Country Music Capital News - December 2018 Volume 43 No 11

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DECEMBER 2018 VOL. 43 NO.11

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FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE

EXORCISE BIBLE FROM BELTS TOYOTA GOLDEN GUITAR FINALISTS

BRETT YOUNG WEDDING

A FAMILY REUNION

MEET THE TOYOTA STAR MAKER GRAND FINALISTS years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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FROM THE EDITOR

S E A S O N ’S GREETINGS IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS … AND THAT MEANS COUNTRY MUSIC’S BIGGEST FESTIVAL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

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QLD Dec 2018 - Jan 2019 Townsville

Camooweal Mount Isa

Hughendon

Julia Creek

Nebo Middlemount Springsure Monto

Bauhinia Charleville

Roma

March 2019 NSW Jan 2018 - Feb 2019

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Goo Goondiwindi

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Tamworth Tamw mw w worth Dubbo No Nowra

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VIC Feb 2018 - March 2019

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t’s wonderful to end the year on a high with reports indicating that Australian country music is in a really good place.

This year, we’ve reported on the success of a number of Australians overseas including Keith Urban, songwriter Kylie Sackley, Kristy Cox who’s knocking them dead in the Bluegrass world and Newcastle’s favourite son Morgan Evans who last month topped Australia’s pop radio chart with Day Drunk reaching #1 on the all-genre TMN Hot 100 airplay chart, after spending an astonishing 18 consecutive weeks at #1 on the TMN Country Airplay chart. He’s the first country artist to achieve this since Taylor Swift hit #1 with Love Story in 2009 and he’s one of four Australian acts to top the chart in 2018. It’s absolutely extraordinary.

There are over 100 artists, singers and songwriters who are enjoying all levels of success in the US and we encourage and support them.

During the annual ARIA week celebrations in Sydney last month, the CMAA teamed up with the association to present an evening that featured the finalists in this year’s ARIA country category. Adam and Brooke Eckersley, The Wolfe Brothers, Fanny Lumsden & Dan Steadman, and Travis Collins sang two songs each in a round format which was extremely well received and no doubt will be repeated in 2019.

We are all so very proud to know that Kasey Chambers was inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame at the annual event where Keith Urban was the guest host.

The day after the ARIA and CMAA event, the Tamworth Regional Council and the CMAA hosted the announcement of the finalists in the 2019 Toyota Golden Guitars and officially launched the Toyota Country Music Festival, Tamworth at ABC in Ultimo. It too was a terrific event bringing many industry folk together to acknowledge and applaud not only the finalists but all those who created country music during 2018. I haven’t felt so moved at an event for some time and the admiration for Morgan, in particular, by all is truly heartwarming.

In addition to the above, the number of annual festivals and events that now extend 12 months of the year are offering more places for artists to play and fans to enjoy what we already know.

I don’t know about you but I think that the best gift for lovers of country music is more country music, although ultimately, it’s less about buying presents and more about being present.

Thank you for joining us throughout the year and on behalf of all at Country Music Capital News we look forward to bringing you more great stories next year.

Have a happy and safe New Year.

Cheryl years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

D E C E M B E R 2018 FEATURES

10 BENNETT BOWTELL URQUHART 14 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE

TOYOTA GOLDEN GUITAR AWARDS FINALISTS TOYOTA STAR MAKER FINALISTS LITTLE GEORGIA JAMES VAN COOPER CHRISTMAS GREETINGS DEAN PERRETT VALE LILY CONNORS VALE BILL DAVEY VALE MAX THORBURN

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EDITOR Cheryl Byrnes P: 0407 106 966 E: cheryl@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au ADVERTISING Joanne Maiden P: 0429 784 860 E: joanne@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS Linda Bridges P: 02 6767 5555

REGULARS NEWS

CONTRIBUTORS Allan Caswell, Anna Rose, Bob Kirchner, Bec Belt, Brad Cox, CMA, CMAA, Dan Biddle, David Dawson, Jeremy Dylan, Jon Wolfe, Lorraine Pfitzner, Peter Coad, Robyn McIntosh, Susan Jarvis, Tom Inglis, and our great mates in publicity and record companies nationally and internationally.

NASHVILLE NEWS

PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrew Pearson, BJ’s Mobile Photos Mudgee, Glen Hannah, Greg Sylvia, Tammie Arroyo/ Shutterstock and to our many suppliers.

LIVE CM SCENE

TOYOTA STAR MAKER UPDATE ONE TO WATCH CHLOE STYLER

HEAR & THERE

TRC TEAM Jess Fitzsimmons, Karlee Cole, Eleanor Turnbull.

FESTIVALS

ART AND DESIGN Sam Woods

SOUND ADVICE

NEXT DEADLINE: January 2019: December 10, 2018

COUNTRY CHARTS BUSH BALLADS DOWN MEMORY LANE

PUBLISHER Tamworth Regional Council 437 Peel Street, Tamworth NSW 2340 P: 02 6767 5555

WRITING GREAT SONGS COMING EVENTS

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Country Music Capital News is compiled and published monthly by Tamworth Regional Council, 437 Peel Street, Tamworth NSW 2340. The views and opinions expressed in Capital News are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright 2018 Tamworth Regional Council, ABN 52631074450. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part by any manner or method whatsoever without the written permission is prohibited. All statements made in advertising are the sole responsibility of the advertiser in respect of legal and industrial relations. Printed by Fairfax Printing, 159 Bells Line of Road, North Richmond. 2754. ISSN 1440-995X years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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NEWS

BUSBY MAROU’S

SOUND OF SUMMER

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he latest single release, Sounds Of Summer {Tom Busby, Jeremy Marou, Lindsay Rimes and Phil Barton}, by acoustic folk-duo Busby Marou will also be the sound of Channel 7’s Australian Cricket coverage.

Thomas Busby said; “This is a big tune and feels like it could be our biggest yet.

We’re always being told that we have a distinct sunshine sound, so it felt only natural as we were writing it, to let it become a summer anthem.”

Sound of Summer follows on from the duo’s successful third studio album, Postcards From The Shell House released in February of last year debuting at #1 on the ARIA chart, and since release has achieved more than 5 million streams across Spotify and Apple to date.

The boys have just arrived back into the Country after a successful tour through Canada and the US, which is where Sounds Of Summer came to life. The track was recorded in an LA Air BNB, before moving on to be mixed in Nashville. The duo’s second annual ‘One Hot Night’ concert will be held at the Rockhampton Show Grounds on December 29.

NIMA LAUNCHS AUSTRALIAFIRST NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC CHARTS

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he National Indigenous Music Awards in partnership with Radio Monitor and the SGC

Andrew Farriss (left) rehearses with Lawrie Minson (second from right) and The Davidson Brothers for his performance on the concert.

TAMWORTH CONCERT RAISES $2 MILLION FOR DROUGHT RELIEF THE HAY MATE: BUY A BALE CONCERT FOR THE FARMERS IN TAMWORTH RAISED $2 MILLION FOR DROUGHT RELIEF.

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very dollar raised will go towards farming charity Rural Aid to spend on drought relief, including the proceeds of a Qantas charity charter from Sydney to Tamworth.

Major parts of the 10-hour concert event, which started mid-afternoon and concluded just before 11pm with a rousing performance by John Farnham, was featured in a television event

on the Nine Network hosted by David Campbell, Sonia Kruger and Richard Wilkins.

Richard announced at the conclusion of the concert that $2 million had been raised but donations were still being accepted online at haymate.org.au Organised by agent and promoter Glenn Wheatley, the event was supported by numerous corporate entities including Toyota and West Tamworth League Club; the concert was staged at Wests Scully Park ground.

A star studded line-up included, in addition to John Farnham, Andrew Farriss (INXS), Daryl Braithwaite, Adam Harvey, Guy Sebastian, Aleyce Simmonds, Jon Stevens and The Veronicas.

Group have launched Australia’s first Indigenous music chart which they say will create an important year-round impact for the awards and an expanded role in bringing Indigenous music to the front.

The charts will be compiled weekly, creating a list of the most-heard Indigenous songs across Australian radio, including

commercial, community, ABC, digital, metro and regional radio stations.

Busby Marou is the first at the #1 position, with the chart also featuring tracks from Thelma Plum, Tia Gostelow, Tasman Keith showing the depth of Australian Indigenous talent currently on Australia’s airwaves.

Group Chair Warren H. Williams said it is important to recognise the achievements of the musicians and the essential place they hold in the tapestry of Australian music culture.

The top 10 chart will be released every Friday and will be available at indigenousmusic.com.au

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NASHVILLE NEWS

THE CMA HONOURED THE BEST IN COUNTRY MUSIC AT THE 52ND CMA AWARDS HELD ON NOVEMBER 14 AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA IN NASHVILLE.

SUPERPICKER DIES

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CREDIT: BEV MOSER

hris Stapleton led with five nominations taking home three awards (male vocalist, song and single of the year), Luke Combs new artist of the year, Old Dominion vocal group of the year, Mack MacAnally musician of the year and Carrie Underwood was named female vocalist of the year.

Keith Urban took home the biggest award of the night, entertainer of the year.

Garth Brooks, Chris Stapleton with Maren Morris and Mavis Staples, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Brett Young, Jason Aldean & Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line with Bebe Rexha, Kacey Musgraves, Pistol Annies, Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne, Thomas Rhett, and young Mason Ramsey performed.

Ricky Skaggs, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, performed Black Eyed Suzie with his band, Kentucky Thunder.

Several artists including Chris Janson, Luke Combs, Cole Swindell and others joined Luke Bryan on stage.

Photo (l-r): Inductees Ronnie Dunn, K.T. Oslin, Joe Melson, Wayne Kirkpatrick and Byron Hill years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

PHOTO COURTESY OF TIME LIFE

52ND CMA WINNERS

Keith Urban

Brad Paisley and Carried Underwood hosted the awards for the 11th time.

oy Clark, the legendary superpicker, GRAMMY, CMA and ACM award winner, Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member and cohost of the famed ‘Hee Haw’ television series, died on November 16 at the age of 85 due to complications from pneumonia at home in Tulsa, Okla.

Roy was one of the finest multiinstrumentalists, and one of the first cross-over artists to land singles on both the pop and country charts. He was the pioneer who turned Branson, Mo. into the live music capital of the world (the Ozark town today boasts more seats than Broadway).

His talents turned Hee Haw into the longest-running syndicated show in television history.

SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME

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onnie Dunn, K.T. Oslin, Byron Hill, Wayne Kirkpatrick and Joe Melson were officially inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall Fame on October 29 in front of a sold-out industry audience at Music City Centre. The musical contributions of the newest inductees were celebrated through star-studded performances of some of

their biggest hits during NaSHOF’s 48th Anniversary Hall of Fame Gala.

In addition to the inductions, NaSHOF recognised Reba McEntire with the organisation’s inaugural Career Maker Award, honouring those who have had a significant influence upon the songwriting careers of Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame members. Throughout her career, Reba has recorded some 80 songs – including 34 singles – written or co-written by more than 40 songwriters who have achieved induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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“Now you’re looking like a line from a Vandross song / I’m looking at that fine little dress you got on / don’t get me wrong, girl, I love it / now I just wanna talk you out of it.”

Talk You Out Of It Michael Hardy-Hunter Phelps-Jameson Rogers-Alysa Vanderheym.

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he duo released a lyric video for latest single Talk You Out Of It from their fourth album set to be released for their tour that includes the sold out CMC Rocks Queensland festival at Ipswich.

But the hedonistic theme is a vast contrast to their previous biblical videos including one filmed at the 12 Apostles on Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast on their 2016 tour with Georgian star Jason Aldean.

Band creators Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard have perfect Christian credentials – they met as Nashville university church youth group worship leaders in 2008 and precede all concerts with prayers.

“Talk You Out Of It has a very different feel for us,” said Hubbard.

“It’s the baby-making song on the album.

But really BK and I are always challenging ourselves creatively and knew that we had to record it when we first heard it.

“The vibe was just so money,” says Kelley of the song fuelled by a banjo riff mixed with R&B elements.

“Nothing like a good date night in.”

And nothing like their Confession video on second album Anything Goes filmed in an abandoned Nashville church, replete with home movies and ignited by burning candles, fires and a confessional.

They also filmed their video for Holy (High On Loving You) from third album Dig Your Roots at the famed 12 Apostles near Loch Ard Gorge on their tour with Aldean.

The duo lured their wives Brittney Cole Kelley and Hayley Hubbard to cliffs near Port Campbell to appear in the video.

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BY DAVID DAWSON

WHEN MARATHON CHART-TOPPERS FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE RETURN HERE IN MARCH TO HEADLINE THEIR DEBUT TOUR, THEIR SECOND AUSTRALIAN APPEARANCE SINCE CMC ROCKS IN 2016, THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO EXPAND THEIR DIVERSE VIDEO CATALOGUE.

fatales appeared in their videos.

“The stripped down cliff-side scenes and sweeping vistas of a 25,000 year dormant volcano, matched with lyrics of love’s salvation, culminate in an astounding visual as an ode to their wives,” was how the video was promoted in the U.S. “There’s something to be said for sharing your life with someone. We’re officially a team now. We’re building something together,” Kelley said of creative input of their wives.

The duo featured Brooklyn-born Beba Rexha on their marathon chart topping hit Meant To Be and filmed that video at Grandview Motel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Isleta Amphitheatre concert on October 1, 2017.

They also collaborated with The Chainsmokers on Last Day Alive, Backstreet Boys with God, Your Mama, And Me, Ziggy Marley on Life Is A Honeymoon, Tim McGraw on May We All and Nelly on Cruise.

The duo have broken chart records, sold more than five million albums and launched their Old Camp Peach Pecan Whiskey, FGL House restaurant and Tree Vibez Music

“I THINK PEOPLE CAN SEE OUR LOVE FOR OUR WIVES AND THE PASSION THAT WE HAVE FOR BEING GOOD HUSBANDS IN THIS SONG.” “I think people can see our love for our wives and the passion that we have for being good husbands in this song.”

Hubbard, no relation to Texan outlaw Ray Wylie Hubbard, added “that’s the key, we’re both madly in love and our world revolves around our wives and our music.”

It’s unlikely the duo was privy to veteran Shipwreck Coast pioneer outlaw band The Dead Livers mystical hit Holy Mar y that also name checked Apollo Bay, Port Campbell and Warrnambool in its religious imagery.

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publishing company.

It’s a far cry from when Kelley was a star high school baseball pitcher from Ormond Beach, Florida, who was at Belmont University in Nashville and began writing music inspired by Christian rock group Casting Crowns.

Hubbard, a native of Monroe, Georgia, formed hip hop group, Ingenious Circuit in his teens and met Kelley as joint worship leaders at college.

“That’s basically how we learned how to play guitar and connect with a crowd, at church,” Hubbard recalled. “We used to lead worship for a little youth group outside of Nashville. It was great. It was a little side money at the time, which we really needed, but it was also time for us

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“WE LIKE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. WE LIKE TO THROW A PARTY. WE LIKE TO, ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS, SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN FORGET THEIR WORRIES AND JUST HAVE A GREAT TIME.”

to get away from the house for a little bit and lead worship. It was something for us that was very rewarding on a lot of different levels.”

The duo also appears with touring partner and Tennessee preacher’s son Morgan Wallen in his video for his #1 hit Up Down on his debut album If I Know Me. The video features Wallen, now 25, and Florida Georgia Line on a beach and in concert.

Although the duo enjoys a hedonistic flavour in their hits such as Cruise and Simple, they say they’re not far, spiritually and personally, from their days as worship leaders.

“I think our faith comes through in a lot of different ways, if not directly in our music,” confessed Hubbard.

“But it’s really starting to, as well, come out in our writing and our music. The biggest thing for BK and myself is, we’ve always taken pride in being transparent and being who we are, and letting our fans in on our lives. I think that’s one reason they connect so well to our music and who we are.

“We like to have a good time. We like to throw a party. We like to, on Friday and Saturday nights, see how many people we

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can get together and see how many people can forget their worries and just have a great time. We get a lot of joy out of that. But also, putting the Man first and making sure our priorities are straight, making sure our fans know where our hearts are at and where our blessings do come from.”

Those blessings include writing for other artists including the Jason Aldean single You Make It Easy.

Hubbard revealed that Aldean is featured on one of the songs on their new album.

“You know what, as of last week, we got Aldean to sing one with us,” Hubbard revealed.

“We don’t have anybody else locked down. We’re still waiting for the right opportunities. We don’t like to force that. Just kind of wait and see what happens. We’re really excited about the song we did with Aldean. It sounds awesome.”

Florida Georgia Line’s music

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has been labelled bro-country but the duo expanded beyond that.

“Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw inspire us,” Hubbard explained.

“It’s hard to put our music into a box. We have always taken pride in doing things differently. Any time Music Row wants to do something a certain way, we are drawn to doing it the opposite way.”

Kelley agrees.

“It’s fun to not only blaze a trail in music, but also in other areas of our lives in business, whether it’s fashion, in the restaurant business or publishing,” Kelley revealed.

“It’s a blessing every day to wake up and create.

Ultimately at the end of the day what drives us is creating.

The duo expanded writing for their own albums with composing songs for peers diverse as Cole Swindell and Billy Currington.

“BK and I moved to Nashville to pursue song writing and at that time we had no idea that we were going to be an artist,” Hubbard revealed.

“It depends on the day probably, but I think there’s a writer side of us that would much rather have Jason Aldean sing one of our songs. The validation that happens with that is really special. But then I think when we’re in our artist mode, that artist side of us really wants to hear ourselves on the radio.”

And their 10-year relationship has survived despite the pressures of maintaining success.

“We take a lot of pride in trying to keep that thing healthy,” Hubbard explained.

“Just like a marriage, it takes work, and we like to work at it. And it’s a lot of fun for us. Hopefully we can do this thing until the day we die together.”

Florida Georgia Line headline the sold out CMC Rocks QLD festival in Ipswich in March and Sydney and Melbourne concerts with fellow stars Thomas Rhett and Morgan Wallen in Cairns on March 15, Sydney on March 18 and Melbourne on March 20.

Rhett, 28 and son of singer-songwriter Rhett Akins, has scored 11 #1 country hits from his three albums It Goes Like This, Tangled Up and Life Changes.

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HEARTS LIKE

WILDFLOWERS

BY SUSAN JARVIS

WITH THREE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL INDIVIDUAL CAREERS UNDER THEIR BELTS, KEVIN BENNETT, LYN BOWTELL AND FELICITY URQUHART ARE IN THE PRIVILEGED POSITION OF HAVING NOTHING TO PROVE.

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o with their stunning new Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart album Weeds, they simply followed their hearts and instincts.

“For us, this is a real project of love – there has never been any pressure or deadlines. We do it because we really want to work together, and because we all get a lot from each other,” said Lyn Bowtell.

Weeds is the second album from this much-loved country supergroup, and somehow it has managed to even transcend their debut release, the self-titled Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart, which earned them two Golden Guitars in 2016, for Best Group and Best Alternative Country Album.

The album features 11 superb original tracks, written by all or some of the trio – with a couple of co-writers thrown in for good measure.

As you’d expect from three such stellar songwriters, these

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are beautifully crafted, perceptive and moving songs that make you think and feel intensely.

Lyn says the first single, the catchy Love Or Money, was inspired by her own financial situation – and that of many of her fellow musicians.

“I could have taken a different path in life, one that earnt me a lot more money, but I don’t have a single regret. I have a wonderful, rich career that I love, I get to perform and write songs, and I have a beautiful little house with a tiny kitchen that’s filled with love,” Lyn said.

“I wouldn’t change a thing!”

Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart have made the decision to be a little more political than usual in their next offering, the very powerful Mountain Of Pain. Lyn says she started writing the song before she realised that it was very much about the current global political situation.

“It makes reference to Donald Trump, but it takes a broader perspective, focusing on the gap between the haves and the have-nots, and how that situation is getting worse,” Lyn said.

“I shied away from being political when I was younger, but as I’ve grown as a person, I can’t do that anymore. Hanging out with Kevin Bennett has been good for me – he’s not afraid to be forthright about what he believes.”

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Softer Eyes takes a slightly more gentle approach to a similar topic – it is about kindness, and about treating people more gently to create a better world.

“There is so much that is bad in the world, but that is one thing we can do to change things. I love this song,” Lyn said.

One of the most powerful songs on Weeds is the stark Just Down The Hall, which Kevin wrote with Lola Brinton. It is a true story, and a tragedy that touches you to the core.

Appropriately, this moving song is followed by the gentle Lonely Wonga, inspired by an Aboriginal story that Felicity Urquhart’s daughter Tia brought home from school. It was written with Lincoln Hall.

She’s Sunshine was written about Lyn’s beloved niece Karlee, who’s getting married in January. She plans to sing the song at the wedding.

In a similar vein, Kevin’s Mystery is a love song – one that accepts and embraces the magic and unknown aspects of love. Listen to the song carefully, because it’s filled with references to song titles – to ways of thinking about love.

In contrast, though, the title track, Weeds, is about betrayal – about making promises that you have no intention of keeping.

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The title Weeds was chosen for the album after much deliberation not because the album as a whole was reflected in the song, but because of everything the word evoked.

“Let’s face it, the three of us are far from being pretty, shiny things – we’re all a bit different, and between us we’ve got about 80 years in the country music industry. There’s a lot of experience and life in there,” Lyn said.

“We liked the idea that weeds can be really beautiful, and strong, and determined – and above all interesting. The things that attract all of us in life are the quirky, complicated, uncertain aspects – the idea of vulnerability versus perfection and rising above mistakes and failure.”

Any Bells, which was written after a retreat at the Dag Sheep Station at Nundle, is another song about imperfection, and about making mistakes. It has some memorable lines that the three artists clearly relish.

The final tracks are the wistful, poignant Fading Out, about endings, and the true highlight of this album, a duet with the late Karl Broadie on Every Hello.

A warning: for anyone who knew and loved Karl – and there were many of us – this song will simultaneously make you smile and burst into tears. It is such a joy to hear his

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voice again – but so sad that it will be the last song to be released featuring him.

Kevin found a demo of Every Hello in his studio, and – with the permission of Karl’s sons – producer Glen Hannah painstakingly worked on the track to enable Lyn, Kevin and Felicity to join him on a gentle, warm and utterly beautiful duet.

“We used the track of Karl to sing the song live just once, but we’ve decided we can’t do it again – we were all in tears. From now on, we’ll just perform it ourselves,” Lyn said.

“Karl always said he wanted to be the fourth member of Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart – he wanted to call it BUBB. It’s kind of nice that it was able to happen.”

The trio is now busy promoting the new album. They recently did a string of shows in Melbourne, and will perform a special concert in Tamworth, at Blazes on Wednesday, January 23 at 5pm.

They’ll also do their own shows during the festival. Kevin’s planning his usual shows with The Flood, Felicity has a concert with Brad Butcher, and Lyn will appear on the Women Behind The Songs show with Tania Kernaghan, Beccy Cole and Gina Jeffreys.

They are all also poised to release new independent albums in 2019 – Kevin with The Flood, and Felicity and Lyn as solo artists.

Next year will bring Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart performances at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and Boyup Brook.

“We’re so lucky to have been able to join together for this project, and we certainly plan to keep doing it. We’re really proud of this record, and for my own part I feel blessed to work with two wonderful people,” Lyn said.

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BY DAVID DAWSON

W BRETT YOUNG WEDDING

A FAMILY REUNION

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hen Californian singersongwriter Brett Young wrote a new song for his bride Taylor Mills for their November nuptials it was a true family affair.

Young’s pastor father Brad, also subject of one of his hits, conducted the ceremony in Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, California, and mentor Gavin DeGraw and fellow stars Luke Combs and Lee Brice sang at the reception.

The couple shared their first dance to a special rendition of Forever Young by Young’s longtime producer Dann Huff and DeGraw sang love song More Than Anyone.

But Taylor, inspiration for many Young songs, was not the subject of the title track of his fifth album Ticket To L.A. that he’s touring to promote with Novocastrian star Morgan Evans’ singing spouse Kelsea Ballerini.

The singer, now 37, wrote that song after being waylaid by a law student at JFK Airport that caused him to miss his flight to his home state California.

“Taylor definitely has inspired a lot of my music, but this song really came to life in the writing

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“It was midnight in the middle of JFK Trying to take my mind off the falling rain I was saying anything to make her laugh Never wanted anything so bad She got me wishing that she could say Doesn’t even know that i missed my plane Ain’t a single thing i wouldn’t trade For a ticket to L.A.” TICKET TO L.A. BRETT YOUNG- ZACH CROWELL- JON NITE.

room and isn’t based on any one personal “THIS ALL experience, so it was fun to get creative with it,” Young told Country Music Capital News MAKES IT SO on the eve of his wedding to Taylor, 31, on MUCH MORE November 3.

“But spending most of my life in MEANINGFUL. California, the concept of flying to L.A. is really personal to me because I’ve done so I CAN’T much of it since my move to Nashville. I IMAGINE IT knew we had to name the album Ticket to L.A. because that title sums up such a big EVEN BEING part of my life.”

Young confessed Taylor was source of WORTH IT many songs including You Ain’t Here To Kiss Me, Mercy, Like I -Loved You and Here WITHOUT Tonight – first single on Ticket To L.A. that HER AT THIS was released on December 7.

“Here Tonight is about those moments POINT.” in life that are so good that you wish they could last forever, if you’re lucky enough to have moments like that,” added Young who also designed his wife’s wedding ring.

“Taylor is definitely an inspiration for this one, and it brings me back to the night I proposed, and she said yes which was without a doubt one of the best moments of my life.”

Brett became engaged to Taylor in February near Ole Mississippi University where he was once a student.

They originally met 10 years ago, in Scottsdale, Arizona where Mills was a student at Arizona State University. They dated for about six years, moved to Los Angeles together but broke up when Young moved to Nashville to pursue his music.

“There was never any bad blood,” added Young whose music is dubbed Caliville because of its diverse roots.

“It was just the wrong time for us.”

But they reunited after Young built his career, “We realised that we were both finally in the same place and knew it was right,” Young said.

“This all makes it so much more meaningful. I can’t imagine it even

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

being worth it without her at this point. Being able to be best friends with a person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with is the most important thing. She has a very pure, kind heart. We’ve been together for a long time and do want kids soon. This is the beginning of our life together, and I’m excited to say husband and wife! We met 10 years ago, so she was around for the beginning.

She was in all the little beach bars, and at our terrible gigs; she’s seen every side of this business.

Then, when it all finally started happening for me a couple of years ago we were separated.”

But it was Young’s parents who inspired another of his hits Sleep With You. “My parents have been married for almost 40 years, but my dad still has trouble sleeping whenever my mum is out of town, which is really sweet to me” Young explained.

“But I think it’s easy to relate to – even in dating relationships – when saying goodnight to this person is part of your routine, and you feel incomplete without it. But it was fun to draw some inspiration from my parents on this one.”

Shane Drake directed the Sleep With You video in Malibu with Miss U.S.A. 2015 Olivia Jordan as his co-star.

Young previously topped charts with another wedding song Just In Case You Didn’t Know that he penned in a writer’s retreat in Mexico.

He released an indie self-titled 4-song EP in 2007, then Make Believe in 2011, followed by albums Brett Young, On Fire and Broken Down in 2012-13.

When Young moved to Nashville after eight years in L.A. he signed with Big Machine Label in August 2015 and released a six-song EP featuring his hit Sleep Without You in April 2016.

He earlier pursued a professional baseball career at several universities until he suffered an elbow injury at Fresno in 2003.

Brett chose music after being mentored by soul singer Gavin DeGraw after he heard his album Chariot and saw him in 13 concerts in the one year.

Young co-wrote Chapters – one of 13 songs on his new album – with DeGraw and features him as duet partner and a singer at his wedding.

“If everybody in the country music family could’ve been there, we would’ve asked them all to sing,” Young said.

“We wanted the location to be somewhere where both of our families could make it. When your grandparents get older you want to make sure that they can be there. We wanted somewhere warm and have our whole family there.”

Young performed at CMC Rocks Queensland in 2017 and plans to return here soon.

“It was my first time in Australia, so I didn’t plan much time to write because I really wanted to take in the experience and do some sightseeing,” Young recalled.

“It is an absolutely beautiful place, and I loved my time there. I definitely hope to get back to Australia sometime soon. It’s a beautiful place with incredible fans, and I loved getting to be there.”

Brett and Taylor honeymooned on a beach before heading to Nashville where Young received the 56th ASCAP country songwriter-artist of the year honour after a platinum album and four consecutive #1 singles.

He was also nominated for new artist of the year at the 52ND CMA Awards after winning that honour at the Academy of Country Music Awards in April.

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GOLDEN GIRL LEADS THE CHARGE WITH 23 GOLDEN GUITARS AND AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2018 ROLL OF RENOWN, KASEY CHAMBERS RETURNS TO THE 2019 GOLDEN GUITARS LEADING WITH SEVEN NOMINATIONS.

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asey Chambers and the Fireside Disciples received four nominations for the hit song The Campfire Song featuring Alan Pigram. Chambers and the Fireside Disciples are contenders in the following categories: Traditional Country Album, Country Capital News Group or Duo, Regional Australia Bank Vocal Collaboration, Heritage Song, APRA AMCOS Song, CMC Video Clip and Single of the Year.

Tamworth Regional Council and the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) copresented the event at the ABC Studios in Sydney on Tuesday, November 20 where the finalists in the 2019 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards were announced and the 47th Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth was launched.

Hosts Adam Brand and Amber Lawrence helped to reveal the finalists across 11 categories, including Male and Female Artists of the Year; Contemporary, Traditional and Alt Country Albums of the Year; and Video Clip of the Year.

The winners for all categories will be announced at the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards on Saturday, January 26, 2019. The awards are considered the jewel in the crown for the country music industry and are held on the final weekend of the Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth.

CMAA chairman Dan Biddle said all artists involved in the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards process were a testament to the success of the country music industry in Australia.

“The music industry is continuously adapting with new styles and trends,” he said.

“This is evident in country music when

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

you look at the broad spectrum of sub-genres that fall under the country music umbrella. It’s great to see the talents of longstanding, traditional artists and the next generation of country music sharing the spotlight to celebrate the success of the industry as a whole.”

The Wolfe Brothers’ album Country Heart was nominated across five categories including Contemporary Country Album, Country Music Capital News Group or Duo, APRA AMCOS Song, CMC Video Clip and Single of the Year.

Husband and wife duo, Adam Eckersley and Brooke McClymont picked up four nominations for their first official album together, Adam & Brooke. The couple will vie for Toyota Golden Guitar Awards in Contemporary Country Album,

Country Music Capital News Group or Duo, APRA AMCOS Song and Single of the Year.

Also in the running for four Toyota Golden Guitar Awards is Travis Collins. Travis has received praise for his album Brave And The Broken with finalist berths in Contemporary Country Album, Male Artist, CMC Video Clip and Single of the Year.

Morgan Evans’ chart-topping hits, Kiss Somebody and Day Drunk have earned finalist nominations for APRA AMCOS Song, CMC Video Clip and Single of the Year.

Although relatively a newcomer to the country scene, Melbourne alt-country troubadour Andrew Swift has made quite an impact, receiving four finalist spots for his latest album Call Out For The Cavalry. Swift is in the running for Alt Country Album of the Year and competes alongside longstanding favourites John Williamson, Travis Collins, Adam Harvey and Graeme Connors in Male Artist of the Year. Swift is also nominated with Catherine Britt for Regional Australia Bank Vocal Collaboration of the Year and is up against the 2018 Toyota Star Maker winner Brad Cox, Tori Forsyth, Imogen Clark and Judah Kelly in Qantas New Talent of the Year.

Other finalists vying for top honours at the 2019 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards include Adam Harvey; Allan Caswell; Beccy Cole; Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart; Catherine Britt & The Cold Cold Hearts; Dean Perrett; Fanny Lumsden; Graeme Connors; Hillbilly Goats; Imogen Clark; Jayne Denham & Troy Kemp; Jeff Brown; John Williamson; Judah Kelly; Kristy Cox; Lindsay Waddington; Lee Kernaghan; Missy Lancaster; Montgomery Church; Mustered Courage; Rex Dallas; Runaway Dixie; The Weeping Willows featuring Allan Caswell; Tommy Emmanuel; Tori Forsyth; and Troy Cassar-Daley.

Tourism and Major Events Minister Adam Marshall said the NSW Government is a proud supporter of the iconic event.

“The Toyota Country Music Festival and the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards are pinnacle events in the NSW events calendar that draw great attention to NSW on an international level, and for good reason.

“We are proud to support this stand-out event in NSW and we look forward to welcoming visitors and artists to our region for the ultimate festival experience,” he said.

Festival manager Barry Harley said he looked forward to welcoming all artists and country music fans to the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth.

“It’s a true celebration of Australian country music – the perfect culmination of 10 days at Australia’s largest music festival,” he said.

The 47th Toyota Country Music Festival, Tamworth will be held from Friday, to Sunday, January 18 to 27, 2019 with the 47th Toyota Golden Guitar Awards on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre.

The Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

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THE FINALISTS TOYOTA ALBUM OF THE YEAR

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

To be awarded to the album voted best overall out of the winners of Alt Country Album of the Year, Contemporary Country Album of the Year and Traditional Country Album of the Year.

Beccy Cole Imogen Clark Tori Forsyth Kristy Cox Missy Lancaster

SANITY TOP SELLING ALBUM OF THE YEAR To be awarded to the top selling Australian country album of the year according to ARIA sales records for the period Jan 1, 2018 to Dec 31, 2018. Announced early January 2019.

ALT COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR ARTIST ALBUM/TRACK TITLE PRODUCER Imogen Clark Collide Mark Lizotte Tori Forsyth Dawn Of The Dark Shane Nicholson Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart – Weeds Glen Hannah and Bennett,

Bowtell & Urquhart Andrew Swift Call Out For The Cavalry Matt Fell Catherine Britt & The Cold Cold Hearts Catherine Britt,

Catherine Britt & Michael Muchow &

The Cold Cold Hearts Andy Toombs

CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR Missy Lancaster Piece Of Me Travis Collins Brave & The Broken The Wolfe Brothers – Country Heart Brad Cox Brad Cox Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont

Adam & Brooke

Josh Kerr & Lindsay Rimes Luke Wooten Matt Fell Matt Fell Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont

TRADITIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR Graeme Connors From The Backcountry Matt Fell Adam Harvey The Nashville Tapes Nash Chambers Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples Kasey Chambers, Jordan

Campfire Power, Brandon Dodd, Bill

Chambers & Alan Pigram John Williamson Butcherbird John Williamson & Matt Fell Beccy Cole Lioness Jules Parker

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Lioness Collide Dawn Of The Dark Ricochet Piece Of Me

COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL NEWS GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples The Wolfe Brothers Catherine Britt & The Cold Cold Hearts

Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont

Weeds Campfire Country Heart Catherine Britt & The Cold Cold Hearts Adam & Brooke

REGIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart feat. Karl Broadie – Every Hello Jayne Denham & Troy Kemp Hung Up on You Andrew Swift feat. Catherine Britt Fire & Ice Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples feat. Alan Pigram The Campfire Song Adam Harvey feat. Lee Kernaghan Three Rivers Hotel

BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR ARTIST ALBUM/TRACK TITLE Rex Dallas Lady Of The Road John Williamson Please Don’t Forget Me Allan Caswell Feeding The Crew Dean Perrett Earn Your Spurs Jeff Brown After January Rains

SONGWRITER/S Rex Dallas John Williamson Allan Caswell & Kathy Berzinksi Pete Denahy Kelly & Marion Dixon and Jeff Brown

HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR Graeme Connors Kimberley Frontier Graeme Connors Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples feat. Alan Pigram

The Campfire Song Kasey Chambers, Bill

Chambers & Alan Pigram Adam Harvey Those Holden Days Stuart French John Williamson Buddy And Slim John Williamson Troy Cassar-Daley Shadows On The Hill Troy Cassar-Daley

John Williamson Butcherbird Graeme Connors From The Backcountry Travis Collins Brave & The Broken Andrew Swift Call Out For The Cavalry Adam Harvey The Nashville Tapes

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COCA-COLA INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR

CMC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Montgomery Church Tommy Emmanuel Lindsay Waddington Mustered Courage Runaway Dixie

ARTIST ALBUM/TRACK TITLE DIRECTOR/S Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples feat. Alan Pigram

The Campfire Song Duncan Toombs The Wolfe Brothers – Ain’t Seen It Yet Joshua Favaloro Travis Collins Happy Jeremy Dylan Morgan Evans Kiss Somebody Jeff Venable Fanny Lumsden Elastic Waistband Anna Phillips & Sam Brumby

Middlingbank Road Wheelin’ and Dealin’ Nullarbor Back On The Horse Tele Rambler

BLUEGRASS RECORDING OF THE YEAR The Weeping Willows feat. Allan Caswell Kristy Cox Hillbilly Goats Montgomery Church Mustered Courage

The Roses Fall Ricochet Gypsy Girl I’m Gonna Love Her All the Time Fire In Her Fingers

QANTAS NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR Judah Kelly Andrew Swift Tori Forsyth Imogen Clark Brad Cox

Real Good Time Runaway Train In The Morning Late Night Girl Lake House

SINGLE OF THE YEAR Morgan Evans Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples feat. Alan Pigram The Wolfe Brothers Travis Collins

Day Drunk Train Wreck The Campfire Song Ain’t Seen It Yet High Horse

APRA AMCOS SONG OF THE YEAR Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont Adam Eckersley &

Train Wreck James House Troy Cassar-Daley Wouldn’t Change A Thing – Troy Cassar-Daley &

Greg Storer The Wolfe Brothers Ain’t Seen It Yet Tom Wolfe, Nick Wolfe,

Brodie Rainbird & Erik Dylan Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples feat. Alan Pigram

The Campfire Song Kasey Chambers, Bill

Chambers & Alan Pigram Morgan Evans Day Drunk Morgan Evans, Lindy Robbins

& Chris DeStefano

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AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC’S 40TH ANNUAL SEARCH FOR A NEW STAR

GRAND FINAL TOP 10 ARNA GEORGIA | BLAKE O’CONNOR CHELSEA BERMAN | JAKE SINCLAIR | JULIET OLIVER LEIGHA MOORE | LINC PHELPS | LIZZIE STEADMAN MATT JAMES | STEPHANIE PENROSE 7PM, SUNDAY, 20 JANUARY 2019 FREE IN TOYOTA PARK TAMWORTH NSW ENQUIRIES: T: 02 6767 5555 E: info@starmaker.com.au W: starmaker.com.au

40 YEARS OF WINNERS 1979-2018: Grand Junction • Tommy Miller • Leanne Douglas • Lee Kernaghan • The Vic Lanyon Band • Warren Derwent • Beccy Cole • Clint Beattie • Tanya Self • Darren Coggan • Lyn Bowtell • Kate Ballantyne • Brendon Walmsley • Kirsty Lee Akers • Talia Wittmann • Liam Brew • Luke Austen • Luke Dickens • Bob Corbett • Kaylee Bell • Jared Porter

ORG AN I SED BY

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PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

HAIR DESIGN & MAKE UP

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years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF STAR MAKER PRESENTED BY TOYOTA

Wednesday, 23 January 2019 12noon – 3:30pm Doors open at 11:15am Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre Hosted by Nick Erby

ADULT

Early Bird $40 (from Nov 1 $45)

ADULT PREMIUM EXPERIENCE $70 (includes meet & greet, gift pack)

CONCESSIONS Early Bird $38 (from Nov 1 $43)

SCHOOL STUDENT

Early Bird $13 (from Nov 1 $15) Groups 10+: Early Bird $36 (from Nov 1 $41)

GROUPS 10+ Early Bird $36 (from Nov 1 $41)

Book through Entertainment Venues | T: 02 6766 2028 | W: entertainmentvenues.com.au

• Great Divide • Jane Maddick • James Blundell • Jenine Vaughan • Craig Robertson • Keith Urban • Gina Jeffreys • Grant Richardson • Kylie Sackley • Kieran Lancini • Todd Williams • Travis Collins • Samantha McClymont • Cat Southern

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• Mickey Pye • Karin Page • Rachael Fahim • Brad Cox PLUS 2019 Toyota Star Maker Winner

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WHO WILL BE THE 40TH TOYOTA

STAR MAKER?

TEN OF AUSTRALIA’S NEXT GENERATION COUNTRY MUSIC ARTISTS HAS BEEN REVEALED AS GRAND FINALISTS IN THE 40TH TOYOTA STAR MAKER – AUSTRALIA’S MOST SIGNIFICANT AND LONGESTRUNNING SEARCH FOR A NEW COUNTRY MUSIC STAR.

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hey are Arna Georgia, Sans Souci NSW, Blake O’Connor, Port Macquarie NSW, Chelsea Berman, Terrigal NSW, Jake Sinclair, Springhurst Vic, Juliet Oliver, McLaren Vale SA, Leigha Moore, Sippy Downs Qld, Linc Phelps, Gympie Qld, Lizzie Steadman, Kootingal NSW, Matt James, Mt Gambier SA, and Stephanie Penrose, Moore Creek NSW. Toyota Star Maker has been a crucial launching pad for some of Australia’s biggest country music stars including Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, James Blundell, Travis Collins, Gina Jeffreys, Beccy Cole, Sam McClymont (The McClymonts), Darren Coggan, Lyn Bowtell, Kirsty Lee Akers, and Kaylee Bell.

In 2019, the competition will reach an extraordinary milestone – 40 years of influencing the Australian country music industry.

The 10 grand finalists will compete for the honour of becoming the 40th Toyota Star Maker at a free musical event at Toyota Park, in the leafy heart of Tamworth, Australia’s Country Music Capital.

Toyota Star Maker will be held on Sunday, January 20 and continues the tradition as the main event of the first weekend of the 47th Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth.

All 10 finalists will be judged on the night, with one winner emerging.

The winner will receive a prize package which includes the use of a new Toyota vehicle and a fuel card for 12 months, plus guaranteed performances at major festivals and events throughout Australia. A full prize list can be found at starmaker.com.au Toyota has a long and proud history 24

of supporting country music in Australia, including 24 years of sponsoring the emerging artists of Star Maker and 27 years of the overall country music festival in Tamworth.

Toyota Star Maker producer Barry Harley said: “Many of the benefits of being part of the Star Maker family are intangible – but absolutely priceless. The networking among the past alumni and the current crop of Toyota Star Makers is extraordinary. You can’t put a price on that.”

This year’s winner Brad Cox, from Jindabyne, has had a stellar year taking advantage of every opportunity presented to him. He was ready to run, and work hard he did. Added to that was the fact he had an album filled with great songs, three of which were released during his Toyota Star Maker year and he has received two nominations in new talent and contemporary album of the year in the 2019 Toyota Golden Guitars.

Toyota Australia chief marketing officer Wayne Gabriel said he was delighted to continue Toyota’s support of the event.

“We have a proud history supporting rural and regional Australia. We’re delighted to continue to present Toyota Star Maker as a free event to the public during the Toyota Country Music Festival, and showcase it to the world through livestreaming,” Mr Gabriel said.

“Toyota Star Maker is the perfect platform for young artists to launch their career. Last year’s winner Brad Cox as well as previous winners such as Lee Kernaghan and Sam McClymont are perfect examples of that.

“We wish all the finalists the best of luck, and we look forward to seeing them progress in the future.”

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ARNA GEORGIA

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ydney-born Arna Georgia grew up in Sans Souci and has spent the past 10 years studying singing, dance and acting.

She obtained a Certificate IV in performance, a Bachelor of Music and is a graduate of the CMAA Academy of Country Music.

She has performed at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, Bluewater, Gympie Music Muster and AmericanaFest in Nashville.

In 2017, Arna completed a 17-date US tour, then national tour, as the special guest of Bill Chambers playing house concerts, venues and festivals across 23 states In further touring, Arna joined Amber Lawrence and Catherine Britt on the southern NSW leg of their Love and Lies tour and later, opened for Travis Collins and Amber on their Our Backyard tour. Most recently she teamed with Hayley Marsten, playing shows in NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

Her influences run deep in country, back to the Carter Family, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. Arna is writing material for her debut 12-track album release.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

BLAKE O’CONNOR

CHELSEA BERMAN

JAKE SINCLAIR

rom Port Macquarie Mid North Coast, Blake O’Connor grew up in a house surrounded by country music – mostly Johnny Cash.

At 14, Blake scored a gig as a wedding singer, so he wrote his first song for the occasion … and hasn’t stopped writing & performing since.

In 2015 he was a featured artist in the NSW Schools Spectacular playing four shows at the Sydney Entertainment Centre with audiences of more than 20,000 people.

Blake has opened the show for a number of big stars including Brooke and Adam Eckersley, Adam Brand, Russell Morris, Drew McAlister and the 2018 Toyota Star Maker winner Brad Cox. Like many big stars before him, Blake has entered and won talent quests, busked on the streets of Tamworth, won the CCMA Junior National Talent Quest and received a scholarship to the CMAA Academy.

In 2018 Blake released his debut, selftitled EP, which experienced excellent airplay and chart success.

er first gig was in musical theatre at the age of eight, so you could say Chelsea Berman knew what she wanted right from the start.

Now in her late teens, the Central Coast-based singer-songwriter has her sights firmly set on a career as a professional recording artist.

The independent release in early 2018 of Better Than Ever, her five-track debut EP, exceeded expectations, achieving the Apple iTunes Country Album #4 chart position.

Amazingly, Chelsea was both the highest-placed Australian artist, and highest-placed female artist on release.

Already a polished songwriter, Chelsea has created many exciting opportunities on this front, having cowritten with top talent including Troy Kemp, Chelsea Basham, Matt Scullion and Melanie Dyer (The Voice).

The remainder of 2018 represents an exciting period for Chelsea, who’s already played at the Gympie Muster, Country at the Camp Festival and Country Live on the Lake, and supported Kirsty Lee Akers, The Viper Creek Band and Kristy James.

aised in the small country town of Springhurst, Victoria, Jake Sinclair is considered somewhat of a triple threat – as a singer, songwriter and musician.

He’d set his sights on a country career early on, when as a six-year-old he picked up a guitar. By his teens, Jake was entering talent quests and playing in bars.

A graduate of the 2005 Tamworth Camerata (the predecessor to CMAA Academy), Jake has become the go-to musician and backing vocalist for touring artists such as Travis Collins, Jayne Denham, Luke Austen and Tr avis Sinclair.

His songs have been recorded

by Adam Harvey, Mick Lindsay and Jemma Beech.

In 2017 Jake stepped into the spotlight with his own songs, and released his debut EP, The Vibetone Sessions, produced by Benjy Pocock.

After two years of successful touring with his debut EP, Jake returns for the second time as a Toyota Star Maker grand finalist.

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40 YEARS OF WINNERS 1979-2018 Grand Junction • Tommy Miller • Leanne Douglas • Lee Kernaghan • The Vic Lanyon Band • Great Divide • Jane Maddick • James Blundell • Jenine Vaughan Craig Robertson • Keith Urban • Gina Jeffreys • Warren Derwent • Beccy Cole • Clint Beattie • Tanya Self • Darren Coggan • Lyn Bowtell • Kate Ballantyne Brendon Walmsley • Grant Richardson • Kylie Sackley • Kieran Lancini • Todd Williams • Travis Collins • Samantha McClymont • Cat Southern • Kirsty Lee Akers Talia Wittmann • Liam Brew • Luke Austen • Luke Dickens • Bob Corbett • Kaylee Bell • Jared Porter • Mickey Pye • Karin Page • Rachael Fahim • Brad Cox years bringing music C O U N of T RY M U S I Cyou C A the P I TA L N E 1975–2018 WS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

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JULIET OLIVER

LEIGHA MOORE

LINC PHELPS

rom the South Australian wine region of McLaren Vale, 20-yearold songwriter and country singer Juliet Oliver first discovered country music through watching Disney program Hannah Montana as an 11-year-old.

She taught herself to play guitar on YouTube and was pulled into the country arena by Taylor Swift.

She later discovered and was inspired by the great women of country – Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt, and songwriters Dolly Parton and Jason Isbell.

She recorded her debut EP with producer Simon Johnson at Hillbilly Hut on the NSW Central Coast.

A passionate entertainer, Juliet has been building new converts through her shows on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, south of Adelaide.

With a country attitude, there is definitely a little edge to Juliet Oliver with a touch of classic. She is true to herself, her age and where she comes from. She writes what she lives, and not pop songs decorated in country feels.

fter years of competition, Queensland-born Leigha Moore hit her straps at the age of 23.

That was when she took out Queensland’s Champions of Champions Female Vocalist of the Year 2013 and secured a scholarship to the 2014 CMAA Academy of Country Music.

She then went on to win the Gympie Muster Talent Search in 2014 and compete in the Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year on Norfolk Island.

She’s soon to release her debut EP, a five-track outing that will take the listener on a journey of heartbreak, selfresurrection and female empowerment.

The title track, I Ain’t Your Girl No More, written by Kelsea Ballerini, is a fearless introduction to the EP, despite the boldly honest lyrics and isn’t your average break-up anthem.

“I feel so incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to record this song,” Leigha said.

“This isn’t about being devious or angry, it’s about knowing your selfworth and sticking up for yourself.”

orn in country Queensland in 1992, this singer-songwriter has lived a life and then some.

At age 17 he was given a scholarship to Camerata (the forerunner to CMAA Junior Academy) by The Pub Group owner, Joan Douglas after she saw him perform with his band in the Jazzer Quest.

At the time Joan told a friend it was “like watching a young Michael Hutchence”.

From high school bands, national tours as the bass player in a southern rock band to fronting his own Aussie rock trio, Linc has spent a decade immersed in music and never missed an opportunity to soak it all in, all the while fine-tuning his skills as a singer, songwriter and performer.

In early 2016, Linc embarked on his long-awaited solo career. Armed with a collection of honest and emotional self-penned songs, a great work ethic and a lot of good people in his corner, Linc hasn’t looked back since releasing Tempus.

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TOYOTA STAR MAKER GRAND FINAL TOP 10 EVENT DETAILS Toyota Star Maker will be held in Toyota Park at 7pm on Sunday, January 20, 2019. The event is FREE and one winner will be decided on the night from the top 10 finalists. Darren Coggan returns as the esteemed compere and there will also be a performance by outgoing Toyota Star Maker Brad Cox. 26

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LIZZIE STEADMAN

MATT JAMES

STEPHANIE PENROSE

boriginal singer-songwriter Lizzie Steadman has an ability to tell a story through her songwriting and empowering vocals. She incorporates soul, folk, blues and country into the music she plays and writes.

Lizzie grew up in a small country town near Tamworth and was introduced to country music by her dad, who always played and sung with the children when they were young.

She taught herself to play guitar and it has become her constant companion on her adventures to date.

This includes being a jillaroo in the Territory, an aged care nurse at Mutitjulu (Uluru), nursing in Tamworth and as a case worker assisting disadvantaged youth.

Lizzie was awarded the Troy Cassar-Daley Indigenous scholarship through Create NSW to attend the CMAA Academy of Country Music in January 2018.

Lizzie attended a songwriters’ retreat at The DAG Sheep Station and was mentored by Luke O’Shea, Shane Nicholson, Aleyce Simmonds, Kevin Bennett, Jeremy Edwards, Jeff Gibson and Brad Butcher.

att grew up in the small South Australian town of Mount Gambier.

Under the guidance of his musical family, Matt grabbed hold of his country roots in his teens and has never looked back.

Showcasing his skills at festivals all around the country, his tone and musical quality was influenced by Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts and Sam Hunt.

He is also known to sing and pick to songs of George Jones and Vince Gill - Matt leaves no country music stone unturned.

He’s played alongside and supported Lee Kernaghan, The Wolfe Brothers, and more recently, Aleyce Simmonds and Brad Butcher.

Matt holds a Bachelor of Popular Music and has jammed with Redd Volkaert, the virtuoso guitarist from the late Merle Haggard’s band.

Matt is writing and recording for his debut release.

or Stephanie Penrose, music is not just a dream – it’s her destiny.

Stephanie was born and raised in the Country Music Capital and at age 11, surprised the heck out of her family when she came home from school with a trophy for singing.

Steph believes her musical talent was a gift from her late grandfather, Howard (“Howie”), who played in dance bands all over the North West of NSW from the 1950s until his untimely passing in 2013.

Steph attended Oxley High School, the alma mater of fellow country music artist Ashleigh Dallas.

In 2010 Stephanie was the youngest person be invited to sing at the closing concert of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, riding a horse into Toyota Park and singing one of her favourite Dianna Corcoran songs.

Stephanie has sung the national anthem at the PBR for the past five years and performed during both PBR and ABCRA events.

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40 YEARS OF STAR MAKER PRESENTED BY TOYOTA On Wednesday, January 23, 2019 Toyota Star Maker will present its spectacular journey in concert with 28 former winners. It will be hosted by Nick Erby. Tickets are on sale now through Entertainment Venues by phoning 02 6766 2028 or online at https://tcmf.com.au/Tickets years bringing music C O U N of T RY M U S I Cyou C A the P I TA L N E 1975–2018 WS D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

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BY HALEY CRAIG

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IT WAS ONLY A NATURAL PROGRESSION FOR LITTLE GEORGIA TO HEAD INTO THE STUDIO AND RECORD THEIR LATEST ALBUM.

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T

ogether the talents of Ashleigh Mannix and Justin Carter come together effortlessly in their latest folk/rock release All The While.

After spending the past three years on the road, they’ve had plenty of time and inspiration to conjure up some new music.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

GLOBAL

FOCUS

The release was recorded over two weeks in Byron Bay, produced and engineered by Grammy award-winning producer, Nick Didia.

The pair aptly has hailed the album as a reflection of their experiences, beliefs and their take on current state of the world.

“We’ve listened to it so many times we’re ready for everyone else to listen,” Ash says.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

“This being our first studio album has been a natural progression,” Justin said.

“Our first album was a very simple acoustic thing we did at a friend’s house. It was pure and very raw.

“It was let’s get together with

a bunch of friends, have dinner and a few drinks and start singing some songs and record it.

“But after touring at different spots around the world and up and down the coast of Australia, we felt it was the next step to get into the studio, bring in a band and really do this.”

But the talented artists didn’t let the pressure of recording time frames and deadlines mar their experience and the way they wanted to do things either.

They have also credited Didia for not only his craftsmanship but the atmosphere he helped create to produce this studio release.

“I think we went in there with not too much expectation” Ash says.

“It can always lead to a bit of disappointment… but to me personally, it was the most comfortable I’ve ever felt in a studio.

“Nick is where he is in his career because of his hard work, he’s really earnt it,” Justin said.

“We just felt so comfortable and at rest.”

The duo says they drew on their lives, and the world to create the 10 tracks.

“We really do enjoy playing music, we have such a great time when we get together,” Justin said.

“It’s about us living or lives, the way the world is at the moment, it’s coming into our songs.

“Over a few years of touring and jamming together, it all just started to find itself on paper and on the guitar.

“After a few years, we thought hey we have got enough songs for an album about us living and soaking everything in around us.

“I think it’s an extension of our personalities, we put 100 per cent honesty into everything we do.”

Ash says this song writing process was an organic one and was one of the best parts of creating this new release.

“For me personally our song writing is more fluid when we feel the need to write,” she says.

“After three years it was the right moment, and there was no real pressure.

“We wanted to capture the evolution of our sound and we’ve been able to adopt a more rocky sort of sound which I really love and we really wanted to showcase that to our listeners.”

With the release out to the world, it wasn’t long before the duo hit the road again.

“They’ve started touring as a support for Busby Marou and are showcasing their music Australia wide.

“The reality of being a musician these days is you have to be on the road,” Justin said.

“This early in the piece, because we hadn’t been touring (with the new music yet), we gauged the interaction through social media.

“But now we’ll get a better gauge and see if people are singing (along).

CC O OU UN NT T RY RY M MU USS II CC CCA A PP II TA TA LL N N EE W WSS D D EECCEEM MBBEERR 22001188

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BY JON WOLFE

B

ehind the twangy tunes and rockstar threads, there’s more than meets the ear and eye when you meet James in the flesh - from his blistering wit to brutal honesty, there’s an old soul charm beyond his years that pairs itself flawlessly with his alt-country tunes.* Growing up in Sydney has definitely coloured James’ outlook on life and career choices and with a mother who was a singer, it was almost inevitable that he would strap on a guitar and from the age of eight he honed that talent to the extent that in his teens he was already fronting his own band – Van Cooper.

It wasn’t a country band, more Kiss-inspired glam rock – but already there was a glimmer of the style that is now a hallmark of this quiet young man who lets his music do the talking.

It was also a lifestyle that lead to drug experimentations and eventually an alcohol dependency that James admits was out of control.

“It got to the stage when we were supporting bands I’d drink all of the alcohol on our rider, plus the headline band’s as well,” James said.

“I’d get home at three in the morning and have to be at a gig somewhere the next day and just have time to catch flights and someone would have to send my clothes and guitars to the gig and often I’d wake up in places like North Sydney and I didn’t live anywhere near there.

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WHEN YOU FIRST SEE JAMES VAN COOPER ON STAGE, YOU KNOW THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT HIM AND IT’S NOT JUST THE SENSE OF STYLE IN HIS CLOTHES – IT’S MORE TO DO WITH ATTITUDE AND THAT THING WE CALL TALENT. “I got banned from bars that “A GIRL ONCE it was very hard to get banned ASKED ME from,” James said, “and it affected my playing and stage WHICH appearances.”

SONGS WERE James said his brushes with ABOUT HER, I drugs were fairly minor and only happened as a result of his DIDN’T HAVE drinking. Eventually, while still in THE HEART his teens, he realised he was an alcoholic, sought help and he is TO TELL HER now a non-drinker.

THAT THEY “I got to the stage where WERE ALL someone who I thought was in a worse shape as a drinker than ABOUT ME!” me, told me I needed to stop, but I didn’t have it in me and I tried to do it myself and I eventually sought the help I needed. I became a person I didn’t like,” he said.

“On that day, a Monday, I heard a song, Cover Me Up,

by Jason Isbell and that changed my life.”

James came to the notice of the country music industry and fans almost three years ago when he was playing guitar and a special guest at Bill Chambers’ gigs.

“It started with Louise Adams who I’d seen on the X-Factor,” James said, “and she was there on the night I had my last drink and I demanded to be her guitarist. She was going to be in Tamworth and she thought I was so sure of myself that I had to be OK. “Anyway, I went to a Kasey Chambers show and I positioned myself under a light so I could be seen the best, and Bill saw me from the stage. He scared the shit out of me… under the hat and the beard, and me in boots and make-up ….and he was Bill Chambers! He came up and said hello and invited me backstage on the spot and we talked and I told him about myself and he invited me to come and play a few songs on his show the next day at The Pub Tamworth.

“At that stage I only knew three country acts, Jason Isbell, Ryan Adams and Little Big Town, oh, and Garth Brooks.”

The rest is Australian country music history, as James ended up playing with Bill for many months, touring Australia and Europe on the Bill Chambers shows and learning more about country music and himself on the way.

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Under Bill’s guidance he recorded and released the EP Highrise Skyline that featured songs that were highly autobiographical, especially the song Sober.

“I can’t write songs about other people,” James said. “A girl once asked me which songs were about her, I didn’t have the heart to tell her that they were all about me (laughs). Cos in the end they’re all about me, I can only write from my own experience and I’m lucky that I’ve had a lot of experiences in my life.”

It was while on tour with Bill that James started to write many of the songs that have ended up on his debut album, Coming Home, released in September.

James attempted to record the album in Australia but eventually it was recorded in Los Angeles.

“In fact, I’d written three different albums and I didn’t want to write Highrise Skyline again, I didn’t want to write Sober again,” James said.

“My life is so different now, different to when I started to write songs. I’m not your usual country singer, so I didn’t go the usual next step and we went to LA and we didn’t use country musicians and I think what we got out of doing it that way is this record.”

James is happy to be called an alt-country act but there is a uniqueness to his talent that also defies categorisations.

“For me the alt-country thing makes sense,” he said “it allows me to do whatever I want and if I ruffle a few feathers around Tamworth, and I’m sure there are people who think I don’t have any business in Tamworth, I’m totally fine with that.”

Contrary to James’ take on that, he included Tamworth on the album launch tour in October and was well-received by the out-offestival crowd.

Coming Home debuted in the top 10 on release and James said he is grateful for that recognition.

“To be where I am now (in the industry) is humbling as I’ve really only been doing this for

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

three years,” he said. “it’s not been easy, I’ve been touring very hard and working very hard.

“We did a full band tour, the first time since I was in the rock band and that was very special and that’s where I come from – playing live. I’ve been very lucky this year and the luck is continuing and I’m having a really good time.

You can’t talk to James Van Cooper without talking about how stylishly he presents himself – always a hat and boots and those tight fitting suits!

“That all developed from being in a rock band and a glam rock band at that,” James said.

“Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to travel with three hats and suits, it’s a nightmare! But I do feel more comfortable in a three-piece suit than I do in jeans and a t-shirt.”

James Van Cooper is definitely someone to look out for if he comes to a venue near you and he is a refreshing addition to the Australian country music scene.

His sometimes wistful, but always emotional vocals and guitar playing are something to behold, and like his sense of style, he is a young man who offers something different and unique…and his music is well worth checking out.

James will be in Tamworth for the 2019 Tamworth Country Music Festival where he will play two gigs at the Tamworth Hotel on Wednesday, January 23 from 5pm to 6:30pm and Saturday, January 26 from 3:45pm to 4:45pm.

A NEW KIND OF

HIGH

* Tiana Speter - Soundcheck

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Wishing Capital News readers a safe, happy season filled with family, friends and music.

CHERYL BYRNES

Take a breath, sleep in, hug the ones you love and even hug some you don’t... it’s Xmas and it’s time to reset and slow down. Next year is going to be the best one yet. Merry Christmas and much love.

It’s here beautiful people! I hope everyone has a very safe and joyful Christmas & New Year! I look forward to seeing you all in 2019! xx JADE HOLLAND

BRANDY. X

Wishing my country music loving friends a wonderful Christmas holiday season with your loved ones.

It’s not aways the easiest time for everyone, especially for those who’ve lost someone dear, so please be kind and patient with each other along the way. Bring on an amazing 2019!

HAYLEY JENSEN

May you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Thank you all for a great 2018 and may 2019 be the best one yet for all of us! From your mates, Tom, Nick and Brodie.

THE WOLFE BROTHERS

John, Belinda, Brooke and Jade from The DAG Sheep Station, wish all our family and friends a very Merry Christmas xx

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To all of our friends in the country music family, Merry Christmas from the Harvey clan. We hope you have a happy and safe Christmas... and I hope that Santa is good to you!

ADAM HARVEY

Have a fantastic Christmas everyone.

Don’t over eat and drive, food comas are real!

ANDREW SWIFT

Christmas means friendship, feasting, giving, receiving, and good country music. Merry Christmas from The Pub Group Tamworth JAROD, TANIKA, TIERZAH AND CRAIG

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

If it has been a hard year, may the Christmas Season bring healing. If it’s been a good year, the joy of sharing your rewards either way, may you enter 2019 with a spring in your step, a smile on your lips, and a heart filled with hope and purpose.

Merry Christmas to you all and your families , enjoy the silly season. Make memories.

KAYLEE BELL

GRAEME CONNORS

Hi everyone, wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope everyone gets to take a little time off from work and spend some valuable time with family and friends.

LOVE KIRSTYLEE AKERS X

Can’t believe it’s Christmas time already!

Wishing you and your families an amazing festive season this Christmas. It’s our favourite time of the year plus it also means that Tamworth CMF is just around the corner!

My Christmas wish is for plenty of rain for our farmers and regional communities. I also hope everyone stays safe travelling and that your Christmas is with family and friends and maybe a Butcherbird or two!

All the best.

JOHN WILLIAMSON

PAULA, LEE & JULES XX- JETTY ROAD

Christmas is like country music - enjoyed better with loved ones, friends and family! Merry X-mas and see ya all in Tamworth!

BIG LOVE GARETH LEACH

I’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas. May Santa fill up your Xmas stockings.

MATT SCULLION

Christmas is the perfect time of year to embrace the true meaning of Joy! Have fun, have a laugh, gather together and most importantly be kind to each other!

BECCY AND LIBBY O’DONOVAN

MERRY CHRISTMAS! From me (Isaac and Sonic) to you! No matter how you celebrate or where you are, I hope you have a Real Good Time either way. Thanks for a great 2018 and I’m sure I’ll see you somewhere in 2019!

JUDAH KELLY

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PHOTO: BJS MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY

TOYOTA STAR MAKER UPDATE

Tunes On The Turf

With Nashville Access’s Cameron Tilbury

With the team from Ditto

WHAT A YEAR! THE END OF MY STAR MAKER YEAR IS NEARLY OVER BUT WHAT A YEAR IT’S BEEN ENDING WITH TWO GOLDEN GUITAR FINALIST NOMINATIONS!

I

’m totally blown away with this result and thank you to everyone who has supported me by buying my album or coming to a gig.

As a part of the Star Maker prize I received a trip to Nashville from sponsor Chris Watson Travel Tamworth.

I was due to go over during CMA Fest however I had booked a tour and couldn’t make it. When Chris said it was still ok to go later in the year it was a great opportunity to meet the

36

team at Ditto Music Nashville, the online music distributor I use. I also had meetings with Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon to get my music out in the US of A so it was a successful trip for me.

I also met publisher Dan Hodges and he set me up with some co-writing sessions with some Nashville locals. The experience was weird at first almost like a blind date as you got to meet people for the first time and try and write a song, and be creative. It was strange but together over the week we wrote some good songs and the experience was worth while.

Also had my first ever interview in America with Cameron Tilbury from Nashville Access and we had a good chat and I sang a few

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songs. You can head to their Facebook to watch it.

Of course, I also did some touristy things which was good and met up with some Aussies at a venue one night including songwriter Phil Barton and also Lee Kernaghan.

As soon as I returned home on November 7 I went straight into preparations for the next single and music video Red Light. We shot the music video last month and it will be out for you all to see very soon.

I played at Tunes On The Turf in Dunedoo last month too which was insane. Thanks to everyone who came. The party was wild and the band and I had a good time.

This December and January I will be touring in North Queensland with Carl The Bartender and the east coast of NSW with Andrew Swift and Gretta Ziller and you can find the dates and places in the Capital News Gig Guide and on all our socials including at BradCoxOfficial.com I’ve got a few spot gigs at the Tamworth festival but I’d love to see you at my only full show on January 25 at The Albert Hotel.

Thanks all for tuning in all year it’s been amazing.

Brad Cox

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

ORGAN ISED BY

HAIR DESIGN & MAKE UP

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BY GARRY COXHEAD

DEAN PERRETT FEELS HONOURED AND BLESSED THAT HE’S BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT HE ONLY DREAMT OF WHEN HE FIRST STRAPPED ON A GUITAR AS A SMALL BOY JUST WANTING TO BE LIKE HIS MUSICAL HEROES.

G

rowing up on the family property ‘Bowenfels’, situated in the fertile South Burnett region of Queensland, listening to country music was a nightly ritual as his father would tune in to Hoedown on 2TM Tamworth. The music of Slim Dusty, Buddy Williams and other great traditional country music artists were his big influence and remain a main stay of his musical diet.

“It is a very important thing to be able to relate to the music you love, and the bush songs have always done it for me,” Dean says.

Sixteen albums down the road of his career, Dean Perrett has achieved many of his dreams and has joined his heroes as one of Australia’s great bush balladeers. His latest offering Earn Your Spurs highlights the fact that Dean has done just that!

According to Dean, Earn Your Spurs is an old bush saying that is as old as the hills.

“It’s a great way to simply say you have to work hard to achieve and earn the respect and the success that we all hope for in our chosen professions and life. Growing up on a cattle property you come to realise just how true this term is. Use your spurs properly or be left sitting in the dust,” he continued.

About his new album Dean says, “it is never easy choosing a title but that old phrase came to mind. So, I gave Pete Denahy a call and asked him if he would like to write a song around the phrase to be the title track.

He readily agreed and came back with a corker of a song.

Pete’s a very clever songwriter and does a great job at whatever he tackles.

“With the title track written I wanted to ensure a good, true bush ballad album. Thanks to some great writers there’s songs with reality and everyday bush life as subject matter, songs that bush people can listen to and say that’s us in a nutshell,” he said.

Over the years, Dean has been blessed to work with some great producers and musicians, both Australian and American. In that time, he has always had a keen interest in and learnt a lot about the recording and producing process. With this album he decided to take a leading hand as co-producer alongside Michael Vidale.

“We decided on a hard core traditional bush ballad sound, as I like to say music with the dust on it! We gathered some of the great musicians, experienced with those sounds from working with the great Slim Dusty. Mike Kerin, Jeff Mercer, Ian Simpson,

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Lawrie Minson, Michel Rose along with drummer Andy Travers and Michael Vidale on bass. They are the backbone of the musical sounds of this album,” he said.

“We recorded the beds and most of the album at Phil Punch’s Electric Ave Studios. Phil’s vast engineering experience was of great value to the project. This formula paid dividends with the pre-released single Henbury Blues bringing home the 2018 CMAA Bush Ballad Golden Guitar. More recently, He Talks of Going Back won Australian Independent Bush Ballad of the Year at Mildura’s Southern Stars Awards,” he continued.

Dean now has four Golden Guitars on his shelf. 2018 has been a busy year travelling and playing at some great festivals plus entertaining on the Cruising Country Looking Forward Looking Back cruise. “It was great to see so many bush ballads and traditional country music songs offered up to country music patrons,” he said.

People often ask Dean how he finds to run a cattle property and have a music career that has been so full on and successful. “The answer lays in a lot of hard work and long hours but more so great family support from my father Glen Perrett and my wonderful wife Camille,” he replies.

Dean has built a loyal following of people who look forward to hearing the music he makes. He says, “I look forward to writing and recording lots of new music as long as the good Lord keeps me fit and healthy and able to do it.” years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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O N E T O WAT C H

L

ittle did she realise that she’d be back a decade later, performing at one of the iconic country music events in Australia: the 2017 Big Red Bash.

“It was pretty mind-blowing for me to be there in the desert, doing that show. I certainly had never imagined that would happen,” she said.

Chloe was invited to perform at the event by headliner Lee Kernaghan, who has recognised the potential of this young singer and songwriter from Queensland, and has mentored and supported her for the past couple of years.

“Lee’s been amazing. I gave him a copy of my EP in Tamworth last year, and he really liked it and has given me a lot of feedback and support,” she said.

“I’ve also had the opportunity to do several shows as his support act, which has given me some wonderful opportunities to perform my music in front of a much wider audience than I would otherwise be able to reach.”

It’s not surprising that Lee has given Chloe his support. At the age of 21, she is already an accomplished songwriter who’s showing quiet dedication and determination to build a career in country music.

She released her debut self-titled EP in January 2017, and saw her single My Heart Is Yours reach the #7 spot on the Country Music Top 40 singles chart two months later.

As well as Lee, she has supported Troy Cassar-Daley, and James Blundell at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and will work with all three again in 2019, demonstrating the esteem in which they hold her talent.

But Chloe’s also backing her music with plenty of preparation. She completed the Junior Country Music Academy in Tamworth in 2015 and the Senior Academy in 2017, and next year will graduate with a Bachelor of Business and Journalism from the University of Queensland.

Chloe was also a grand finalist in the 2017 Toyota Star Maker, which she says was an incredibly positive experience.

“That really gave me some fantastic exposure, and also taught me a lot about the next steps I needed to take. And I met a lot of great people, who I’ve remained in touch with,” she said.

While at the Senior Academy, Chloe met Lyn Bowtell, who co-wrote a song for her EP, the beautiful, powerful Storm Chaser.

40

MUSIC WITH STYLE

BY SUSAN JARVIS

TEN YEARS AGO, WHEN SHE WAS JUST 11 YEARS OLD, CHLOE STYLER TRAVELLED THROUGH THE SIMPSON DESERT WITH HER FAMILY. Other tracks on the six-track EP include Control, Pass Me By, Sweden and Think About Me. Chloe says when she writes songs, they are always very personal.

“I have to feel the emotion myself to be able to create that feeling in the song, and convey it to other people,” she said.

“When I was writing the EP, I was going through a breakup, so a lot of the lyrics are very raw and heartfelt – but I guess that makes for prolific songwriting!”

Her brand new single, When Your Light Shines, was co-written with one of the hottest singers and songwriters on the country scene, Fanny Lumsden, and produced by the talented Matt Fell.

“It’s an ode to my childhood in North Queensland. The inspiration was a lighthouse that’s

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stood on a Great Barrier Reef Island for 150 years. I have so many happy memories of holidays there. It reminds me that although I can sometimes feel alone and unsure, it will always be there to guide me home,” Chloe said.

She’s also just released a delightful video clip to go with the single, which captures the spirit of the song perfectly.

Chloe is the first to admit that her delicate, heartfelt style of country is based on growing up on the coast, rather than the bush.

“I guess it makes me a little different, but it’s really important that as an artist I remain true to who I am,” she said.

“And the nice thing about writing and recording songs at such a young age – I started when I was 17 – is that people can grow up and evolve with me as they listen to my music.”

Chloe has a swag of shows planned for Tamworth 2019, including the Maton Showcase, opening spots for Lee, James and Troy, and performances at FanZone and the Tamworth Opry, as well as on the Pure Country Spectacular at the Capitol Theatre and in the Atrium.

“I just love performing at the festival, and I find that each year my fan base is growing. I can’t wait to get out there and sing my songs,” she said. years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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LIVE MUSIC SCENE

LIFT OUT

Please note all show venues & times are correct at time of printing. Capital News recommends you check with the venue prior to attending.

8 BALL AITKEN

DECEMBER 1 Somerset Hotel, Millicent SA 2 South Aussie Hotel, Mt Gambier SA 4 Kensington Flemington BC, Melbourne Vic 5 Lomond Hotel, Brunswick East Vic 6 Hume Blues Club, Coburg Vic 7 Dave’s House Concert, Geelong Vic 8 Retreat Hotel, Brunswick Vic 9 Elwood Blues Club, St Kilda SA 13 Old Bank, Dubbo NSW 16 Coast Hotel, Budgewoi NSW 21 Greaser, Brisbane Qld 22 Calliope Central BC Qld 23 Pie Alley Blues, Yeppoon Qld 27 Woodford Folk Festival Qld 28 DAG Pub, D’Aguilar Qld 29 Woodford Folk Festival Qld31 Woodford Folk Festival Qld JANUARY 2019 12 Beerwah Hotel Qld18 Tudor Hotel, Tamworth NSW 19 Toyota FanZone Stage, Tamworth NSW 19 Railway Hotel,Murrurundi NSW 20-27 Tamworth CMF

ADAM BRAND

JANUARY 25 West Tamworth LC NSW

ADAM ECKERSLEY & BROOKE MCCLYMONT JANUARY 19 The Albert Hotel, Tamworth NSW

ADAM TOMS

ASHLEY COOK

ALY COOK (NZ)

BECCI NETHERY

JANUARY 19-26 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 23–26 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 18-25 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 18-26 Tamworth CMF

AMANDA COOK (USA) JANUARY 18-25 Tamworth CMF

AMBER JOY POULTON DECEMBER 1 Inland Sea Of Sound Festival, Bathurst NSW 14 Victor Harbour BC SA 16 South Adelaide Football Club, Noarlunga SA JANUARY 20-26 Tamworth CMF

AMBER LAWRENCE JANUARY 25 West Tamworth LC NSW

ANDREW CLERMONT JANUARY 19-26 Tamworth CMF

ANDREW SWIFT

DECEMBER 7 Commercial Hotel, South Morang Vic 14 Granada Tavern, Hobart Tas 15 Saloon Bar, Launceston Tas 16 Bridge Hotel, Forth Tas JANUARY 18-26 Tamworth CMF

ANDY NELSON ANGELA EASSON

DECEMBER 1&2 The Royal Hotel, Gympie Qld JANUARY 6 The Jetty, Bongaree, Bribie Island Qld 18-24 Tamworth CMF FEBRUARY 16 Bribie Island RSL Qld

JANUARY 19 West Tamworth LC NSW 25 West Tamworth LC NSW

BECCY COLE

With Sara Storer, Libby O’Donovan and Kelly Brouhaha DECEMBER 1 Southport RSL Qld 2 Hamilton Hotel, Brisbane Qld 6 Lizottes Newcastle, Lambton NSW 7 Coffs Harbour Ex SC NSW 8 Casino RSM NSW 9 Maclean BC NSW JANUARY 2019 19&25 West Tamworth LC NSW

BEN RANSOM JANUARY 24-26 Tamworth CMF

BENNETT, BOWTELL & URQUHART

JANUARY 19-25 Tamworth CMF

ADAM HARVEY

BRAD COX

ANITA TRESIDDER & WHISKEY BUSINESS JANUARY 18-25 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 23 West Tamworth LC NSW FEBRUARY 16 Music Park Jackson St, Boyup Brook WA

BLAKE O’CONNOR JANUARY 18-27 Tamworth CMF

BRAD BUTCHER

JANUARY 22 West Tamworth LC NSW 24-26 Tamworth CMF

*w/ Carl The Bartender ** w/ Andrew Swift & Gretta Ziller DECEMBER 13 Allenstown Hotel, Rockhampton Qld* 14 Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville Qld* 15 The Orb Tablelands, Atherton Qld* 16 Riverbend Cruise, Cooktown Qld* 18 Emerald Star Qld* 19 Harvey Road Tavern, Clinton Qld* 20 Melbourne Hotel, Bundaberg Qld* 21 Royal Hotel, Gympie Qld* 22 Retro Bar, Brisbane Qld* 27 Anglesea Family Caravan Park Vic** 28 Ocean Grove Holiday Park Vic** 29 Kangerong Holiday Park, Dromana Vic** 31 Marlo Ocean Views Vic** JANUARY 1 Mallacotta Foreshore Holiday Park Vic** 2 Eden Beachfront Holiday Park NSW** 3 NRMA Jindabyne Holiday Park NSW** 4 Jingelic Showgrounds NSW** 5 Tumut River Brewing Company NSW** 6 Porepunkah Bridge Holiday Park NSW** 7 Omea Caravan Park Vic** 8 Mallacoota Foreshore Holiday Park Vic** 9 Tathra Beachside NSW** 10 Reflections Holiday Park, Bermagui NSW** 11 Murramarang Nature Tourist Resort NSW** 12 Holiday Haven Lake Conjola NSW**

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years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

43

»

»

LIVE MUSIC SCENE 13 Toowoon Bay Holiday Park NSW** 14 Reflections Holiday Park, Hawks Nest NSW** 15 Reflections Holiday Park, Seal Rocks NSW** 16 Reflections Holiday Park, Tuncurry NSW** 18 Toyota Park Opening Concert, Tamworth NSW* 20 Toyota Park 40th Toyota Star Maker Grand Final, Tamworth NSW* 21 The Pub Songwriter’s Night, Tamworth NSW 7:30pm 22 Southgate Inn Songwriter’s Night, Tamworth NSW 1pm 23 TRECC, 40th Toyota Star Maker, Tamworth NSW* 25 The Albert Hotel, Tamworth NSW*

BRAD MARKS

DECEMBER 8 Crescent Head Country Club NSW 21 Port City BC, Port Macquarie NSW JANUARY 19 Regional Australia Bank FamilyZone, Tamworth NSW

BRIAN LETTON

DECEMBER 6 Railway BC, Goulburn NSW 7 Griffith Exies Club NSW 8 Young NSW 9 Commercial Club Wagga Wagga NSW 17 Country In the Village, Tamworth NSW JANUARY 19-26 Tamworth CMF

BROTHERS3

JANUARY 19&26 West Tamworth LC NSW

BRYEN WILLEMS

DECEMBER 1 Verity 112, Canberra ACT 16 Shady Pines Saloon, Darlinghurst NSW JANUARY 21-27 Tamworth CMF

BUSBY MAROU

JANUARY 23 Longyard Hotel, Tamworth NSW

CASH ONLY – THE JOHNNY CASH TRIBUTE BAND JANUARY 19-23 Tamworth CMF

CATHERINE BRITT

DECEMBER 1 Bundy Hall, Bundalaguah Vic JANUARY 23 The Longyard Hotel, Tamworth NSW

DIANNE LINDSAY JANUARY 19-26 Tamworth CMF

GINA JEFFREYS

JANUARY 21-25 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 22 West Tamworth LC, Tamworth NSW 23 TRECC, 40 years of Star Maker, Tamworth NSW

CHLOE STYLER

GRAEME CONNORS

CHELSEA BERMAN

JANUARY 19-26 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 25 Tamworth Town Hall, NSW

CHRIS MATTHEWS JANUARY 19-27 Tamworth CMF

GRAHAM RODGER JANUARY 21-24 Tamworth CMF

CHRISTIAN POWER & LONESOME TRAIN JANUARY 18-26 Tamworth CMF

GRETTA ZILLER JANUARY 18-25 Tamworth CMF

CHRISTIE LAMB

DECEMBER 9 Lithgow Workers Club NSW 15 The Colonial Hotel, Werrington NSW JANUARY 24 The Albert Hotel, Tamworth NSW

COL FINLEY

JANUARY 18-27 Tamworth CMF

COLIN BUCHANAN JANUARY 23-24 Tamworth CMF

COLT SEAVERS BAND JANUARY 18-27 Tamworth CMF

DANIEL THOMPSON JANUARY 18-27 Tamworth CMF

DARREN COGGAN

JANUARY 19 Capitol Theatre, Tamworth NSW

DELLA HARRIS

DECEMBER 9 Powers Road, Kinglake Vic JANUARY 24-26 Tamworth CMF

HAYLEY MARSTEN DECEMBER 16 Jindalee Hotel, Jindalee Qld JANUARY 19-25 Tamworth CMF

HILLBILLY GOATS

DECEMBER 1 Theebine Hotel Qld 7 Sth Grafton SC NSW 8 Lismore Workers Club NSW 9 Fisherman’s Wharf, Gold Coast Qld 14 Gympie RSL Qld 29 Kingscliff Beach Hotel NSW 31 Casino RSM NSW JANUARY 4 SYD-Kangaroo Island Music Cruise (John Howie), Sydney NSW 20-26 Tamworth CMF

FEBRUARY 1 Gympie RSL, Qld 2 Springwood Lions Club, Brisbane Qld 15 Agnes Waters Blues and Roots Festival Qld

JAMES BLUNDELL JANUARY 23-25 Tamworth CMF 23 TRECC, 40 years of Star Maker, Tamworth NSW

JEFF BROWN CM Family Tour w/ Keith Jamieson, Alisha Smith & Caitlyn DECEMBER 27 Function Centre, Pittsworth Qld 28 2CBD Community Radio Hall, Glen Innes NSW 30 Tigers Club, Queanbeyan NSW 31 RSL Club, Bairnsdale Vic JANUARY 2 Morwell Club Vic 3 City Memorial BC WArrnambool Vic 4 Mechanics Hall, Narrawong Vic 5 Community Hall, Rendelsham SA 6 Golf Club, Edenhope Vic 8 Soldiers Memorial Hall, Nuriootpa SA 9 NCMA Club Rooms, Port Pirie SA 10 Civic Centre, Bordertown SA 11 Golden Hills Motel, Bendigo Vic 12 Services Club, Barham NSW 13 Bocce Club, Kyabram NSW 15 North Albury Sports Club, Kyabram NSW 16 Commercial Club Wagga Wagga NSW 17 Community Hall Wagga Wagga NSW 19-26 Tamworth CMF

JETTY ROAD JANUARY 22 Wests’ Diggers, Tamworth NSW

JODY DIREEN (NZ) JANUARY 18-25 Tamworth CMF

Visiting Tamworth?

See Star Maker’s amazing journey at the Star Maker Café at Diggers, Kable Ave, Tamworth

1979 44

THE LEGEND CONTINUES

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

2018 years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

LIFT OUT

Please note all show venues & times are correct at time of printing.

Capital News recommends you check with the venue prior to attending.

JOHN WILLIAMSON

JANUARY 2 Morwell Club Vic 3 City Memorial BC WArrnambool Vic 4 Mechanics Hall, Narrawong Vic 5 Community Hall, Rendelsham SA 6 Golf Club, Edenhope Vic 8 Soldiers Memorial Hall, Nuriootpa SA 9 NCMA Club Rooms, Port Pirie SA 10 Civic Centre, Bordertown SA 11 Golden Hills Motel, Bendigo Vic 12 Services Club, Barham NSW 13 Bocce Club, Kyabram NSW 15 North Albury Sports Club, Kyabram NSW 16 Commercial Club Wagga Wagga NSW 17 Community Hall Wagga Wagga NSW 19-26 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 25 Tamworth Town Hall NSW

LUKE DICKENS

JANUARY 18-26 Tamworth CMF 23 TRECC 40 years of Star Maker, Tamworth NSW

LYN BOWTELL

*Ticketed Show JANUARY 22 TRECC 40 years of Toyota Star Maker, Tamworth NSW 12noon 22 West Tamworth LC NSW* 8:30pm 27 The Albert Hotel, Tamworth NSW

IAN MACCA MCNAMARA

LIAM BREW

JANUARY 18-26 Tamworth CMF 23 TRECC, 40 years of Star Maker, Tamworth NSW

JOHNNY CASH THE CONCERT

JANUARY 24 Capitol Theatre, Tamworth NSW

JANUARY 25 Wests’ Diggers, Tamworth NSW

JULIET OLIVER

DECEMBER 14&16 Woodstock Wines, McLaren Flat SA 28 Royal Family Hotel, Port Elliot SA JANUARY 22-25 Tamworth CMF

KALESTI BUTLER

DECEMBER 2 The Irish Village, Emerald Qld JANUARY 19-25 Tamworth CMF

KEL-ANNE BRANDT DECEMBER 7 Lake Munmorah BC NSW FEBRUARY 24 Bankstown Sports Club, NSW

KIRSTY LEE AKERS

JANUARY 22-25 Tamworth CMF 23 TRECC, 40 years of Star Maker, Tamworth NSW

KYLIE ADAMS-COLLIER DECEMBER 16 Windsor Markets NSW JANUARY 18-25 Tamworth CMF FEBRUARY 24 Masonic Hall, Morrisett NSW

MELINDA SCHNEIDER LINDSAY BUTLER & SHAZA LEIGH WITH THE BUTLER SHOWBAND

DECEMBER 1 Oakey Community Centre Qld 2 Stanthorpe Anglican Church Hall Qld 21 West Tamworth League Club NSW JANUARY 15-25 Tamworth CMF 20 LBS MusicLand, Tamworth NSW 21-24 Lindsay Butler Studios Music Complex, Tamworth NSW

MELISSA BAJRIC

KEITH URBAN

JANUARY 20-26 Tamworth CMF

W Julia Michaels JANUARY 2019 23 Newcastle EC NSW 25&26 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney NSW 27 GIO Stadium, Canberra ACT 31 Brisbane EC Qld FEBRUARY 2 Brisbane EC Qld 5 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Vic

MELODY MOKO

DECEMBER 1 Bundy Hall, Bundalaguah Vic JANUARY 22 The Albert Hotel, Tamworth NSW 23 The Longyard Hotel, Tamworth NSW

KEITH JAMIESON

CM Family Tour w/ Jeff Brown, Alisha Smith & Caitlyn DECEMBER 27 Function Centre, Pittsworth Qld 28 2CBD Community Radio Hall, Glen Innes NSW 30 Tigers Club, Queanbeyan NSW 31 RSL Club, Bairnsdale Vic years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

JANUARY 20&27 Capitol Theatre, Tamworth NSW

MERILYN STEELE LEE KERNAGHAN

*Lee Kernaghan Show JANUARY 23 TRECC, 40 years of Star Maker, Tamworth NSW 24 TRECC, Tamworth NSW*

LUKE AUSTEN

JANUARY 18-27 Tamworth CMF 23 TRECC 40 years of Star Maker, Tamworth NSW

DECEMBER 1 Carols in the Park, Mascot Memorial Park NSW 2 Tom Mann Theatre, Surry Hills NSW 7 Bargo Sports Club NSW 8 Oak Flats Bowling Club, Oak Flats NSW 21 Smithfield RSL Club NSW

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

45

LIVE MUSIC SCENE MICHELLE WALKER

SIMPLY BUSHED

JANUARY 21-23 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 20-26 Tamworth CMF

MISSY LANCASTER

SOPHIE RAINBOW

JANUARY 24 Family Hotel – Moonshiners Honky Tonk Bar, Tamworth NSW

DECEMBER 9 SevenHill Hotel SA 15 The Rising Sun Hotel, Auburn SA

PETER CAMPBELL

DECEMBER 23 City Golf Club Toowoomba Qld JANUARY 18-22 Tamworth CMF FEBRUARY 24 Toowoomba City Golf Club Qld

RANDY HOUSER (USA) DECEMBER 11 The Tivoli, Brisbane Qld 13 Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Qld 14 Corner Hotel, Melbourne Vic

Vic JANUARY

DECEMBER 2 Rising Sun Hotel, Rosewood Qld

RODNEY VINCENT

JANUARY 19&21 Wests’ Diggers, Tamworth NSW 24 Tamworth Community Centre NSW FEBRUARY 2 Bungendore CMF NSW 16 Lake Charlegrark CMF Vic

TAYLOR PFEIFFER

JANUARY 24 Tamworth Town Hall NSW

*Guest of The McClymonts DECEMBER 1 Waitpinga Concert Series, SA 8 PBR Adelaide EC SA JANUARY 19-25 Tamworth CMF

SHANE NICHOLSON

THE BUSHWACKERS

SHOW PONY EXPRESS

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT

JANUARY 23 The Pub Tamworth NSW

*with Taylor Henderson **with The McClymonts JANUARY 2019 22 The Albert, Tamworth NSW 23 Tamworth Regional EC NSW 25 Courthouse Hotel, Tamworth NSW

9 The Spotted Mallard, Brunswick

REBECCA LEE NYE

SARA STORER

RACHAEL FAHIM

DECEMBER

21-25 Tamworth CMF

MURPHY’S PIGS

DECEMBER 21 Top Stage, Queen St Mall, Brisbane Qld JANUARY 15 New Farm Bowls Club, Brisbane Qld 18-26 Tamworth CMF

THE WEEPING WILLOWS

SAMANTHA BELLAMY & RAY PRATLEY DECEMBER 1 Launceston Workers Club Tas 2 Latrobe Markets Tas 5 Hillcrest Caravan Park, St Helens Tas 8 Hillcrest Caravan Park, St Helens Tas 11 Big 4 Caravan Park St Helens Tas 15 Straun Retreat Tourist Park Tas 28 White Beach Tourist Park Tas 31 Glenorchy RSL Club Tas JANUARY 18-26 Tamworth CMF

SPECIAL OFFER

TRAVIS COLLINS JANUARY 19 Family Hotel, Tamworth NSW

JANUARY 19-27 Tamworth CMF

JANUARY 16-26 Tamworth CMF

THE MCCLYMONTS

DECEMBER 7 York On Lilydale, Mt Evelyn Vic 8 West Gippsland AC Warragul Vic JANUARY 23 TRECC, Tamworth NSW

THE PIGS

JANUARY 23 Capitol Theatre, Tamworth NSW

TROY CASSAR-DALEY JANUARY 24 TRECC, Tamworth NSW

MADCDS

Subscribe for 2 years and save $22 and receive the brand new CD from TSM winner BRAD COX Stay up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, live music scene, new talent, coming events, bush balladeers, writing great songs, down memory lane.

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE www.capitalnews.com.au OR PHONE: 02 6767 5555 or E: info@capitalnews.com.au 46

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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47

HEAR+THERE BACK FROM

NEAR-FATAL CRASH

EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, SINGER, SONGWRITER AND SYNDICATED RADIO PERSONALITY CHUCK WICKS WAS LOOKING AT A VERY DIFFERENT REALITY THAN THE ONE THAT EXISTS TODAY.

F

ollowing a nearly-fatal car crash that left Wicks with a broken neck, he could barely muster the strength to raise his head.

His dedication, rehabilitation, perseverance and a new outlook on life helped the former athlete return not only with the strength to compete as one of only 11 contenders in NBC’s IRONMAN: Quest For Kona, yet it also led to a ‘why wait?’ mentality for the recording artist.

With that lust for life fully embraced, Wicks released Better Than Flowers in October, his first new music in nearly two years.

The song, romantic and passionate with a pop-country sound, was written by Wicks, Jeffrey East and Michael Lotten.

“Three guys in a room… working with these lyrics…we were all definitely looking down

while writing it to avoid eye contact with each other,” laughs Wicks while reflecting on the lyrics of the sensual song.

The music video features Wicks alongside friend and Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast Nastia Luikin.

Wicks first burst onto the country music scene in 2007, when his debut single Stealing Cinderella earned him the highest debut for a new country artist that year.

He is a co-host of “Ty, Kelly and Chuck” heard in over 50 cities across the United States, an avid outdoorsman and an alumnus of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars.

By 4 x Golden Guitar Winner – DEAN PERRETT 14 brilliant new bush ballads from the man at the forefront of the modern Australian bush ballads. Album Includes the 2018 CMAA Golden Guitar Bush Ballad of the Year “Henbury Blues”

$28

Album Available from Dean Perrett Enterprises, INC P/H PO Box 54, Kingaroy QLD 4610 All Dean’s albums are available from his website or iTunes. www.deanperrett.com 48

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

H+T

T â&#x20AC;&#x153;TOM-AY-TOâ&#x20AC;?

OR â&#x20AC;&#x153;TOM-AH-TOâ&#x20AC;?

CANADIAN DUO TOMATO/TOMATOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RETURN DOWN UNDER IN MARCH 2O19 BRINGING THEIR ECLECTIC MIX OF FOLK AND COUNTRY TO AUSTRALIA TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF THEIR FORTHCOMING ALBUM CANARY IN A COALMINE.

heir live show includes jaw dropping multi-tasking, dynamic guitar arrangements and soaring vocal harmonies.

This will be the fourth visit to Australia for the genre-bending power duo who released their new single aptly titled, Take It On The Road, in November.

The song was recorded on a 16-track tape, at the Bomb Shelter Studio in Nashville, TN. and mixed by Andrija Tokic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted it to sound like a party that everyone is invited to - hence the mariachi trumpets,â&#x20AC;? said John McLaggan.

The duoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s live show includes jaw-dropping multitasking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; think washboard, kick drum and cymbals, dynamic guitar arrangements, and soaring vocal harmonies. Mix these elements with compelling, heartfelt song writing and you have an unforgettable musical experience.

The band was honoured with awards for both Group Recording of the Year and SOCAN Song of the Year at the Music/Musique New Brunswick Awards.

Tomato/Tomato kicked off 2018 with a trip to Nashville to record their new album, due out in 2019, which Take It On The Road, was lifted from.

The duo will be performing at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, The Spotted Mallard and Winnebago Lounge in Melbourne Vic, The Blue Mountains Music Festival in NSW, the Gold Coastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soundlounge and Django@Camelot in Sydney and tickets are available at all venues.

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C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

49

HEAR+THERE ROUND MOUNTAIN

MAGIC

ROUND MOUNTAIN GIRLS HAVE RELEASED THE VIDEO FOR THEIR SINGLE MAGICAL MIX FEATURING AUSSIE ICON JOHN WILLIAMSON.

T

he song celebrates Australia – the amazing country we call home – because, as John says, ‘A magical mix makes a magical race and a magical mix makes a magical place. That’s how we all feel about this place. To be an Aussie, all you have to do is appreciate it and protect it.’

The video was produced by The Filmery and the band footage shot, for the most part, on the Tweed Coast of NSW with the iconic Wollumbin (Mt Warning) in the background. It’s an area that holds deep cultural significance for the local Bundjalung people, as well as a special place in the hearts of the Round Mountain Girls.

* Recycled Rubber Belt * Stable, Arena & Roundyard * Holeybelt – Ute Mats

This footage is interspersed with shots of the recording session with John Williamson and Australia’s diverse beauty, from farms to the bush to the cities, deserts, beaches and iconic sights like Kakadu and Uluru.

During the shoot, they were greeted with torrential rain that didn’t look like it would ever stop. They got their gear ready in the back of the van and were

* Horse Float & Truck Rubber * Staytight Cattle Cable * Rubber Stockyard Railing

rewarded with one dry hour, hence the epic cinematic backdrop seen in the video.

The band also put it to their fans to share footage of themselves with their favourite lyrics from the song to showcase the diversity of land and culture in Australia.

Whether it’s a family in the garden, a young boy in the surf or a couple of lads working at the local fish ‘n’ chip shop, the message is, as Chris Brooker says, that ‘wherever we’re from and wherever we live, it’s the land that ties us together.’

* Flat Steel Woven Slings * Superflex Cable & Lifting Slings

View Our Product Range at 19-45 Charles Street, Moonbi NSW 2353 Ph: 02 6760 3773 or Visit our Website: www.andind.com.au 50

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

Come & join us each day in the Tamworth CBD 2)),&,$/ %52$'&$67(5 2)

years of bringing you the music 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2018

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

51

1931 – 10 OCTOBER 2018

AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC PIONEER LILY CONNORS HAS DIED, AGED 87.

L

VALE

LILY CONNORS

ily was born in Cessnock in 1931. At Age 11, she discovered she could yodel and won a heat of Australia’s Amateur Hour. In 1946, she went on to sing in the Radio 2KY competition which led her to perform in many variety shows touring the country.

In 1948, Lily, her mother and sister Bonnie, travelled to America to visit her mother’s family. While there, Lily had her own half hour show on KFI Television in Los Angeles billed as The Girl From Australia.

She then joined a government sponsored

touring show called Nations In Review representing Australia, followed by a five-year “starlet contract” in Hollywood but turned it down because she felt she would be controlled too much by the studio.

In 1950, Lily returned to Australia and was soon a regular on shows organised by Ted Quigg and Tim McNamara. It was her version of Chime Bells that became her signature song.

Lily was a regular on the 2GB radio program Bonnington’s Bunkhouse for five years and she was a frequent guest on Bandstand and Reg Lindsay’s country music television program.

In 1962, she gave birth to her son Alan and it was here that she slowly cut back on her performing career. In 1972, Lily embarked on a short tour with Slim Dusty and it was to be her last major performance. In 1978, she was inducted into the Hands of Fame in Tamworth.

Music every day throughout the festival All shows FREE

Large family friendly outdoor area Open for Lunch & Dinner Daily Located on the Festival Bus Route at the Northern End of Peel Street

146-148 Peel Street Tamworth NSW 2340 (02) 6766 2114

www.joemaguirespub.com 52

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

BAND OZ NEW ALBUM CHANGES OUT NOW Award-winning singer-songwriters Thomas and Tessa Libreri

Download from all online stores or buy direct destinybandoz www.destinyband.webs.com years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

s on l y

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Sunday 20th January 2019 - 8pm Sunday 27th January 2019 - 11am Matinee

CAPITOL THEATRE, TAMWORTH

02 6766 2028 | capitoltheatretamworth.com.au Capitol Theatre Tamworth | The Big Golden Guitar

www.melindaschneider.com

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Capitol Theatre Tamworth Friday Jan 25, 2.30pm

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Capitol Theatre Tamworth Saturday Jan 26, 3pm

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53

VALE

BILL DAVEY 17 JUNE 1945 -27 SEPTEMBER 2018

BILL DAVEY – BETTER KNOWN AS “WILD” BILL DAVEY, A REGULAR ACT AT THE TAMWORTH JANUARY AND MID-YEAR COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVALS – HAS DIED AGED 73.

F

or many years, Bill has called the Tudor Hotel in Peel Street home for his popular festival breakfast shows which also offered the opportunity for new and visiting acts to perform.

He performed regularly in Tamworth, northern New South Wales and Queensland.

Bill was remembered at a service at Lincoln Grove Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Tamworth on October 3. He is survived by his wife Joy, children Jodee, Kellee, Rebel, Nicole and Billie-Jo and nine grandchildren.

54

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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Doors 7pm Adults $24/Under 18 FREE/Seniors & Concession $19 Tickets:

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 years of bringing you the musichttps://tamworthtownhall.com.au/events/989/Best_of_British_Country_Music/ 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2018

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The Buckleys, a vibrant young band, fresh from the Mullum Music Festival

VALE

MAX THORBURN 27.4.1946 TO 18.10.2018

JANUARY 2019

Saturday 19

Southgate Inn 8.30-11.30pm

Sunday 20

The Longyard Front Deck 1.30pm-3pm

Monday 21

South Gate 5.30pm-8.30pm

Tuesday 22

Tamworth Square 10am-10.30am

Thursday 24 Longyard 8.30-ll.30

Friday 25

Southgate Front Bar 1pm-4pm Southgate Inn 8pm-11pm

Saturday 26

Tamworth Square 11.30am-12noon Longyard 8.30pm-11.30pm Buckleysfamilyband

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PHOTO AND WORDS BY ROBYN MCINTOSH

RENOWNED BROADCASTER MAX THORBURN DIED PEACEFULLY AT HOME IN MILDURA ON OCTOBER 18 WITH HIS BELOVED PARTNER OF ALMOST 30 YEARS, JANELLE BOTTRELL, BY HIS SIDE.

W

ell respected in the country music industry both nationally and internationally, Max had a career spanning 53 years in radio, he’d called more than 10,000 gallop/harness/greyhound races, as well as speedway races, and delivered live broadcasts of sporting events and the Mildura Country Music Festival.

He was equally renowned in the print media, founding monthly publication Country Beat, and editing the Mildura Independent Star, published Sundays.

A community-minded citizen, he was involved with a number of sporting clubs and served as a councillor in Mildura for close to 10 years.

Max was the voice behind HOT-FM Mildura for many years and later station manager at 1611 AM Old Gold, Mildura. He also launched his own online station, OZCMR, with Mark Eckel.

Max was a founder of the Mildura Country Music Festival and had a long involvement with the event.

On Friday October 26, at 10.30am, the day of Max’s funeral, there was a minute’s silence observed in his honour at the Clarence Valley Country Muster, with a life-sized photograph of him on main stage throughout the day.

At home in Mildura, more than 600 people attended his funeral, with many travelling long distances to pay their final respects to the much-loved broadcaster and councillor.

He is survived by his partner Janelle, sons Craig and Ashley and daughters Cassandra and Allegra. years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

DROVER MUSIC PRESENTS

Melissa THE

BAJRIC

SHOW TAMWORTH EDITION

WITH THE

LINDSAY WADDINGTON SHOW BAND

Capitol Theatre Tamworth 10am, Tuesday 22nd January 2019 Special Guests: Lindsay Waddington, Lloyd Back, Bob Easter, Donnie Soper, and Reg Poole Tickets $25 | Phone 02 6766 2028 Online: www.capitoltheatretamworth.com.au In Person Capitol Theatre Tamworth, The Big Golden Guitar or Ray Walsh House

Official Accomodation Partner

www.melissabajric.com

Lindsay Waddington New Album

NullarboR Out Now!

years of bringing you the music 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2018

www.krosskutrecords.com.au

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

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COUNTRY ACADEMY

A CLASS ACT THE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA’S 2019 SENIOR ACADEMY HAS AGAIN BROUGHT TOGETHER MORE THAN 25 TALENTED UP-AND-COMING MUSIC ARTISTS FOR THE INTENSIVE TWO-WEEK COURSE IN TAMWORTH.

S

ix-time Golden Guitar winner Lyn Bowtell heads the Academy as director, with a stellar team of group leaders and mentors. Kevin Bennett, Lachlan Bryan, Catherine Britt and Simon Johnson are the group leaders, ably supported by Roger Corbett, Liam Kennedy-Clark, Amber Lawrence, Allan Caswell, and Katrina Burgoyne, who round out the team with their speciality skills.

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Industry guest speakers will deliver the “real story” from behind the scenes, to help the students avoid the pitfalls of a career in the arts.

“The students this year are such a talented group,” director Lyn Bowtell said.

“It was extremely hard to choose the successful applicants but, in the end, we have a really spectacular group of singer-songwriter performers.”

Students will travel from as far as New Zealand, Western Australia and the Northern Territory to attend.

Lyn said the success of the Academy and the experiences gained from the course came from a range of factors.

“Maybe it’s the support of their new friends they make at the Academy, maybe it’s the teaching, the exposure, or the contacts in the industry and it’s probably everything, but every student seems to get a new kickstart to their careers after leaving the Academy,” she said.

The Academy Live! performance is on Friday, January 18 at 4pm in Blazes at Wests.

Tickets are available at West Tamworth League Club www.wtlc.com.au

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

ONLY AVAILABLE AT KFC TAMWORTH Cnr Bridge & Church Sts, TAMWORTH, 2340

EXP 1/02/2019. Available only at KFC TAMWORTH. See terms and conditions below.

EXP 1/02/2019. Available only at KFC TAMWORTH. See terms and conditions below.

EXP 1/02/2019. Available only at KFC TAMWORTH. See terms and conditions below.

EXP 1/02/2019. Available only at KFC TAMWORTH. See terms and conditions below.

EXP 1/02/2019. Available only at KFC TAMWORTH. See terms and conditions below.

EXP 1/02/2019. Available only at KFC TAMWORTH. See terms and conditions below.

Terms and Conditions: *Savings based on full menu price. Valid at KFC TAMWORTH only. Food for illustrative purposes only. Set combination of chicken pieces apply. Limit of one coupon per customer visit.Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.Surrender coupon to redeem offer.

years of bringing you the music 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2018

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KIWI LEGENDS HOLD COURT ON AUSTRALIA DAY BRENDAN DUGAN IS A HOUSEHOLD NAME IN THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD.

H

is career began on New Faces some 50 years ago, followed by weekly appearances on TV program That’s Country. He went on to release 15 albums and conduct 15 tours of the USA, which included an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.

Unbelievably, this is his first time in Tamworth, but it’s certain not to be his last following the success of his latest single, Honky Tonk Heroes, topping the Australian airplay charts.

Brendan will be joined by fellow Kiwi legend and Tamworth Hands

of Fame inductee Eddie Low, who has one of the best voices around.

Kevin Greaves is a multiple award-winner from the fabulously talented Greaves family, who live and breathe country music.

New Zealand singer-songwriter Aly Cook is known on both sides of the Tasman and will complete this classy line-up.

Book now at Wests for this intimate and fun concert in the all-new Wests Events Centre, adjacent to Mercure Tamworth, at West Tamworth League Club. Showtime is 2pm on Saturday, January 26.

! &(.,

Imperial Hotel presents 181-195 MARIUS ST

'. +2 645=

The band that helped launch KEITH

Fri 18 3-6pm Mon 21 3-6pm Thu 24 6:30-9:30pm

Sat 19 7-10pm Tues 22 3-6pm Fri 25 6:30-9:30pm

URBAN Sun 20 6:30-9:30pm Wed 23 3-6pm Sat 26 2-5pm

"-!

Debut Album Out Soon

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SPECIAL GUESTS

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

years of bringing you the music 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2018

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BUSK A R MOVE ON THE BOULEVARDE OF DREAMS IF YOUR DREAM IS TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN COUNTRY MUSIC, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR BUSKING REGISTRATION IN FOR THE 47TH TOYOTA COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL, TAMWORTH.

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egistrations are now open for the Toyota Country Music Busking Championships, one of the most anticipated aspects of the festival.

Each year, 400 buskers flock to Peel Street aka Tamworth’s Boulevarde of Dreams to showcase their talents, watched by thousands of visitors.

Official Ambassador for the Toyota Country Music Festival and country music icon, Lee Kernaghan said busking on Peel Street has been the first public performance for many of our current recording artists and it continues to be a major feature of the Tamworth festival.

“I love the interaction between the audience and the busker,” Lee said.

“If you can hold a crowd on Peel Street, then you have made a big step in the right

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

FESTIVALS

TCMF19 direction if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for a career in country music.â&#x20AC;?

But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more up for grabs than the best piece of pavement and a guitar case full of change â&#x20AC;Ś the championships offer 10 finalists the opportunity to perform at the Best of the Buskers concert on the final Sunday of the festival. There is also the chance to win a share in more than $5000 in cash and prizes, plus an opportunity for a guest appearance during the Opening Concert in 2020.

Up and coming artists looking for their next big break are strongly encouraged to register online at https://tcmf.com.au/ Busking/ .

For any enquiries please contact busking coordinator Jody Ekert at Tamworth Regional Council on 02 6767 5555.

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FESTIVALS

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LBS MUSICLAND

MAKES ITS DEBUT IN 2019 THE ALL-NEW LBS MUSICLAND COMPLEX ON THE SOUTHERN OUTSKIRTS OF TAMWORTH WILL BE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED WITH THE MULTI-ARTIST LINDSAY BUTLER STUDIO OPEN DAY EVENT.

S

taged from 10am on Sunday, January 19 at 348 Whitehouse Lane, Kingswood, this day-long event will showcase all the artists in this fiercely Australian record company.

The gates open at 9am with full catering available for breakfast, morning tea and lunch.

All throughout the day patrons can purchase their

64

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

favourite LBS artists’ albums at the CD shop.

Along with LBS artists, special guests are always a feature of the LBS open day.

The LBS MusicLand Stage has been purpose built for big concert presentations. Patrons

bring their own chairs and sit under the trees in the gardens of the Butlers’ back yard.

The overall venue will bring back many memories for those patrons who enjoyed the early days, out in the country, at the Butlers’ Moonbi complex.

Secure your tickets for this event, at $25 per person, by phoning 0412 605 488.

Pre-purchased LBS members’ tickets are just $20.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

FESTIVALS

TCMF19

HAVE A BALL AT THE TOWN HALL EVERY YEAR ON FESTIVAL EVE, YOU’LL SEE A LOT OF WELL-DRESSED PEOPLE HEADING FOR THE SPIRITUAL HOME OF THE TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL – TAMWORTH WAR MEMORIAL TOWN HALL.

T

he annual Festival Charity Ball has become a tradition for a local dance group, which invites one and all along to trip the light fantastic in a very elegant setting – all for a great cause.

Two very worthy local charities stand to benefit from the ball – Riding for the Disabled and Meals on Wheels.

From 7.30pm until midnight, Barry Noble will spin the

discs that fill the dancefloor where patrons can enjoy a selection of old-time and new vogue music.

It’s a little glimpse back to yesteryear, when people always dressed for the occasion, packed a picnic hamper and took along

1 25)2/. ,6/$1'

their own refreshments for the local dance.

If you aren’t a dancer, but enjoy watching those that can, you can gain access to the balcony to oversee proceedings.

Tickets at $27.50 per person are now available at the Capitol Theatre box office, or online at www.entertainmentvenues.com.au

20-24 MAY 2019

&28175< 086,& )(67,9$/ 10 Nights Escorted Tour with Cameron Syrett Add an extra special dimension to your Festival experience travelling with Country Music expert – Cameron Syrett.

Holiday Package Includes: Airfares ex Sydney, 10 nights accommodation, 10 days car hire, 3 dinners, 1 lunch, 3 Island tours, bonus activities + more from

1979pp

$

twin share

ex SYDNEY

7 Night Holiday Package Enjoy the Festival, beautiful Norfolk Island and a fabulous holiday all rolled into one.

Holiday Package Includes: return airfares, 7 nights accommodation, 7 days car hire, NI airport meet & greet and transfers + more from

1169pp

$

from

1179pp

$

twin share

ex BRISBANE twin share

ex SYDNEY

Choose from a range of festival pass option, contact us today

1800 1400 66

Email : travel@travelcentre.nf www.norfolkislandtravelcentre.com years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

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FESTIVAL RADIO GOES NATIONAL THE TOYOTA COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL TAMWORTH WILL PROUDLY PARTNER WITH KIX COUNTRY TO TAKE TAMWORTH TO THE WORLD.

I

n announcing KIX Country as the festival’s official radio broadcaster, Tamworth Regional Council country music manager Barry Harley said this new alliance would bring immense benefits, not only for fans already in Tamworth in 2019, but for the many future visitors listening outside the region who will get a taste of what to expect when they do visit.

“The festival has for many years boasted its own dedicated country music radio station through Festival FM broadcasting to the Tamworth area, but this new alliance will have listeners through KIX Country’s 57 stations

across Australia plus its online steaming across Australia and the worldwide web,” Mr Harley said.

“It is a real bonus having KIX Country promoting all elements of the festival over the 10 days, not only for the thousands of fans already in Tamworth, but also for the thousands of additional fans who can experience a taste of Australia’s largest country music festival,” he said.

From January 18 through to January 27, KIX Country will broadcast ‘live’ each day from 9am to 5pm from the heart of the Festival in Toyota FanZone, with

live performances, information from the 100-plus music venues, interviews from all over the city, and of course music from some of the 700 artists who descend upon Tamworth in January.

KIX Network general manager David Greenwood said KIX Country had always been a strong supporter of the Toyota Country Music Festival.

“This endorsement as official radio broadcaster means not only a significant increase in national exposure for the festival but equally, validation of KIX Country’s importance and reach into the country music heartland,” Mr Greenwood said.

“We welcome and thank the Toyota Country Music Festival for their faith in us and their recognition of KIX Country as a media partner. We are excited and looking forward to reinforcing and growing Tamworth as Australia’s Country Music Capital.”

Listeners can tune into the Toyota Country Music Festival’s official radio broadcaster, KIX Country during the festival in Tamworth on 87.6FM and throughout Australia on various frequencies and online streaming and phone apps.

For further KIX Country information please go to kixcountry.com.au or phone 07 3251 8300 during office hours.

The Rhymer’s Roundup Graeme Johnson presents Australian Award Winning Bush Poets & Musos

Gregory North, The Rhymer from Ryde, Rhonda Tallnash, John Peel, Noel Bull & Special Guest: Pat Drummond At the NORTH TAMWORTH BOWLING CLUB SHOW DATES: FRI 18th – SUN 27th January 2019 POET’S BRUNCH: All shows 10.30 am – 12.30 pm TICKETS $10.00: AT THE DOOR (Meals available) (N.B. Not all artists all days)

DETAILS 66

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10 BIG DAYS!

www.therhymerfromryde.com years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

FESTIVALS

TCMF19

AELEC DRAWS

REAL AUSSIE BUSHMEN TO NEW CHARITY ROUND UP

A NEW MAJOR EVENT TO BE RUN ON THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL IN JANUARY WAS LAUNCHED AT AELEC LAST MONTH.

A

t the launch, the Australian Bushmen’s Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) announced the Great Australian Round Up – a two-day charity event to be held at the Australian Equine Livestock and Events

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

through awareness and fundraising efforts, the event is forecast to provide “an exciting, unique and new element to the Tamworth Country Music Festival for both tourists and locals”, a spokesman said.

The Round Up will showcase all things that are Australian country, including a stockmen’s challenge, working dog trials, sheep shearing, a ute, truck and antique machinery show, bush poets and live music.

A feature of the first day’s action on Saturday, January 19 from 6pm is internationally renowned Guy McLean and his incredible Australian stock horses as seen on Australia’s Got Talent. This will be followed

by Australia’s elite rodeo athletes from broncs and bulls to barrel racing in a rodeo extravaganza.

Besides the excitement of rodeo action, the Great Australian Round Up Rodeo will tell a story of the heritage of rodeo in Australia, highlighting its importance in today’s rural communities.

The Great Australian Round Up will also host a number of family attractions and events, from pony rides and petting farms to waterslides.

Member for New England and former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce launched the event at AELEC.

Centre (AELEC) – would raise money for the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners.

Based around supporting Australia’s vital rural industries

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NUNDLE Y

TAMWORTH’S BEST-KEPT SECRET REVEALED IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO THE TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL AND NOT VENTURED OUT TO NUNDLE FOR A LOOK AROUND OR TO CATCH A GIG OR TWO, SHAME ON YOU.

ou’re missing out on the experience of a lifetime! Each event at The DAG Sheep Station and Nundle’s local, the historic Peel Inn, is totally unique, and 1880s-founded Nundle is one of the most picturesque villages this side of the Great Divide.

There’s variety aplenty at The DAG and the pub – just visit their websites to get the full picture of what’s on where and when so you don’t miss a thing.

Known as one of the best musical-performance spaces in Australia, the DAG Sheep Station has not only housed spectacular acts, but has introduced bright, new stars via its Songwriters’ Retreats.

Eight shows sold out last January, so don’t delay in securing your tickets from thedag.com.au or from entertainmentvenues.com.au Visit the pub that was reputed to have been won over a hand of cards, the Peel Inn for great country hospitality and quality alt-country and the best bush poets around.

Their website, peelinn.com.au will highlight the hotel’s comprehensive country program.

The Peel Inn offers fabulous atmosphere, tasty, homestyle meals and a range of drinks at pub prices.

THE BIG GOLDEN GUITAR TOURIST CENTRE Your One Stop Festival Shop FREE Meet & Greet Showcases 2019 Compered By Bush Poet Dave Proust Mon 21st January 10.30am Tues 22nd January 10.30am Wed 23rd January 10.30am Wed 23rd January 12.30pm Wed 23rd January 10.30am Thur 24th January 10.30am Fri 25th January 10.30am

Dean Perrett, Reg Poole, Dianne Lindsay, Jeff Brown Showpony Express, Keith Jamieson & Alisha Smith, Tracy Coster, Errol Gray Ashley Cook, Andrew Swift, Brad Butcher, Aleyce Simmonds, Montgomery Church Aly Cook Presents Champagne Country Aly Cook Presents Best Kept Kiwi Secrets Adam Toms, Hayley Marsten, Della Harris, Paul Costa, Kristy Cox Jonny Taylor, Ben Ransom, Kora Naughton, Brewn, James Blundell

OPEN 7 DAYS OPEN 8am - 6pm Saturday – Saturday During the Festival Sunday 8am- 5pm

THE BIG GOLDEN GUITAR TOURIST CENTRE Centre includes: Gallery Of Stars Wax Museum • Souvenir & Gift Shop • Coffee Shop Sporting Memorabilia Museum, Featuring Sir Donald Bradman • Country Music CD & DVD shop 68

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2 The Ringers Road Tamworth | 02 6765 2688 info@biggoldenguitar.com.au www.biggoldenguitar.com.au

FESTIVALS

TCMF19

TWO BIG TAMWORTH SHOWS FOR

PAUL COSTA MULTIPLE GOLDEN GUITAR-NOMINATED SINGER-SONGWRITER PAUL COSTA MAKES A MUCH-ANTICIPATED RETURN TO TAMWORTH WITH NEW SINGLE, ROAD TRAIN, FROM HIS HIGHLY ACCLAIMED WHISPER IN THE CROWD ALBUM.

Paul Costa

T

he single, co-written by Paul and Drew McAlister, was inspired by a character Paul met in Gatton a couple of years ago.

One of Australian country musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier vocalists and live performers, Paul has performed at the Gympie Muster, the Birdsville Races, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Deni Ute Muster and many more.

He has also performed in Japan, New Zealand, Thailand and throughout Europe, but one of his most memorable assignments, was touring East Timor entertaining Australian and New Zealand troops in 2008.

Both Tamworth concerts are at the Capitol Theatre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at 10am on Saturday, January 19 and 11am, Saturday, January 26.

Paul Costa and Friends is one show not to be missed on your festival agenda.

A journey of 10,000 gigs begins with the very first one. Make it count.

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CRUISIN’ COUNTRY

DUETS AFLOAT

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST COUNTRY MUSIC CRUISE RETURNS FOR ITS NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR WITH A FOCUS ON “DUETS” IN 2019.

J

oin 2000+ cruise and music lovers to experience a voyage which will host more than 30 artists including Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole, Gina Jeffreys, Adam Harvey, O’Shea, Travis Collins, Amber Lawrence, Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont, Colin Buchanan, Kevin Bennett, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Camille Te Nahu & Stuie French, the Bob Corbett Band, Jayne Denham and Felicity Urquhart.

The Royal Caribbean’s luxurious Radiance of the Seas will set sail for seven nights from

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October 12, returning on October 19, 2019 taking in the white sandy beaches of Lifou (Loyalty Islands) and French Colonial favourite, Noumea (New Caledonia).

The cruise offers immersive on-board passenger experiences including line, clogging and square dancing, song writing workshops, sail away group photo, open mic sessions, artist signing, schooner bar jams, guitar workshops and poolside activities or simply dance the night away with cocktail in hand.

The vessel includes the Aurora Theatre with acres of glass enclosing the nine-storey central atrium, lifts facing the sea, floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, plus casual through to premium dining experience.

Other features include a Royal Babies & Tots Nursery, VIP guest lounges, a poolside 220 sq. ft. outdoor movie screen showing first run movies day and night, in addition to the Casino Royale and the Vitality Spa Centre.

The South Australian family-owned-and-operated

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

cruise company has been creating holiday experiences for music lovers for nearly a decade.

Since their 2009 inception, Choose Your Cruise has hosted over 50,000 passengers on board their full-ship charters throughout Australia and recently in the UK/Europe.

“I’m so excited to be part of Cruisin’ Country in 2019. Looking back, I can still feel the excitement from the last cruise – so many great artists all coming together in one place to relax, party and make a lot of music.

Looking forward to performing on stage with some of the hottest artists in country music and catching up with legendary passengers who will be joining us on the voyage,” said Lee Kernaghan.

Prices start at $2599pp twin share (Interior Stateroom), $3295pp twin share (Oceanview), $3895pp twin share (Balcony) and $4535pp twin share (Suites).

For more information including how to book your cabin visit chooseyourcruise.com.au or call 1300 247 371. years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

years of bringing you the music 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2018

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FESTIVALS

BIG COUNTRY

ONE STAGE, ONE DAY, NINE TOP ACTS

Travis Collins

The McClymonts

THE TOWN OF BERRY, LOCATED ON THE SOUTH COAST OF NSW, IS HOPING FOR A FRUITFUL EVENT AS THEY PLAN THEIR INAUGURAL BIG COUNTRY FESTIVAL FOR SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019.

T

he one-day event is set to be the biggest country entertainment experience the region has seen with headliners Lee Kernaghan, The McClymonts, Travis Collins, Sunny Cowgirls, The Wolfe Brothers and Caitlyn Shadbolt, as well as locals Chalkie White, Kevin Sullivan and Liam Maihi

74

performing over 11 hours of non-stop music.

Berry is situated in the Shoalhaven Coast wine region just a two-hour drive or train trip from Sydney. The town is surrounded by award-winning restaurants, wineries and gorgeous beaches.

Big Country, supported by Shoalhaven Tourism, will feature a ton of fun for all the family including great local food options and a wide range of tipples at the Craft Beer Corner as well as some of Australia’s best bull-riders vying for the Big Country Buckle.

Buy-a-Bale is proudly presenting the Little Country Kids mini-festival, which will have plenty to keep

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Lee Kernaghan

children entertained with free activities including face painting, jumping castles, arts and craft and more.

Onsite camping is available as well as various accommodation options throughout the Shoalhaven area.

Head to big-country.com.au/shoalhaven for all the details.

The event organiser, Jack Stewart, said that Pink Salt Productions are excited to be bringing a festival of this scale to the Shoalhaven. He added; “We’ve been to countless festivals all over the country and we can’t wait to bring this experience to the area we’ve grown up in with an incredible line-up packed with country music royalty and plenty of rising stars.”

Head to the website big-country.com.au for more information.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

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FESTIVALS

DENI UTE MUSTER

TIM McGRAW TO HEADLINE DENI’S 21ST BIRTHDAY AUSTRALIA’S ICONIC DENI UTE MUSTER TURNS 21 NEXT YEAR AND ORGANISERS HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY SUPERSTAR, TIM MCGRAW, WILL HEADLINE THE EVENT TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 4 AND 5 IN 2019.

T

im McGraw has sold more than 50 million records and dominated the charts with 43 worldwide #1 singles. He’s won three Grammy Awards, 16 Academy of Country Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards, 11 American Music Awards, 3 People’s Choice Awards and numerous other honours. He also starred in and narrated the hit movie The Shack as well as roles in Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side.

McGraw’s iconic career achievements include being named the BDS Radio’s most played artist of the decade for all music genres and having the most played song of the decade for all music genres. He is the most played country artist since his debut in 1992, with two singles spending over 10 weeks at #1. His career-long tour successes include the recent, record-setting Soul2Soul The World Tour 2017 with his wife, Faith Hill.

The Deni Ute Muster has become one of the top ‘bucket list’ events in Australia and annually attracts around 20,000 people of all ages from all around the world celebrating modern Australian rural life and, of course, the iconic ‘Ute’.

It has become the NSW Labour Day long weekend

Tim McGraw

destination of choice for ute and music enthusiasts and has amazing community support with more than 1,000 volunteers mobilising each year to help put on the event which donates close to $100,000 back to community groups.

Muster Adorer tickets sold out in less than five minutes and early bird tickets sold-out with half the allocation sold

within the first 24 hours.

The Deni Ute Muster is for the entire family and includes wood chopping and whip cracking demonstrations, the World Record Blue Singlet Challenge, Ute Count, Show N Shine, the Bull Ride Spectacular, Circle work, Barrel Race and Go-to-Wo competitions all on the entertainment menu.

General admission tickets are on sale now and reserved camping tickets will go on sale early in the New Year.

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years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

FESTIVALS

C2C

Kelsea Ballerini

Midland

INAUGURAL AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL STARS TIM MCGRAW, KELSEA BALLERINI AND MIDLAND WILL APPEAR AT THE INAUGURAL COUNTRY TO COUNTRY (C2C) AUSTRALIA, IN SYDNEY AND BRISBANE IN SEPTEMBER 2019.

T

he daily events, presented by Teg Live and AEG Presents, will be held at Sydney Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday, September 28 and Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Sunday, September 29, 2019.

C2C made its debut at the O2 Arena in London in 2013 and is an annual staple on the UK festival calendar with tens of thousands of fans attending.

In 2015, C2C went into mainland Europe for the first time with shows in Sweden and Norway.

In 2019, C2C will debut in both the

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

Netherlands and Germany, and now this annual country music festival is coming to Australia for the very first time in September 2019.

Expect to hear 10 hours of country music, spanning multiple stages including the main stage, the C2C Spotlight Stage and the Town Square, showcasing the best in country music as well as emerging talent from the United States and Australia. The festival will also feature many attractions and various food options for passionate country music fans.

Tim McGraw was last in Australian in 2012 when he headlined CMC Rocks together with his wife Faith Hill and sold out multiple arenas in Melbourne,

Sydney and Brisbane.

Kelsea Ballerini has emerged in the last three years as one of the biggest names in country music releasing her debut album The First Time in 2015. She headlined CMC Rocks in 2015.

Midland hail from Dripping Springs, TX with lead vocalist Mark Wystrach fronting the trio’s rich sound that is rounded out with lead guitarist Jess Carson and bass player Cameron Duddy.

Rooted in tradition in both sound and style this is the trio’s first trip Down Under. Their critically acclaimed freshman album, On The Rocks features 13-tracks with song writing credits from each member alongside hit makers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.

Midland was named New Vocal Group of the Year at the 2018 ACM Awards.

C2C will announce more artists in coming months.

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SOUNDADVICE THINGS THAT WE DRINK TO MORGAN EVANS WARNER NASHVILLE Novocastrian Morgan Evans turned tragedy into triumph when he wrote bitter sweet album title track Things That We Drink To as a tribute to his late manager Rob Potts. It was the end of a dual decade long journey but also ignited the career of Evans, now 33, after shock sunk in. Morgan did the hard yards in Nashville after releasing his debut album here in 2014. He topped Australian charts and reached #3 in the U.S. with Kiss Somebody off his Top 10 debut U.S. disc. Evans followed with I Do penned about singing spouse Kelsea Ballerini who shared his Day Drunk video and guested on the idyllic invite Dance With Me. Morgan co-wrote and plays guitar on all 11 songs on the disc kicked off by American that is squarely aimed at his adoptive U.S. audience.

That’s no criticism. Evans earns his success with vibrant anthemic tunes Songs For The Summer, Me On You and We Dream. Equally energised are biographical Everything Changes and hedonism fuelled joyous finale Young Again. Sheer solace for a survivor.

WARNER 9362490549 DAVID DAWSON

ERIC CHURCH

HEAR AND NOW

SIMPLY BUSHED

MY WAY

GREATEST HITS

DESPERATE MAN EMI

INDEPENDENT

LEGACY RECORDINGS

BLOODLINES

North Carolina rebel Eric Church enhanced his reputation by including veteran Texan outlaw Ray Wylie Hubbard in the video for their co-write on the title track of his seventh album. Church, 41, topped Billboard charts on debut with this 11 original song showcase.

He proves surviving blood clot surgery last year was a blessing from reptilian metaphor entrée The Snake that segues into joyous love songs Hangin’ Around, Heart Like A Wheel and Some Of It.Church reaches back to childhood for humorous homily Monsters and adolescence for Hippie Radio as history repeats in his own paternity with song titles torn from his memory bank. The singer resurrects moonshine and sinners in Biblical love song Higher Wire, defies the devil in the passion of Desperate Man and praises trusted family value memories in Solid. Church overcomes ruptured romance with solace in music and booze instead of modern remedies in Jukebox And A Bar and whiskey soaked spirited sibling finale Drowning Man. Eric proves his church of preference triumphs on a dynamic disc.

Simply Bushed aren’t afraid to tackle the important issues headon, mixing them with humorous observations and Here And Now has both in swagfuls. The iconic Australian band gets listeners’ engines revving with No More Holdens, mourning the loss of Australian car manufacturing, before we move to the humorous, Good Luck With That inspired by a woman who judged co-frontman, Paul Grierson, on his impressive mullet. Wave Your Finger is a cheeky look at the tradition of waving to fellow drivers, while The Truck Song could have you singing words that aren’t there. The title track celebrates the migrant experience while Raise Your Glass and What About Me pays tribute to military personnel in all wars, with the latter stemming from a conversation between co-frontman Chris Rieger and a Vietnam War veteran. White Side Of The Fence is a hard-hitting look at the treatment of Aborigines. Here and Now has plenty of traditional country with a touch of country rock, demonstrating the diversity of Simply Bushed and is a must buy.

Here we have Willie Nelson mining the American Songbook with a collection of songs that are more famously associated with Frank Sinatra, but with the understated vocals we fans have come to love from his Stardust album back in 1978. The set ranges from the small group sound conveyed on Rodgers and Hart’s Blue Moon, which is supplemented with harmonica and pedal steel, to the lush orchestral styling on Ervin Drake’s It Was A Very Good Year. Along the way Willie lends his now famous tones to Fly Me To The Moon, Night And Day, Summer Wind, Young At Heart and Sinatra’s signature tune My Way (written by Paul Anka) and four other songs. Willie nails these songs perfectly and is it any wonder really - fans of a certain age might recall that he was into jazz in his early years, and that, along with his friendship with Ol’ Blue Eyes, all that may be responsible for his unique phrasing which skirts the beat, but works so well.

Prolific singer-songwriter Troy Cassar-Daley has plenty worth celebrating on his 42-track Greatest Hits CD, replete with two new tunes. Troy, 49 and father of two, explores empathy in growing up with two separated parents in evocative entrée Wouldn’t Change A Thing. He reaches back to street busking at 12 with Proud Young Man and debut 1994 single Dream Out Loud and ends his epic with other new song Shadows On The Hill on ABC-TV series Mystery Road. Troy praises mum Irene in Trains, Ladies In My Life, I Wish I Was A Train and Freedom Ride - the latter two with Paul Kelly. He pays homage to mentor Slim Dusty in his Adam Harvey duet on Lights On The Hill and with Slim on The Biggest Disappointment. Troy tears poetic pages from his life in River Boy with Shane Howard, Last Mile Home, Going Back Home, Home, Halfway Creek, Timber Cutting Man, Chasing Rodeo, V 8 Town and Born To Survive. Duets with Kasey Chambers on Lonesome But Free and Getaway Car are cream on this true time capsule.

EMI 6774129 DAVID DAWSON.

CHECKED LABEL SERVICES BHN 917 GRACE SCOTT

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WILLIE NELSON

SONY/LEGACY RECORDINGS JON WOLFE

TROY CASSAR-DALEY

MUSHROOM GROUP/BLOOD33 DAVID DAWSON years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

SOUND ADVICE - album reviews are the reviewers’ own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the view of Capital News or the publisher. Sound Advice will accept unsolicited albums for consideration, but cannot guarantee published reviews. Sound Advice does not review singles. Send 2 CDs together with biography or media release to Capital News, PO Box 555, Tamworth NSW 2340 and email a jpg of the cover to c.byrnes@tamworth.nsw.gov.au WILDFIRES JENNY MITCHELL INDEPENDENT Jenny hails from New Zealand and has already forged a following for her music since her 2015 album The Old Oak and as the Gore Gold Guitar winner in 2017, so this second album is sure to gather in more fans, and hopefully a chance to establish herself and her music in Australia. From the opening title song to the final track 12 (Travelling Bones) you will hear heartfelt songs about leaving home, first love, and the importance of family told with a truly passionate honesty. I’d put this in the Americana box, but there’s a uniqueness that sometimes defies pinning a category on it – but the tang of country provides background high notes and the blues favours the sadder moments. Check out Wildfires, One Day, the sublime The Ocean, the insight of the singer on the road in Troubadour and the duet with her father Ron, Thing Called Love. Producer Matt Fell and his chosen players have achieved a perfect balance with Jenny’s vocals and I suggest you listen in the quiet of late night with a friend and/or a bottle of your favourite libation.

LITTLE ACORN RECORDS JM002 JON WOLFE

AFTER THE WAR

VARIOUS ABC

Coinciding with the centenary of the signing of the armistice, this collection of songs will both move you, and ignite a sense of pride and patriotism. It’s a nod to the men and women who have served or are still serving their country and is both powerful and thought provoking. This release features some of Australian music’s top voices, including the powerhouse vocals of this country’s muchloved Lee Kernaghan in I Am Invictus, which was the official song of Sydney’s Invictus games.

It also features the title track After The War, with Wes Car and Lance Corporal Elizabeth Smith delivering the powerful ballad.

These are songs about love, fight, loyalty and friendship and are woven through 15 tracks which you could listen to repeatedly, and the message of this album still would not be lost on you.

It’s a compilation of hits of great Australian war stories to inspire you and captivate your heart.

A must have for any Australian album collection.

ABC/UMA 6795890 HALEY SHERIDAN

years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

DROUGHT RELIEF:

BOOM

WALKER HAYES

ROOM TO SPARE: THE ACOUSTIC SESSIONS

MONUMENT RECORDS/SONY ENTERTAINMENT

KIP MOORE

SONY MUSIC

UNIVERSAL

It might be his debut album, but Walker Hayes shows off his true professionalism and talent in this release. It’s a collection of 10 songs that are beautifully put together and it’s truly something easy to listen to and certainly a soundtrack for the Australian summer. While the roots of this album are very much country, Hayes showcases his skills across a multitude of genres, with elements of hip hop, rock and soul that are beautifully fused together to create this great work of art. The tracks are uplifting and his acoustics cross over with the similar vocal stylings to that of Jason Mraz and even Jack Johnson. Having some time to write songs between his earlier single releases, Hayes really has honed in on his craftmanship and it shines through in Boom. This one might not be the one for the truly traditional country fans it’s a real treat for those who enjoy the blurred lines of the country genres combined with great beats and good times.

Room To Spare is Kip Moore like we’ve rarely heard him – laid bare and stripped back, allowing his raw vocals and the lyrics to star.

I am a longtime listener of Kip’s music and he’s got nowhere to hide with the production and fairly acoustic instrumentation of this album and he’s never sounded better. The acoustic version of I Plead The Fifth, originally recorded on his 2017 album, Slowheart, has him pouring his heart out. The first single, Tennessee Boy, is trademark Kip about the simple pleasures of life, while Wish It Was Me is a track about hoping a former lover was wishing they were still with you. The beautiful Love You To The Moon is a whimsical love song, while Come Home With You and Part Of Growing Out round out this seven-track offering and are both co-writes from Kip (he co-wrote five of the songs and co-produced the album). Be sure to get this one in your collection – physical copies only available in Australia.

ARTISTS FOR THE DROUGHT APPEAL It’s an album featuring some of the greatest hits from our nation’s greatest names and some international stars too. In true Australian style it’s about coming together to support our farmers in the grip of drought. This two-cd compilation album delivers inspiration in the face of adversity.

It features icons including John Farnham, Midnight Oil and Jimmy Barnes and household names including Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy in a cleverly thought out catalogue of songs.

The album oozes Australiana and delivers a message of resilience and hope to those battling the drought and also quite fittingly features the Icehouse classic, Great Southern Land. If all the hits in the one place, wasn’t enough to have you sold, the best part is proceeds from this release are directed to Rural Aid to help those who need it. This drought relief album is well worth having in your collection for so many reasons.

SONY MUSIC 19075894872 HALEY SHERIDAN

SONY 88985483242 HALEY SHERIDAN

UMA/MCA NASHVILLE 7720274 REBECCA BELT

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COUNTRYCHARTS ARIA TOP 20 AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY ALBUMS Week commencing 24 November 2018 TW

LW

TI

1 New 1

HP

TITLE

1

Experiment This One’s For You Things That We Drink To So Country 2018 Graffiti U Music For Cruizin’: Country To Coast Just Great Country Songs Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Men Of Country 2018 Beaut Ute Anthems 2018 After The War Hit Country 2018 What Makes You Country The Very Best Of Dolly Parton 34 Number Ones Hit Country - Ultimate Party The Sound Of Nashville Cream Of Country 2018 Ultimate... Country

2 2 75 1 3 1 5 1 4 3 35 1 5 5 29 1 6 7 54 2 7 6 15 3 8 4 4 1 9 11 667 1 10 10 13 6 11 9 7 6 12 21 5 5 13 13 21 4 14 15 49 1 15 14 374 1 16 20 389 1 17 R/E 66 4 18 17 92 9 19 22 44 1 20 16 154 12

ARTIST

KANE BROWN

Rca/Sme

LUKE COMBS

Col/Sme

MORGAN EVANS

War

VARIOUS

Sme

KEITH URBAN

Cap/Emi

VARIOUS

Sme

VARIOUS

Sme

TROY CASSAR-DALEY

Bdl/Uma

SHANIA TWAIN

Uma

VARIOUS

Sme

VARIOUS

Abc/Uma

VARIOUS

Abc/Uma

VARIOUS

Abc/Uma

LUKE BRYAN

Cap/Emi

DOLLY PARTON

Rca/Sme

ALAN JACKSON

Ari/Sme

VARIOUS

Abc/Uma

VARIOUS

Sme

VARIOUS

Sme

VARIOUS

Leg/Sme

THE MUSIC NETWORK OFFICIAL AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY AIRPLAY TOP 20 Week commencing 24 November 2018 TW

LW

TI

HP

TITLE

ARTIST

LABEL

1 1 22 1 Day Drunk

MORGAN EVANS

2 2 23 2 Simple

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE

3 6 6 3 Happy

TRAVIS COLLINS

4 3 24 3 Hotel Key

OLD DOMINION

RCA/SME

5 4 15 4 She Got The Best Of Me

LUKE COMBS

COL/SME

6 9 13 6 Desperate Man

ERIC CHURCH

CAP/EMI

7 5 17 3 Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset

LUKE BRYAN

CAP/EMI

8 13 8 8 Wouldn’t Change A Thing

TROY CASSAR-DALEY

9 7 21 7 No Sad Song

THE WOLFE BROTHERS

10 8 12 6 What I Don’t Know

RACHAEL FAHIM

11 14 10 11 Lioness

BECCY COLE

12 12 9 10 Love Wins

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

13 10 5 10 Best Shot

JIMMIE ALLEN

WMA BIG/UMA ABC/UMA

MUSHROOM ABC/UMA IND ABC/UMA CAP/EMI SCR

14 16 6 14 Somebody’s Daughter

TENILLE TOWNES

COL/SME

15 22 3 15 Drunk Me

MITCHELL TENPENNY

COL/SME

16 11 18 5 I’d Rather Be A Highwayman

ADAM HARVEY

SME

17 15 12 10 Lose It

KANE BROWN

RCA/SME

18 18 15 14 Drunk Girl

CHRIS JANSON

WB/WMA

19 41 2 19 Neon Church

TIM MCGRAW

COL/SME

20 20 15 5 Party Down Under

ADAM BRAND

ABC/UMA

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years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

COUNTRY SONGS Week commencing 24 November 2018. This chart is published by Campfire Publishing and updated weekly at countrytrackschart.com.au POS LW

TI

HP

TRACK TITLE

ARTIST

1 1 9 1(4) Wouldn’t Change A Thing

TROY CASSAR-DALEY

2 3 4 2(1) Trouble Looks Good On You

AMBER JOY POULTON

3 5 6 3(1) Little Country Life

MELISSA ROBERTSON

4 4 3 4(2) Long As You’re Lonely

DELLA HARRIS

5 15 2 5(1) When Willie’s Gone

ADAM HARVEY

6 7 5 6(1) Dust Of Australia

TOM MAXWELL

7 2 11 2(1) Young Years

BEN RANSOM (FEAT. SHARON O’NEILL)

8 11 4 5(1) Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy

CLELIA ADAMS

9 14 5 9(1) Hours In A Day

DESTINY

10 25 2 10(1) Only In Australia

BENN GUNN

11 10 10 1(2) When I’m Gone

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT

12 16 9 6(1) Set Sail

CASEY BARNES

13 13 5 13(2) My Angel

SHELLY JONES BAND

14 21 3 14(1) Together We Can

CARTER & CARTER

15 8 15 1(4) Honky Tonk Heroes

BRENDAN DUGAN

16 9 4 9(1) Kitchen Table

REX DALLAS

17 22 8 9(2) Unclouded Day

CONNIE KIS ANDERSEN

18 17 3 17(1) After January Rains

JEFF BROWN

19 6 16 1(2) Lioness

BECCY COLE

20 33 21 1(2) Diamantina Coming Down

DALE DUNCAN

CMC TOP 50 Week Commencing 24 November 2018. This chart is updated weekly at countrymusicchannel.com.au or tune into CMC. TW TITLE

ARTIST

1 Simple

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE BIG MACHINE

LABEL

2 She Got The Best Of Me LUKE COMBS

SONY

3 Desperate Man

ERIC CHURCH

4 Drunk Me

MITCHELL TENPENNY

5 Day Drunk

MORGAN EVANS

EMI SONY

TW TITLE

ARTIST

26 Real Good Time

JUDAH KELLY

UMA

27 Fit You In A Song

MELANIE DYER

UMA

LABEL

28 The One That Got Away MICHAEL RAY

WARNER

29 Love Or Money

BENNETT, BOWTELL &

30 No Sad Song

THE WOLFE BROTHERS

URQUHART

WARNER

CHECKED LABEL SERVICES ABC

6 Happy

TRAVIS COLLINS

ABC

7 Burning Man

DIERKS BENTLEY F/ BROTHERS OSBORNE

31 Never In Love

MISSY LANCASTER

EMI

32 Eyes On You

CHASE RICE

8 Lioness

BECCY COLE

ABC

33 If You Let It

BAYLOU

9 Love Wins

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

EMI

34 Dive Bar

GORD BAMFORD

ABC

ABC

35 House Full Of Flowers

KIRSTY LEE AKERS

SFR

36 Secondhand Heart

MELODY MOKO

37 Go On Your Way

KASEY CHAMBERS

38 Dream Believe

O’SHEA

10 Kissing A Girl Goodnight DREW MCALISTER 11 Wouldn’t Change A Thing TROY CASSAR-DALEY

BLOODLINES

12 Life Changes

THOMAS RHETT

BMLG/UMA

13 What I Don’t Know

RACHAEL FAHIM

TOP DOG

14 You’re In It

GRANGER SMITH

WHEELHOUSE/BMG

15 Down To The Honkytonk JAKE OWEN

BIG LOUD

SONY BROKEN BOW/BMG INDEPENDENT

INDEPENDENT WARNER SONY

39 Got My Name Changed Back – PISTOL ANNIES

SONY

40 Forever Won’t Be Long Enough – HAYLEY JENSEN

SFR

16 Somebody’s Daughter

TENILLE TOWNES

41 Redemption

TORI FORSYTH

17 Best Shot

JIMMIE ALLEN

STONEY CREEK/BMG

42 Coming Home

HAYLEY MARSTEN

18 This Is It

SCOTTY MCCREERY TRIPLE TIGERS/SONY

43 Make It Sweet

OLD DOMINION

44 Love Someone

BRETT ELDREDGE

45 Country Heart

THE WOLFE BROTHERS

46 Miss Me More

KELSEA BALLERINI

47 When Willie’s Gone

ADAM HARVEY

48 Villians

BEN LEECE

SONY

19 Real Men Don’t Cry (War On Pride) FANNY LUMSDEN RED DIRT RECORDS 20 Good Girl DUSTIN LYNCH BROKEN BOW/BMG 21 Hung Up On You TROY KEMP/JAYNE DENHAM CHECKED 22 Late Night Girl IMOGEN CLARK LOST HIGHWAY 23 Burn Out MIDLAND BIG MACHINE 24 If Heaven Has A Soundtrack ADAM BRAND ABC 25 Neon Church TIM MCGRAW SONY years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

LOST HIGHWAY INDEPENDENT SONY WARNER

SONY SONY STANLEY RECORDS

49 Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset LUKE BRYAN 50 Break Up In The End

ABC

COLE SWINDELL

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BUSH BALLADS

TAMWORTH OR THE BUSH – OR BOTH

BY PETER COAD OAM WWW.BUSHBALLADEERS.COM.AU

THE “BALLADEERS HOMESTEAD” (SALVATION ARMY COMPLEX HALL, GOONOO GOONOO ROAD, TAMWORTH) PRESENTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH BALLADEERS ASSOCIATION WILL AGAIN BE IN FULL SWING AS PART OF THE 2019 TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL.

M

ain Concerts at the venue include Dean Perrett & Jeff Brown, Ernie Constance, Dianne Lindsay, Anne Kirkpatrick, Graham Rodger, Peter Coad & The Coad Sisters, Runaway Dixie, The Band Of Mates (Terry Bennetts, Evan Platschinda, & Ginger Cox) The Gunbarrel Highwaymen. The Brian Young Bronze Bust Fundraiser Concert will feature a top line up of artists including Chad Morgan OAM, and the Tamworth Hall of Fame Fundraiser concert will feature artists paying tribute

to pioneer artists. There will be a top line-up of multi-artist traditional-style concerts, along with association artist member’s showcases throughout the week. Catering is supplied by the Salvo Country Kitchen.

The Southside Uniting Church also on Goonoo Goonoo Road, Tamworth is another top venue providing traditional entertainment with traditional shows and artists. Graham Rodger will also be presenting a top line-up of shows at the Tamworth Community Centre over the festival week. Check the Official Tamworth Guide for all details on these shows mentioned and others, because if you love traditional and bush ballad style music I know there will be plenty of great shows to check out at the 2019 Tamworth Country Music Festival.

BALLADEERS ON TOUR Jeff Brown, Lyn Brown, The Brown Boys, Keith Jamieson, Alisha Smith, and Caitlyn Jamieson will take their traditional country show on the road over late December through to mid January.

With a packed agenda of shows commencing at Pittsworth Qld on Thursday, December 27, into Victoria and finishing up at Ilford Hall NSW on January 17, followers of good traditional style music shows should watch out for their posters.

You can find the tour dates on the ABBA website tour date page and in the gig guide of this edition of Capital News.

NAMBUNG SUCCESS CONTINUES The Nambung Country Music Muster in WA again attracted an excellent attendance of country music followers to the four day event. Hosted by Gloria and Brian White on their cattle property two hours north of Perth. The main artists featured included Peter Denahy, Dianne Lindsay, Peter Simpson, Sharon Heaslip, and the Band of Mates (Terry Bennetts, Evan Platschinda, and Ginger Cox). The festival was expanded from three days to four this year and included more local artists among those from interstate. The festival is on again next year, so put it into your calendar for the October 24 to 27, 2019.

ALBUM REVIEW LAURA DOWNING THE GUARDIAN Kross Kut Records KKR 218CD The album opens with Brian Letton’s Sounds Of The Bush followed by Graeme Connors’ Dieseline Dreams giving the listener the idea of how good this CD is. The title song The Guardian is a story of the little bulldog emblem on the front of a Bulldog Mack truck written by Laura Downing and Lindsay Waddington as was Her Little Miracle. Known for her yodelling Laura has the song Yodelling With Attitude plus the great track where Trevor Tolton is featured in Back To Those Rolling Plains and Laura on harmony vocals and the yodels. The last track Rolling Wagons features Glenn Jones.

Overall this is a great traditional album of 12 bush ballad/story songs and up to date I think the best she has recorded.

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D O W N M E M O RY L A N E

A ROYAL FAMILY TREE

BY LORRAINE PFITZNER OAM

AT JUST FIVE-WEEKS-OLD, DIANNE LINDSAY WENT ON HER FIRST TOUR OF AUSTRALIA WITH HER PARENTS REG LINDSAY AND HEATHER McKEAN.

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ianne is a member of the Australian country music royal family. Her mother’s sister is Joy McKean; her uncle is Slim Dusty, and her cousins are Anne Kirkpatrick and David Kirkpatrick making quite an impressive heritage.

Despite having no recollection of that first tour as a baby, Dianne established very early in life that her love of both country music and touring was a path she desired.

While growing up in Sydney, Dianne occasionally performed years of bringing you the music 1975–2018

on her parent’s shows joining them on a few early tours.

At age 22, she married and was blessed with three children, Leanne, Steven and Alissa but was widowed when her youngest was just four-years-old. Dianne dedicated her life to providing the best care and lifestyle for her children, working two jobs and setting up her own successful retail business. It was a difficult time for Dianne to follow her musical dream but she kept her interest alive by singing in local events when time permitted.

In 2003 she met Peter Simpson who shared a love of traditional country music and who became her husband and musical partner.

Dianne’s musical career blossomed and today she is regarded as one of the leading female artists in the traditional country music scene.

She shows great respect and support for other artists, encourages up-and-coming artists, and supports many country music clubs and venues and

was very honoured when the Pittwater (Belrose) Country Music Club invited her to become a patron of their club of which Smoky Dawson was a previous patron.

In 2011 Dianne was inducted into the Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame in Iowa and performed at the National Old Time Music Festival where she has a standing invitation to return when time allows.

She then sang on the original Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville where her parents had performed many years before and has a standing invitation to return when time allows.

Dianne is an accomplished recording artist, and has released several albums and appeared on a great number of compilation albums.

For the past seven years, Dianne and Peter have co-hosted a national radio program, The Australian Bush Ballad Show, showcasing Australian bush ballad music and artists broadcast in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Dianne and Peter tour extensively, write, perform and promote Australian bush ballads with a passion. A multi Golden Guitar finalist, Dianne has enjoyed much success including being a four-time People’s Choice Female Vocal winner among many others and was inducted into the Tamworth Hands of Fame in 2014.

Dianne and Peter have organised and run a couple of festivals in recent years including Gwandalan and they host the largest bush ballad concert in Australia the ‘Back To The Bush’ concert which attracts huge crowds each year and has turned into a major event at the at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

With many exciting projects in store Dianne’s future ambitions are to continue writing, performing and promoting true Australian country music and bush ballads but most of all her ambition is to make a positive and lasting contribution to the music and industry she loves and which has been such a big part of her life.

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WRIT ING GRE AT SONGS

WRITING FOR THE MARKET

BY A L L A N CA S W E L L

ONE OF THE MOST IRRITATING AND OVERUSED PHRASES IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS “YOU HAVE TO WRITE FOR THE MARKET”.

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his, from people who call songs “tracks”, and albums “product”.

I have been writing songs for the best part of 50 years and I have never written “for the market” … I write for the audience, for people and feel that my duty to touch people not market to them.

Marketing people say profound things like “you can’t have a hit with a ballad” and “That isn’t what’s happening right now” and can consign really good songs to the dark edges of the “product”. I am only interested in writing great songs and songs that I am proud of. My “misguided and poor attitude” has garnered me a number of hits over the years so I am not at all concerned with these particular flaws in my character.

If you start with a crap song, no amount of technology, film clippery, and followers on social media or publicity can save it. If you start with a great song those things might just turn it into a hit. Who knows, you may get a few thousand streams and make $20.

There is a real danger in “writing for the market” that you will constantly be writing last month’s hit again. Allowing for the time it takes to get your record out you would then

be up to a year behind the times.

As an artist or writer, you will always be bombarded with ideas and advice … you have to trust your instincts.

If getting great songs means you have to write more songs to get the ones you want … is this a bad thing? In writing for an album, you need more than 10 to choose from (they won’t all be great) and you don’t need anything stupid like 50 … great songs can get lost among the not so great. I usually start with 10 then try to beat them. Never be scared to pull in co-writers to help you finish stuff or give you variety.

Your songs are your art; they reflect your ideas and feelings. In its purest form it is a conversation between you and the person listening to it. If you lose that connection, why bother.

Every year, I write dozens of songs with lots of different writers, many of them 30 or 40 years younger than me. I will

write in any style and in any sub-genre of country music or styles outside country. The style isn’t important to me.

I will happily write a pop country, alt country, traditional country, honky tonk or bluegrass. What I won’t write are lightweight little ‘me too” songs that don’t have great hooks, heart or substance.

“Writing for the market” can lure you into a dark but glossy world where all your songs sound like everyone else’s. Please believe me, I have nothing against contemporary country music I love a lot of it and it can be exciting to write.

Regardless of the genre, badly formed or unfinished songs make me really grumpy …. I can get witnesses to prove it.

I have been having the same fruitless and seemingly endless conversation for over two years now. Here’s my take on it … yes, the business is in a slump and it’s hard to make money and there is huge competition for limited opportunities but … making money wasn’t what got you into writing songs … it’s a bi-product. You started writing songs because you had something to say, you had talent and you loved it. I still love writing songs, if anything, I love it more than I have ever done. The business is always changing … songwriting never does. Write great songs … it cuts down the odds against you making it. As I read this column it seems like it is very much my opinion, but it is, after all, my column and I’m quite happy to answer my critics.

See you next month … maybe.

If you have questions regarding participating or hosting upcoming songwriting workshops, my “one-on-one” private songwriting coaching service (based in the Blue Mountains), or my book contact me on 0419 218 988 or at allan@allancaswell.com

ALLAN CASWELL SONGWRITING SCHOOL For information about future workshops: 0419 218 988, allan@allancaswell.com

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COMINGEVENTS DECEMBER 2018 We are not aware of any festivals in December 2018 JANUARY 2019 9-13 Parkes Elvis Festival | NSW | Contact: Cathy Treasure, Festival Director | T: 02 6862 6000 | E: elvis@parkes.nsw.gov.au | parkeselvisfestival.com.au 11-17 Countdown to the 47th Toyota CMF Tamworth | NSW 12 Gwandalan CMF | NSW Cancelled 18-27 47th Toyota CM Festival Tamworth | NSW | tcmf.com.au 26-27 Matamata Piako CM Awards | Overall Junior, Intermediate, Senior, Veteran & Songwriter categories will be eligible for the 2019 Entertainer of the Year 28-Feb 3 Bungendore CM Muster | Walk-ups, poets breakfast | M: 0458 896 180 | E: Bungendorecountrymusicmuster@outlook.com | W: bungendorecountrymusicmuster.com.au FEBRUARY 2019 Jan-Feb 3 Bungendore CM Muster | Walk-ups, poets breakfast, Busking In The Village, Concert | M: 0458 896 180 | E: Bungendorecountrymusicmuster@outlook.com | W: bungendorecountrymusicmuster.com.au 2 Stan Coster Awards | Time: 8pm | M: 0458 896 180 | E: Bungendorecountrymusicmuster@outlook.com | W: bungendorecountrymusicmuster.com.au 9 Whittlesea CMF | Free community all-day event | Vic | M: 0400 877 076 | info@whittleseacountrymusicfestival.com.au or leannewcmf@hotmail.com | W: whittleseacountrymusicfestival.com.au 15-17 34th Boyup Brook CMF & WA CM Awards presented by LiveLighter | WA | T: 08 9765 1657 | E: countrymusicwa@westnet.com.au | w: countrymusicwa.com.au 13-17 7th Devil Country Muster presented by the Rotary Club of Smithton | Talent Quest, walk-up, featured concert with Gina Jeffreys, Davidson Brothers, Toombs Brothers, Anne Kirkpatrick and more | Trawmanna, Smithton | Tas | W: devilcountrymuster.com.au 16-17 28th Lake Charlegrark CM Marathon | Artists: Adam Harvey, The Wolfe Brothers, Brothers3, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Graeme Hugo, Gavin Chandler, Rodney Vincent, Fine Form, Sandie Dodd, and Sandra Humphries | Contact: John Naylor | E: president@lccmm.com.au | W: lccmm.com.au MARCH 2019 1-3 24th Annual Cobargo Folk Festival | NSW | Artists The Western Flyers, Susan O’Neill (Ireland), Stiff Gins, Shortis & Simpson, Sharon Shannon (Ireland), Shane Howard, Scott Cook & The She’ll Be Rights, Nick Charles, Luke O’Shea, Jordie Lane and more. | W: cobargofolkfestival.com 1-4 30th Nannup Music Festival | Nannup | WA | E: info@nannupmusicfestival.org | W: nannupmusicfestival.org 9 Reg Lindsay Memorial Talent Quest | Grand final prize 500 copies of a fully-produced 2-track CD by Roy Cooper | East Cessnock Bowling Club | Neath Street | Cessnock | NSW | Contact Ros Lindsay | E: info@reglindsay.com.au | M: 0412 967 863 14-17 CMC Rocks QLD | Willowbank Raceway, Ipswich | Qld | E: info@cmcrocks.com | W: cmcrocks.com 15-17 Terang CMF | Terang Racecourse | Contact: Geoff Barby, Chairman | M: 0419 343 626 | E: info@terangcountrymusic.com.au | W: terangcountrymusic.com.au 21-24 Final Horsham CMF | Horsham Soundshell | Vic | Contact: Lyall Wheaton | T: 03 5381 1995 | E: lyallwheaton@bigpond.com | W: horshamcountrymusic.com.au 22-24 22nd Yackandandah Folk Festival | Vic | E: folkfestival@yackandandah.com | W: yackfolkfestival.com 23-24 Country Music Rush | Oakey Cultural Centre | Contact: Dell Lowein | T: 0417 728 182 | E: lowien77@bigpond.com | W: gardencitycountrymusic.com.au 31 32nd Annual Penrith Working Truck Show | 8am-4pm | Museum of Fire | 1 Museum Drive | Penrith | NSW | T: 02 4731 3000 | E: admin@museumoffire.com.au W: pwts.com.au

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