Page 80 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Observer Showbiz
www.MelbourneObserver.com.au
Radio Confidential News from stations from around Victoria
SHOW HISTORY
Country Crossroads
Ten links with Nova, Smooth
info@country crossroads.com.au Big Breakfast Show. Southern FM 88.3. Tues. 6am-9am.
Rob Foenander
PUSH FOR NATIONAL SLIM DAY
■ Some of the biggest names in Australia are leading a campaign to have Slim Dusty's June 13 birthday officially recognised as Australia's National Slim Dusty Day. A petition is prepared and will be presented to Parliament. Music historian Glenn A Baker said: "Slim Dusty Day is a day to celebrate our musical heritage. Slim Dusty articulated the very essence of Australia for a great many Australians."
TAYLOR TO TOUR
■ American superstar Taylor Swift will tour down under later in the year and play Etihad Stadium on December 14. Titled The Red Tour, Swift will become the first solo female artist in 20 years to headline stadiums across Australia and New Zealand. Promoter Michael Gudinski from The Frontier Touring Company said, "I saw the first stadium show of Taylor's The Red Tour, and Australia and New Zealand are in for an absolute treat.
HARRY WINS ISC AWARD
■ Cowarr resident Harry Hookey is one of four Australian country writers to win at the International Songwriting Awards. Harry took out the unsigned category with his song Misdiagnosed. Paul Cowderoy, David Carter and Jane E Robertson won the People's Choice Award with their song Coming Home.
NEW ALBUM FOR ISLA
■ Lovesick and Blue is the latest CD release for Scotland's favourite singer Isla Grant. The 10 tracks are all written by Isla and again highlights her easy listening style that has gained her worldwide popularity. Grant was initially a folk singer but found country music at an early stage of her career. - Rob Foenander
■ Amanda Lee has been appointed as Music Director/Operations Manager for FOX FM in Melbourne. She replaces MD Jack Ball who is off to Brisbane.
r Observbei z Show
Wednesday, May 15 ■ Former TV presenter Bill Peach was born in 1935 (78). US singer Trini Lopez was born in Texas in 1937 (76). Actor/director John Orcsik was born in 1945 (68). Singer-dancer Rhonda Burchmore was born in Sydney in 1960 (53).
Arts Extra A Storm In A D Cup
● Simon Owens ■ 3AW presenter Simon Owens, who bills himself as the station ‘historian’, is trying to track down history of the Buy, Swap And Sell program. “3AW's Buy Swap and Sell program has been hosted by Darren James since 1994. “Peter Meehan hosted it for three years prior to that, Craig Willis hosted it from 1990, taking over from Jim Wilshire. “Can anyone tell me when Jim Wilshire began on Weekend Breakfast? Was he the first host of Buy Swap and Sell on 3AW? “I have spoken to David Mann, Darren, Peter and Craig. I don't know how to contact Jim. It is such a staple of 3AW that to not give due credit to the instigator would be unfair.” sowens@3aw.com.au
Radio briefs ■ Guy Le Couteur, who has been Glenn Ridge's producer at MyMP for the past nine months is leaving the station. SEN 1116 journalist Anthony Laughton will be taking his place, reports the Radio Today website. ■ The Australian Radio Facebook page administered by the Melbourne Observer has welcomed its 499th visitor. ■ After 36 years of keeping the Irish community in Melbourne informed of all things Irish, The Connolly Association is planning its final 3CR broadcast on Saturday (May 18) at 9.30am.
■ The Ten Network is participating in a number of promotions with Lachlan Murdoch’s Smooth and Nova radio stations. The Nova Network is linking with MasterChef Australia, to launch Nova’s First Class and 50K Girls vs Boy’s edition this week. Meshel, Tim and Marty, Nova’s national Drive show, will announce the winners on Monday, June 10 from 4pm. ■ Smooth 91.5 linked with Ten at the weekend. Smooth gave away $20,000 cash in a listener promotion.
Golden days for GDR ■ Melbourne community station, Golden Days Radio, broadcasts on the 95.7 FM frequency ... but another form of taking its signal to the world is buzzing with success. Station Manager Alex Hehr says there were 2009 new visitors last month to the golden daysradio.com website, where users can listen to the station from anywhere in the world. There were 3951 visitors and a total 55,031 hits.
● Alex Hehr
● Amelia Ryan ■ If you were searching for a catchy name for your new cabaret show, A Storm In a D Cup would definitely grab your attention. So decided cabaret performer Amelia Ryan, and her show has been playing to sold out houses in Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong. Now it's Melbourne's turn to host a return season so those who missed out last time can catch it in 2013. In one of the most attention-grabbing pitches I've seen for a while, Amelia says she has been blessed with a gay father and transgender step mother, and she herself has dabbled in 'exotic dancing'! This girl is a born storyteller with plenty of material and she loves to sing. Amelia describes her show as Sex In The City meets the musical Cabaret! She has been mentored by cabaret king (or perhaps that should read queen?) Trevor Ashley who has had his own sold out shows in Melbourne. As dux of her high school, the world was Amelia's oyster but she decided to follow her passion for performing and head to the Victorian College of the Arts to study musical theatre. However, in amongst a whole class of triple threats (those annoying performers who can sing, dance and act incredibly well), she felt she was a mediocre dancer and needed to capitalise on best asset, the ability to be 'the funny one' - an essential ingredient for a successful cabaret performer. It was obviously a good decision, as Amelia was the 2012 Australian Cabaret runner-up and A Storm In A D Cup will be making its international debut at The New York Musical Theatre Festival in July. But theatregoers can see Amelia a lot closer to home in her two short Melbourne seasons from May 21-26 at The Butterfly Club, and at the Kew Courthouse on June 29-30. www.astorminadcup.net - Julie Houghton Melbourne
Observer
On This Day Thursday, May 16
Friday, May 17
Saturday, May 18
Sunday, May 19
Monday, May 20
Tuesday, May 21
■ Actor Henry Fonda was born in Nebraska in 1905. He died aged 77 in 1982. Liberace (Wladziu Liberace), flamboyant pianist, was born in 1919. He died aged 67 in 1987. Irish actor Pierce Brosnan was born in 1953 (60). He played James Bond. Jazz musician Woody Herman was born in 1913.
■ The late Professor Julius Sumner-Miller was born in the US in 1909. He died aged 78 in 1987. Actor Dennis Hopper, besdt known for Easy Rider, was born in 1936. He died aged 74 in 2010. Irish singer/songwriter Enya (Eithne Ni Bhraonain) is 52 (1961).
■ American singer Perry Como was born in 1912. He died aged 88 in 1901. Australian record producer Ron Tudor is 89 today. He was born in Gippsland in 1924. Dwayne Hickman (Dobie Gills) is 79. Newsreader Sandra Sully was born in Queensland in 1965 (48). Sandra is on the Ten Network News.
■ Dame Nellie Melba (Helen Mitchell) was born on this day in 1861 at Lilydale. She died aged 69 in 1931. Pete Townshend, guitarist for The Who, was born in 1945 (68). Actress Claudia Karvan was born in Sydney in 1972 (41). Actor Nancy Kwan was born in 1939 (72).
■ Actor Jimmy Stewart was born in 1908. He died aged 89 in 1997. Musician Joe Cocker was born in Sheffield, England, in 1944 (69). Cher (Cherilyn Le Pierre) was born in California in 1946. The singer and actresss is 69. Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer, died on this day in 1506.
■ Jazz pianist and composer Fats Waller was born in 1904. He died aged 39 in 1943. Perry Mason’s Raymond Burr was born in Canada in 1017. He died aged 76 in 1993. Singer and musician Joe Camilleri was born in Malta in 1948 (65). His band was Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons.
Thanks to GREG NEWMAN of the Birthday Bulletin for assistance with birthday and anniversary dates. Find out more at www.birthdaybulletin.com.au