Want My Tractor Back – Lianna Rose, directed by Ross Wood
Kick It Up – The McClymonts, directed by Myles Conti
When I Was A Boy – Greg Storer & Sara Storer, directed by Duncan ToombsSingle of the Year
Big Big Love – Troy Cassar-Daley
Kiss A Girl – Keith Urban
Million Miles – Jetty Road
Ready For Love – Adam Brand
Shotgun – The McClymonts
Weblinks – www.country.com.au, www.tcmf.com.au.
Veteran broadcaster Brian ("Howdy") Howard has retired after 30 years behind the microphone.
Inducted into the Broadcasters Hall Of Fame in 2006, Brian's radio career began on 2SERFM in Sydney and, after moving to Tamworth in 1988, he joined the famous "Hoedown" program broadcasting from the studios of 2TM to a huge audience across Australia networking via 2TM in NSW and Queensland's 4WK.
In the mid '90s, "Hoedown" became "Country Music Radio" (CMR) which was then aired over the entire Super Radio Network including Sydney and Newcastle.
Among his most memorable highlights, Brian says, were the many interviews with his boyhood idols... "including Roy Rogers, Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, Wilf Carter, Kitty Wells, Hank Thompson, Bill Monroe, Connie Francis, Carl Perkins, Brenda Lee and Wanda Jackson".
Some of his regular studio guests included "great old timers like Tex Morton, Gordon Parsons, Reg Lindsay, Shirley Thoms, Buddy Williams, Smoky Dawson, Rick and Thel Carey and the legendary Slim Dusty".
"Slim was great," Brian said, "he was always very generous with his time. I could call him anytime and he would love to have a chat about what he was doing, I even phoned him on air as he and the family were wrapping presents on Christmas Eve!"
Brian says his early radio inspiration came from Tim McNamara: "Tim was radio's first country music disc jockey, who introduced young stars like Kevin King, Reg Lindsay and the McKean Sisters on Radio 2SM in the 1950s.
"And, of course, its been very rewarding working with John Minson, Kevin Knapp, Ted Hintz and Nick Erby. I’ve always admired their confidence and communication skills."
And what now? Howdy says he is looking forward to having weekends off... "So I can get out and see a few shows and to do the occasional gig myself."
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2009
Chart Update – Amber at number one
Amber Lawrence (pictured) takes over the number one position on this week's national Country Tracks Top 30 with her hit Don't Do Lonely Well.
The McClymonts' Kick It Up is at two, Harmony James' Precious Little is at three and Melinda Schneider's Courageous is at four.
Adam Brand's Ready For Love is at five, Lianna Rose is at six with I Want My Tractor Back and Keith Urban's Only You Can Love Me This Way bounds into the top 10 at seven.
Carter & Carter's Surviving Black Saturday us at eight, Liam Brew's Girls With Girlfriends is at nine and Lee Kernaghan's Planet Country enters the top 10 at 10.
Bullet performers for the week included The Bobkatz/Davidson Brothers duet The First Step, Dianne Lindsay's posthumous duet with her dad Reg on Country All The Way, Greg Storer's duet with sister Sara on When I Was A Boy, Victoria Baillie's Stupid, Felicity Urquhart's Roller Coaster, the Adam Harvey/John Williamson cover of Roger Miller's King Of The Road and Jayne Denham's Girls Of '75.
New entries for the week include Jetty Road's World Keeps Turning (in at 29) and Tori Darke's You Better Run (at 30).
Weblink – www.countrymusicradio.com.au.
ARIA and Golden Guitar Awards nominated singer/songwriter Lou Bradley released her album La La La Not Listening on Joy McKean and Slim Dusty's Nulla Records label this week.
From the NSW town of Mullumbimby, Lou "creates songs of the land, life and of the heart and delivers them with an intoxicating mix of country, folk snd occasionally with a little bit of rock," a spokesman for Nulla Records said.
"Lou refers to her unique 'mix' as 'Bohemian Country' or 'Hillbilly Pop'."
The album was produced by Shane Nicholson and mixed by Nash Chambers."Lou and Shane have created a sparse sound that allows her unforgettable stories to unfold easily and always truthfully," the Nulla spokesman said.
Lou will celebrate the release of her new album with one "a rare Sydney show"... next Wednesday (November 18) at the Excelsior Hotel in Foveaux Street, Surry Hills.
"It will be a bit of a treat for Sydney country music fans as Sam Hawksley and Mitchell Shadlow will also be performing at the Excelsior Hotel that night," the Nulla spokesman said.
Weblink – www.myspace.com/loubradley.
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