Tamworth Country Music Capital News - May/June2023 - Volume 48 No 3

Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole

Sally-Anne

Lane Pi man

Duncan Toombs

Loren Ryan

Whi en

Travis List

editor’s NOTE festival fever

From June 8 to 11, the CMA Nashville will present their 50th CMA Fest. CMA Fest began in 1972 and was known as Fan Fair, drawing 5000 fans to the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

Tamworth made its festival official just six months later, in January 1973, however, Tamworth celebrated its 50th ahead of theirs by 12 months, because the CMA had to postpone what was to be its 50th in June 2022, due to the pandemic.

My how it’s grown and we have learned a lot about each other through the past five decades.

That’s an average of 10 each month so I can understand why the ‘grey nomad’ lifestyle is so popular for many.

The festivals target all styles of country and attract fans of all types of music. They are unique in their own way and offer event-goers the opportunity to have a fun experience, seeing their favourite acts as well as being introduced to new artists.

This month we’re finding out about upcoming festivals including the Gympie Music Muster (August), the new Let’s

Wing It Festival in Scone NSW (June), Hats Off To Country (July), and the Deni Ute Muster (Deniliquin NSW).

We also go across the ditch to our country cousins in Gore on the South Island of New Zealand where the Tussock festival will take place at the end of May, into the first week of June.

On behalf of all of their friends in Australasia, I wish to send them a huge congratulations on this epic milestone. While social media has become a new and an important addition to an artist’s marketing, festivals remain vital to connecting to fans in a more personal setting.

All our featured artists this month have benefitted from being part of a festival and I just know you’re going to love reading their stories.

Keep it country

Cheryl Brown

cheryl@tamworthcountrymusic. com.au

As I began putting this issue together, I was reminded of just how many festivals and events take place throughout the country – over 100 in fact, and they’re just the ones I know of.

Lee Kernaghan’s Outback Club – TCMF 2023

MANAGING EDITOR

Cheryl Brown

P: 0407 10 69 66

E: cheryl@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au

ADVERTISING

Cheryl Brown

P: 0407 10 69 66

E: cheryl@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Simone Mitchell

T: 0439 406 136

C ONTRIBUTORS

Allan Caswell, Anna Rose, Bec Gracie, Colin Buchanan, David Dawson, Haley Craig, Jon Wolfe, Lachlan Bryan, Lorraine Pfitzner OAM, Peter Coad OAM and Susan Jarvis.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

We thank all photographers who supply images on behalf of artists and festivals with many acknowledged throughout.

ART AND DESIGN

Sam Woods

UPCOMING DEADLINES:

July/August - 1 June

September/October - 1 August

November/December - 1 October

MUSHROOM CELEBRATES 50 YEARS

This year marks the Mushroom Group’s 50th anniversary with plans underway for a series of events and initiatives to be held throughout 2023 that will culminate in a major concert featuring an all-star roster of artists.

The blockbuster Mushroom 50 concert is planned for November with the line-up, venue and ticket details to be revealed.

Mushroom Group Chief Executive, Matt Gudinski said; “Mushroom Group’s legacy is something we’re extremely proud of and we have big plans to commemorate it. So many amazing people and artists have formed part of our story and this anniversary is about celebrating our history and future.”

A feature documentary will premiere in cinemas across Australia later this year, exploring the late Michael Gudinski’s remarkable career and the impact he had on both Australian music and culture.

The iconic milestone will also see a special series of reimagined singles covering Mushroom classics from across the group’s history.

RESCHEDULED MIDLAND DATES

Grammy®-nominated trio Midland have confirmed their rescheduled Australian tour dates for August, following the December tour postponement.

They kick off their tour in Rockhampton on August 25 with dates down Eastern Australia, including an appearance at the Gympie Muster on August 27.

In 2018, Midland, Mark Wystrach (lead vocalist), Jess Carson (lead vocalist), and Cameron Duddy (bass player), received their first Grammy Awards nominations for Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the fan favourite Drinkin’ Problem and were named New Vocal Group of the Year at the 2018 ACM Awards.

QMA WINNERS

Country, Blues and Roots artists fared well at the annual Queensland Music Awards with James Johnston acknowledged as winner of the Country Award for Country Boys.

Jen Mize & the Rough ‘n’ Tumble received the Blues and Roots award for All Riled Up and William Barton received the Indigenous Award for Kalkani.

The first single released is a version of The Church’s 1988 ARIA Single Of The Year and top 30 Billboard hit in the US, Under The Milky Way by The Temper Trap.

All singles released will culminate in a Mushroom 50 album, serving as the definitive compilation of reimagined Mushroom music.

A range of limited-edition Mushroom 50 merchandise is also available. The items feature both vintage and modern designs, celebrating Mushroom Group’s evolution. For more information visit mushroom50.com

Their second album Let It Roll was a top five release on the Australian country album ARIA Charts in 2019 and coincided with their first visit to Australia as part of the international contingent headlining the inaugural C2C Music festival in September 2019.

Midland’s most recent album is The Last Resort: Greetings From (Big Machine/UMA), released in May 2022. Australian superstar Travis Collins joins the tour as special guest.

Tickets and exclusive VIP meet and greet packages are available at midlandofficial.com.

In the commercial success categories, Gold Coast singersongwriter and superstar Amy Shark was crowned with Highest Selling Single for Sway My Way while Casey Barnes received Highest Selling Album for Light It Up.

Local industry icon, activist and drummer for The Go Betweens, Belinda ‘Lindy’ Morrison OAM was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of work as an advocate for First Nations people and women in the music industry as well as her outstanding contribution to Queensland music.

Over $45,000 in scholarships were also awarded throughout the night.

Gamilaraay singer-songwriter

Thelma Plum was the standout star of the 2023 Queensland Music Awards taking home the coveted Song of the Year and the Pop awards for her single Backseat Of My Mind.

Hosted by Katherine Feeney and Kevin Yow Yeh, the evening was a celebration of the music and stories from the state’s best musicians across 26 categories and performances from Casey Barnes, Hope D, Uncle Bob Wetherall, Katie Noonan, Dameeeela and a show-starting opening number by Sahara Beck.

381% GROWTH IN COUNTRY MUSIC

The Official Charts Company (OCC) reported that country music has seen the fastest growth of any genre over the past five years in the U.K. based on streaming data. This success is, in part, correlated with the ongoing support from BBC Radio 2, the ease of streaming, the rise of new country music radio stations, the influx of headline tours by country artists and the success of country music festivals such as C2C and The Long Road.

COUNTRY

ARTISTS SELL OUT ARENAS WORLD WIDE

In New Zealand, South Africa, UK, Europe and Australia, country artists are making waves, consistently selling out arenas across the globe. Morgan Wallen played to capacity arenas in New Zealand and Australia in addition to headlining Australia’s CMC Rocks, with his December show at The O2 in London selling out in minutes. Kip Moore, who played sold out shows in Australia and New Zealand after his headline set at CMC Rocks, played two consecutive capacity arena shows in South Africa and the UK this quarter. Additionally, Luke Combs, The Chicks and Shania Twain all have multiple arenas shows lined up in U.K and EU this fall, with The Chicks also included on the Glastonbury bill.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

The CMA gathered at the renowned Hall of Fame Rotunda at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum on April 3 where,

Hall of Fame member and event host, Vince Gill revealed the 2023 inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Patty Loveless will be inducted into the Modern Era Artist category, Bob McDill will be inducted in the Songwriter category and Tanya Tucker will be inducted in the Veterans Era Artist category.

C2C WRAPS 10TH YEAR, ANNOUNCES 2024 DATES

Over 84,000 tickets were sold to the country music festival in March, and new for 2024 the festival will move from Dublin to Belfast’s SSE Arena. With nine official C2C stages and over 125 performances over three days in three cities, C2C remains the largest country music festival in Europe. C2C will return March 8-10, 2024.

CMA recently presented the remaining 2022 CMA International Awards to Bob Shennan (BBC), Bobbi Boyce (formerly CMA), Chris Stevens (formerly Chris Country/ CountryLine Radio), Ilse DeLange (Artist, The Netherlands) and Nigel Hassler (CAA) for their exceptional contribution to the growth of country music internationally. Ashley McBryde was presented with her award in November of 2022.

CMA INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

(L-R) Vince Gill gathers with Bob McDill, Patty Loveless and Tanya Tucker following the press conference announcing the Country Music Hall of Fame class of 2023.

PHOTO CREDIT: LUKE

DYSON/CMA

PHOTO CREDIT: LUKE DYSON/CMA

PHOTO: JOHN RUSSELL/CMA

L-R: Caylee Hammack, Milly Olykan, CMA Vice President International Relations & Development, Alana Springsteen, Tyler Braden and Meredith Goucher, CMA Senior Director, International Relations & Development following an Introducing Nashville performance at C2C in London on Friday, March 10, 2023.

L-R: Nigel Hassler was presented with the Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award, Bobbi Boyce was honoured with the Jo Walker Meador International Award, and Chris Stevens was awarded the International Country Broadcaster Award in London during C2C on March 9, 2023.

STRONG CONNECTIONS

and Nick said they come from four generations of farmers and musicians and Tom is the first to give a hatful of credit to the time with Lee.

Lee Kernaghan’s manager Steve White signed them up and it wasn’t long before they were joining Lee as his backing band, building their own following and recording their own albums, something the boys from Tasmania, brothers Tom and Nick Wolfe and their guitarist Brodie Rainbird hadn’t even

dreamed of when they started out performing together.

With five albums under their belts The Wolfe Brothers ventured out on their own in 2022 and if anything, have become even bigger stars in their own right, but are quick to acknowledge the boost that working with Lee gave them.

Part of their rise has been due to talent and a lot of hard work

“I think the one thing Nick and I both loved is Lee is so successful, he’s one of the biggest, he can go anywhere in Australia and fill a room. One of the things I’ll miss is that after a show sometimes it might be just me, Nick and Lee and we’ll have a few whiskeys and listen to old country songs. We got to see a side of Lee that most people don’t. He’s done this his whole life and I find that inspiring.

“When we started, we were so green, so young, and working with

It doesn’t seem like a decade has passed since THE WOLFE BROTHERS caught the attention of fans on Australia’s Got Talent and in that time, they have become the top country rock group in Australia.

him has been really great.”

The boys also acknowledge the part that Steve White and his team have played in their success.

“He’s guided us through the ups and the downs in this industry and we’ve all been through a lot together.”

Last month saw the release of the sixth Wolfe Brothers album, Livin’ The Dream, the follow-up to 2021’s Kids On Cassette that took out the Golden Guitar Contemporary Country Album of the Year and the band also picked up the Group or Duo of the Year award as well.

Most of the songs on Livin’ The Dream were written during the pandemic over many Zoom writing sessions and Tom and Nick both

BY JON WOLFE

said they wanted it to be a return to a more country sound.

The title track is the current single and Nick said “Sonically the song Livin’ The Dream is a conscious decision by us to get back to our country roots. We explored a lot of pop and rock territory on our last record but we wanted to come out of the gate swinging country style and give everyone a taste of what was to come on the rest of the album.”

Tom added “We are very excited for this next chapter in our music. It feels right, fun, and is a real return to our roots. We’re country boys from Tassie living the dream!”

Part of getting that country style was the decision to enlist Rod McCormack as co-producer, alongside Nick, and as luck would have it, it was an inspired choice.

The boys and Rod found themselves in a lockdown situation while recording the album.

Tom Wolfe explains.

“I caught COVID!

“We started recording with Rod on the Central Coast and on day three I was feeling pretty crook – I was staying in an Air B&B and sleeping in a crappy single bed and my back and neck started hurting –I thought it must be the bed. Later my ears started to block up and I thought ‘Oh ohh’ and I did a test and I freaked out!

“We’d invested to do the album with Rod and everyone was petrified of COVID and I’ve brought it in, but Rod was incredibly positive and said ‘We’ll all just lockdown in the studio and do the job. Gina can bring us clothes, air mattresses.

“Rod slept in the kitchen, Nick slept in the amp room, I slept in the vocal booth and Jacky, Rod and Gina’s son, slept in the main room near the piano. Everyone ended up with Covid except Rod!

“And we just worked and worked and worked! We’d go to bed at midnight and Rod would still be working and we’d get up at seven and Rod was back working!”

“Rod is such a phenomenal musician,” Nick said. “We knew he could help capture what we wanted to create.”

Now that the album is in the can, Tom said they knew exactly what they wanted to do, they wanted to make a country rock album.

In the past Nick has always had a big hand in the production side of things and said he always has a good idea of what he wants a song to sound like and would build full band demos of the songs.

All of the songs except one are co-writes with other writers, the exception being the opening track and first single Put The House On It which was written by just Nick and Tom.

“There’s a lot of heart in that song and the second single Here’s To The Ones, written with Brodie Rainbird and Eric Dunn and New Dogs Old Tricks, written with Travis Collins,” Tom said.

“We have a really strong connection with Travis,” Nick said. “I guess in some ways we’re in competition but neither of us think that way. It’s like coming together and how we can lift each other up, he’s a great songwriter too.

“We’ve both come back from the recent CMC Rocks in Queensland and it was good that we both did that and with the heavy international line up I think we both really delivered great sets.”

There’s also a connection with a couple of very successful ex-pats in Phil Barton who lives in Nashville and Gord Bamford who has carved out an exceptional career in Canada.

“Phil has written about 20 cuts with us now and he just gets us,” Tom said. “He’s written some of our best songs, he gets our dynamic and we have a great time together. Every time we go to Nashville and they realise we’re from Australia, someone always asks us ‘Do you know Phil Barton?’.”

The boys teamed up with Gord Bamford to write the album’s penultimate song Empty Pockets when they played at the Calgary Stampede in Canada and it is a laidback song that reflects on life and what one hopes they give while they’re still alive.

A highlight of the album is the number of songs cowritten with their guitarist Brodie Rainbird who is no longer an official part of the band.

“Some of the songs come from when he was part of the band and we really liked them and we wanted to record them,” Tom said. “You know, he’s our best mate and we did all those trips together and the hard yards together and it’s nice that all these songs, he had a part in, get to go out to the world.”

Since the release of Livin’ The Dream plans have been locked in to promote the album.

“We’re going to do a big tour, we want to try and get to new areas,” Tom said. “We want to try and get new fans, so for us it’s a matter of if you’re ever unsure about what we do, come see as live and then you will get us.”

“We are very excited for this next chapter in our music. It feels right, fun, and is a real return to our roots. We’re country boys from Tassie living the dream!”

BY SUSAN JARVIS

In fact, he says he’s at the best place in his life that he could imagine, and he’s enjoying performing more than ever.

“Things are going so well. Over the last 18 months, since coming back from COVID, I’ve been selling out pretty much all my shows, playing to the biggest crowds of my life,” Tommy said.

“I must be one of the luckiest artists out there. I get to do what I love – playing music all over the world, and I do it as Kid Compact – just me and my guitar, and sound and lights. I love every moment.”

Tommy lands back in Australia this month for his first tour in four years, and he’s beyond excited to play to his home crowd again.

Most of his shows were sold out months ago, and a second concert had to be added at the Sydney Opera House to meet demand for tickets.

“I’m playing pretty much every state, apart from the Northern Territory, and doing a run of shows in Queensland, as well as appearing at the Blues on Broadbeach Festival on the Gold Coast. It will be a chance to catch up with all those fans who’ve supported me over the years,” Tommy said.

Tommy’s passion for life and music is contagious – and it inspires and energises everyone around him, including his fellow artists. He’s just brought a swag of them together –rising stars and music legends – for his brand new album Accomplice Two, released in April.

A follow up to Accomplice One, released five years ago, this album was conceived and produced by Tommy, who not only played guitar on all the tracks, but did most of the production and post-production and even played bass and drums.

It’s a testament to Tommy’s standing in the music world that he was able to bring together such a diverse group of performers, from legends like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Little Feat and Jefferson Airplane’s Jorma Kaukonen to rising stars such as Grammy Award winner Molly Tuttle, the amazing Billy Strings, Sam Bush and Yasmin Williams to play and sing with him on this remarkable album.

It ranges from pure, traditional country music, through a surprisingly diverse swathe of bluegrass styles, to the sweet, pure, emotive ballads that are Tommy’s signature.

“I’ve made this album the way I wanted – I love the songs and I love the artists,” Tommy said.

“Luckily, the people I played with were willing to go with my vision. Sometimes bluegrass players are very particular about what they want to do, and I had a different concept in mind. But everyone ended up being caught up in the vision and I’m really proud of the results.

For Tommy, working with these artists was a two-way street.

“I love the word ‘accomplice’, because it’s deeper in meaning than ‘partner’ or ‘duet’,” Tommy said.

“The artists on this project are all so unique and gifted and they inspired me to reach for the stars – to give my best while supporting them while they did the same. With each of them, there was a real chemistry and electricity when we played together.”

The first single released from Accomplice Two is White Freight Liner Blues, recorded with talented newcomer Molly Tuttle, who took out Best Bluegrass Album at this

year’s Grammy Awards and was also nominated for Best New Artist.

Other highlights include Tommy’s tribute to the legendary Doc Watson with Billy Strings on the medley Doc’s Guitar/Black Mountain Rag, the mesmerising performance of Tommy’s original song Mombasa with Yasmin Williams and the equally exquisite Precious Time with Sierra Hull, and the retro Sweet Temptation with the Del McCoury Band.

I also adored Daddy Frank with the amazing Jamey Johnson and Tommy and Sam Bush’s spoof version of Yeller Rose of Texas

There’s traditional country, progressive bluegrass, fast and furious picking, old-time music and

He may have been performing for close to six decades now, but TOMMY EMMANUEL’s still just as excited about playing music as when he was a fresh-faced kid.

some amazing vocals – particularly Raul Malo’s performance on Far Away Places and Michael McDonald’s velvet voice on Someone Like You

The album features 16 tracks, and each of them is a perfectly formed gem in its own right, performed with passion, skill and a fresh, exciting approach.

The artists involved have been effusive in their praise of Tommy, with Molly Tuttle expressing how thrilled she was to be part of the project.

“It was a dream come true to do this. I’ve always been so inspired by his virtuosity on the guitar and his spirit as an entertainer.”

Tommy says, despite the number

REACHING FOR THE STARS

of people involved, the album came together relatively quickly and easily in a very organic way.

“And that’s also how we recorded the tracks. The focus was on getting the live feel, the energy, rather than aiming for perfection. That way it captures the real magic and passion of the music,” he said.

With Accomplice Two now out in the world, Tommy’s attention is turning to his next solo album, which will be a follow-up to 2020’s Best of Tommysongs

“I’ve written quite a lot of new material, and I’ve already got a lot of tracks ready to go,” Tommy said.

“I’ll be debuting a couple of brand new, unrecorded songs on my Australian tour, including Scarlett’s

World, written for my grand-daughter. It’s quite dark and mysterious, and is a reflection on the kind of world she’ll be growing up in.”

Tommy will be joined on his Australian tour by Anthony Snape, another young artist he’s supported.

“For me, getting the chance to help young artists is a way to give back,” he said.

“After all, I’ve never forgotten from my early days that I’m standing on the shoulders of giants – people like Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, and in Australia Buddy Williams, Tex Morton and Slim Dusty. They’re a building block of my life, my heritage.

“But I also gain so much from the energy, the youthful enthusiasm and the sheer, amazing talent of so many new artists who are bringing a whole new dimension to music, and taking it into the future.

“And I’m so privileged that I get to be part of that. I still feel like that young kid in Sydney trying to make a living from playing the guitar – and I’ll always be grateful for the journey I’ve been able to go on, and the place it has brought me to.”

BY ANNA ROSE

Reigning CMAA Male Artist of the Year

ANDREW SWIFT is nothing if not a multi-tasker.

As an independent artist about to releasethen his third album (his second with ABC Music), he wears many hats: manager, graphic designer, accountant, web designer, songwriter and flogger of fabulous merchandise!

In the lead-up to the release of Lightning Strikes and Neon Nights, Swifty was full of excitement, mixed with a few nerves, a tinge of terror and eternal optimism that it will be welcomed by his growing legion of fans.

“I’m really happy with it; that’s the main thing,” says Andrew. “I’m sure there will be plenty of people out there who will enjoy it.”

It’s the third he’s recorded with Golden Guitar-winning producer Matt Fell, with each successive album a step up from the next.

“That’s been the goal with each album, to make it better than the previous one. After the first, Matt suggested we kick it up a notch. Then before we went in to record this album, I asked Matt if he happened to have an extra notch or two up his sleeve.”

The quirky title is neither a song title, nor a lyric. It came about while chatting to his graphic designer.

“We took a look at the songs across the record, and realised we could just about split the content in two, there’s a lot of love in some of these songs, and a bunch of songs about a fun night out and good times,” he says.

“The Lightning Strikes are the love-fuelled parts, while Neon Nights are more about hitting the town – it’s essentially a more poetic way of saying love and liquor!”

He’s in a pretty good position to discuss both subjects with authority. He doesn’t mind a drop occasionally and his relationship with girlfriend,

Simone has most definitely put a smile on his face.

“When I write a song about relationships, it’s not necessarily about my own, but because I’m happy I think the positivity has been coming across in these new songs. This one is a happier album than the previous two; it’s more upbeat and light-hearted, which is probably a reflection on my own situation right now.”

After writing Young Lovers, a nostalgic song about first love –summer love – he considered writing a concept album, but it didn’t quite play out that way in the end.

“There was only so much I could write about these fictional people before the charm started to fade,” he laughs.

“But when I look at these songs as a collective, there’s still a connection between most of the stories, ” Boombox Romance, the opening track, is more a fictional song and is meant to be a sister song to Young Lovers, about reflecting back on a relationship that had it all but the two people still love each other immensely.

Then there’s The Question featuring Kevin Bennett inspired by his sister’s engagement, and their traditional approach.

Of all the songs on the new album, only one was written entirely by Andrew – the closer, Growing Up With Me. It’s a reflection on being one of five siblings, penned especially for another sister.

Love’s Like A Wrecking Ball, one of three tracks written with Phil Barton, speaks of breaking down the barriers of someone who’s had their guard up after a bad relationship.

“There’s a song on there I didn’t write, All These Parts, penned by Amber Rae Slade and Matt Fell. I’ve always been a fan of Amber’s work, so when Matt pitched the idea to me,

it was a no brainer.”

One of the songs he’s most excited about is the latest single, You and Me and a Bottle of Whiskey, written largely by Simone, his girlfriend.

“While driving up to the Tamworth Country Music Festival – Sim was playing a little traveller guitar and started singing this song, which I just loved. We decided to finish it together and as a result, it’s her first song to be recorded and released. I love that it’s doing so well. It warms my heart to hear people singing along to it at shows, I’m just so proud for her.”

While he is now warmly embraced by the Australian country music industry, it wasn’t always the case for this Melbourne-raised former pop-punk guitar slinger. He’d worked his way through a

“We took a look at the songs across the record, and realised we could just about split the content in two, there’s a lot of love in some of these songs, and a bunch of songs about a fun night out and good times.”

SWIFT AS LIGHTNING

couple of bands, the first straight out of high school – Race the Fray. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without that band, I learned a lot about the music industry, how to get things done and a lot about what not to do,” he says.

They performed on Rove Live before Swifty went solo and did his own thing.

Country rock covers band, Silverstring Outlaws followed years later, giving him his first taste of the B&S ball scene.

“At that time I was still finding my feet in country, then I got dragged up to Tamworth in 2014,” he recalls.

“I was pretty ignorant of what country music was all about and didn’t really love that first Tamworth experience. The next year it was different. I was invited to co-host a radio show and we spoke to roughly

70 artists over five days. Everyone would come in, have a chat, play a song and as they were coming and going, I could see a real community with a family like atmosphere about it. I realised then this was where I belonged.”

“I’m really fortunate the country music industry has welcomed me with open arms.”

These days a trip to Tamworth is a totally different experience for the likeable, tattooed giant.

Instead of running around like crazy, trying to get his name out there, a few Golden Guitars on the mantelpiece and two previous #1 ARIA albums have lifted his profile enormously.

A simple walk down Peel Street takes much longer now as he stops to have a selfie with fans, stop for a congratulatory chat or sign an

autograph or 50!

This is something Swifty doesn’t take for granted and isn’t afraid to turn his hand to any one of the countless tasks required of an independent musician.

Being self-managed, with the assistance of his booking agent and label, it’s a bit like a duck pond – all smooth on the surface and paddling like mad underneath.

“I love being on the road and I’m still booking shows for the album tour,” he says.

“I’m trying to do more with the band, especially with this album, but the cost of touring a whole band is very expensive.

“I don’t think most people realise all the work that goes on behind the scenes and it can get tricky at times taking on all the roles necessary to keep the wheels turning.

“Then there’s the merchandise side of things. I used to have a music room and now it’s a merch room. It’s a whole other side to what we do and you’ve got to treat it like its own business.”

The former caravan salesman and repairer is delighted to share his new music on the road. He can’t wait to see if Lightning Strikes and Neon Nights hits the right note with fans – and if Matt Fell managed to kick things up yet another notch.

UNEXPECTED HIGHLIGHTS

Despite winning three Golden Guitars at this year’s Tamworth Country Music Festival, BROOKE MCCLYMONT and ADAM ECKERSLEY were well and truly upstaged on the night – by their 10-year-old daughter TIGGY

And they couldn’t have been happier –or prouder.

Tiggy made awards history by becoming the youngest ever Golden Guitar winner, for Star Of The Show, a song that was not just inspired by her, but based on her own original music.

“We kept waking up in the morning and hearing Tiggy at the piano playing this riff – she played it over and over, and it was catchy!”

Brooke said.

“Then she came to us and asked if we could all write a song

based on it – she even asked how much we’d give her for it! I think she might have got more than she bargained for!”

Together with the song’s fourth cowriter, keyboard player Dan Biederman, Tiggy and her parents started work.

“We decided to make the song about her, and she was involved the whole way – particularly keeping us on track with the facts. It really was a genuine collaboration, and she had a lot of input,” Brooke said.

In the end, Tiggy really did get to be the star of the show, featuring

playing an old piano in an exquisite video filmed on the family’s property.

“Star Of The Show picked up two major awards at this year’s awards: Song of the Year and Group or Duo of the Year.

Brooke and Adam also picked up a third award, Apple Music Single of the Year for another song close to their hearts, Memory Lane.

The song tells the story of how – after years of living in the same neighbourhood – they finally noticed each other and, as they say, “The rest is history”.

“It really wasn’t until we grew up, and Adam was involved in music

too, that we ran into each other and started to talk properly. It took us 10 years to get together, but it was worth it!” Adam said.

Like all the songs the pair write, every word of this one is true.

“We write about our lives, and we focus on the truth in our songs – the things that matter to us and the little things in life that we need to stop and appreciate,” Adam said.

BY SUSAN JARVIS

“We’re so lucky to have the life we do – to tour together, then to do our separate projects like the Adam Eckersley Band and The McClymonts – and now to be able to make music with Tiggy.”

Tiggy is the oldest of the next generation of McClymonts, and her aunts Sam and Mollie are both currently taking a hiatus from the trio that has been so successful for all of them.

Brooke and Adam also have a son together, Elroy, who was born in early 2020, and like Sam and Mollie have to juggle performing and parenting. And Adam’s older son, Harry, is now a teenager.

“Because we all have young children, The McClymonts has been paused for a while – we just want to enjoy some time with the kids, and Adam and I want to focus on what we’re doing together,” Brooke said.

“But The McClymonts will be back – there’s no doubt at all about that.”

Since the music industry sprang back to life after the COVID-19 lockdowns of the past few years, Brooke and Adam have been making up for lost time.

They’ve recorded a new album, Up, Down And Sideways, that is due for release in May, and they’ve already released the first single, the rollicking Country Music, You, & Beer

“We wanted a feel-good song after all the tough times of the last couple of years – and we really wanted to capture the experience of our live gigs,” Adam said.

So, as a way of thanking their supporters, they’ve created a video featuring lots of their fans and the joy of taking part in one of their shows.

Their “Country Music, You and Beers” tour has already been a smash hit, with sell-out crowds pretty much everywhere they’ve performed. They have a busy schedule for the rest of the year, with performances at several festivals, including The Let’s Wing It Festival in Scone in June, the Texas Country Music Festival in September and the Wingham Music Festival in October.

They’re also scheduled to perform at this year’s Gympie Music Muster and have been named Muster Ambassadors for 2023, an honour they’re delighted about, given how much they love the festival.

And at the end of the year, they’ll be part of the huge lineup for Cruisin’ Country 2023 on the beautiful Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas.

But COVID brought an unexpected bonus for Brooke and Adam. They realised that they were allowed to have a COVID-safe audience of 20 people, so they decided to bring the shows to their property, and began their weekend Hang at the Wang events.

“We have luxury tents, proper beds, pillows, towels. We feed people a gourmet eight-course meal over the course of the day, which is catered. And we do a show and have a campfire,” Brooke said.

“We honestly thought it was a stop-gap measure during COVID, and that we’d maybe sell out a couple of weekends. We had no idea!”

To date, Hang at the Wang has happened 45 times, and it has exploded. The couple operate the weekends whenever they have an available date, and they currently have a nine-year (yes – that wasn’t a mistake) waiting list.

“It was all word of mouth, and people coming back. The music, the fire, the food – it just resonated with people. We now even do private Wangs for groups who want to book it out,” Brooke said.

But now the focus is on the new album, which Brooke says is different from the couple’s acclaimed previous album, Adam & Brooke, which was nominated for four Golden Guitars and an ARIA Award.

“The song content is very much who we are, and we’ve focused on our fans, on radio airplay and on being able to perform the album at festivals,” Adam said.

They performed most of the songs at this year’s Tamworth Festival, to another sellout crowd, and Adam says the crowd loved them.

“It’s been an amazing year so far, and the touring has been so much fun – we are loving every moment, and we can’t express enough how much we appreciate the fans coming out and seeing us play live again,” he said.

For Brooke, though, the year’s highlight has been quite unexpected: after her Tamworth win, Tiggy was featured in the Australian Women’s Weekly’s Women We Love column under the headline Star Of The Show. And her mum was over the moon.

Authenticity is a big word to throw around, particularly when applied to American country music, a cultural phenomenon built on the shifting sands of an oftendivided nation.

Modern country music, at least the kind heard in stadiums across the USA (and the world), is often accused of drifting from its roots, whilst traditional country is frequently rebranded as Americana – a niche which, in the eyes of its devotees, incorporates all “the good stuff”. The Davisson Brothers Band are one of those acts that seem to have always fitted under both umbrellas, but whichever way you look at it, authenticity is something these guys have in spades.

I spoke to Chris and Donnie Davisson over Zoom – each dialling in from their respective West Virginia homes whilst I was way down south in Melbourne. Of course, the boys themselves are no strangers to Australian shores, having visited as recently as 2022 when they performed at the Groundwater Country Music Festival and released a single with local country queen Amber Lawrence.

Guitarist Chris was first to join the conversation, and we immediately found ourselves discussing the rich family musical history that forms the backbone of the band’s sound. “Our Dad still does two hundred dates a year at seventy years old, so it’s all we’ve ever known,” he explained.

“And prior to that our family were mountain fiddlers in Appalachiaour grandfather being the first to take up the guitar and we’ve all been guitar players since.”

The Appalachian influence is there on new album Home Is Where

The Heart Is, (a record for which I was fortunate enough to receive an early preview link), but it’s one of several. There’s country balladryplenty (such as on opening track Home), soulful southern rock (such as on Eastern Kentucky), foot stomping anthems (Mountain High), delicate fingerpicked folk songs and even moments where gospel-tinged backing vocals and pianos fight their way to the forefront. You’ll hear echoes of The Allman Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band and even Leon Russell in these recordings, but none of the cliched, overtly macho sounds that have dominated the more commercial end of malefronted country music.

I ask if the broad musical taste palette has been a help or a hindrance over their career to this point.

“It’s definitely been both – a double-edged sword,” says Chris.

“People would say we were too rock for country or too country for rock ‘n’ roll, but we always noticed that it worked everywhere – we could go play just about any kind of an event and people just related. We seemed to be able to touch the average person.

“I tell people all the time that when we were growing up there was really only country music on the radio and there were very few outlets to go play… so we’d play some country songs but we’d blend in the traditional songs from where we’re from that had been spread through the family at our time, songs that had come down through the coal mines. Then our dad was kind of a rocker guy, into rock and blues and even folk – so that’s where we got that side of things from. And of course, our uncle brought the bluegrass influence too.

“After high school,” Chris continues, “we got into some of the

bigger festivals around West Virginia and we kinda got into the jam band scene. We were around people like Derek Trucks and Bob Weir from The Grateful Dead who we became buddies with, and we found that the music worked in that scene too.

“So, we got labeled as this kinda country jam band, which was good because it stands out. We can do these Top 40 Country Music Festivals and blend in, but we’re still the outcasts a little bit.”

Whilst eclectic influences and a great live sound can be an advantage on the festival circuit, it can be a challenge to translate that kind of energy to a record. On Home Is Where The Heart Is, co-producers Brent Cobb and David ‘Ferg’ Ferguson have managed to knit together the band’s stylistic variances and create an album that is both dynamic and cohesive. Cobb is, of course, an emerging force as an Americana artist in his own right, as well as being cousin of producer du jour Dave Cobb (known for his work with the likes of Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlisle and even Baz Luhrmann on the recent Elvis movie), whilst Ferguson is a giant in his field, with credits range from Johnny Cash to the Del McCoury band.

“We didn’t want just any producer for this record”, says Chris “because of the way all the songs had come together we wanted to work with the right guys.”

In terms of songwriting, storytelling appears at the forefront of almost all Davisson Brothers Band tunes, and I was therefore surprised to learn that the writing credits were not just confined to the regular members of the lineup.

“We like co-writing,” explains lead singer Donnie, who’s now joined the call “and even if the song that comes out isn’t exactly Davisson Brothers, if we relate to it, we’re gonna take it

Writer LACHLAN BRYAN spoke to CHRIS AND DONNIE DAVISSON on the eve of their brand-new record release, revealing much about the brothers’ musical history.

“People would say we were too rock for country or too country for rock ‘n’ roll, but we always noticed that it worked everywhere – we could go play just about any kind of an event and people just related. We seemed to be able to touch the average person.”

BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME

and make it our own.”

We’re real selective about who we write with,” adds Chris, “and about nine out of ten folks we write with are our friends, folks we’ve been out on the road with and who’ve come out and stayed with us and know what we’re all about. We kinda made a decision over COVID that with this new record we wanted to go right back to our roots and show people who we are and where we come from.

“So, we got a bunch of these great musicians we work with and we jam with all the time … and we got them together with our writer friends and we all went to a lodge in South Carolina and spent a week with no intentions - there was about eight of us, writers and musicians…and on the first night the guitars and banjos came out and the songs started to flow.” Donnie said; “We then went back to Nashville and did it all again, with

friends like Sierra Ferrell and then a month later we did it again with some other guys – so we ended up with fiftysomething songs to choose from!”

It all sounds like a pretty good formula – a band that’s been on the road for decades gets back to their roots, and takes a whole lot of the country’s finest pickers and writers with them. Little wonder then that the guys have come up with the best work of their career.

The Davisson Brothers have always been a tricky band to pin down, but somehow, on an eclectic record that on first listen appears as a departure from their previous catalogue, the boys find themselves more at home than ever.

Partners in music and in life, the duo is celebrating the release of their new album, Out Into The Blue – a fusion of both their different music styles merging to create a new release exclusively available on disc and digital.

“We’re really excited, more than nervous, for people to hear these songs now,” Alison said.

The lead single, Lullaby, is launching in mid-May and it marks the official return into mainstream country music for the duo – after spending much of the past decade or so nurturing the careers of emerging artists and musicians through their music school in South Australia.

Music tuition became the very front and centre of their life, after their own touring came to a halt when Mark sustained a severe back injury after a seizure in 2008 – forcing them out of the live music game to allow him time to recover.

It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the restriction that came with it, that the couple was able to focus on making music again, saying the time was their “circuit breaker” and gave them the “free time and space to write and record again.”

“It spurred on a passion to keep writing and keep recording,” Alison said.

“Next thing you know, we had an album on the table, a song or two from us became an album and as we were working on it, we became more and more passionate.

“We realised how much we love writing and recording our own music.”

Recording more than a decade

BY HALEY CRAIG

on was a different process for the duo, too, being able to record digitally and with the help of people on the other side of the world, instead of in-person and onto reels.

They were able to collaborate with musicians in Los Angeles and Nashville and built a working relationship with talents like Jim Riley (Rascal Flatts), Ted Jensen (Sterling Sound Nashville) and Randy Merrill (Sterling Sound New York).

“The biggest thing we got out of this project is when we both started recording music in the ‘90s and early ‘20s, it was a matter that you had to be in the studio,” Mark said.

“There were big reels of tapes and the musicians had to be sitting there with you – but this has been so revolutionary, people we’ve been reading about for years overseas, we have been able to contact online and work with them.

“It was such an exciting experience for us too.”

In a world where audio streaming is the new norm, Mark and Alison are standing by their decision to stick with a more traditional approach to promoting their music, by selling a physical copy of their album or a full digital album through their online store, instead of launching it through major streaming platforms.

But they say they’re not the only ones taking back control of their music amid concerns about music ownership and royalties in the digital age.

“There’s kind of a groundswell at the moment,” Mark said.

“I’ve been reading that people like Garth Brooks are starting to do it as well.

“There’s a real underground

movement with singers and songwriters heading in this direction. What has become depressing is how devalued music has become generally, people flick through a playlist, listen to five seconds of something and accept it or reject it.

“We aren’t against digital and think it has a huge potential, but we think the model is broken. Where it’s fallen down is it’s all developed

For decades now, the names ALISON HAMS and MARK TEMPANY have been ingrained in the country music scene and while they might not have released any new solo music since the mid-2000s, they say they’ve never been busier.

“There’s a real underground movement with singers and songwriters heading in this direction.

What has become depressing is how devalued music has become generally, people flick through a playlist, listen to five seconds of something and accept it or reject it.”

FUSIONpower

so quickly that with music rights, organisations were totally caught unaware.”

“Music listening has become music consumption and even if you’re paying a subscription you never truly own that music,” Alison said.

“When you buy an album (physically), they’re taking a piece of you with them. It’s the best calling

card for your music.”

The duo admits “on paper” the man from the Queensland rainforest and the girl from country South Australia shouldn’t work – but in all facets of life and music it does.

They’ve described the new album as an intriguing collection crossing genres and themes – while holding the emotion, style and sounds old fans of their solo work might expect.

There’s even some new music videos to go with some of their singles and they’re not ruling a tour off the cards yet, either.

“If there’s demand, it certainly could happen,” Mark said.

“Hopefully grassroots festivals in small country towns start to happen again soon, there are a lot more independent artists starting to get out there and perform,” Alison said.

“It’s going to be an interesting time, COVID hasn’t gone away. People are still a little tentative but we are all hoping over the next year or two things will start getting back to normal.”

blossoming CAREER

BY REBECCA GRACIE

Between a songwriters’ session at CMC and main stage performance, ERNEST let his Aussie fans know how much he enjoyed travelling thousands of kilometres to perform for them, before he hit the road with good mates Morgan and Hardy.

“I’d heard nothing but good things about Australians and the good news is that I like to party, too, so maybe I’m part Australian,” he said.

The songwriter who’s written hits for Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett and Chris Lane, said he was “stoked” to get to Australia and play “a bunch of new songs”.

“It was the first time playing some of those songs in the set and seeing new fans already singing them is awesome,” ERNEST said.

“It’s surreal and it never gets old seeing people singing our songs back to us.”

The CMC Rocks crowd and the Morgan Wallen audiences couldn’t get enough of the born-and-raised Nashvillian.

The tour with two of his good mates, though, wasn’t as crazy as it may have been in the earlier days.

“It’s had its crazier days, most definitely, and we were a little more tame on this tour, but we definitely had a good time and listened to a lot of country music together,” he said.

ERNEST headed onto this tour after a record year with his first full-length album Flower Shops (The Album) which came out in March 2022, then he added 13 original songs to it and it became Flower Shops: Two-Dozen Roses.

From the original album, he earned his fifth, sixth, and seventh No. 1 songs as a songwriter while his debut single, Flower Shops featuring

Nashville chart-topping songwriter and artist in his own right, ERNEST, says he’s keeping the pedal to the floor, following a sell out tour with Morgan Wallen and Hardy in Australia.

Morgan Wallen, simultaneously reached RIAA platinum certification. Most recently honoured as one of Variety’s coveted 2022 Hitmakers, the CMA Triple Play Award winner was also selected as a 2023 MusicRow Next Big Thing artist.

Selling out his first headline tour across college towns in the US autumn, he rounded out a stacked year of touring on the road with labelmate Morgan Wallen as part of his record-breaking Dangerous Tour and continued on into Australia.

With songwriting being a huge part of his career, and what ERNEST was first known for, he ensures he puts his heart and soul into every creative work, which is evident on his new album, Flower Shops

“Honesty in songwriting is everything to me,” he said.

“There’s always a time and a place to write fiction, but for this project, I’ve wanted to go inside out and have my fans get to know me.”

With country music known for covering topics that aren’t always joyful, ERNEST isn’t afraid to conquer the hard truths, too, on Flower Shops (The Album): Two Dozen Roses.

“The country music I grew up loving was not always happy and I like writing that kind of thing as well,” he said.

“The honesty in my songwriting just happens, I don’t have to think about it.”

ERNEST names This Fire as his personal standout track from the double-album of 24 songs.

“I haven’t heard anything that sounds like it, especially in the last 40 years,” he said.

This Fire, written with Rocky Block, Julian Bunetta, and John Ryan is a drinking song asking to be

rescued from ‘this fire’ of whiskey and other bottles that have lost him his girl. It’s got plenty of honkytonk retro country sounds of piano, Hammond and pedal steel, while keeping the modern feel of ERNEST’s country rock stylings.

However, ERNEST doesn’t want his songs to leave his listeners downhearted.

“The album, Flower Shops, should leave the listener feeling not drained, but full of country music then wondering what I’m going to come back with when the next project is out and what it’s going to sound like,” he said.

“I’m trying to figure the same damn thing out so maybe we can all work that out together.”

The year ahead should bring plenty of inspiration from the road as he returns to a busy touring schedule back in the US.

“I’m going to tour all year opening for Morgan (Wallen) and there will be more music at the end of the year, too, then I’ll go out and tour that,” he said.

“I want to keep the pedal to the floor.”

During his recent trip to Australia, as well as performing on stage, ERNEST and his wife used their trip Down Under as a short holiday, staying two nights at Taronga Zoo in Sydney at the start of the trip.

“Delayney and I haven’t had much time away from my twoyear-old, so we’re making it a little vacation,” he said.

The family man counts having his beautiful family and a “pretty piece of land” as measures of success these days, but is always looking to achieve more, professionally.

“The financial side of things I owe to songwriting and I still have a lot I want to prove as an artist,” he said.

“Part of our damnation is never being content no matter how much I achieve, but I also make sure I take the moments to appreciate it because I’m very appreciative of everything I have.

“But, I’m still that dog who wants to go out and conquer the world.”

“The album, Flower Shops, should leave the listener feeling not drained, but full of country music then wondering what I’m going to come back with when the next project is out and what it’s going to sound like.”

JAYNE DENHAM + COLT FORD

BY JON WOLFE

THAT’S A RAP

High in the hillbilly hills somewhere: The woman, a wanted

Ican’t help but think that this is what must have happened when Jayne Denham, fresh off the success of her album Wanted, and her producers Brian White and Brian Bunn, added singer and rapper Colt Ford to the mix for her latest single Moonshine

“Wanted was so different to anything I’d done before,” Jayne said. “It still rocked, there was still the rock edge to it. I did it more as a creative outlet, to do something different. The sound of the album was country rock meets spaghetti western.

“Moonshine was actually going to be on the Wanted album, but another artist had a hold on it. After 18 months I still wanted the song and said to my publisher ‘I want Moonshine, I’ve gotta have Moonshine!’ and then it became available.”

Jayne’s management, Rick and Mel from Dead Horse Branding, also thought the song was a great fit for her and said they’d love for her to work with an American artist and they reached out to Colt Ford.

“I feel he was the perfect artist for me to work with on the song,” Jayne said. “To be honest, I was blown away when he said yes, because he really wanted to be involved. He’s on brand, it made sense.”

Colt Ford said, “Being featured

on Jayne’s new song is a true honour as well as bringing more of my music to the Australian country scene. Country roots run deep, wherever hard-working and down-to-earth people come together to create community.”

The reaction to the song has been very positive and Jayne said it’s different again and special to have an Aussie artist to have a rap thing on it and live it’s going off.

“It’s my kind of love song! It seems to be blowing up globally,” Jayne said. “In America it’s getting a lot of attention because Colt’s on it.”

The song was making headway on a number of Australian country music charts as Capital News went to press and a video was released in April.

The song has set the theme for a new album and Jayne said “Where the Wanted album was basically 1883 [Paramount’s 19th-century story that chronicles the lives of the Dutton Family on a wild journey from Texas to Montana] and the new album will be the Yellowstone version [Western drama series about the Dutton family].”

Jayne said she will swap the horse for something like a 1930s era Dodge roadster.

“It will also have a theme. Basically, I immersed myself in the moonshine prohibition era – musically as well, and it’s still a vintage sound, but more modern. We’ve got into a fast car and now chasing moonshiners!”

The new album is still in production and will be released early in 2024.

In the meantime, Jayne has partnered with Franklin County Distillery, located in the mountains of Virginia, known as the “Moonshine Capital of the World,” to release her own line of two different flavoured moonshines, which will be available in Australia.

“I met one of the owners, Larry, and he presented me with my first two bottles, Ridge Runner Pear and Orchard Peach! It’s so cool!”

outlaw, two men with the same Christian name are producing the essence of a future and the final ingredient that will fill mason jars with moonshine.

my remarkable view

So far, I’m quite enjoying the 51st Golden Guitar Awards.

My wife Robyn is by my side, I’ve been redcarpetted and collided with a bunch of my country music chums during the pre-show soirée.

Our host, Travis Collins has been doing a fine job.

The performances are absolutely world class.

Luke O’Shea’s South East Queensland went off like a bomb. Such an important, moving song.

Brooke and Adam have ‘McClekerslied’ every moment they’ve been on stage.

And man, the house band is awesome.

Hey! Jedd Hughes just won Musician of the Year. Awesome!

Ah! Here comes good old Max Ellis and Graeme Connors to present something. “I’m having a senior’s moment,” admits Max. “That’s the process,” says a sage-like Graeme, arm on his old friend’s shoulder. Time for them both to present the Roll of Renown. I ask Robyn to pass the pack of sugared peanuts we’ve smuggled in. She says, “Not now”.

Graeme’s up on the mic for the announcement. Like everyone in the TRECC, I’m interested to see who it will be this year. A songwriter and storyteller, says Graeme. “That’s nice,” thinks I.

“The 2023 Roll of Renown inductee is none other than … Colin Buchanan.”

Wait. What? That’s my name. I hear it like it’s in the next room. I am genuinely flummoxed. Robyn turns to me and says, “I’m so proud of you”. She kisses me.

“Did you know?” I ask her. She did. A video package plays on the huge screen and I stay in my seat to watch it. (Max tells me later he was wondering where I’d got to!).

In 1989 Robyn and I first came to Tamworth in a borrowed car. Thirtythree years later and I’m ascending the stage to be added to the Roll of Renown!

Max is chuffed - we worked closely for the 10 years I hosted the awards and have been firm friends ever since. Graeme congratulates me. He’s stepped in at the last minute after last year’s inductee, Beccy Cole, became ill.

Well, what am I going to say? I had absolutely no idea this was going to happen. Impromptu speeches are fraught - especially ones that hope to rope down over three decades of life. I thank Robyn and our family. Family is there, at the heart. But now what?

Graeme’s presence is my clue. My mind is drawn back, right back. To the beginning.

“In 1989, just before launching his landmark album North, Graeme Connors was working for Rondor Music publishers. He listened to a cassette of my songs and, along with his successor Graham Thompson, got me a publishing and recording deal. That cassette was handed to Graeme by John Kane. If it weren’t for John Kane, I’d not be standing here now.”

A speech so easily wears out its welcome and I could never say enough. Thank you to everyone who has listened, supported, applauded, collaborated, encouraged, inspired and loved - and now honoured - me. Praise God. My head is still spinning. But I can tell you this with absolute certainty.

The view from the Roll of Renown is utterly remarkable.

BY ANNA ROSE

It all began while Kelly and wife Pia were driving around the backblocks of Bundaberg through the cane fields near 1770.

“In that streaming afternoon sun, it looked just like the fibro in the cane house was on fire, creating a fibro sunset,” Kelly says.

“For us, it brought to mind Pia’s dear old Pa, who came to the cane fields of Mackay as a five-year-old kid and stayed there all his life.

“It’s Pia’s dad’s story, too. I wrote the tune as a tribute to old Pa, which I played at his funeral. With that song down, I thought I’d better continue with this theme and kept writing.”

For 62-year-old Kelly, it didn’t take long to come up with about 15 songs for which he recorded rough guitar and vocal backing as a guide.

He sent off the songs to his collaborators in music – Kevin Bennett, Jen Mize, Wayne “Killer” Kellett and Pacific International Music boss, Rob Mackay. The general consensus was “not to do too much to them”.

With the abiding principle of “less is more” it took shape over a week of fun, friendship and spontaneity in the studio, under the watchful eye of co-producer Jeffrey (Rob Mackay’s Doberman).

Family is a key inspiration for Kelly, who says 99.9 per cent of his writing is centred on those he loves and cares about.

“My mum’s got about two or three songs on every album. I Guess is about her. I learned a lot from you/ like one and one don’t make two. It’s like, ‘don’t judge’. My mum’s in every album. Maybe one day I’ll get to write something pleasantly happy.”

Studio owner Rob Mackay says it’s the fourth album Kelly has made there with his hand-chosen collection of session personnel. This time it involved KB, Jen, Killer, drummers Peter Lee and Mik McCartin and Tom Richter. “Each player possesses the same love and respect for Kelly’s art and

FROM PILLAR TO POST

the process of recording is one of mutual cooperation – and always all about the song,” Rob says.

“There are no egos in the studio. Kevin Bennett has played a significant role in each of the albums. He is a true music lover and loves what Kelly does, as we all do.”

Track two is dedicated to Luke O’Shea’s dad, Rick, who has enjoyed many conversations with Kelly over the years, sharing his childhood dream of growing up to be a soldier.

“I used to have great yaks with him and Julie at every gig. Rick told me when he was a kid, he wanted to be a cowboy or a soldier, so I turned him into a French soldier, a Grenadier, for this song,” Kelly says.

John Sebastian’s glorious harmonica is the star of track three, the reflective I Don’t Mind. If that name sounds familiar, think Lovin’

Spoonful. He was enlisted through a family connection of Kelly’s wife, Pia and was happy to donate his expertise to the song.

Second Time asks us to think if we had another go in this world, what would we do different, while I’d Say explores the gift of hindsight.

Stranger and Until It’s Over discuss “this stranger knocking on all our doors” – COVID – something Kelly thought he’d never write a song about, let alone two!

Talk To The Rain was inspired by a gig in Tamworth in January 2020, where a group of the late Glen Hannah’s mates were due to launch a project begun with the late CMAA Musician of the Year, the album Tiesco West

The Flood’s Blood Red Ties, another album carrying Hannah’s trademark input, was also to be released that same night, along with a disc by Hannah’s band, The Faceless Men.

Kelly says he felt Glen’s presence by the side of stage that night as “all hell broke loose” and a mighty storm descended on the sombre night.

Since the release earlier this year of Fibro Sunset, Kelly has barely drawn breath between gigs, sharing this new music from pillar to post at festivals and special events and loving every minute of it.

The creation of KELLY CORK’s stunning new solo album was a labour of love, made with friends at Rob McKay’s Hervey Bay studio.

CMA FEST CELEBRATES

Australian artists, industry and fans will journey the approximate 15000km to experience the milestone and celebrate with our ‘country cousins’.

Australians have been travelling to Nashville for more than 50 years with one of the first to visit being the legendary country star and radio host Smoky Dawson who led the invasion in 1950 after hosting Smoky Dawson’s Pepsodent Rangers with wife Dot in the early 1940s.

Smoky was the first artist to record for Nashville Record label Hickory – the label created by Wes and Fred Rose who also managed and published the late country king Hank Williams.

Dawson signed a three-year deal and wrote and recorded US debut single The Last Supper and The Light Of The World.

He also played the role of a singing, sharp shooting cowboy in Broadway musical Kiss Me Kate with Dot.

Smoky led the charge for peers diverse as Tex Morton, Olivia Newton-John, Peter Allen, The LeGarde Twins, Reg

Lindsay and latter-day expatriate stars Keith Urban, Morgan Evans and Tommy Emmanuel.

Buck Owens toured Australia in 1976 and had two big shows in Tamworth and one of Tamworth’s leading festival founders Max Ellis wrote the cover notes for Buck’s Australian album “Live in the Sydney Opera House”.

In 1973, the Tamworth Country Music Festival became official and Max wrote in his book Stars, Hurrahs and Golden Guitars; “While we had never consciously tried to mimic Nashville, we were always interested in what was happening there, so in 1977 John Minson and I went to Music City to have

a look at how the Americans did it. We were quite surprised to find that our ideas were just as good as theirs and the only real difference was the size of their market which meant that most things that worked there were marginal here. We were amazed at the hospitality shown to us in Nashville and by the number of people who had heard of our little city on the other side of the Pacific. We met lots of stars including Roy Acuff, Buck Owens, Kenny Rogers, Marty Robbins, Eddy Arnold and many other industry greats including Wesley Rose and Bill Walker. We went to the CMA Awards, watched by 40 million TV viewers, we sat on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and we attended the impressive Nashville Songwriters Awards. When we came home, we decided our songwriters should have the same recognition.”

In 1980, then NSW Premier Neville Wran was invited to be a guest presenter at the Australasian

The longest-running country music festival in the world, returns to downtown Nashville Thursday through Sunday, June 8-11, featuring hundreds of artists performing across multiple stages.

Luke Bryan

Little Big Town

Jimmie Allen Keith Urban Luke Combs

HISTORICAL MILESTONE

Country Music Awards of Australia and he was joined by US country star Charley Pride.

The following year Deputy Prime Minister Doug Anthony did the honours along with Jeanne Pruett, from Nashville, and Jo Walker, the CEO of the American CMA.

In 1983 Tamworth’s BAL Marketing staged the National Bluegrass Championships which attracted some high-powered visitors. Fiddle player Byron Berline was already a legend having played with Bill Monroe and most of the other notable bluegrass musicians of the era. On his Australian visit he was accompanied by a young mandolin player, Vince Gill, who was later to become a superstar of American country music. They played and helped judge the Bluegrass Championships under the gumtrees near the Longyard Golf Course.

The Country Music Gallery of Stars Wax Museum was originally

conceived as part of John Smyth’s Tamworth Country Centre. John selected 20 pioneer artists for stage one of his museum, commissioning Jerry Seigenthaler, of Nashville, to create the figures for a cost of more than $100,000.

The connections have been ongoing.

Tamworth’s Chris Watson, of Chris Watson Travel, will be taking his 20th trip to Music City with country stars Adam Harvey, Kirsty Lee Akers and her husband Jesse Anderson hosting a group of 125 excited travellers.

Chris said; “When I was 17, I received a scholarship to attend the Thomas Edison College in Upstate New York and my hosts took me to Nashville and I was hooked.

“My first travel group totalled 16 and now we have a 125 manageable group who can enjoy some of the perks I can offer.”

Chris said that one of his favourite things about taking tours to

Nashville is being able to create memories and moments.

“Mine was the first commercial venture to take a group to the famous Bluebird Café and now we have private access to the Circle Room at the Grand Ole Opry, and our exclusive welcome parties often feature Australian and US stars.

“We’ve had the same coach driver for 18 years – 76-yearold Marshall – making it family-like.”

Australian country star Adam Harvey said; “I have been lucky enough to go with Chris Watson and his tour group once before to CMA Fest in Nashville, and we had a ball. Chris had everything so well organised that getting into the main arena and all of the other special events was a breeze. I think this year, being the 50th CMA Fest is going to be bigger and better than ever. I really enjoyed getting to know the group last time and we all formed a great bond. Many of us have remained friends ever since. For any country music fan, going to CMA Fest feels like you’re a kid going to Disneyland, and you can see the excitement on all the faces in the group. I’ll be playing an acoustic show for our group on the last night of our trip and I always love playing in Nashville. This trip is going to be a whole lot of fun and I can’t wait. Just make sure you leave some space in your suitcase because I can guarantee one thing... you will be coming home with at least one new pair of boots!”

In 2010, Chris began sponsoring the Toyota Star Maker competition with a return trip for the annual winner.

Morgan Evans

Uncle Cracker

Melanie Dyer

Tigirlily Gold

Parmalee

Tim McGraw

CMA FEST CELEBRATES

Star Maker manager Cheryl Brown first negotiated with ex-pat the late Jeff Walker for the annual winner to have a Nashville experience, which included a performance opportunity. Luke Austen was the first to take part in the arrangement.

Cheryl said; “The CMA has been incredibly generous with their support of Australian artists, in particular, supporting me and the Star Maker winners. I originally set this up to give the winners an insight into what is possible on a world stage with some aiming for that.”

New Zealand’s Kaylee Bell, the 2013 winner, has immersed herself into the songwriting scene there, spending a great deal of time exploring her craft, and Blake O’Connor, the 2019 winner, together with his partner Sinead Burgess, are set to spend an extended time living and breathing the Nashville vibes this year.

This year’s winner, Tamworth’s Loren Ryan will play on the Plaza Stage and also spend time songwriting and taking in all the vibes.

Chris said; “I love supporting Star Maker because it’s a way that I can give back to the industry that helps my business and I love to watch the winners thrive from the experience.”

The late, agent, promoter and manager, Rob Potts was the only Australian to sit on the board of the Country Music Association in Nashville, and was highly respected in Music City. He was a past chairman of the CMA International

Committee and chairman of the Australian CMA Advisory Group.

Rob opened up a two-way flow of artists between America and Australia. He toured some of the biggest country artists in the world Zac Brown Band, Brooks and Dunn, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, the Dixie Chicks, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line and Toby Keith among them.

The success of these tours led Rob to establish the CMC Rocks festival brand, forging a long running partnership with Michael Chugg’s Chugg Entertainment.

At the time of his death in October 2017, Rob was managing Morgan Evans who signed to Warner Music Nashville.

In 2019, he was awarded the prestigious Jo Walker Meador International Award in recognition of his achievements in advocating and supporting the development of country music outside the United States.

There are many Australians who now call Nashville home including Keith Urban, Tommy Emmanuel, Morgan Evans, Sherrie Austin, Jamie O’Neal, Jewel Blanch, Lindsay Rimes, Phil Barton, Sam Hawksley, Kristy Cox, Travis List, Jedd Hughes, O’Shea, Seaforth, The French Family, Homegrown, Anthony Snape, Katrina Burgoyne, Troy Kemp, Leaving Lennox, Kylie Sackley, Tamara Stewart, Nash Chambers, Dozzi, Anne McCue, Kane Harrison, Rick Caballo and Melissa-Core Caballo, Danni Stefanetti and many others.

During this 50th year of CMA Fest, Australian artists included on the program are Casey Barnes, Mel Dyer, Chloe Styler and Viper Creek band leader Damien Baguley and Troy Kemp will be hosting this year’s Soundsmart Tour with many others soaking up the experience.

There are unique up-close-andpersonal moments that bring artists and fans together at Fan Fair X

Drake Milligan

Alana Springsteen

Dan + Shay

Jason Aldean

Lainey Wilson

50 YEARS

inside Music City Centre; superstar nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium; free daytime performances at all outdoor stages; and one-of-a-kind activations that line Nashville’s famed Broadway.

CMA Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Trahern said; “We are so excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of CMA Fest this year.

“A lot has changed since our early days of Fan Fair, but all these years later, the heart of the festival remains that special connection between the fans and the artists. We are truly grateful to everyone who has supported us throughout the years, and we look forward to celebrating this milestone with all of our attendees in June.”

Artists donate their time at the uniquely programmed CMA Fest so a portion of ticket proceeds can be invested in high-quality music education programs across the USA through the CMA Foundation.

Some of the biggest stars will

feature at Nissan Stadium and include Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, HARDY, Tyler Hubbard, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Keith Urban and Lainey Wilson.

Country icon Reba McEntire is one of four artists to appear as ‘Artist of the Day’ on the CMA Close Up Stage.

The special Platform Stage in the centre of Nissan Stadium returns this year with artists that include Ashley Cooke, Dalton Dover, Alana Springsteen and Hailey Whitters.

The Chevy Riverfront Stage offers a stellar lineup with country hitmakers that include Lauren Alaina, Ingrid Andress, Danielle Bradbery, BRELAND, Ashley Cooke, Caylee Hammack, Maddie & Tae, Niko Moon, Parmalee, MacKenzie Porter, Restless Road, Runaway June,

Dylan Scott, Hailey Whitters, Lainey Wilson, Warren Zeiders and Aussie Morgan Evans.

Artists hitting the Dr Pepper Amp Stage at Ascend Park includes A Thousand Horses, Kassi Ashton, Rodney Atkins, Frankie Ballard, Blanco Brown, Craig Campbell, Mackenzie Carpenter, Tyler Farr, Erin Kinsey, Frank Ray, Shenandoah, Caitlyn Smith, Alana Springsteen, Pam Tillis, Uncle Kracker, Rita Wilson and Aussie ex-pats Jamie O’Neal and Seaforth.

The Chevy Vibes Stage at Walk of Fame Park is jampacked with performances that include Tyler Booth, Dillon Carmichael, Home Free, Brett Kissel, Jerrod Niemann, Tyler Rich, Josh Ross, Dylan Schneider, Canaan Smith, Noah Thompson and Thompson Square.

The line-up set to take the Maui Jim Reverb Stage at Bridgestone Plaza includes Tanner Adell, Justin Champagne, Ben Chapman, Kyle Clark, Chase McDaniel, Meg McRee, Madeline Merlo, Neon Union, Brandon Ratcliff, Tigirlily Gold, Stephen Wilson Jr, as well as Aussies Melanie Dyer, Casey Barnes and 2023 Toyota Star Maker Loren Ryan.

Outdoor daytime stages are free and open to the public and include Ascend Amphitheater, Fan Fair X activities inside Music City Centre.

The festival’s 50-year history can be experienced at Fan Fair X inside Music City Centre, with meet and greets, music, merch and more come together.

If you can’t make CMA Fest this year you can grab a piece of merchandise from the merch shop at shop.cmafest.com

Casey Barnes

Jamie O’Neal

Hailey Whitters

Hardy

Erin Kinsey

Winner of Australia’s biggest country music talent search

DREAMS COMING TRUE

hat a time to be alive, living out my dreams as the 2023 Toyota Star Maker.

I drove my new Toyota Rav 4 all the way from Tamworth to St Kilda – 1142km – and back for the St Kilda Festival where I performed for the First Nations First celebrations and the Big Festival Day celebrations. Thanks to Toyota Australia for such a dream ride.

Whilst in Melbourne, I visited the Maton factory at Box Hill and I was taken on a tour of the site, thanks to the kindness of Scott Smoothy. My favourite thing was seeing the custom shop and learning about the wood selections from Andy Allen aka Mr Custom Shop, and I particularly loved hearing how Maton care for country. From a small backyard workshop that started in 1946, Maton Guitars has grown into a truly great Australian success story.

I’ve kicked off my nationwide tour as support act for Urthboy. It includes 18 show dates across

WAustralia and I’m getting to experience parts of this beautiful country I’ve never been to before. I’ve been to Cairns and Townsville where my eyes opened at the beauty of the top end. As a country girl from Tamworth, I am very used to the countryside so the rainforest and jungle-like scenery was so beautiful, and at times I felt like I was on the set of Jurassic Park!

Next, I visited Adelaide, Ballarat and Melbourne, a complete change from the week before. I must say South Australia and Victorian music fans are like no other. It’s a musician’s dream to have people turn up to your shows and sing your songs back to you. This happened many times and it was pure magic.

In the midst of all of this, I’ve been recording my first single for my Star Maker EP, with the extremely talented Gavin Carfoot who became my dear friend in 2022 at the APRA AMCOS Country Songhubs. I absolutely cannot wait to show you what we are working on and my visions for the video clip. Thank you to Star Maker for making this possible.

I am thrilled to have been invited to be a guest host on Play School. I’ve been in the studio acting, singing and dancing in a full episode for an upcoming season of the show. Keep your eyes out for that on the ABC Kids TV channel.

As I write this, I am collecting all the things I need for my trip to Nashville for the 50th CMA Fest. I send a massive thank you to the CMA for their support and to Chris Watson Travel for sponsoring the flights and accommodation. I’ve never left my country before and I’ve always wanted to experience The States. I plan on catching a bunch of shows, songwriting with some of the best to do it, and making a trip to the Bluebird Café, of course.

I can’t wait to let you know if it’s “just like the movies”. Wish me luck!

When I return, I’ll be guest of Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole in my hometown of Tamworth at the annual Hats Off To Country Festival on Friday, July 7 at the beautiful town hall. Hope you can join us.

Love yas  Loren

Yaama Maliyaa - G’day everyone, it’s LOREN RYAN here.

On tour in Adelaide

Loren with Beccy Cole and Adam Harvey

Loren and her Toyota RAV 4

Loren with Freddie Bailey

At St Kilda Festival

hear & THERE

feed YOUR SOUL

Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year MIRANDA LAMBERT released her first book last month, Y’all Eat Yet? Welcome to the Pretty B*tchin’ Kitchen, written together with Holly Gleason.

The most awarded artist in ACM history takes readers deeper into her life off stage, on her farm and on the road, as well as sharing her beloved Airstream trailers, her signature fashion sense and decorating style.

Miranda grew up surrounded by her mother and grandmother, and also by her mother’s tight-knit pack of girlfriends. With them, she learned the power of female friendship and the bonds that women share – and the way good food and drink is the perfect reason for any gathering of your girlfriends.

“Watching my mum and her friends, I saw the way pitching in, working together, loving music and being there

NEW ARRIVAL FOR 8 BALL

8 Ball Aitken and Jessy Lynch have welcomed their first born, a son, Sonny Miles Aitken. Sonny was born on March 10 and is a healthy 3.87kg and 54.5cm long. “Our hearts are overflowing with joy and we’re excited for family life and all that’s ahead,” said 8 Ball on a Facebook post. He is back gigging at festivals coming up including Blues On Broadbeach, Ride For Life in Ubobo, Mt Coot-Tha Songwriters Festival in Brisbane, Kickstart Saloon, Oakenden, Mackay and Old Bank Dubbo.

for each other is the greatest gift you can have in life. I think my mom inherited that gift from her mom, because they both attracted the most awesome group of girlfriends,” said Miranda.

Each and every recipe in Y’all Eat Yet? has been handed down from her mum, grandma and those cherished friends, including Nonny’s Banana Pudding, The Loaf (aka “the meal that will get the ring”), Dutch Oven (Coffee Can) Campfire Cobbler,

Stacked Enchilada Bake, Jalapeño Pimento Cheese, Roasted Root Vegetable Winter Salad, Whiskey Cupcakes and more.

It showcases easy to prepare, hearty and delicious meals meant to be shared with those you love and is full of the moments most people never get to see in the life of one of country music’s most important female superstars.

STANDING OVATION AT OPRY DEBUT h&T

as crystal; never picked it up before or after.”

Sonny said; “He couldn’t even get the local stations.”

They had a competition going for the furthest away listener, so he wrote in and that’s how he got the signed program.

It was 1945 and Stuie’s dad found out later on, that it was around the time of the first nuclear test, which sent radio signals crazy and may have been why he picked up the signal that day.

Fifty years later Stuie said; “I stood on the stage of the Ryman to watch a Merle Haggard concert and couldn’t help but think how much my dad would have loved being there ‘cause he just loved country music.

“I rang him the next day and told him that I stood on that stage where he picked up the Grand Ole Opry all those years before.”

Sonny said; “We ended up writing a song about it and two of the songwriters we wrote it with are here tonight, Stan Gay and Templeton Thompson. Absolute legends.

“We wrote the last verse you’ll hear it but it was always fiction and we always dreamed it would happen and tonight it’s going to come true.”

They received a standing ovation before Kelly Sutton from WSM Radio congratulated them, with Sonny saying; “Thank you so much, surreal holy moly, crazy.”

Four years after relocating to Nashville from Australia, THE FRENCH FAMILY BAND made a dream come true with their Grand Ole Opry debut on March 30.

Eldest son Chet and daughter Manaia proudly watched on with the near capacity crowd while Camille opened with Snowbird, a Gene MacLellan song made famous by Canadian singer Anne Murray.

They paid tribute to the late great Little Jimmy Dickens (and his band) with the Buddy Emmons classic Raisin’ The Dickens. Dickens started as a member of the Opry in 1948, was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1983

and, prior to his death, was the oldest living member of the Opry.

Another special moment occurred when Stuie introduced the story about their new single 1945.

“When I was a kid growing up in Tasmania, I found an old program that had “Nashville Tennessee” on it and I asked my father, I said; ‘what’s this dad?’.

“He proceeded to tell me that in 1945, he was just a kid on the farm, tuning the old farm radio in, and he picked up the Grand Ole Opry, clear

Kelly said; “1945 what an incredible story and an amazing opportunity.”

Stuie said; “It was surreal, I didn’t let it get to me I just had to take a deep breath and I know my dad would have been watching down tonight. I think he would have loved it.”

And with a quiver in his voice, he passed the microphone on to Sonny, and said; “Wouldn’t he, son?”.

“Yes, you guys made it so special,” said Sonny, acknowledging the audience.

“We’ve been fortunate since we arrived here and made some amazing friends who are some of the most talented musicians like Ben Isaacs, Jimmy Fortune, Mike Rogers. It’s just been amazing. They’re not going to get rid of us now, they’re stuck with us,” said Camille.

Supporting the French Family backstage were legends like Jimmy Fortune [The Statler Brothers], Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White [The Whites], Mike Rogers, Jeff Taylor, Jeannie Seely and Australian colleagues in the crowd included Troy and Alisha Kemp, Sam Hawksley and Katrina Burgoyne.

The French Family were joined on stage by musicians Jeff Taylor (accordion), Mike Rogers (drums), Eamon McLoughlin (fiddle) and Larry Paxton (Bass).

dreamcatcher

So, after an amazing night’s sleep during which she recorded with her idol Kasey Chambers, she decided to act on the nocturnal message.

“I’ve always had very vivid dreams about my life and the things I want to achieve,” she said.

“I’d been seeing the social media posts about a competition Kasey was running when she and Brandon Dodd opened their Rabbit Hole Studio, and I had this dream that I was recording there.

“So, I decided to take a big risk, and wrote her this crazy email asking whether I could record there. And she was so lovely and agreed.”

Denvah travelled from her home in Rockhampton to the NSW Central Coast for what she says was an “amazing recording experience”. With the help of Kasey and Brandon, she put down two tracks – her brand-new single Should Have Known and her next release, Typical

“I just loved that experience. Brandon can pick up any instrument and play it, and they both have such a great ear for music. It was completely inspiring,” Denvah said.

Yet Kasey and Brandon aren’t the first major stars that Denvah has enlisted to help her musical journey – nor the first to recognise her potential.

Back in 2017, at the tender age of just 18, she approached

Jeremy Marou of Busby Marou fame through a family friend.

“I was blown away when he said he was interested in helping. I really didn’t expect my request to get the reception it did,” she said.

They not only helped her record her debut EP, Just the Beginning, on beautiful Great Keppel Island, but Jeremy played guitars, and the duo helped subsidise Denvah’s first trip to Tamworth in 2018.

And they even invited Denvah to join them on stage for their 2018 Tamworth Festival show.

“They were absolutely wonderful to me, and made such a difference to the recording and to my belief that I could build a career in the music industry,” she said.

Sadly, the timing of Just the Beginning’s release came as COVID-19 impacted the whole music industry, meaning Denvah couldn’t

BY SUSAN JARVIS

tour to support it.

She did, however, see the songs from the EP get plenty of attention, including the sweet My Favourite, about missing someone you’ll never see again, Do It Again, a feel-good song about a perfect night, and How Could You?, a breakup song inspired by young love and N&J a song about friendship. My favourite track is the beautiful For Elizabeth, a song written for a child Denvah knew who’d been bullied.

A passionate songwriter, Denvah penned all the songs on the EP, and has also written the two new tracks. She’s already mastered the art of creating a nuanced, emotive song that touches the listener.

She spent the hiatus that was COVID planning her emergence, and she’s certainly burst into the spotlight in a big way. In January she was a grand finalist in the 2023 Toyota Star Maker competition, which she says was an amazing springboard for the year ahead.

“I met so many people – it was only my second Tamworth, and everyone was incredibly helpful, from the judges and the band to the other finalists,” Denvah said.

“I decided I wanted to do it all in 2023, and Star Maker was the best possible way to kick that off.”

Following Tamworth, Denvah appeared on the Country on Kershaw festival with Taylor Moss, and in July will perform as part of Country On Keppel Festival on Great Keppel Island.

She says she’s determined to succeed in the industry on her own terms, without emulating anyone else.

“People tell me I’m a storyteller, and that I’m expressive. I’ve been writing since I was 15 and I love being a songwriter. But I’m also passionate about performing,” she said.

“I’ve also been described as a bit quirky – which I regard as a compliment. I want to be recognised for who I am and the music I create. Music is how I process things, and how I function. It’s my passion, and I love being able to share it.”

Rising star DENVAH is a great believer in chasing your dreams –quite literally.

BY BEC GRACIE

With a dad who was a bass player in a punk band, it wasn’t the first time he’d picked up a guitar, but it was the first time he enjoyed it as he was playing with mates.

“When I was about 13, I found out some of my friends had instruments and we got together and played Smoke On The Water for nine hours,” he laughed.

“Not the whole song ... just the riff.”

The group of five mates formed an AC/DC cover band called Power Age.

Their big break came when they performed on The Footy Show’s No Talent Time, winning a $150,000 Winnebago motorhome.

“We got through to the Grand Final and went to the Sydney Entertainment Centre and played in front of 10,000 people and we won,” Jeremy said.

“I was 14, it got delivered, we camped out in it one night and then sold it and split the money between the five of us. I bought guitars, a crazy guitar amp, a car, and a few other things.”

The band remained together, writing their own rock songs for about four years and toured the UK, representing Australia at the Global Battle of the Bands, coming second.

When Jeremy was 18, the band went their separate ways and he headed to the Conservatorium of Music in Newcastle, gaining his music degree before beginning a Masters of Education.

“I started that course the week I joined Viper Creek Band and we did a tour and I can remember being in the back of the car hotspotting to my laptop doing assignments and it got too much, so I thought I can come back to it one day … that was seven years ago,” he laughed.

This didn’t stop Jeremy’s love of teaching and he currently has about 70 students both privately at his home and at various schools, which he loves and the students love being

JEREMY MINETT

serving THE MUSIC

The famous riff from Smoke On The Water is the reason JEREMY MINETT joined a band and, as they say, the rest is history.

taught by a touring musician.

Last month, after seven years as lead guitarist in Viper Creek Band, Jeremy farewelled the band to focus on his other musical endeavours, including playing guitar for his wife, 2022 Toyota Star Maker Max Jackson, making music videos, and teaching.

“Making music videos makes me appreciate music even more because it gives my brain a bit of a rest from music for a bit,” he said.

Last year, Eyes and Ears Creative shot about 80 videos and this year Jeremy said he would surpass that as word spreads.

“I feel like I’m finally hitting a good balance in my life: I love teaching and I love all my students; I love playing live music, playing for other artists, and making music video sides,” he said.

As a sideman, Jeremy said it is important to have ‘good ears’ and listen to the details when learning songs.

“Being a good person to work with is probably the biggest thing because you can be the best musician in the world, but if you’re not enjoyable, for other people in the band and for other artists to be around, they won’t hire you,” he said.

“I’ve heard stories about people who have turned gig offers down the second time around because they would not stay with that person in a room again, so having really good ears and being really particular what you need to do, and to play to make the music sound like the music, is really important.”

The Newcastle artist said he always advised his students not to take themselves too seriously if they wanted to be a sideman.

“Remember you are not the artist, so irrespective of whatever your ego might want you to do on the gig, don’t let your ego get in the way of what you’re there to do,” he said.

“Unless you’re told by the boss, no egotistical guitar solos – don’t put things in there that don’t need to be there, just serve the music.”

ARE THEY NOW

JOHNNY GREENWOOD

Johnny was born in Brisbane in 1939 then moved to a farm at Mount Larkham, between Rockhampton and Gladstone. He used to listen to the radio growing up with the music of Tex, Buddy, Smoky, Slim, Gordon Parsons and Dusty Rankin.

“I just loved all those singers,” he said. “After hearing them I was enthused to do it as well so I went to Brisbane in 1958, joined the Commonwealth Public Service and I’d go out singing and got a lot of work in Brisbane and in northern NSW. I’d also travel down to Sydney and sing.”

In 1964 Johnny, along with Ellie Lavelle and Ray Rumble, started the Australasian Country Music Association in Brisbane and branches sprung up all over the country.

In 1965 Johnny travelled to England performing all over the country and in Germany and Italy, as well as Tripoli and Libya to entertain the American forces.

While he was in England, Johnny recorded some pop songs but they were never released and unfortunately, he had to return to Australia when his mother was diagnosed with cancer.

He was signed to the RCA record label after Ron Wills heard some demos and he recorded a number of singles before releasing an album called Tibrogargan in 1971 and went on to record 12 albums over his career.

Unlike many country stars of the time, Johnny didn’t hit the road in travelling shows, but consolidated his standing in Queensland and northern NSW.

In 1973 Johnny recorded a song called The Goondiwindi Grey, a different song to one recorded by Tex Morton.

“Tex’s song was a big hit. I wrote mine long before Tex’s, but RCA didn’t want to record it then,” Johnny said, “but when they got wind of Tex doing his song, RCA then decided to record mine and it was released about three weeks before Tex’s. My song was one of the big sellers for the company, even against Elvis Presley and David Bowie. I was in the top ten of RCA’s releases at the time.”

Johnny had a string of successful singles from the late 1960s which were played on radio around the country and he appeared on top television shows including Reg Lindsay’s Country Homestead, Conway Country, The Late Show, John Crook Show, Country Roads, That’s Australia and Must Be Country

Slim Dusty recorded three of Johnny’s songs along with Chad Morgan, Brian Letton, John McSweeney, Dave Reynolds and Dean Perrett and many others.

He has been a Golden Guitar finalist as a songwriter on many occasions, particularly in the Bush Ballad category, but the trophy has always eluded him.

“I suppose I would’ve like to have won but it’s just the luck of the draw isn’t it?”

Johnny was inducted into the Tamworth Hands Of Fame in 1980 and the Tamworth Songwriters’ Association has honoured him with its Songmaker Award (2003) and the

A CAREER TO BE PROUD OF

earlier this year, including at the Bush Balladeers Homestead, of which he is a life member.

Recently he worked with Tracy Coster at Woolloongabba and he’s been working regularly with Bernadette Gill.

“She’s a Celtic and folk singer, we’re doing things together,” Johnny said, “and we’re even working on some duets and I did a few shows with Chad Morgan in 2021.

Tex Morton Award for services to the country music industry (2017).

Johnny has continued to work, with regular visits to the Tamworth Country Music Festival for many years and was there

“I sang Waltzing Matilda and my monologue Our Old Flag at the Battle of Coral Sea 80th Anniversary in May last year and I’m going to do that again this year at Newstead House.”

Johnny says he hasn’t been doing any songwriting lately and says he has a few regrets, mainly not being better known, but he’s happy having achieved what he has.

At the age of 83 JOHNNY GREENWOOD can be proud of a career that has spanned almost seven decades and 2023 still sees him performing.

Tim said “Sydney radio station, 2SM was a country station for a little while and my dad, Ian Holland, was the breakfast host for years.”

The 14- or 15-year-old Tim fell in love with country tracks from iconic albums including Outback Club from Lee Kernaghan and This Road from James Blundell and the music of Garth Brooks and it set the course for his life’s career.

Tim’s first job in the music industry was at the Leading Edge Music head office, a buying group supporting over 220 independent stores across Australia, and was the retailer buyer for them.

“I then worked at The Music Network and was exposed to all elements of the music business and then I started writing country music articles,” he said.

“They wanted to get more involved in country music and no one was really interested until I came along and when I started to do that, I started to get a lot of interest in what I was doing from people including Rob Potts, Gil Robert and Tim Daley who seemed to like what I was doing.

“Off the back of that, I approached them to work at ABC Music, although I had never worked at a label. I became the label manager for country music in 2006.”

Tim remained at ABC Music for eight years where he worked with artists including Lee Kernaghan, McAlister Kemp, Sara Storer, and Adam Brand.

Tim then moved onto Sony Music for four years where he had the opportunity to work with international superstars including Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood.

The next natural step was to go out on his own with business partners, and Tim began Red Dog Recordings at the end of 2020, in the middle of a pandemic.

The label currently has Shannon Noll, Southbound xo, Davisson Brothers Band and Joe Moore. Tim also manages

SETTING THE COURSE

The name TIM HOLLAND is familiar to everyone in the Australian country music industry, but it was his dad’s breakfast shift on a Sydney country radio station that lit the fire in the label manager.

Southbound xo and managed Jasmine Rae for 10 years.

“What I’m doing now is what I always ultimately wanted to do, although I’m always open to anything,” he said.

The Sydney-based artist and label manager said some of the best things he’d learned were from Lee, Luke and Kelsea.

“All these artists have a very good sense of who they are, what their purpose is as an artist and who their audience is - I’ve learned that that is very important,” he said.

“When I started, Rob (Potts) used to hammer this home to me because it’s a hits and stars business, you have to have great songs that mean something to people, have to be a

great live performer and put on a great show.”

Tim said it was also vital to be relatable and open as a person, more so now than ever thanks to social media.

To make it as a manager, Tim had some important advice.

“Firstly, you have to be obsessed with the business: you have to have a good understanding of all aspects of the business because you can never rely on anyone else, and you have to be able to be objective – this is very important, but often very hard because telling them what they want to hear doesn’t always help them,” he said.

“You should be able to have an objective conversation and have the artist understand you believe in them, but there are things they need to work on. Also, don’t try to imply you know more than you do – it’s okay not to know everything.

“You must also understand that an individual artist has one career. If something doesn’t go well, I can move onto the next thing, but an artist can’t – when you’re giving advice or making a decision on their behalf, you’ve got to remember the significance of that because it can really have an impact on their life, both good and bad.”

Tim with US superstar Luke Combs

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS

Amongst the songs that I had downloaded, were reference copies of my old albums and dozens of demos of songs that had somehow found their way onto my phone. There were lots of “that should have been a single”; “I don’t remember writing that”; and “that’s way better than I remember it” moments. Contrary to what the music business might tell you, songs don’t have a use by date. If you stay in touch with your work, there is always a chance for any song. If you liked an idea enough to write it in the first place it must have something going for it.

Despite having well over 900 recordings of my songs released, I still feel I have underachieved by allowing some of these songs to slip through the cracks without being heard.

FASHION

We are, in some ways, in the fashion industry rather than the music business. Artists tend to all jump in a style for a while then move on.

It can be cyclical. A well-written song is always capable of being relevant as the styles change. It could be as simple as just re-recording your song in a more current style.

REWRITING, REWORKING AND REIMAGINING

Until a song is released and heard, it is still a work in progress and can be changed at any time. My wife Marian and I wrote a song called on one of my albums. We later rewrote parts of the lyric and it was, not only recorded by Wanita, but was also featured in the film I’m Wanita

I have made the finals of the Golden Guitars in the last two years with songs that have been completely reworked. One was given a new tune and the other was given a completely different chorus and title. My point is that these two songs would have disappeared but for the rewriting. They finished up charting and being in contention for awards. A cautionary note though. Sometimes an idea isn’t strong enough to support a song. If it’s not going to fly, I then strip the good lines out for parts and send it to the wreckers.

ALBUM TRACKS

about recording songs that have appeared on other albums. If a great song has been on an album that didn’t sell well and wasn’t played on radio, it really shouldn’t hurt its chances of success with the right recording. There are hundreds of examples of songs that were released a few times before being hits. If you don’t believe me, look at Joe Cocker, John Farnham, Linda Ronstadt, Elvis Presley and lots of others.

If you are an artist and you don’t have enough strong songs of your own for an album, go and talk to songwriters. They’re nice people and may well have written a song that is perfect for you.

Your first duty as a songwriter is to touch people, and you can’t do that if they don’t hear it, go and talk to artists … they’re nice people and could probably do a great job on your song. See you next month … maybe.

If you have questions regarding upcoming songwriting workshops or my “one on one” private songwriting coaching service (based on the Gold Coast),my song appraisal service, my books Writing Great Song Lyrics, My Version Of The Truth, Secrets Of Stronger Songwriting or if you would like to host a workshop contact me on 0419 218 988 or email me at allan@allancaswell.com

On a recent Lynchburg tour, I put the songs on my phone on shuffle to fill in the expensive diesel guzzling miles.

IN KNEE-DEEP

ABBA COMPILATION VOLUME 25

Each year the Australian Bush Balladeers Association put together a compilation album. It includes a wide selection of Australian bush ballad style singles from either released album or newly recorded tracks. Three artists recording new tracks for this year’s release are Rodney Walker, Tom Chesterfield and Steve Sparrow.

Rodney has been a popular figure in the annual Tamworth Country Music Cavalcade for many years as the famous oneman-band and he is stepping into the recording studio for the first time. Tom, an upcoming bush balladeer, has released several singles to date and whose love of traditional style country music shines through in his performances.

Tom returns to Steve Newton’s ENREC Studios in Tamworth where he’s recording a new traditional style single Rhythm Highway, a song about life as a truck driver, written by Virginia Hermel. Steve has been releasing his own music and producing albums for other artists for years with great success. His new song, Australia, is also written by Virginia Hermel.

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS

Bruce Lavender is one of Bundaberg’s premier traditional ballad story teller songwriters and his latest 15 track album Gates Of Home features a majority of his own writing about events, people and places, along with a selection of three all-time classic bush ballads.

Following his 2023 Golden Guitar Bush Ballad Of The Year win with Out On Killarney, Dean Perrett is back with a new single, Walkabout Waters. Written by Neville Anderson, the song paints the picture of power and splendour and captures the excitement of the station folk in the channel country when the slow-moving flood spreads through the thousands of water courses and channels soaking the land and turning desert into a paradise. This track was recorded at Lindsay Waddington’s Kross Kut Studio and produced by Waddo and Dean Perrett.

MUSIC AT THE TERRITORY MANOR

If you are heading into the Northern Territory over June, July and August, call into the Territory Manor Motel and Caravan Park at Mataranka. Bush Ballad and traditional country artists Peter Coad & The Coad Sisters, four-times Golden Guitar nominated Bluegrass band Runaway

Dixie, and rock ‘n’ roll legends The Jim Hermel Band will be presenting the Country & Rock ‘n’ Roll Music Road Show at the venue five nights a week over their three-month residency. This is the third year the show has been invited back, so drop by and say g’day if you can.

FESTIVALS COMING UP

Traditional country music festivals coming up over May and June are Jammo’s Bouldy Bush Ballad Bash from May 15 to 21. Artists include the Gunbarrell Highwaymen featuring Reg Poole, Terry Gordon and Owen Blundell, John & Christine Smith, Dianne Lindsay & Peter Simpson, Bruce Lavender, Anita Ree, Buddy Thomson & Lynne Bennett, Ray Essery, Gary Fogarty, Caitlyn Jamieson, Alisha Smith. Bouldercombe is 25km from Rockhampton on the Burnett Highway in Qld.

The Crows Nest Country Music Festival will be held from Monday June 12 to Sunday June 18 at the Crows Nest Qld Showgrounds, New England Highway Crows Nest Qld. This traditional style music event was recently awarded the Crows Nest Community Event of the Year at the Crows Nest Australia Day Awards in January 2023.

BY LORRAINE PFITZNER OAM

station NWS9 in South Australia.

In the late 1960s, Clel began working in the music industry as a journalist/girl Friday for Australia’s first pop music magazine Go-Set, before moving on to Product and Marketing for WEA Records, and in the 1970s, she took a job with Atlantic Records in London.

In 1974, Clel moved to Tamworth with her then husband Garry Adams, and soon got involved with her love of music. Through her many musical influences she was able to sing a number of styles including country, rock and jazz.

It was during this period the New England Rangers band was formed becoming the first country rock band in Tamworth featuring Clelia and members Lawrie Minson, Pixie Jenkins, Tom Galbraith, Garry Adams and Glen Walters.

Around this time, the trio Skarlett was also formed with Cate McCarthy and Lynette Guest. The girls sang three-part harmony and were sought after for shows such as the live Country Muster which was recorded and played on Radio 2TM and syndicated stations, the Golden Guitar Awards and the TV show Must Be Country hosted by Terry Gordon in the 1970s-1980s. The girls can be heard on many albums recorded at Hadley, Opal and Selection Records. Clelia’s session work in the studio as a solo harmony singer and as the trio Skarlett kept her very busy.

In 1985, she recorded and released a gospel album Angel Band with Garry Adams which received both Female Vocalist and Duo Album of the Year at the Australian Country Gospel Awards.

From 1993 to 2000, Clel worked with legendary guitarist Gary Brown, in the most successful duo in Tamworth, at that time.

In 1996, Clel released her first solo CD Fine Company. Clelia said that she is grateful for many years of the Tamworth music community’s acceptance of her as an artist and their total support of her career as a session singer, rock chick, wedding singer, jazz singer, and she loved it all.

Italian immigrant CLELIA CALVO arrived in Australia with her family in 1954 setting up home in Orange NSW where there was a strong Italian community.

hen Clelia was 15 years old, she received a transistor radio and lay in bed at night listening to John

Minson’s Hoedown program on Radio 2TM Tamworth.

COUNTRY amore W

Clel had fallen in love with country music after watching Reg Lindsay’s Country & Western Hour recorded in Adelaide’s television

During the 25 years Clelia lived in Tamworth apart from her musical career, she raised her two children Daniel and Jessie. She left Tamworth in 2000 to live on the Far North Coast of NSW continuing with her music as well as recording the albums Bring It On in 2001, Heartbeat Highway in 2004, (which won the Geoff Brown Memorial Award at the TIARAs in 2006) and Wildflowerswon Production of the Year at the 2010 European Country Music Awards. The River Valley Express double album was released in 2013, featuring the archives covering her previous albums.

Clelia has received several awards including being inducted into the Tamworth Hands of Fame in 2010 and Tasmania’s Axeman’s Wall of Fame in Latrobe 2012.

Today Clelia is semi-retired, writing her memoirs which I’m sure will be a very interesting book and something to look forward to.

MEMORY LANE CLELIA ADAMS

TAMWORTH MORE FROM

Winners

in the Tamworth Songwriters’ Association Songwriter Salute Awards were announced at a gala presentation concert during the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January.

The major Songmaker recognition was presented to prolific bush balladeer Graham Rodger.

Country Song of the Year went to Fly To You by Patrick Kenny and Kelsey Berrington which also won the Alt Country Song Award.

The prestigious New Songwriter accolade was won by Felicity Dowd with Handle It

Winner of the Tex Morton Award, for service to country songwriting, was local Tamworth legend Patti Morgan.

For Novice Songwriting, the trophy went to Allan West & Ren Kyder with One For Sorrow.

The Youth Songwriting category was won by Amy Ryan with Gem Gem.

Winner of the Lyrics Only section was Kevin Pye with Ten Acres Out Of Town

The Bluegrass Song Award went

to Dave Diprose with Stranger In My Home

The Country Blues Song Award was taken out by Empty, written by Shelly Jones & Lester Treuer.

The Country Song Rock Award was presented to Blake Dantier for Wish You Were My Beer.

The Country Ballad Award went to Craig Lloyd, David Carter & Merelyn Carter for Take The Wheel.

Matt Scullion won Traditional Song of the Year with The Legend Of The Lamp

Terry Bennetts was the winner of Bush Ballad of the Year with The Dinner Tree

Mark Rigney won the Comedy/ Novelty Award with Modern Day Country Song

The Local Heroes Song of the Year went to Free Again by Karen Law.

Gospel/Spiritual Song was taken out by Clayton Saunders for God Knows.

And the Radio Presenters Award went to the Shelly Jones Band.

Find out more or become a member at tsaonline.com.au.

OOPS!

Graham Rodger

Last month, we incorrectly credited this great photo, of Tamworth artist Sally-Anne Whitten, at her show at Moonshiners. It was shot by Di Stacey. We thought it was worth seeing again.

HUNGRY FOR MUSIC AT SUPPER CLUB

The famous Andrew Clermont’s Supper Clubs, that take place at The Servies’ North Tamworth Bowling Club as part of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrated 25 years this year.

Andrew is well-known for facilitating world musicians to come together at the Supper Club events which give opportunity to small orchestras to gather and support singers and instrumentalists over the 10-day festival.

Andrew takes his music to the world and then brings the world back to Tamworth. His music takes him from Estonia to festivals throughout Australia where his

GOLDEN FIDDLE AWARDS

Multiinstrumentalist Andrew Clermont received the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Golden Fiddle Awards, held during the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January.

This award follows last year’s induction to the SA Music Hall of Fame, and can be added to his Bluegrass Guitar Championships and Golden Guitar he received

workshops, sometimes referred to as Clermont’s Clinics, are sought-after events.

He has produced a 20-year photo almanac of the growing years of his Supper Club with records of up to 100 players have been involved at the North Tam Bowlo during the festival. The book is a culmination of 15 photographers dedicated to capturing the music of the moment and taking Clermont three years to produce the 120-pager in both A4 and A3 sized books.

For years, musicians have lined the bowling greens nightly, with arrangements being sprung throughout the multitudes which also led to triple CD albums and DVDs tracking the best of the “30 hour” weeks of performances since 1998.

The COVID years also gave a chance for many of the fans’ videos, tweaked with photos and multi-angles, to create a quite epic resource you can find on YouTube. With over 150 videos they’re still just scratching the surface.

This year Andrew added a cabaret night with Jackie Louise Marshall, Merri-May Gill plus The Beez “Stranded in Oz”. Also appearing were Goldheist, Paul Wookey, George Washingmachine and next generation 14-year-old singersongwriter Bonnie Melbourne (fiddle, piano, guitar) with father Jack, vocal and bass freak Luke Fergusson, and all the way back from Mexico, Hanna Elizabeth plus special drop in from Angela Easson and other surprise guests as is every enjoyable year.

The event is sponsored by The Servies Group, Barbeques Galore Tamworth and Clearview IT and Just Better Care NSW, with generous support from local families. Looks like there’s many years ahead for Clermont’s Supper Club.

with the Three Chord Wonders.

Shenzo Gregorio was announced Best Fiddler, Jessie May received the Community Award and Gleny Rae Virus was acknowledged as the Best Fiddler with a band, the Playboys.

A highlight was a live theatre poker murder game - “Hats off to film score writer Hans Zimmer” - with a shoot-out on stage, featuring Hester Fraser, Anthony Walmsley and Brookie Gillett.

A 17-piece presentation featured fiddlers George Washingmachine, Gleny Rae, Jessie May, Shenzo Gregorio, Jude Iddison (WA), Brannon Crickmore (Qld), Gabi Louise, and guests Nicholas Reefman on trumpet and Christian Marsh on chromatic harmonica, Quentin Eyers on bass, Paul Novosel on drums, Andrew Clermont

plus a tango dance

by Marilla Homes together with Clermont.  You can watch it on Andrew’s youtube channel.

As always, an outstanding concert of musicians took to the stage with the finale a fitting picture of diversity at this year’s Golden Fiddle Awards with Garry Steel on piano, Pete Fidler (Dobro), Nic Reefman (trumpet), Shenzo Gregorio and Jude Iddison on fiddles,

Paul Novosel (drums), Marilla Homes (vocals), Quentin Eyers (percussion), Luke Fergusson (6-string bass), Andrew Clermont (MD/mandolin).

on ukulele

Singing for their supper, from left, Christian Marsh (chromatic harmonica), Andrew Clermont, Brookie Gillett, Garry Steel (piano), Paul Cooper (banjo), Marilla Homes, Shenzo Gregorio and Jude Iddison (fiddles), Nicholas Reefman (trumpet), Pete Fidler (Dobro), Anthony Walmsley (guitar), Tony (diatonic harmonica), Quentin Eyers (bass) and Ben Wordsworth on drums.

PHOTO: BRONNY MAC

Andrew Clermont, Shenzo Gregorio, Jessie May and Gleny Rae Virus

PHOTO THOMAS ROSENZWEIG

Well known country music identity Nick Erby presented the award as Sue was unable to make the trip to the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival in January.

Sue said being part of the country music industry has been such an important part of her life.

“I’ve loved being able to track the careers of so many artists from the start, and to see them go on to amazing things,” she said. “I get a particular thrill out of spotting new artists and seeing their potential, and playing a small part in helping them realise it. I have also loved the ‘family of choice’ that country music has given me, and that I am still privileged to be a part of.”

The award recognised Sue’s long-time support for country music as a writer and editor, which spans almost five decades and includes writing for magazines like Hoofs And Horns, Capital News and Australian Country Music Magazine, as well as general public relations articles and biographies.

GOREGEOUS COUNTRY

From May 26 to June 5, the Bayleys sponsored Tussock Country will feature the MLT Senior and Junior Gold Guitar Awards competition and the Top Paddock concert with Jenny Harraway, Lachie Hayes, Arun O’Connor, Keith Pereira and Australia’s Southbound xo.

One of the hottest female country artists fresh off the Ed Sheeran tour is Kaylee Bell who will deliver her Boots ‘n’ All concert. Singer songwriter Jenny Mitchell’s Tea At Three theatre show is not to be missed, and add Jamie McDell’s Bowmar Road house concert and Matt Joe Gow and Kerryn Fields concert to your program.

The Denver & Beyond showcases popular acts Bevan Gardiner, James Davy & Melissa Partridge.

The Country Legends show will feature Nick Bourke, Noel Burns, Vicki Downes, Trevor Daw and Peter Cairns with an evening of country and western classics and

New Zealand’s favourite country music festival in Gore on the South Island returns with more than 60 events across 10 days.

an afternoon Golden Oldies concert followed by afternoon tea featuring many senior artists.

There’s so much variety with the Ute muster, truck show, paint & sip evening, and Queen Gala Crowning.

CAVE FM has an Open Mic Afternoon and On Air Concert plus there are walkup concerts and linedancing socials and Kayla Martin will host Kids Gone Country for young performers 4-17 as they gear up for the Junior Gold Guitar Awards.

Buskers can brave the “Freeze Ya’ Bits Off” Busking competition and workshops will be conducted for yodellers, ukulele lovers as well as those needing tips on performance with Peter Cairns.

Join Cameron Clayton for his country rock workshop and Phil Doublet shares his knowledge at the guitar skills workshop.

The festival encompasses events

managed by the New Zealand Country Music Festival Trust, the Gore Country Music Club, the NZ Songwriters Trust, the NZ Gold Guitar committee, the Gore District Council and many other independent artists and community organisations.

A number of artists and industry folk will be acknowledged at the Hands of Fame induction and also at the Country Music Honours concert on June 1 where the APRA Best NZ Country Music Song of the Year and MLT Songwriting Award will be awarded. Previous winners include Jenny Mitchell, Tami Neilson, Holly Arrowsmith and Reb Fountain.

Australia’s Fanny Lumsden will be a guest performer at the Honours concert as well as present her own show on Wednesday, May 31. Find the full program and more at tussockcountry.nz

Kaylee Bell

Jenny Mitchell

Matt Joe Gow

HATS OFF to

Australian country music

Multiple Golden Guitar winners and great mates

Beccy Cole and Adam Harvey have included Tamworth Town Hall on their Great Country Songbook Volume 3 tour, playing the iconic venue on Friday, July 7.

Supporting the dynamic duo will be everybody’s favourite player, Duncan Toombs, whose debut Steel on Steel album is opening doors for him everywhere; and Tamworth’s own Loren Ryan, the 2023 Toyota Star Maker winner.

This fun, midyear event takes place over four days – from Thursday, July 6 through to Sunday, July 9 in Tamworth, NSW.

Venues right across the city are keen to welcome patrons back for “the cuddly festival” – so named in its first year by resident Golden Guitar

winning musician Lawrie Minson. Lawrie and wife Shelley will be part of the midyear fun performing at both The Press and in Legends Lounge at Wests, where you’ll also find them each month throughout the year.

The heat of January is a far cry from the cool change you’ll experience in Tamworth in July so, if you’re not a fan of the heat, you can get a real taste of country in much cooler circumstances at this 23-yearold festival.

The annual CMAA Junior Academy Graduation Concert is at Moonshiners on Saturday, July 8 from 2pm with tickets at the door.

Hometown lad Lane Pittman, who took out the Best of the Buskers title on the final night of the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival, is a man on a mission. The young entertainer has already gained

national recognition on The Voice in 2022 and will be opening the show for US country sensation Luke Combs on his sold-out national tour of Australia and New Zealand in August. Lane is hoping his hometown fans will come out to send him and his band off on the road in style at The Pub, on Saturday, July 8.

Direct from Nashville, Tennessee, Australia’s Travis List will present two big band shows in Legends at Wests to celebrate his homecoming tour before he and wife Kristy Cox return to Music City USA with their children.

Wests’ Diggers brings you Hunter Valley band The Versatiles on Friday night and Katie Jayne, 2022 Star Maker Top 10 finalist, will rock it out with her band on Saturday night.

The Tudor Hotel, located on Peel Street, opens its doors to Country Karaoke on Thursday night, with Tamworth songbird Sally-Anne Whitten and her band on Friday night, and the Autumn Blues Band Saturday following their 1pm-4pm spot at Joe Maguire’s Hotel.

Two of the biggest names in

headline the coolest midyear festival ever – Hats Off to Country 2023 in Tamworth.

Ashleigh Dallas

Kristy Cox

Andrew Swift

festivals

a cool festival

Hats Off has become a gathering place for singer-songwriters who meet at various venues around town to share their love of melody and rhyme.

You’ll find members of the Tamworth Songwriters’ Association presenting showcases at venues including the Oasis Hotel, Tamworth City Bowling Club and the Post Office Hotel, with the Oasis featuring What She’s Having, Frecko and Suz Dorahy and Friends.

Fans of traditional country music will no doubt have their tickets sorted for the Australian Bush Balladeers’ Association’s only concert of the festival – from high noon till 3pm on Sunday at Moonshiners’ Honky Tonk Bar, at the Family Hotel.

Appearing on the bill will be Tom Chesterfield, Lynette Guest, Rodney Walker, Anthony Baxter, Lorraine Pfitzner, Lyn and Phil Manning, Ron Lynch, Greg Bain and Patti Morgan, with Lorraine Pfitzner OAM the emcee.

Another nod to tradition, not to miss, is The Pub Balladeers, hosted by Brian “Howdy” Howard on Friday,

July 7 at The Pub.

The Tamworth Hotel has jumped right in to Hats Off with two shows, singer-songwriter JB Paterson, and the best bar band in the country, CK & The 45s, and The Press Basement Bar has a full program in addition to Songwriters’ Night, Friday is singer-songwriter Brooke Harvey and everyone’s invited to Allison Forbes Birthday Bash on Sunday afternoon.

In addition to performances from members of the TSA, the Nemingha Tavern, one of the first venues in town to have country music, presents on Friday night, female singer-songwriter Teak, who is known through her 2015 Top 12 Finals appearance on The Voice, Bowraville singer-songwriter Graham Howle, Saturday night, and local country artist Dale Hooper for the Sunday session from 1pm to 4pm.

The Court House has free country over the weekend with Daniel Thornton solo acoustic on Friday night and Mr Entertainment Ryan Sampson, Saturday night.

Haven’t got a gig but want to sing? In The Atrium on Friday and Saturday from 10am to 2pm there are walk-up opportunities.

Tamworth Regional Council’s Country Music Coordinator Cheryl Brown extends a warm invitation to Tamworth’s premier midyear event. “It’s a cosy little festival with big names, emerging artists, songwriters and more. Without all the crowds of January, it’s much more artist-accessible and fan-friendly,” Cheryl said.

On the Saturday night, one of the most fun ways to get around is the Cowboy Crawl – a coach-driven mini-tour of the festival taking in at least four live music venues. Jump on board to experience a fun time for just $20.

The Longyard is the place to be for all the grooves from Friday, July 7 at 8pm get down to local party band Savage Groove featuring Johanna Hemara, Kym Beare, John Lee and Rob Bennic and on Saturday, July 8 at 8pm Qld country rock artist Jeremy Turner will heat up the room. On Sunday, July 9 from noon, new-to-town artist Daniel Thornton will perform a solo acoustic set over lunch. You can dive right in to the final Longy gig from 3pm to 6pm with Tamworth’s favourite party band, Splashpool, featuring Kevin Anderson, Kym Beare, Sally-Anne Whitten, Rae Moody, Dave “Stixy” Adams, and Alwyn Aurisch.

Chances are any venue you drop into in Tamworth will have live music playing at this very cool winter festival where rugging up is the way we roll!

More venues are still to finalise their programs so keep an eye on the website, www.hatsofftocountry.com.au for details of more shows as they are announced.

Jeremy Turner

Good Corn Liquor

Brendan McMahon

THE SEARCH IS ON

The 2023 NAB Gympie Music Muster Talent Search is on with emerging artists encouraged to take to the stage.

TEXAS TRIO ADDED TO GYMPIE LINE-UP

Texan superstars MIDLAND are headed Down Under with rescheduled tour dates following last year’s sudden postponement.

The Grammy-nominated trio kick off in Rockhampton, then Brisbane before heading into the Amamoor State Forest for their performance on Sunday, August 27 at the 2023 Gympie Music Muster which is from Thursday, August 24 to Sunday, August 27.

Following the triumph of the 2022 muster, the addition of Midland among the mix of rising and established homegrown favourites including Hoodoo Gurus, Sara Storer, Ashleigh Dallas, Viper Creek Band, Chad Morgan, Emily Wurramara, Zac & George, Melody Moko, Caitlyn Shadbolt, and Ella & Sienna, is sure to match the success.

The international flavour of Midland is in addition to Canadian favourites Dan Davidson and Gord Bamford who were announced in the first artist line-up.

“We are so excited to finally be bringing our Last Resort: Greetings From Tour to Australia, which includes a stop at the Gympie Music Muster!,” the band said.

“We have heard a lot about the Muster crowd and cannot wait to party with y’all in the middle of a forest – we will see you soon!”

They join headliners Adam Brand, Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley, Busby Marou, Casey Barnes, Kasey Chambers, Troy Cassar-Daley and Melinda Schneider.

Program director Oz Bayldon said the focus was mixing established and emerging artists to entertain all festival patrons.

“We have worked very hard this year to have emerging artists to play alongside the country’s elite performers to deliver a program that will entertain all the festival goers in the most unique festival setting in Australia,” Oz said.

“We’re very proud to be delivering our roots with a lot of local performers also on the bill. We have tried to mix it up a little from previous years but keep the essence of

what the Muster is about.

The Muster is not solely about country music, with Aussie rock legends and ARIA Hall of Famers Hoodoo Gurus looking forward to bring their A-game to the forest festival.

“We’re really looking forward to playing at the legendary Gympie Muster,” Hoodoo Gurus mainstay Dave Faulkner said.

“You can always count on the Hoodoo Gurus to bring the rock ‘n’ roll good times, so we reckon we can safely say that this year’s Muster is gonna be iconic.”

Tickets are selling fast and payment plans are available to pay tickets off on a weekly basis until the end of June 2023.

The Gympie Muster is a cashless event and wristband credits are also now available to purchase via the ticket portal, this gives our patrons the chance to pre-pay their spending money prior to the event which was very popular for the ’22 festival.

Every fully paid 4-day adult 2023 Gympie Music Muster ticket will receive one (1) entry to win a NewGen NG17 Off-Road Caravan (Ts&Cs apply).

The 30-year talent search has been a career stepping stone for previous winners including 2015 Toyota Star Maker winner Mickey Pye, and Golden Guitar winners Drew McAlister, Mark O’Shea from Nashville husband and wife duo O’Shea, 2005 Toyota Star Maker winner Sam McClymont and her sister, onehalf of the Muster ambassadors, Brooke McClymont.

For last year’s open section winner, Brittany Elise, the win has also changed her life, meaning she has put aside her teaching career for the moment, while she focuses on music and prepares to head to Nashville.

“The talent search gave me the chance to work with more people in the business who continue to help launch my career including festival organisers and play big festival stages that I potentially wouldn’t have experienced otherwise,” she said.

The 2018 Academy of Country Music graduate and 2022 Toyota Star Maker finalist said her advice for entrants to the Muster talent search, and any other competition, was to “be true to yourself and enjoy the experience”.

“Whether you win or not, you never know who is watching and everyone has entered because they’re worthy to win,” Brittany Elise said.

“We’re all mates here, that’s exactly what the vibe is like at Gympie and I went out and had fun, everything else was an amazing bonus.”

Sarah Savannah and Brittany Elise

deni UTE MUSTER

It has been 25 years since the first Deni Ute Muster was created in 1999; and returning to celebrate with us is Lee Kernaghan who was at the first muster.

The Deni Ute Muster is over the weekend of Friday, September 29 and Saturday, September 30 and is one of Australia’s most popular ‘bucket list’ events attracting close to 20,000 people of all ages to celebrate music, mateship and, of course, the iconic ‘ute’.

Main stage acts this year are Adam Harvey & Beccy Cole, Andrew Swift, Casey Barnes, Catherine Britt, James Johnston, Jayne Denham, Jessica Mauboy, John Williamson, Lee Kernaghan, Missy Higgins, The Whitlams Black

Stump Band, Travis Collins and Deniliquin’s Zara Lindeman. Before the main stage starts up each day, the Sunrice Day Stage will keep both adults and kids entertained with a mix of performers and shows.

Sharing the Sunrice Day Stage over the weekend will be a mix of country music’s brightest newcomers and local heroes including Amber Lawrence’s “Kids Gone Country Show”, 2023 Toyota Star Maker Loren Ryan, Anagram Riot, 2022 Gympie Music Muster Talent Search winner Brittany Elise, Brittany Maggs, Carp Factory, Duncan Toombs, Gretta Ziller, Jade

The first Deni Play on the Plains Festival, as it was known at the time, took place in October 1999, on the flattest, natural, open plains on earth, and with “ute culture” being an intrinsic part of Deniliquin, it was unanimous that it would play a major part of the festival and hence the Deni Ute Muster burst into the national psyche.

In its first year, the Deni Ute Muster had approximately 5,000 patrons and set a new Guinness World Record for the greatest number of legally paraded utes at 2,839 – a record which still stands today. Since 1999 the Deni Ute Muster has become the region’s biggest tourist drawcard and a celebration of all things Australian.

Deni Ute Muster General Manager, Vicky Lowry said; “From the previous Deni Ute Muster to the next, the team are continually working on putting together a program of music and activations for all ages that will create great memories. We look forward to welcoming you through our famous Deni Ute Muster gates to experience a weekend of fun, friendships and a festival like no other in Australia.”

Gibson, Jamie Preston, Pete Denahy, Rhys Crimmin and The Bush Poets.

Loren Ryan

Jayne Denham

Jessica Mauboy

Lee Kernaghan

John Williamson

This year’s Deni Ute Muster features an allAustralian line-up with some of the biggest names in country and pop music.

DORRIGO FESTIVAL COMES OF AGE

The Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival celebrates 21 years this coming October and organisers invite you to join in their festivities.

hilst performers won’t be finalised for a few months you can stay up-to-date when you join up to the newsletter or like the Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival on social media.

The festival has developed a reputation for presenting a most enjoyable program of performing artists and workshops. Whether it is a top international band or a

Wperformer from just down the road, you will always find a favourite.

Situated right on the edge of Gondwana rainforests, the festival is an acoustic weekend filled to the brim with concerts, workshops, jamming, dancing and more. It is a family friendly festival with something for everyone.

From October 25 to 27, the 5th Dorrigo Old-Time Music School will take place, providing opportunities for learning and playing alongside award-winning old-time musicians.

The festival was inspired by a passion for bringing bluegrass, folk and old-time music to the mountains of Dorrigo by then 17-year-old Jack Sommers.

It’s such a beautifully colourful event in so many ways and organisers are pleased to be able to continue to build upon its success year-by-year nurturing such a unique festival into a world class event that features both international and Australian artists.

Tickets are on sale now or volunteer applications are open so you can join the happy team that makes the festival come together.

All the relevant information is on the website dorrigofolkbluegrass.com.au

festivals

OFF TO A FLYING START

Moving from a private property for its second year, Let’s Wing It Festival, has grown into a sought-after event for artists and music lovers, alike.

Held at White Park, Scone on June 9-11, 2023, the festival will be headlined by artists including Fanny Lumsden, Adam Eckersley and Brooke McClymont, Andrew Swift, Matt Cornell, Catherine

Britt, and Sunny Cowgirls. Organisers, Dream Makers Event Services (Dusty Edwards and Phill Doring), are focused on supporting the Scone community with a country community and familyfriendly vibe to the festival.

“We are just two Aussie blokes from the ‘burbs who wanted to do something special, something that means something to people,” Dusty said.

“This is why we put the young

guns with the superstars, because it’s those moments that define careers and we want to play a role in bringing the next gen forward.”

The organisers said they had worked on putting together the most complete artist list they could and the music industry was buzzing about the festival in June.

“There is such a positive energy around it, it’s going to be amazing,” Dusty said.

“We are excited that there are 21 women playing the Let’s Wing it Festival. We didn’t decide to make that happen, we picked everyone on merit and merit alone.”

Also, on the bill for this fun day are The Bushwackers, Melody Moko, Duncan Toombs, Bill Chambers, Gretta Ziller, Good Corn Liquor, The Tall Stories, Kelly Hope, Marmalade and Jam, Javier, Freddie Bailey, Matt Scullion, Finnian Johnson, Raechel Whitchurch, Piper Butcher, Trinity Woodhouse, Three Birds and the Truth, Jemma Beech, Shyanne Irwin, Imogen Hall, Andersonlane, Cross Country, and Sandy Louise.

Fanny Lumsden

Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont

Finnian Johnson

Catherine Britt

Andrew Swift

Matt Cornell

The NSW Hunter Valley is known for wine and horses, but the June long weekend, it’s all about country music for Upper Hunter town, Scone.

sound ADVICE

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 cheryl@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au

THE DANGLIN’ BROS

LIVE AT THE BOWLO INDEPENDENT

This is one for those of us who caught a Danglin’ Bros show in the late 1980s or early 1990s and it brings together most of the original members in a fun recorded reunion at Sydney’s Marrickville Bowlo in November, 2019. There are 19 tracks of country music including originals and covers, but every song has that unique Danglin’ sound and feel that makes you want to relive some other time in sweaty, smoky bars with like-minded friends and a beer or four. You’ll remember songs like Ode To Merle, Highway 450 Blues, Murrumbidgee Afternoons, Billy and this time around there’s a wonderful version of Buck Owens’ Under The Influence and other covers like People Get Ready and Mixed Up Shook Up Girl. Oh, don’t forget Loosen

My Necktie! Although the band was one of the tightest country outfits ever to rock a pub, and remember this is a once-in-alifetime moment after nearly 30 years, so the little hiccups (if you even notice them) are sure to make this album one to add to your list of your greatest hits.” thedanglinbros.bandcamp.com/album/ the-danglin-bros-live-at-the-bowlo-2

JON WOLFE

VARIOUS ARTISTS

HALFWAY DOWN UNDER: A TRIBUTE TO JIM LAUDERDALE INDEPENDENT

Jim Lauderdale is a country music legend with 35 albums to his name, so this collection of 14 songs only just scratches the surface of his vast catalogue but the featured artists do them justice and may bring a few new Lauderdale fans to the fold. Singers here include Adam Harvey, Katie Brianna, Kevin Bennett, Shane Nicholson, Ella Hooper and Davey Lane, Charlie Collins, Clayton Doley and Jade MacRae, Melody Pool and Blake O’Connor and Sinead Burgess – so an eclectic mix – and the songs include Hole In My Head, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Planet Of Love, The Brighter Side Of Lonely, Headed For The Hills and perhaps Jim’s best known song here in Oz, The King Of Broken Hearts The chosen tracks acknowledge Jim’s Americana background, but there’s other musical leanings like jazz, indie rock and even a touch of disco. The production, by Michael Carpenter and Jeremy Dylan, allows each artist to make the songs their own and the overall feel is one of heartfelt reverence and a bit of experimentation.

POTTS ENTERTAINMENT

JON WOLFE

MARK LUCAS AND THE DEAD SETTERS

ONWARD INTO THE FOG SONGSMITH

Sydney singer-songwriter Mark Lucas has blazed a wide national trail since arriving in Australia 42 years ago after his South London busking era. Lucas covers all bases on his 15 original songs on his 11th album from swing fuelled entrée My Ring Still OnYour Finger? to farewell finale Last Slow Dance. Mark’s long-time band the Dead Setters featuring guitarist Jake Lardot, bassist Chris Mearns and slide and pedal steel guests Lawrie Minson and Tomi Grasso add creative clout on a dynamic disc that embraces swing, Americana and roots country. Lucas exploits weather metaphors to illustrate love laments Let It Rain, Salty Tears and Between The Lines. The singer finds comfort in the arms of Guardian Angel while Consider Me Gone with Dylan album name reference and New Tattoo are inspired by decamped lovers. This Side Of Town, Northern Star and Another Road exude escapist themes while Sally Anne is a desperate plea to a bucolic belle. There’s more surrealism in Gun Control where the male lead chases “Snow White with a pistol in her hand” that segues into dreamy mystique of Children Of The Sun and When It Goes. A stoic stayer.

TWNG/008

DAVID DAWSON

MATT JOE GOW

BETWEEN TONIGHT AND TOMORROW INDEPENDENT

Expat-Kiwi Matt Joe Gow had extra hurdles to leap producing his fourth album with the death of his mother Maria in New Zealand and protracted post pandemic pain. But he had three new singles Go Ahead, Celebrate, Sweet Collapse and Til My Whole Heart Bursts - preceding its release. It’s fitting he sailed through his 11 original songs from eerie entrée Shipwreck to soul cleansing finale Closing In on a dynamic disc produced with his guitarist Andrew Pollock. Gow covers every emotion from his nocturnal netherworld journey in his title track to weather metaphors in Til My Whole Heart Bursts, Like The Rain and Just This One. Matt milks mixed memories of winning and losing in jubilant and ruptured romance in We Are Born and Sweet Collapse. But there’s relief at the end of the trauma tunnel in Go Ahead Celebrate with another Loretta as female lead and an esoteric escape from unfulfilled dreams to warmer climes in New York in NYJJ. Gow explores highs and lows of his journey far from home with decisive delivery on songs testing interpretation by music lovers. Brain food of a delicious diet.

CHECKED LABEL/343433 003295

DAVID DAWSON

ELIAS & JJ ACCORDING TO HISTORY VOLUME II

INDEPENDENT

Elias Bartholomeo and JJ Yee set out to master finger-style guitar picking as created by Merle Travis and Chet Atkins. Inspired also by the Emmanuel brothers, Tommy and the late Phil, if you close your eyes while you’re listening to them, you’ll feel the presence of all these masters, with this competent duo. The multi-tasking pair harmonise as well as pick, favouring traditional songs, four of which are on this EP – Take Me Back To Tulsa (Bob Wills, Tommy Duncan), ‘Deed I Do (Fred Rose), Nine Pound Hammer (Merle Travis) and Danny O’Keefe’s Goodtime Charlie’s Got The Blues Their music is sophisticated and is emulated in their live performances with Elias and JJ just happy to be playing for music lovers everywhere. Welcome to this new generation of pickers.

CHERYL BROWN

DEREK REDFERN COUNTRY ROAD

INDEPENDENT

You may recognise the surname, and if you do, the connection might be to his brother Jamie, but both made their names on the popular TV show Young Talent Time and you might remember that Derek had probably the best feel for a country-tinged song back then. After working the clubs and music scene before having a family, he is now rekindling his career with the release of this album and touring the country. The 20 songs feature hits from Charley Pride to Chris Stapleton so enjoy songs like Kiss An Angel Good Morning, Your Man, I Love A Rainy Night, Galveston, Lost In The 50s Tonight and Coward Of The County, all wrapped in tasteful music packages. Derek adds his own original composition and moving number written by Angus Gill and Jerry Salley, In The Cards. The album was recorded and produced by Derek in his own studio and reflects a love of traditional country music and if given the chance, should garner a new bunch of fans.

E: philmahoney50@gmail.com

JON WOLFE

LUKE COMBS GETTIN’ OLD RIVER HOUSE

North Carolina nouveau outlaw Luke Combs delivers this dynamic disc with pungent passion on the eve of his return tour in August. Combs updates his joyous journey on his title track entrée to pain of being separated from family on the road in his finale The Part. The singer reaches back to his adolescent love on Hannah Ford Road and You Found Yours and maternal memories on See Me Now and paternal nostalgia in Take You With Me Combs digs deep into regret of a girl who got away in The Beer, The Band And The Barstool but praises a blue collar pal for hanging in on Joe. He praises mentors Merle and Willie for his writing roots in A Song Was Born and sibling My Song Will Never Die. Wedding history and the present are again Luke’s strong suit in Fast Car, Tattoo On A Sunburn, Where The Wild Things Are and triumphant success in 5 Leaf Clover. Combs covers all bases from ruptured romance in Love You Anyway and Fox In The Hen House while over development of rural retreats inspired Back 40 Back on an invaluable 18 track gem.

SONY/196587749422

DAVID DAWSON

INGRID MAE

CLOSING TIME

INDEPENDENT

Ingrid and her co-producer/ drummer/partner Rock Guy recorded this in 2020. She wrote all the lyrics and music, played rhythm guitar, and percussion, as well as sang backing vocals. Brad Bergen plays lead guitars and Catherine Britt sings backing vocals on Country Queens and Poor Little Thing, and on lead track No SOS which has a clever Morse Code tap using the guitars. On Better Man Ingrid reminds the listener to be kind while a Leopard Print wearing female hunts her prey in style. Ingrid is far from falling by the Wayside in this song and you can feel the heartache in Like A Rose. Its release is bitter sweet following the sad loss of bass player Eddie Joseph who played on all tracks. Endings are a topic throughout with Closing Time, Like It’s Over and The Party’s Over. Filled with passion and soul, all 14 tracks fit in a hot pot of country rock, Alt Country and Americana.

SQUIRREL MUSIC

CHERYL BROWN

CHARLIE FITTLER

DYING BREED INDEPENDENT

Charlie hails from sheep country on the Northern Tablelands near Armidale and his music is solid country, so the title track heralds a young star in the making. Written by Charlie and his brother Tom, Dying Breed assails listeners with a true country rock sound that continues with Buckin’ Luck, but Charlie has a softer touch in the relatively laid-back Gypsy Soul – both songs co-written with the EPs producer Bill Chambers. Cowboy Angels opens with a sweet fiddle ri that says here comes a true country singer before the final track, Slim Dusty’s and Stan Coster’s Battle With The Roan consolidates his roots with a simple bush ballad. Chambers has brought out the heart of this young (19 years old at the time of recording) man and by using top-rate players, he surrounds Charlie with the right blend to showcase his voice. This five-tracker is a fine example of what Charlie can produce and he’s sure to make a solid mark on the Australian country music scene.

charliefittler.com.au

JON WOLFE

COMING events

All event information is correct at time of printing. Please check with organisers that the event you’re interested in is going ahead, before setting out to attend. If you’d like your event listed here please email cheryl@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au.

MAY 2023

2-7 Capella CMF | Capella | Qld | capellaevents.com.au

2-7 Weethalle CM Muster | NSW | Weethalle Showground | NSW | Contact: Shirley Lopez | M: 0409 917 180 | E: weethallemuster@outlook.com | F: fb.me/weethallecmmuster

4-7 Mayworth Australian Country Dance Festival | Tamworth | NSW | W: mayworth.com.au

4-7 31st Australian Celtic Festival | Year Of Scotland | Glen Innes | NSW | W: australiancelticfestival.com

5-7 Meatstock | Sydney Showgrounds | NSW | W: meatstock.com.au

Cotton Capital CM Muster | Wee Waa Showground | Contact: Kay Gray

The Bouldy Bush Ballad Bash | Bouldercombe Recreation Complex | Bouldercombe | Qld

Music In The Mulga | Wandilla Station | Eulo | Outback Qld | W: musicinthemulga.com.au 19-27 Ord Valley Muster | Kununurra

JUNE 2023

From May 26-June 5 Tussock Country | Gore | NZ | Chairman Jeff Rea | E: info@tussockcountry.nz | W: tussockcountry.nz

1 Top End & Kimberley Music Tour with John Howie | 1-13 June 2023 | John Howie Music Tours | Travelrite | T: 1800 630 343 | w: musictours.com.au | w: travelrite.com.au

9-11 Let’s Wing It Festival | White Park Equine Complex | 100 Guernsey Street | Scone | NSW | W: letswingitfestival.info

13 Slim Dusty Day

& Tour with Craig Giles | 26

W: musictours.com.au | w: travelrite.com.au

8-10 Maidenwell Country Muster | Bunya Mountains Road | Maidenwell | Qld | E: maidenwellcountrymuster@gmail.com | W: maidenwellcountrymuster.com.au

8-11 CMA Fest | Nashville | USA | W: cmafest.com

JULY 2023

4-6 Birdsville Big Red Bash | Birdsville | Outback NSW | W: bigredbash.com.au

6-9 Hats Off To Country | Tamworth | NSW | w: facebook.com/HatsOffToCountry

8 Christmas in July presented by Clarence Valley Country Muster and Kross Kut Records, 11 Coulters

W: www.cvcmuster.com.au

11-14 Bello Winter Music Festival | Bellingen | NSW | W: bellowintermusic.com

14-16 Country On Keppel | Great Keppel Island Hideaway | w: greatkeppelislandhideaway.com.au

17 Ireland & Scotland Music Tour with Pete Denahy | 17 Jul to 10 Aug 2023 | John Howie Music Tours | Travelrite | T: 1800 630 343 | W: musictours.com.au | w: travelrite.com.au

LIVE music SCENE

8 BALL AITKEN

MAY

13 Ride For Life, Ubobo Qld

18-21 Blues On Broadbeach Qld

27 Norton Music Factory, Caloundra Qld

28 Mt Coot-tha Songwriters Festival Qld

JUNE

17 Old Bank, Dubbo NSW

JULY

1 Kickstart Saloon, Mackay Qld

7 Oaks Hotel, Albion Park Rail NSW

JUNE

8 Royal Hotel, Dungog NSW

9 Let’s Wing It Festival, Scone NSW

10 Flow Bar, Old Bar NSW

11 Stag & Hunter Hotel, Newcastle NSW

AUGUST

5-12 Tunes In The Tropics, Fiji

18 NQ’s Rockin’ Country, Mackay Qld

SEPTEMBER

8 Lyrics Underground, Perth WA

9 Prince of Wales, Bunbury WA

10 Six Degrees, Albany WA

ANDY PENKOW

*w TC Cassidy

MAY

19 Bearded Dragon Hotel Tamborine Qld

20 Miss Demeanour, Brisbane City Qld

21 Bearded Dragon Hotel, Tamborine Qld

26 The Ophir Hotel, Orange Qld

ADAM HARVEY

*Great Country Songbook w Beccy Cole

MAY

5 Dubbo RSL NSW*

6 Cobar Bowling & GC NSW*

7 Broken Hill Civic Centre NSW*

JULY

7 Tamworth Town Hall, Hats Off To Country NSW

AMBER LAWRENCE

MAY

6  Tocal Field Day NSW

7  Meatstock, Sydney Olympic Park NSW

10 Cardinia Cultural Centre, Pakenham NSW

19 Freemasons Hotel, Molong NSW

20 Dubbo Show NSW

27 Penrith Panthers NSW

JUNE

11 Albion Park Rail NSW

18 Camden Hotel NSW

ANDREW SWIFT

MAY

6 Astor Hotel, Goulburn NSW

28 Illawarra Steelers, Wollongong Qld

JUNE

9 The Establishment Bar, Dubbo NSW

23 Bearded Dragon Hotel, Tamborine Qld

JULY

28 The Ophir Hotel, Orange NSW

29 Royal Inn, Sutton Forest NSW

30 Illawarra Steelers, Wollongong NSW

AUGUST

18 The Establishment Bar, Dubbo NSW

19 The Ophir Hotel, Orange NSW

20 Illawarra Steelers, Wollongong NSW

27 Inlet Cinema, Sussex Inlet NSW

SEPTEMBER

1 The Sheridan Room, Gundagai NSW

2 The Beer Shed Brewing Co, Leumeah NSW*

9 The Ophir Hotel, Orange NSW

10 Illawarra Steelers, Wollongong NSW

OCTOBER

7 Royal Inn, Sutton Forest NSW

8 Illawarra Steelers, Wollongong NSW

NOVEMBER

4 Royal Inn, Sutton Forest NSW

5 Illawarra Steelers, Wollongong NSW

DECEMBER

8 The Ophir Hotel, Orange NSW

9 Royal Inn, Sutton Forest NSW

10 Illawarra Steelers, Wollongong NSW

ANGELA EASSON

MAY

5 The Dock, Mooloolaba Qld

12 RACV Noosa Qld

26 RACV Noosa Qld

JUNE

11 Truck & Ute Show, Alexandra Vic

23 RACV Noosa Qld

24 Bribie Island RSL Qld

25 The Banana Bender Pub, Palmview Qld

30 The Dock, Mooloolaba Qld

JULY

2 Fish on Parkyn, Mooloolaba Qld

SEPTEMBER

3 Fish on Parkyn, Mooloolaba Qld

OCTOBER

29 Fish on Parkyn, Mooloolaba Qld

6 Hamilton Hotel Qld

7 Wallaby Hotel, Mudgeeraba Qld

11 Kings Beach Hotel Qld

12 Hervey Bay RSL Qld

13  D’Ag Pub, D’Aguilar Qld

27 Sunset Bash Penrith Panthers NSW w/band

JUNE

9 Let’s Wing It Festival, Scone NSW w/band

JULY

8 Stroud Brick Throwing, Stroud NSW w/band

AUGUST

26-27 Gympie Muster Qld w/band

SEPTEMBER

21 NEGS Equestrian Arena Armidale NSW w/band

22 Ballina RSL NSW w/band

23 Texas CMF Qld

DECEMBER

1–8  Cruisin’ Country

BUSBY MAROU

JULY

7&8 On the Beach, Cape Hillsborough Qld

COL FINLEY

MAY

21 Casino Beef Week NSW

JULY

BECCY COLE

*Great Country Songbook w Adam

Harvey

MAY

5 Dubbo RSL NSW*

6 Cobar Bowling & GC NSW*

7 Broken Hill Civic Centre NSW*

JUNE

30 Townsville Royal Show Qld

JULY

7 Tamworth Town Hall, Hats Off To Country NSW

BROOKE MCCLYMONT & ADAM ECKERSLEY

Country Music, You and Beer Tour

MAY

5 Racehorse Hotel, Ipswich Qld

1 Maleny Hotel Qld

7&8 Big Country Campout Festival, Monkerai NSW

AUGUST

10-11 Banana Coast Festival, Coffs Harbour NSW

12 Back to Basic Music Muster, Coverty Qld

24-27 Gympie Muster Qld

DALE HOOPER

JUNE

3 Nemingha Tavern NSW

JULY

8 Oxley BC, Tamworth North NSW

9 Nemingha Tavern NSW

SEPTEMBER

8 North Dubbo RSL & Sporties Club NSW

9 Imperial Hotel, Coonabarabran NSW

16 Nemingha Tavern NSW

OCTOBER

28 Gulgong RSL NSW

29 Community Hall, Ilford NSW

NOVEMBER

25 Nemingha Tavern NSW

DECEMBER

30 Club Mudgee NSW

31 Community Hall, Ilford NSW

LIVE music SCENE

DEAN PERRETT

MAY

2 Capella Qld

23  Wyper Park Scout Camp, Bundaberg Qld

SEPTEMBER

7 Nanango CMF Qld

DUNCAN TOOMBS

*Supporting Beccy Cole & Adam Harvey

** The Toombs Brothers

*** w Lyn Bowtell

MAY

5 Dubbo RSL NSW*

6 Cobar Bowling & GC NSW*

7 Broken Hill Civic Centre NSW*

19 Paranaple Convention Centre, Devonport Tas*

20 West Point EC, Hobart Tas*

JUNE

3  The Beershed Brewing Co, Leumeah NSW**

9 Let’s Wing It Festival, Scone NSW

JULY

8 Hats Off To Country, Tamworth Town Hall NSW

23 Camden NSW***

AUGUST

22 Gympie Muster Qld

SEPTEMBER

29 Deni Ute Muster NSW

DECEMBER

1 Cruisin’ Country

FANNY LUMSDEN

MAY

5 Piallaway Hall NSW

6 Garah Hall NSW

7 Nullamanna Public Hall NSW

12 Broadwater Rileys Hill Hall NSW

13 Coutts Crossing Coronation Hall NSW

JUNE

10 White Park, Scone NSW

JUNE 23 The Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood Vic**

JIM HERMEL BAND

W Peter Coad & The Coad Sisters & Runaway Dixie

The Country & Rock n Roll Music Road

Show Residency

JUNE, JULY & AUGUST

Territory Manor Motel & Caravan Park, Mataranka NT

LYN BOWTELL

MAY

5 Brass Monkey, Cronulla NSW

6 Qirkz In The Hunter, Abermain NSW

18 Royal Hotel, Queanbeyan ACT

19 Noojee Hotel vic

20 Mantra, Yarraville Vic

27 Sunset Bash, Penrith NSW

JULY

14-16 Country on Keppel Qld

23 On The Terrace, Camden NSW

KIARA RODRIGUES

JULY

14 Thargomindah Rodeo Grounds Qld

SEPTEMBER

9 Nanango Showgrounds Qld

OCTOBER

8 Grafton District & SC NSW

KIDDNKELLY GANG

MAY

13 The Hills District Community Centre, Arana Hills Qld

LOREN RYAN

*URTHBOY SUPPORT NATIONAL TOUR

MAY 2023

5  Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW*

6 Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood NSW*

7 Song for Life, a concert in aid of Lifeline, Drifters Pearl Beach Arboretum, Central Coast NSW

12  Altar, Hobart Tas*

LANE PITTMAN

Luke Combs Tour*

JULY

8 Hats Off To Country, The Pub, Tamworth

AUGUST

9 Spark Arena, Auckland NZ*

GARETH LEACH

**Album Launch

MAY

19 The Drunken Poet, West Melbourne Vic

11 Brisbane EC Qld*

16  Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney NSW*

20 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Vic*

23 AEC Arena, Adelaide SA*

26 RAC Arena, Perth WA*

JUNE

8-11 50th CMAFest, Nashville, TN

JULY

7 Tamworth Town Hall, Hats Off To Country NSW

AUGUST 2023

16 Royal Brisbane Easter Show

EKKA , Plaza Multicultural Music Stage 4:15pm-7pm

24-27 Gympie Music Muster Qld

SEPTEMBER 2023

29-30 Deni Ute Muster NSW

OCTOBER 2023

6-8 Savannah In The Round, Mareeba, Cairns Hinterland FNQ

20-22 Groundwater CMF, Broadbeach Qld

DECEMBER 2023

1-8  Cruisin’ Country

LUKE COMBS

AUGUST

(USA)

9 Spark Arena, Auckland NZ

11 Brisbane EC Qld

16  Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney NSW

20 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Vic

23 AEC Arena, Adelaide SA

26 RAC Arena, Perth WA

LUKE O’SHEA

W Lyn Bowtell

MAY

5 Brass Monkey, Cronulla NSW

6 Qirkz In The Hunter, Abermain NSW

18 Royal Hotel, Queanbeyan ACT

19 Noojee Hotel vic

20 Mantra, Yarraville Vic

MAX JACKSON

SEPTEMBER

5 Piallaway Hall NSW

6 Garah Hall NSW

7 Nullamanna Public Hall NSW

12 Broadwater Rileys Hill Hall NSW

13 Coutts Crossing Coronation Hall NSW

21-23 Texas CMF Qld

MELANIE DYER

JULY

4 Big Red Bash, Birdsville Qld

AUGUST

17 Mundi Mundi Bash, Broken Hill NSW

MERILYN STEELE

MAY

6 Terrace Bar & Cafe, Mounties Club, Mount Pritchard NSW

21 Carlingford BC NSW

JUNE

3 Penrith RSL Club NSW

17 Nepean Rowers Club, Penrith NSW

**All subject to COVID-19 health restrictions. Capital News recommends that you check with the venue prior to attending any performance so as not to be disappointed if it’s not on.

25 Cabra Vale Diggers Club NSW

JULY

2 Kingsgrove RSL Club NSW

15 Camden RSL Club NSW

SEPTEMBER

2 Terrace Bar & Cafe, Mounties Club, Mount Pritchard NSW

16 Camden RSL Club NSW

24 Kingsgrove RSL Club NSW

29 Cabra Vale Diggers ClubNSW

30 Nepean Rowers Club, Penrith NSW

OCTOBER

6 Terrace Bar, Mounties Club, Mount Pritchard NSW

NOVEMBER

25 Camden RSL ClubNSW

DECEMBER

31 Nepean Rowers Club, Penrith NSW

8 Whitegums, Alice Springs NT 2pm

15 Yajilarra Festival, On Bunuba Country, Danggu Gorge Near Fitzroy Crossing WA

PETER COAD & THE COAD SISTERS, RUNAWAY DIXIE, & THE JIM HERMEL BAND

The Country & Rock n Roll Music Road Show Residency

JUNE, JULY & AUGUST

Territory Manor Motel & Caravan Park, Mataranka NT

ROSS WEBB

MAY

6 Robertson Potato Festival NSW

12 Robertson Public House NSW

18 Music in the Mulga Festival Qld

RORY PHILLIPS

MAY

26 Batlow RSL NSW

ROSS WEBB

MAY

6 Robertson Potato Festival NSW

12 Robertson Public House NSW

18 Music in the Mulga Festival, Eulo Qld

MIDLAND

AUGUST

25 Great Western Hotel, Rockhampton Qld

26  Eatons Hill, Brisbane Qld

27 Gympie Muster Qld

29 Tamworth Town Hall

30 UC Refectory, Canberra ACT

SEPTEMBER

1 The Forum, Melbourne Vic

2 Bar On The Hill, Newcastle NSW

3 Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW

NEIL MURRAY

MAY

6 Grampians Grape Escape, Halls Gap Recreation Reserve, Vic

28 McCrossin’s Mill, Uralla NSW 2pm

JUNE

4 Dust Temple, Currumbin Waters Qld

9  It’s Still A Secret, South Brisbane Qld

10 Diddillibah Hall Qld

17 Black Box Theatre Nambour Qld

24 Queen Street Community Hall, Yeppoon Qld

JULY

1 Emerald Little Theatre Qld

ROUTE 33

JULY

1 Rosewood Show Qld

AUGUST

12 EKKA, Stockmen’s Bar Qld

RUNAWAY DIXIE

W Peter Coad & The Coad Sisters & The Jim Hermel Band

The Country & Rock n Roll Music Road Show Residency

JUNE, JULY & AUGUST

Territory Manor Motel & Caravan Park, Mataranka NT

STORER

JUNE

2 Club Warwick Qld

3 Caloundra RSL Club Qld

8  Oodies, Bundaberg Qld

9 Hamilton Hotel, Brisbane Qld

10 Racehorse Hotel – Ipswich Qld

30 Shoalhaven Heads BC NSW

JULY

1 Club Sapphire, Merimbula NSW

2 Oaks Hotel, Albion Park Rail NSW

6 Beer Shed Brewing Company, Leumeah NSW

7 Harden Country Club NSW

8  Tallagandra Hill Winery, Gundaroo NSW

9 Mittagong RSL Club NSW

21 Silks Roof Top, Darwin NT

22 Katherine Outback Experience NT

TOMMY EMMANUEL

MAY

7 Canberra Theatre ACT

8 Civic Theatre, Newcastle NSW

10 Perth Concert Hall WA

12 Cairns PAC Qld

14  Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton Qld

16 Gladstone EC Qld

17  Moncreiff Theatre, Bundaberg Qld

18 Kings Theatre, Caloundra Qld

19 Blues On Broadbeach Qld

21 Sydney Opera House Concert Hall 3pm

21 Sydney Opera House Concert Hall 8pm

23 QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Qld

24 Adelaide Festival Theatre, SA

26 Wrest Point EC, Hobart Tas

27 Launceston Country Club, Tas

28 Hamer Hall, Arts Centre, Melbourne Vic

TRAVIS COLLINS

Any Less Anymore Tour

w +Sara Berki

*Claudia Tripp † 18+ Only

JUNE

2 Stirling Arms Hotel, Guildford WA 18+ Only*

3 Mullewa Rodeo WA

4 Ravenswood Hotel WA †*

10 Smoke In Broke BBQ Festival, Broke NSW

16 Mezz Bar, Wallsend Diggers, Newcastle NSW †

17 Moonee Beach Hotel NSW †

30 Hamilton Hotelm Qld †

JULY

1 Racehorse Hotel, Ipswich Qld †

7 Village Green Hotel, Melbourne Vic †

8 Gateway Hotel, Geelong Vic †

14 Bowling & Recreation Club, Shoalhaven Heads NSW †

15 Astor Hotel, Goulburn NSW †21 Panthers Evan Theatre, Penrith NSW †

28 Tilly’s, Wagga Wagga, NSW †

29 Kinross Woolshed, Albury NSW†

AUGUST

5 Cessnock LC NSW †

24 Gympie Music Muster NSW

SEPTEMBER

30 Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin NSW

WAITING FOR BRENDA

MAY

27 Thirsty Chiefs Brewery, North Lakes Qld

WILL DAY

JUNE

9 Alpine Hotel, Cooma NSW

10 Tourist Hotel, Queanbeyan NSW

24 Sandstone Point Rodeo Qld

JULY

1 Cunnamulla Fella Round Up Qld

AUGUST

24 Gympie Music Muster, Amamoor Creek State Forest, Qld

SEPTEMBER

23 Texas CMF Qld

OCTOBER

7 Wandoan Camel Races Qld

28 The Beer Shed, Campbelltown NSW

NOVEMBER

18 Country Christmas Cruise, Brisbane Qld