Country Music Capital News - July 2019 Volume 44 No 7 by Country Music Capital News

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JULY 2019 VOL. 44 NO.7

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FELICITY URQUHART ON HER OWN PATH JIM LAUDERDALE

ASHLEIGH DALLAS

ALLAN CASWELL

MIND BODY AND SOUL

A FAMILY AFFAIR

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER

TOYOTA STAR MAKER 2019 WINNER years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

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DEBUT ALBUM “EVERYTHING I FEEL” OUT 12 JULY 2019 FEATURING THE NEW SINGLE “BEAUTIFUL AS YOU” PRODUCED BY ADAM ECKERSLEY MIXED BY NICK DIDIA

*ALBUM LAUNCH HATS OFF TO COUNTRY ***GUEST OF THE MCCLYMONTS ****GUEST OF ADAM ECKERSLEY & BROOKE MCCLYMONT JULY 12 OLD BAR, NSW**** JULY 13 MOONSHINERS, FAMILY HOTEL, NSW* JULY 26&27 GROUNDWATER CMF, BROADBEACH QLD AUGUST 8-11 60TH MT ISA RODEO QLD AUGUST 22-25 GYMPIE CMF QLD SEPTEMBER 30 MILDURA CMF VIC OCTOBER 1-3 MILDURA CMF VIC OCTOBER 5 DENI UTE MUSTER, DENILIQUIN NSW OCTOBER 12-19 CRUISIN’ COUNTRY OCTOBER 20 WINGHAM ACOOSTIK FESTIVAL NSW OCTOBER 31 SARATON THEATRE, GRAFTON NSW*** PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

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HAIR DESIGN & MAKE UP

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JULY

Sun 28 Groundwater CM Festival Broadbeach QLD

AUGUST

Thur 15 Mandurah Performing Arts Centre WA Fri 16 Crown Theatre Perth WA Sat 17 Bunbury Regional Ent. Centre WA Thur 22 Brolga Theatre Maryborough QLD Fri 23 Moncrieff Ent. Centre, Bundaberg QLD Sat 24 The Great Western Hotel, Rockhampton QLD Thur 29 Cairns Performing Arts Centre QLD Fri 30 Townsville Entertainment Centre QLD Sat 31 Mackay Entertainment Centre QLD

SEPTEMBER

Thurs 5 Kingaroy Town Hall QLD Fri 6 Empire Theatre Toowoomba QLD Sat 7 Kedron-Wavell Services Club Bris. QLD Sun 8 Kedron-Wavell Services Club Bris. QLD SHOW ADDED Fri 13 Evan Theatre Penrith NSW Sat 14 Canberra Theatre ACT Thur 19 The Barn Palais Mt. Gambier SA

Fri 20 Thebarton Theatre Adelaide SA Sat 21 Barossa Arts Centre Tanunda SA Sun 22 Broken Hill Civic Centre NSW

OCTOBER

Fri 4 Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin NSW 16 - 21 Cruisin’ Country Cruise

NOVEMBER

Thur 7 Burnie Town Hall TAS Fri 8 Princess Theatre Launceston TAS Sat 9 Wrest Point Ent. Centre Hobart TAS Fri 15 Ullumburra Theatre Bendigo VIC Sat 16 Ballarat Civic Hall VIC Sun 17 Sale Memorial Hall VIC Thur 21 Bunjil Place Narre Warren VIC Fri 22 The Palms @ Crown Melbourne VIC Sat 23 The Palms @ Crown Melbourne VIC Thur 28 The Events Centre Caloundra QLD Fri 29 Twin Towns Club Tweed Heads NSW Sat 30 Twin Towns Club Tweed Heads NSW

W W W. L E E K E RN AG H A N .C O M

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MELISSA BAJRIC

FOLLOW MELISSA

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FROM THE EDITOR

A HEALING TIME THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS GRIEVING, ONCE AGAIN, AT THE PASSING OF ONE OF ITS NICEST HUMANS, GLEN HANNAH.

n the May edition, we featured Glen as the focus of our new column, The Sidemen. Glen was a like a Swiss-army knife – super versatile – he was talented and anything he created was close to, if not, perfect. Naturally, there’s a great deal of sadness as we process Glen’s loss and we extend our sincerest sympathies to Glen’s father and brothers, and to his wife Felicity Urquhart

and their two little girls, as they navigate their future without Glen in it. I also wish Glen’s good friends, his music mates, the strength to carry on when it may seem as though the music has died and creativity feels futile. As you can see, Felicity Urquhart graces our cover, at a time when she mourns the loss of her husband, but also at the birth of, Frozen Rabbit, her latest album in 10 years. A few months ago, I was in discussion with Felicity’s team about how best we might assist with the promotion of the album. It’s no doubt a pivotal moment in an artist’s career and, July was the first available edition to feature Fliss’ album news.

So we agreed that July would tie in nicely with a show that Fliss, together with Brad Butcher, was was promoting to headline to headline this month’s Hats Off To Country festival in Tamworth. Unfortunately, with respect, that show will not be going ahead, as previously promoted. I wanted to share this with you; to assure you that this was pre-planned month’s prior to the tragedy of Glen’s passing and with a great deal of discussion we agreed to continue the story. Felicity has made the decision to continue her tour dates from mid-July and you’ll find them listed in the Live Music Scene pages. I know that you, our valued readers, join me in wishing Felicity all the very best for the future. I trust you enjoy all the stories that our contributors bring us this month and if you have any topic suggestions, simply write or email and let me know. Cheryl Brown Cheryl@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au

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J U L Y FEATURES FELICITY URQUHART JIM LAUDERDALE THE DAVISSON BROTHERS ASHLEIGH DALLAS BRAD BUTCHER CHARLIE COLLINS BLAKE O’CONNOR ALLAN CASWELL JEM CASSAR-DALEY BILLY BRIDGE REG LINDSAY

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EDITOR Cheryl Byrnes P: 0407 106 966 E: cheryl@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au ADVERTISING Joanne Maiden P: 0429 784 860 E: joanne@tamworthcountrymusic.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS Linda Bridges P: 02 6767 5555 CONTRIBUTORS Allan Caswell, Anna Rose, Bernard Zuel CMA, CMAA, David Dawson, Jon Wolfe, Haley Craig, Lorraine Pfitzner, Peter Coad, Rebecca Gracie, Susan Jarvis, and our great mates in publicity and record companies nationally and internationally. PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrew Pearson (Blake O’Connor), Chris Pickford (Jim Lauderdale), Colin Turner-Butler (Dashville), Glen Hannah (Felicity Urquhart), Greg Sylvia, Louise Brown Photography (Ashleigh Dallas), Rebecca Gracie, Robin Reidy (James Gillard), TRC TEAM Karlee Cole, Clare James, Eleanor Turnbull, Kyla Hill. ART AND DESIGN Sam Woods UPCOMING DEADLINES: AUGUST 2019: 10 JULY 2019 SEPTEMBER 2019: 10 AUGUST 2019

REGULARS

8 NASHVILLE NEWS 11 TSM UPDATE 29 LIVE CM SCENE 31 CMAA UPDATE 36 THE SIDEMEN – JAMES GILLARD 40 NEWS

BEHIND THE MUSIC – STEVE NEWTON ONE TO WATCH – ARNA GEORGIA WHERE ARE THEY NOW? HEAR & THERE FESTIVALS SOUND ADVICE COUNTRY CHARTS BUSH BALLADS

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

DOWN MEMORY LANE WRITING GREAT SONGS COMING EVENTS

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Country Music Capital News is compiled and published monthly by Tamworth Regional Council, 437 Peel Street, Tamworth NSW 2340. The views and opinions expressed in Capital News are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright 2019 Tamworth Regional Council, ABN 52631074450. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part by any manner or method whatsoever without the written permission is prohibited. All statements made in advertising are the sole responsibility of the advertiser in respect of legal and industrial relations. Printed by Fairfax Printing, 159 Bells Line of Road, North Richmond. 2754. ISSN 1440-995X years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

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NEWS

GLEN LEAVES LEGACY KRIS KRISTOFFERSON RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA

he legendary star together with his band the strangers return to Australia in September. The tour kicks off in Adelaide on September 17 before heading to the east coast. The Strangers, one of country music’s favourite bands, best-known as the backup band for singer-songwriter Merle Haggard, will see Scott Joss (fiddle and vocals), Doug Colosio (keyboards & vocals) and Jeff Ingraham (drums) in the line-up. Kristofferson has recorded over 30 albums and written some of the greatest songs of all time, including Me And Bobby McGee, Help Me Make It Through The Night, Sunday Morning Coming Down and For The Good Times. Tickets are on sale now and tour dates are listed in the Live Music Scene pages.

THE AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC FRATERNITY AND THE GREATER MUSIC INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE ARE MOURNING THE PASSING ON MAY 27, OF GLEN HANNAH.

len was the husband and music partner of Tamworthborn Felicity Urquhart and the father of their two daughters. He was an exceptional guitarist, producer, photographer, videographer and graphic designer and in addition to many previous awards, was named 2017 CMAA Musician of the Year. Glen spent the past 10 years as the graphic designer for the country music publication Country Update. He performed with, and for, numerous artists and occasions and major presentations including the Golden Guitars and more recently on the ABC TV production of The Recording Sessions.

He has been the musical inspiration and producer on hundreds of recordings and a mentor and tutor to countless others. Glen was farewelled by family and friends at the Palmdale Cemetery in Ourimbah, NSW on Friday, June 14.

KEITH URBAN TO OPEN SYDNEY COLISEUM THEATRE

he new Sydney Coliseum Theatre, West HQ will be officially opened on Saturday, December 21 with a ‘Keith Urban and Friends’ concert. The announcement is seen as a major coup for the region with the superstar agreeing to launch the new $100m centre for arts and entertainment in Greater Western Sydney. West HQ CEO Richard Errington said; “The announcement of such an incredible opening act is just the beginning of a longterm plan to bring the very best artistic and entertainment

content to Greater Sydney.” With a 2000 seat capacity in seated “theatre mode” and 2200 in “concert mode” the theatre features a sophisticated retractable seating system which means that conversion from a seated conference to a concert can be achieved in just an hour.

THE ENDLESS ROAD WORLD PREMIERE

ommy Emmanuel is recognised the world over as an expert of the acoustic guitar and now, for the first time, the untold story of his journey from Australia’s youngest guitar prodigy to the world’s most 8

acclaimed acoustic guitarist will be told in a new feature documentary film, Tommy Emmanuel: The Endless Road, screening at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. Director Jeremy Dylan and producer Jaime Lewis traveled from Sydney to Nashville, Havana to London, capturing the full scope of Tommy’s epic life and telling a moving, human story about the cycles of fathers and children, whether our origins and pasts define our future, the difference music can make in people’s lives and

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ultimately, when you truly decide to grow up. The Endless Road will have its Australian debut at Cinema Nova, Carlton on July 26 and tickets are now on sale at Cinema Nova.

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PHOTO: DONN JONES/CMA

NASHVILLE NEWS

RYMAN AUDITORIUM PLANS ICON WALK FOR PLAZA

CMA FEST DELIVERS SOLDOUT CROWDS

STATUES OF MUSICAL ICONS WILL JOIN EXISTING LIFE-SIZE STATUES OF LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS AND BILL MONROE AS PART OF THE NEW ICON WALK ON THE GROUNDS OF THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM.

our straight days of sold-out shows and capacity crowds, as well as surprise performances and collaborations, made the 48th annual CMA Fest one for the record books. At Nissan Stadium Lil Nas X created one of the festival’s most talked-about moments Saturday night, joined by Billy Ray Cyrus and reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban for an epic surprise performance of the controversial Old Town Road, the #1 song in the country for 10 weeks and running. There were more than 300 acts performing on 11 official stages. CMA Fest, the three-hour primetime television special hosted by Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini alongside special guest host Bobby Bones airs on the ABC Television Network on August 4 (USA). Next year’s CMA Fest will take place from Thursday, June 4 through to Sunday, June 7, 2020.

he Icon Walk will feature a collection of detailed bronze likenesses honouring those who have made significant contributions to the historic venue and Music City. The Dickens and Monroe statues were unveiled in 2017 as part of the Ryman’s 125 anniversary celebration. The Ryman team will again collaborate with artist, Ben Watts, with the new additions, to be announced in early 2020. Little Jimmy Dickens stands atop the Ryman’s main steps facing Fourth Avenue and Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music, stands at the corner of the northwest corner of the building near the venue’s driveway on Fifth Avenue.

THE GIT UP’S GONE VIRAL

lanco Brown’s The Git Up has exploded across the internet with more than 150 million viral views (and climbing as we went to print). Hitting the #1 spot on Spotify’s “Global Viral 50,” “US Viral 50,” “Canada Viral 50” and “Australia Viral 50” charts, “The Git Up” has taken the #1, #2 and #3 spots on the iTunes Country years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

chart in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia respectively and in the United States is the #3 Country song and #9 song across all genres. Additionally, the line dance track is currently the fifth most Shazamed Country song and the 41st most across all genres.

GRANGER SMITH TRAGEDY

ast month, Granger (2017 iHeartRadio Best New Country Artist) and Amber Smith delivered the news of the loss of their youngest son, River Kelly Smith, following a tragic accident. River’s parents donated his organs so that other children will be given a second chance at life. Donations to be made to Dell Children’s Medical Centre in River’s name. C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

This interview was conducted shortly before Felicity Urquhart and her daughters were devastated by the death of Glen Hannah: her husband, their father - and friend and collaborator, producer and master musician for so many more. Understandably, Felicity withdrew from media commitments, but the sentiments expressed in the new album, her first solo album in a decade, and this interview, remain true and important for her to share.

BY BERNARD ZUEL

SERIOUSLY, FELICITY URQUHART, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO FOR 10 YEARS INSTEAD OF PUTTING OUT ANOTHER RECORD? TALK ABOUT SLACK.

elicity admits “It’s disgusting, it’s terrible,” collapsing before the righteous questioning as she attempts to launch her album Frozen Rabbit, a record which reminds us that when it comes to making Australian country music without the clichés or cheap stunts, few have done it as well as Urquhart. Ok, sure, getting married (to guitarist and co-producer Glen Hannah), raising a couple of kids (two girls, aged six and eight), a radio career (hosting ABC’s Saturday Night Countr y), collaborations including last year’s trio album with Kevin Bennett and Lyn Bowtell (under the genius name of Bennett Bowtell and Urquhart) took some time. But still … “I can’t believe 10 years has just gone like that though,” she says. “But I did love all of it. And I think it was healthy for my own subconscious journey back into music when I had to listen to a lot of music, some which I didn’t like, and I think that all affected this album.”

Hearing the good and not so good, watching from a distance as new careers rose and some older ones foundered, left her with at least one firm conviction: do this for your reasons, not someone else’s. So a song about the town her mother grew up in, which touches on the Great War, drought, childhood and hints at a greater sadness, can share space with songs where folk and rock’s influence is as strong as music of the Kentucky hills. And if she wanted the middle of the album to have a gentle, sweet-natured ballad which doesn’t try for heartbreak when wistfulness is better, that’s what she did. “If I have to record things, more than ever now, if I’m not happy to sing it then what’s the point? It’s not like back in the day when I was trying to please other people because I was young and thinking, how much are they spending on me?” Frozen Rabbit, her seventh album since the self-titled debut in 1992, and first solo release since 2009’s Landing Lights, is a record that feels satisfying. It also ticks off several key Urquhart basics: it’s well written, well produced, well sung, well intentioned. That probably sounds like a patronising list, a kind of “oh, bless”, but the truth is it is rare to find all four of those together, especially without things getting either clumsy or tacky. And Urquhart doesn’t do that. That’s why she can offer something like Where The Fruit Hangs Low, with the too rarely heard these days voice of Shanley Del, and we trust her. The song remains lyrically enigmatic – “the children wash their hands in the water,” she repeats - but carries a character of impending sadness, maybe even bleakness: in the fiddle that feels like a saw, in the speculative guitar, and the tone of those two voices. The trust she carries also means she can take

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ON HER OWN PATH

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“WHENEVER “IT’S MY MUMI’M AND DAD’S FAULT. OUT THERE, I FEEL THEY NAMED ME THE WEIGHT FELICITY AND OF THE WORLD THAT SET A COME OFFTONE. MY CERTAIN SHOULDERS.” THEY NAMED ME HAPPINESS, SO HOW COULD I NOT LIVE LIKE THAT? EVEN IF I HAVE A DARK DAY, IT DOESN’T LAST THAT LONG AND IT’S BACK TO THAT SMILE AGAIN.”

something as traditional as a song about tough lives on a land which seems permanently poised to reject us, such as Speck Of Dust, and not make it sound like she’s merely working some salt-of-theearth angle. Matching this, there’s a solidity to the sound but not a heaviness as producer/guitarist Glen Hannah doesn’t overload the significance, letting the song do the work. If Breaking Your Heart Again sounds like Stop Dragging My Heart Around Redux, and Hopscotch Sunday is on the nicely-nice-story side of things, they still don’t grate, because in

the first instance Urquhart and Hannah don’t overplay their chunky hand, and then because she doesn’t ever feel anything but genuine. What’s interesting about this approach is that she is within the biggest record company in the world, Universal Music (who distribute the ABC Country label), but approaches everything as if she was an independent artist. In other words, like most good country artists in Australia have to live, day to day. Well, with one condition that still hasn’t settled comfortably on the woman who released her first album in 1992 when social media meant giving free drinks to freeloading journalists. “I was even brought into the roundtable discussion [at the label] where they said, ‘we need to talk to you about your social

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presence’, and I was like what? I don’t even have one. ‘Yes, that’s what we mean.’,” Urquhart says with a rueful shake of her head. “So they said if we can do this, you have to be on board with everything.” She is on board, but it’s fair to say you’re not likely to find Urquhart searching for memes, getting into spats with some right-wing trolls, or deferring the kids’ dinner so she can read one more take on Game Of Thrones. Though she is open to my suggestion that she hire her kids – who appear on the last track of the new record and have aspirations to musical careers like mum and dad - to run her socials. As long as they never post that pic of her in her dressing gown and slippers. (Yeah, dream on Felicity; one day you’re going to be toast!) A doggedly positive outlook to life generally, an album which begins with pure happiness in New Harmony (the unlikely but true story of a road trip to the little town of New Harmony in Georgia, which goes awry but still ends

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with Hannah proposing to her) and finishes with the jaunty bluegrass farewell, Strawberry Footprints, where she sings of “running down to the water to wash my hands and feet, of the worries and the heartache that I’ve held”, suggest sunniness is fixed. “It’s my mum and dad’s fault,” she laughs. “They named me Felicity and that set a certain tone. They named me happiness, so how could I not live like that? Even if I have a dark day, it doesn’t last that long and it’s back to that smile again.” However, it’s not that

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

straightforward, as the Bennett Bowtell & Urquhart album, which featured songs on the treatment of indigenous Australians and refugees, showed. Or the fact that among Urquhart’s co-writers are people like Mark Seymour, once of Hunters & Collectors, who helped write the album’s title track. There are several songs on the album that, like Urquhart‘s taste in music, are more shaded, more complex, reflecting not just personal circumstances of illness and deaths in the family, but also the state of the community around her.

Still, if you prefer your horizons cloudy you can lean into the title track, with its pedal steel pointing the way for a story about time running ahead of (and running out before) any of our plans, or the tinge of regret about wasting that time in Slow It Down. That song incidentally is one of several involving the late Karl Broadie either in the writing or the performance which have appeared on local albums in the past nine months. They all serve to show – rather than just tell – his imprint on writers, singers and musicians. It’s a continuing sad reminder but also a fitting way to remember. And indeed, a further sign of the tasteful, truthful, work of Frozen Rabbit. “You can dig as deep as you want in some of those lines,” Urquhart says of the “darker” songs on the album. “Kevin’s [Bennett] been an influence, Lyn’s [Bowtell] been another. Just hanging out in a tour bus together, reflecting on something that had been in the news and a common thread of just be kind to one another.” There are worse sentiments than that after 10 years away, or for that matter ahead of the next three years for this country, don’t you think?

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BY REBECCA GRACIE

ith pop country increasing in popularity, Lauderdale continues to write the songs he loves about the things that matter to him in his unique singer-songwriter style that’s never fit into any box, highlighted on his latest album, From Another World. The two-time Grammy Award winner spreads a message of love, kindness and understanding on his thirty-third full-length offering. “I just hope that, like any music, I can join with my other brother and sister musicians, in the hope that it will ease some of the tensions out there and some of the polarity amongst people,” he said. “We all want that and I think that music is a good way to bring people together and to be able to see past their differences for a little while.” The second single lifted from the album, Listen, encourages people to listen more, rather than always speaking, because it can help with understanding others better. The accompanying film clip features the singer-songwriter practicing Tai Chi in various settings in Australia and was shot during his last visit in March. “When I was a kid, for some reason I was just drawn to Tai Chi, but I didn’t really get into it heavily until I was in my mid-30s,” Lauderdale said. “Once I started studying, I guess it’s now my hobby, but at

WITH A PENCHANT FOR RHINESTONE-ENCRUSTED SUITS, A LOVE OF TAI CHI AND A WAY OF WRITING A SONG LIKE NO OTHER, JIM LAUDERDALE COULD BE MISTAKEN AS AN ARTIST FROM ANOTHER MUSICAL WORLD.

the same time it’s a great thing to do to stay in shape and it helps me to be grounded and if anyone needs to be grounded it’s me; I need all the help I can get. “Because of the stresses that go along with life and biz and all of that and touring, it just really helps.” Manager Jeremy Dylan shot the clip in Australia when Lauderdale was here for CMC Rocks and it was a chance to showcase some of the beauty Down Under, including that of the Blue Mountains. “This is my favourite video I’ve ever done,” he said. “He’s done such a great job and up in the Blue Mountains… it was just breathtaking up there and I just feel like it really captured that song.” The latest single shares the freedom theme, with the apt title, Some Horses Run Free, and opens Lauderdale’s new album. “I just was thinking of a song that, as an album opener, would work best and I really loved the B-bender electric guitar,” he said. “I was trying to get that sound, but a psychedelic version of it for the intro of the song. The song is just that idea that there is a place somewhere out there that you’ve heard about and read about since ancient times, a place of total freedom.” The first single, is also steeped in ancient roots, with Secrets Of The Pyramids and addresses the continuing mysteries of love. US singer-songwriter Logan Ledger came up with the title and Lauderdale leapt on the idea. “We had written several songs together, and he brought up that title and I was just so excited about it that I practically begged him to write that with him,” he said. “In that songwriting process, whether you’re co-writing or writing alone, when you get something like that title, it really jump starts everything; it was just so evocative to me. It had so many possibilities of where it could go and it was so different as well.”

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“HE’S DONE

The video co-stars fellow singer-songwriter Elizabeth SUCH A GREAT Cook who catches the eye of Lauderdale as he pores over ancient texts in a library. JOB AND UP Although this was his thirty-third album, IN THE BLUE Lauderdale said he still got nervous before the release, MOUNTAINS… but was mostly excited as he continued to challenge IT WAS JUST himself to make the best music he could. BREATHTAKING “There’s so much great music out there and it’s UP THERE AND a challenge to stay in the company of all of those I JUST FEEL artists and keep up with all the great stuff going out LIKE IT REALLY there,” he said. “I just want to be able to hopefully stand alongside CAPTURED those people and to write things that challenge me, THAT SONG.” musically, and to not repeat myself and to try to come up with new ways of saying things that I haven’t heard before.” The award-winning artist said he would love listeners to be inspired in some way by From Another World, and to listen to the album again after the first spin. Australian audiences will get the chance to catch Lauderdale back on our shores for the second time this year, in October at Out On The Weekend Festival with further details yet to be announced. The singer-songwriter has a close relationship with Australia and its music lovers, having first visited our shores 19 years ago. “There is just something about not being from Australia that ever since the first time I came there, I just really felt at home and happy there,” Lauderdale said. “I wanted to spend more and more time there and I still feel that way.” Being the prolific music-maker that he is, Lauderdale is back in the studio working on new music ahead of a US tour before we welcome him again Down Under.

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THE DAVISSON BROTHERS

GENUINE HILLBILLY GRIT BY JON WOLFE

FOLLOWING A HUGE RESPONSE AT LAST YEAR’S CMC ROCKS QLD, THE US COUNTRY BAND THE DAVISSON BROTHERS ARE RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA THIS MONTH FOR A QUICK THREE-CITY BLITZ THAT IS BOUND TO PLEASE THE DEDICATED FANS OF THIS PROUD HILLBILLY BAND.

ast year, the fourpiece band that features brothers Chris and Donnie Davisson, and mates Aaron Regester and Rus Reppert, consolidated a dedicated local fan base, with their authentic, wild and wonderful country rock. On the phone, the familiar West Virginia accent of Donnie was laced with excitement when we mentioned the return tour. “We cannot wait,” Donnie said. “We’ve been waiting to come back since we left. There’s not a day that’s gone by that we haven’t thought about you’all and I’m just thankful that everything has worked out and we are able to come back to see you’all.” Donnie said the desire to come back is a combination of the fans and the country itself. “I’ve been a lot of places and music has been my entire life as far back as I can remember,” he said. “It’s when you run into

people who treated us kinda special and treated us like family. It great to see the fans that know all your music and make you feel at home. What more could you ask for!” The band is really impressed by the reaction from Australian fans for their latest single Unbreak You. “The feedback from our Australian friends is just unreal!” Donnie said. “I don’t know – I just wanna move to Australia.” Unbreak You is the first ballad this country rock outfit has released. “You know, Po Boyz and Jessie James and other songs are rockin’ country,” Donnie said. “Unbreak You is totally in the other direction, so we’ll see what happens.” The song came out of a songwriting session with their producer Keith Stegall. “My brother Chris came out of his room with Unbreak You on just an acoustic guitar,” Donnie said, “and I was like ‘Wow, man, that is so different! I was also like, ‘That is good different. We can belt that one out and show a little more emotion! “It’s a stronger lyric song. It’s a lot deeper than what I’m used to. It’s like a curve ball for us, but folks can still tell it’s The Davisson Brothers – it’s gotta lot of twang and it’s kinda

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hard not to recognise my voice on it.” Donnie is particularly pleased with a recent review in the industry magazine Rolling Stone which said their music was ‘The soundtrack to making moonshine’. Through a very distinctive laugh, Donnie said “That just nailed it right on the head. “That’s a pretty good quote because that’s just the world around us. We write all that music about our everyday lifestyle. Every lyric on every one of those tracks on that entire Fighter album and Unbreak You, we have lived all that! “We just try to write what’s goin’ on around us, be honest, and the Australian friends, our fans over there, they relate to that. They get it. The hard-workin’ country people who can relate to what we’re about, and we’re very thankful for that.” We had to ask if the boys had ever made moonshine themselves? For an answer we got that distinctive laugh again and “Weeelll – we can’t talk about those secrets - (more

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laughter) - yeah we like that moonshine. I think you can make it over here now and not go to jail. I don’t know what the rules are in Australia, but they makin’ a lot of moonshine up here in the hills of West Virginia where I’m at!” Another quote that tickled our fancy was ‘These road warriors value genuine grit!’ So what is genuine grit to a band that spends most of the year on the road? “Genuine grit to us is getting’ out there and getting’ your hands dirty,” Donnie said. “Getting’ it done – nobody gonna hand you anything, so we’ve done all that on our own and we’re proud of what we’ve done. ‘We love to work hard and we’ll always be like that – yeah, road warriors, we live out on that road every day. I’m not gonna lie, sometimes it gets hard out there, we’re on the road 300 days of the year. That’s the grit in ya, that’s the true grit, you gotta suck it up.” We pointed out that the band would be here in the middle of our winter. “I love the cold weather,” Donnie said, “and I love the

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outdoors, from hunting and fishing and I love to snow ski, so the cold weather doesn’t bother me one bit.” On the back of last year’s appearance here the band’s album Fighter did very well in Australia and Donnie said that it was also well received back home. “It did really well here, but I don’t think it did as well as it did in Australia,” Donnie said. “But it really got the message out. “It upped the game for The Davisson Brothers and it widened our audience here in the United States. It opened a lot of doors for us. It kinda put the brand and the trademark on The Davisson Brothers. “That record defined who we were, what we were writing about, what we were singing about and our lifestyle. It helped a lot.” What about new music? “We’ve got some great new stuff that we

just wrote,” Donnie said. “We’re workin’ on getting’ some dates to get into a studio and knockin’ ’em out. “We’re ready to put some new stuff out and excited to let everybody hear it. We’re doin’ a lot of new stuff live, so you’all will get to hear some when we come down.” The Davisson Brothers return to Australia this month with shows at the Croxton Ballroom in Melbourne on July 23, the Factory Theatre in Sydney on July 25 before moving north to the Groundwater Country Music Festival on the Gold Coast over the weekend of July 26 to 28.

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FAMILY AFFAIR BY HALEY SHERIDAN

eflection is the latest offering from the Tamworthbased award winning artist, and it dives deep into the comings and goings of the talented young woman’s life and the people who she shares it with. Apart from her signature vocals and way with words, perhaps what Ashleigh is best known for is the bond she shares with her family, and the new album is no different. Reflection is produced by her dad Brett, with whom she wrote many of the 11 tracks, as she opens the door to her journey through life. For Ashleigh, this one is a little different, she’s now a mum to baby Harriet, born in January this year and she’s settling into the groove of family life and her contentment with things just the way they are. She says she’s comfortable in her own skin. “As you get older, you stop worrying about what other people are going to think, you don’t put limitations on your writing… you want to be the best you, and the best artist you can be,” she said. “I’ve been putting down my walls and writing vulnerable songs and letting people know that life is not always perfect, but it’s how you handle it. “As a younger mind I would

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TWO YEARS SINCE THE RELEASE OF HER GOLDEN GUITAR AWARD WINNING ALBUM, LIGHTHOUSE, ASHLEIGH DALLAS IS BACK WITH MORE STORIES TO SHARE. “I’M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THE FAMILY AND SUPPORT NETWORK AROUND ME, WITH MUSIC AND LIFE”

worry, but the insecurities were starting to fall away and the people I’m surrounded by 100— per cent support me, and are cheerleaders in everything I do, I am so lucky to have that support and have been able to put 100 per cent my heart and soul into this.” The idea for the album, Reflection, came not too long after Ashleigh and her dad took home the 2018 Golden Guitar Award for Traditional Country Album of the Year. “Going into writing, I didn’t think of concepts but I had a body of work,” she said. “I was reflecting on the last 18 months of my life. “I surrounded myself with family to make the album, it’s the best way I can feel myself and we try not to think about where we’ll fall in the genre categories, we created no boundaries and made music that is true to ourselves.” As for the writing, recording and producing process, it appears the Dallas family have it down-pat. “It is a well-oiled machine and kind of comes natural like a duck to water,” Ashleigh said. “I write a lot of songs on my own and with my dad… I think he’s seen as a guitar player and musician but he’s very clever with lyrics. “We trialled a lot of songs in the last 12 months touring and playing live and you always get a good bed of songs from that to take into the studio. Reflection takes Ashleigh’s listeners through her thoughts and emotions, her relationship with her husband Chris and the fond memories she shares of her lategrandfather, Gordon Smith, and the time they shared, in the song Catherine Hill. There’s the signature Dallas acoustics and instrumentals, but perhaps the most poignant song is the last addition, Harriet’s Lullaby, a touching tribute to her baby girl.

“We started tracking all the songs before we found out we were pregnant, and then Chris and I discovered we were having a baby in January,” she said. “I really wanted to put my heart and soul into this and in years to come I could show my kids and say I had a lot going on but still managed to do my dreams. “There was something about those racing hormones that really make you sit and reflect on life, and the next chapter. “Vocally this pushed me to connect with things on a different level. It’s unexplainable to know that soon you’re going to have a little life to look after. I feel sorry for my dad, it’s me and my dad most of the time working together and he had to juggle the emotions of his daughter and also an expecting mum. “Harriet’s Lullaby wasn’t going to be on the album, but I couldn’t help myself and write one more song, it was the perfect note (to end it).” Ashleigh’s album launch at the Hats Off to Country Music Festival this month, will be a special moment after sitting out January’s Tamworth Country Music Festival action while she gave birth and got to know her little one. “I’m very lucky to have the family and support network around me, with music and life in general,” she said. “Harriet will hopefully love music and be surrounded by music but it’s that thing about balancing music and life but also Harriet’s health and everything is priority number one. “It’s nice to celebrate a musical come back and kick off the next part of the musical chapter, and to keep the first celebration in my home town.” Ashleigh’s launch of Reflection is on Saturday, July 13 from 8:30pm at West Tamworth League Club in the Legends Lounge.

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BY SUSAN JARVIS

IT TOOK A GIANT CRANE AND A LARGE BUCKET HEADING STRAIGHT FOR HIM TO MAKE BRAD BUTCHER REALISE WHAT HE REALLY WANTED TO DO WITH HIS FUTURE.

e was working on a mine site in Central Queensland, and he only just escaped with his life after diving to the ground when things went wrong with the equipment that loomed above him. “There’s nothing that focuses you on what you should be doing more than narrowly escaping death. It got me back into music, and made me determined to give it my all,” Brad said. That incident has now been immortalised in the title track from Brad’s brand new album, Travelling Salesman. And in many ways, it captures the essence of the album – and of Brad’s approach to life and music. “The lyric ‘my old life damn near killed me’ isn’t a metaphor – it really happened!” Brad said. “But that idea that, you need to put aside your fears and doubts and take a leap of faith to realise your dreams, is something I feel passionate about. After all, you’ll never know what could happen if you don’t try. And I don’t want to die wondering.” Brad has kicked some impressive goals in the past couple of years. In 2018 he took out the New Talent of the Year Golden Guitar, and he also picked up Country Song of the Year at the Queensland Music Awards. A songwriter of remarkable insight and skill, his songs have been received rapturously by his rapidly growing body of fans, and have also received wide acclaim from the music industry. He’s regarded highly as a songwriter of considerable talent and substance. Brad’s latest album – his fourth – charts some new territory, both musically and lyrically.

He’s co-produced it with go-to producer Matt Fell, and the two have combined their exceptional skills to create a nuanced, powerful body of work. In keeping with the title track, there’s a strong theme running through Travelling Salesman of taking a chance, of giving your all to achieve your goals and make the world a better place.

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The first single, the no-punches-pulled Nature’s Course, explores what’s happening to the world, at the same time placing it in the context of a relationship. It’s full of fire and fury, and questions the role of destiny versus our personal responsibility. The bluesy The Wayside also takes a long, hard look at the modern world, in this case focused on religious hypocrisy, along with the many other crises we face today. “It’s so important for people to think for themselves, rather than just accepting what we’re told, and the accepted course of action,” Brad said.

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BREAKING

OUT OF THE BOUNDARIES

In a similar vein, Take It As A Sign is also about fate, but in this case it explores the way we view things – even in the darkest of times, it is possible to find a way to find some light. “I’ve had a pretty tough six months, but I’ve learnt that if you want to move forward, you have to find something positive to focus on,” Brad said. That leap of faith is also evident in The Unknown, which offers a touch of gospel and a sliver of hope.

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“It’s about letting go of expectations, getting out there in the world, creating something and not being scared of failure or of what lies ahead. Those are the things that hold you back – they certainly did me for a long time,” Brad said. Brad makes no secret of delving deep into his own life and experiences for his songs.

The delightful Easy Street is one example. It captures the memory of Christmas at his grandmother’s house, where all the family would gather. “The house has been sold and another family is making its own memories there now, but when I drive past the house, all my recollections of being a kid there come flooding back,” Brad said. “Even if you miss out on the suburban myth – the idea that you’ll get a job, marry, settle down and have kids – you still have those memories, and that love.” For Brad, missing out on that suburban ideal – the white picket fence dream – is a sacrifice worth making in order to achieve his musical dream. He explores that decision in Suburban Myth. “You don’t have to do what everybody else has done. We’re taught that it’s the only way, but you can take your own path and live your own dream,” he said. A very different path is explored in the gentle Freshwater Lady, which Brad wrote with Vaughan Jones. The song is about Auntie Lorraine Peeters, a Stolen Generation Wailwan/Gamilaroi woman from Cootamundra whose mission is healing. Brad obtained permission from Auntie Lorraine and the Cootamundra ladies to write the song, which tells an important and often deeply moving story. Other songs on the album include a powerful duet with Felicity Urquhart, Blood On My Hands, a wonderful rendition of the Rodney Crowell classic I Walk the Line Revisited, featuring Daniel Thompson doing Johnny Cash’s original vocals, and I’m All In, a love song that is also a message about approaching everything wholeheartedly. Brad has a hectic schedule ahead of him this year. He heads off this month for the 500 Miles of Music tour with Adam Harvey, Aleyce Simmonds, Matt James and Michaela Jenke. He’ll then team up with Felicity Urquhart for a series of concerts, before opening for Troy Cassar-Daley on a short tour in late August. Then it’s off to the United States, where he’ll do a two-week tour with Drew Womack, culminating in the Americana Festival. Everywhere he goes, he’ll be putting his music out there, aiming to connect with people so they see the world in new ways and understand the human condition a little more. “It’s great to write a song and have people connect with it because it’s about something that’s happened to them, but sometimes giving people an understanding of something they’ve never experienced themselves can be even more satisfying. If I can achieve that, it makes me really proud,” Brad said. Brad certainly should be proud of this remarkable new album, which will make everyone who hears it think a little more deeply, feel a little more intensely, and understand a whole lot more about the world in which they live.

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BY ANNA ROSE

THE PAST 20 YEARS HAS TAKEN TAMWORTH-BORN SINGER-SONGWRITER CHARLIE COLLINS ON AN EXCITING, EMOTIONAL JOURNEY, BUT SHE’S FINALLY FOUND HER WAY BACK HOME TO HER COUNTRY ROOTS.

er acclaimed debut solo album, Snowpine, recorded in a mountain lodge of the same name in Jindabyne, NSW, has opened up a whole new chapter of her life. In just five days they made the record in the old-school way – with guitar, bass and drums, no rehearsals, no run-throughs, just as it flowed. It was as natural and organic a process as was the creation of the songs, penned in Charlie’s bedroom, with guitar and vocals, over the course of a week. “When Tigertown ended, I was in limbo,” Charlie said. “I didn’t know whether I wanted to start another band or what, so I picked up my guitar for the first time in forever and just started writing. “I didn’t realise how much suppressed emotion I had, and the songs fell out in just over a week. “Then I played them to [husband] Chris at home on my guitar and he said straight up we should make a record.” For seven years Charlie had been out front of the Sydney-based indie-pop outfit, touring the globe. Those stages were a whole world away from that tiny mountain lodge in Jindabyne. “Chris said ‘let’s not think about it, let’s just do it’ so me, Chris and my drummer went to this little house at Jindabyne and set up all the gear. “I played the songs once over breakfast. We didn’t practice or plan anything. I just said ‘whatever you play is right, let’s hit record and see what comes out’. “There was no real thought process and we had an album in five days. We’d lived in LA for a bit where everything was planned down to the last detail. “I just wanted to go back to how it used to be, to have that feeling in the music, and if

there’s mistakes, they should be there. I love the imperfections. It shouldn’t be perfect.” In the past 12 months, Charlie has released three singles – Wish You Were Here, Mexico and Beautifully Blind – with all three added to rotation on Double J and FBi Radio, with her debut also added to Triple J rotation. She’s modest about the impact her solo record is having, but excited at the same time about where it might lead. From the moment she had the courage to step up on stage at The Pub in Tamworth as a little kid, Charlie was chasing her destiny. When Bill Chambers invited the 11-year-old onto his show, it was a huge thrill for Charlie who sang This Flower, from The Captain, Bill’s daughter Kasey’s then newly-released debut solo album. Imagine the excitement of that little kid when Kasey joined her midway through the song. It’s a memory Charlie treasures. Charlie’s childhood was spent unlike most kids her age. Instead of having sleepovers and playing in the park with friends, she was hanging around pubs, playing music, talking to fellow musicians and learning as much as she could. Back then, her contemporaries (and best friends) included Catherine Britt, Kasey and Nash Chambers, Katrina Burgoyne and Aleyce Simmonds. The Bailey household was filled with music, so it was only

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natural that her siblings Crystal and Kurt would join their baby sister on stage. Later, with the addition of Daniel Conway and Lindsay Dallas, they formed The Baileys, Charlie’s first band. The Baileys evolved into Chasing Bailey, but later folded, as the individual players found their own paths in life. “I’ve had to go on the journey I did to come full circle … to come back to where I belong,” Charlie said. “Unless I took that road, I wouldn’t have had the stories to tell.” The album is a heartbreakingly honest account of her life to date. An open book, Charlie shares her struggles with mental health and her absolute love and devotion to family, particularly to sister Crystal. “I wrote Please Let Me Go when Tigertown had called it quits,” she said. “It was a really low point for me. I never had a moment when I felt good enough. I felt I was never going to be where I wanted. “Right then I was ready to give it all up and throw music away. It’s an honest song about how hard it was. I was tired, but I knew I had to keep going – and never give up. “You do have moments where you challenge what you’re doing, and that’s good, in a way.” Won’t Say It’s Over tells the story of Charlie’s life growing up in bars. “I found out who I was in bars, meeting people. And I learnt about not giving up, because I’ve worked too goddamned hard to throw it all away. “This album is my journey, my struggle with mental illness, which is still something I do battle with. “The opening track, Unwell, talks about that, when I went through a dark period. Every song is about my life, what I went through. “I want to get out the message that I’m not perfect and I hope people can relate to these songs. I hope they realise that it’s okay to feel down, but you’ve got to get back up again. I’m still doing it and I’m still here today. “It’s all very personal, particularly the songs about Crystal, when she went through her divorce. I was watching her heart break in front of me and saw the hard times she went through.” This is encapsulated perfectly in the stunningly beautiful closer, Run Dry, which you can’t listen to without tears flowing – or at least, this writer couldn’t. “My favourite thing when I come off stage is when people come up to me and tell me how much a song of mine saved their life,” Charlie said. “I just love to hear how a song I created helped someone get through a rough time. It means more to me than anything. Helping people through music is my therapy, and hopefully somebody else’s therapy. “I feel like my journey has just begun. Like I’m on the right path now. I just have to be strong and know I’m doing what I want and not listen to anyone wanting to change

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my direction. I’ve come home and I’m going to stay here.” One of the most exciting parts of her “homecoming” – or getting back to her roots, was a text from Kasey Chambers, inviting her to be part of the 20th anniversary tour of The Captain. “We’ve been a part of each other’s musical journeys for so long now,” Charlie said. “Our families are so close, so it just feels right.” As Kasey’s support act, Charlie will deliver her songs with honesty and integrity, just herself and a guitarist, stripped back to allow the songs to speak for themselves. Before she begins the national tour with Kasey, Charlie will fulfil a lifelong dream – to visit Nashville – where her brother (and manager), Kurt, has lined up some songwriting opportunities for her. “I can’t believe I’m finally going to Nashville. I’ve been to practically every state in America, bar Tennessee,” she said. “I’ll be doing some writing over there and working with some people and working on my second album, which I’ve already pretty much got written. “With this album, I’ve always been a storyteller and I wanted that to come across in the music, like Johnny [Cash] and Gram [Parsons] did back in the day. “Everyone recorded live then so you could hear the story; the music wasn’t taking over. “With my music, there’s a rawness, it’s not perfect. It’s rough around the edges, raw and real. I’m broken but I put myself back together again and wanted my message to come across in the stories and in the recording process. “No matter what happens from here on in, I’m making the music I love, so anything else is just a bonus.”

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A RISING STAR

BY REBECCA GRACIE

TO SAY IT’S BEEN A WHIRLWIND COUPLE OF YEARS FOR BLAKE O’CONNOR WOULD BE A MAJOR UNDERSTATEMENT.

he 2019 Toyota Star Maker winner has just returned from playing Nashville’s CMA Fest and Manchester’s Buckle and Boots Festival in the UK, after playing his first gig in his hometown of Port Macquarie only four years ago. The 18-year-old is still riding high on the waves of success, after playing overseas

with artists including Lee Brice’s brother, Lewis, meeting Earl Bud Lee (of Friends In Low Places writing fame), and appearing on the same bills as stars including Jarrod Nieman, Lee Brice and Charles Esten. He was also a scheduled artist on the CMA Spotlight Stage and received tickets to the nightly concerts in Nissan Stadium. A highlight, though, was playing on stage at the Bluebird Café.

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“It’s such a tiny little room, but great to play there because of all the history that’s been through there,” Blake said. While in Music City, Blake slotted in writing sessions with hit makers including Kenneth Wright (Chris Janson, Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers), Rick Huckaby (Trace Adkins, Thomas Rhett, Tracy Lawrence, Craig Morgan, Frankie Ballard), and Robert Arthur (Brad Paisley,

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“I TRIED NOT TO TREAT STAR MAKER LIKE A COMPETITION, BUT I SAW IT AS ALL PART OF THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A CAREER IN COUNTRY MUSIC.”

Chris Young, Jeff Bates, Trace Adkins, Mark Chesnutt). As is the start of all musical magic, the writing session came about after a chance meeting with Wright at his gig at a blues bar in Nashville. Blake and his father were listening to Kenneth Wright’s band play and when he came off stage for a rare break, the Australian singer-songwriter said hello and introduced himself,

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before Wright encouraged him to sing with him and the band. His band happens to include Tim McGraw’s guitar technician and Blake will be playing the Deni Ute Muster in October as is McGraw, who headlines main stage on Saturday night, October 5. “I got up and did a song with them and Kenneth introduced me to a few people,” Blake said. “He told me he had never got anyone up on stage and he never has a break during his four-hour shows, but he just happened to on this occasion.” The young Port Macquarie artist said the opportunity to go to Nashville and the people he ran into were amazing. “I was only thinking the other day that I remembered watching CMA Fest on CMC last year and 12 months ago, I wouldn’t have thought I would be playing at the festival so it’s pretty cool,” he said. Blake was able to enjoy these experiences due to the generosity of sponsor Chris Watson Travel, which formed a part of his prize as the 40th Star Maker winner Remaining grounded comes easily to Blake, whose musical career nearly didn’t start. “I was given a guitar when I was about six years old but didn’t pick it up until I was eight,” he said. “I had a few guitar lessons, but never really enjoyed them, so from the age of nine, I taught myself and have done since. I started singing because that’s what guitar players did. I then started writing songs when I was 14 and that’s when I started gigging because dad’s mate had a gig and I would play in his breaks.” That same venue then booked Blake for his own gigs, but there was an issue – he only knew a couple of songs. “I taught myself some more songs, but still only had enough for two sets, so I used to tell the audience that someone had requested a song that I’d played earlier in the night and wanted to hear it again, so that I could fill the third set.” It was in 2017, that music became more serious for Blake when he made his first trip across the Great Divide to Tamworth to busk on Peel Street and enter talent quests, playing the main stage in Toyota Park after

winning the Battle of the Young Stars. The following year he applied to the CMAA Academy of Country Music senior course aged just 17, and was accepted, graduating in the 2018 class. “It’s all about making friends who have the same interests because when you live on the beach and like country music, there aren’t a lot of people who have the same interests as me,” Blake said. “It was great just to realise there were more of me. Meeting all the mentors who came in were also great because you got to see if you were on the right track.” In late 2018, he entered Star Maker, winning the title in January this year and said it was the highlight of his year, along with the two overseas festivals he had played as part of the win. “I tried not to treat Star Maker like a competition, but I saw it as all part of the process of building a career in country music,” he said. As part of the win, Blake has released his new single, Beautiful As You, a song that most will relate to when navigating the muddy waters of love when you’re friends with the person you’ve fallen for, and have an internal debate about whether to tell them or not. The single is lifted from the album, Ever ything I Feel, which will be launched at Hats Off to Country on Saturday, July 13 at Moonshiners Honky Tonk Bar in Tamworth. “The album is everything I’ve been through in the year because writing is a therapy for me,” Blake said. The album was produced by Adam Eckersley and was recorded in his, and his wife Brooke McClymont’s home, where there are amplifiers in every room. “Tiggy (Adam and Brooke’s daughter) wanted to know when she was going to get her room back at one point,” Blake said. “The single was written from personal experience with Tiana Dennis from The Dennis Sisters - we did two songs together and the rest were written by me in my room.” The friendship with Adam and Brooke, began when they met at a party and it has seen Blake tour with the duo. “They are just as good people as they are musicians and to have those guys in my corner is pretty special,” he said. “I’ve always been a big fan of their music, so it’s really cool.” There is one cover, If You Want To Get To Heaven, by Ozark Mountain Devils which is fitting because Blake performed it as part of his Toyota Star Maker bid. The year is only going to get busier for the singer and guitarist, as he’s just been announced as the special guest for The McClymonts next tour and still has a calendar full of festival commitments including the Deni Ute Muster, Gympie Muster, Mt Isa, Mildura and Cruisin’ Country.

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BY ANNA ROSE

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER 28

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n April-May, as he packed the book off to the printers after a final proof, Caswell and wife Marian packed the last of their belongings, including Chihuahua Big Kev, and moved north of the Queensland border from their NSW Blue Mountains home. The Caswells have adapted well to the Queensland weather, as has Big Kev. “I loved the mountains, but I love it here too,” Caswell said from his Gold Coast abode. “We walk around the lake every morning. It’s 23 degrees and people ask why we haven’t bought a coat for our dog. What’s that about? He’s got a fur coat on.” Caswell has been keeping fit with his morning walks and the (mostly) daily 7km round trip to the post office to send books off to potentially happy customers. “The move actually went a lot swifter than we thought it would,” Caswell said. “As I work all along the east coast of Australia, I can be anywhere at any given time. I was in Melbourne doing workshops and recording just last month. “All I’ve moved is my address, so it’s not going to change anything. This year I’m doing the Burra Festival in SA, and touring Tasmania. I’m playing pretty well every state. “Where we are is a great base. It’s a lot closer to the nearest airport than we were in the mountains.” The seasoned traveller will officially launch the book in

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

SINCE LAUNCHING HIS MUCH-AWAITED AUTOBIOGRAPHY, MY VERSION OF THE TRUTH, SINGER-SONGWRITER ALLAN CASWELL HAS BEGUN A NEW CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE IN THE SUNSHINE STATE.

Tamworth this month, a major event of the 2019 Hats Off to Country winter country music festival. Having the launch in Tamworth was a natural choice for Caswell, who fitted it in between his role as guest tutor at the CMAA Junior Academy. The next night he plays a show at Karuah, then, at The Flow Bar at Old Bar with Andrew Swift. It’s never a dull moment at Camp Caswell. The official book launch will take place at North Tamworth Bowling Club at 7pm on Thursday, July 11. “It’s been about six years since I first started writing the book,” Caswell said. “I had to deal with problems of confidence, wondering why anyone would want to read about me, all that stuff. “Every time I’d say that, Marian would say ‘write it for your kids’. I’d get all enthusiastic and say the book was finished, then something else would happen. “In the end I had to draw a line under and say, that’s the book … now … or I could have been here 10 years from now, still writing.” There will also be other launches – at The Junk Bar, in Brisbane, house concerts and other events around the various states, but the Tamworth one is special for Caswell. “I’m looking forward to that launch, as so much of the book is about Tamworth, so it’s really quite appropriate to launch it there,” Caswell said. “Cheryl Brown has kindly

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

agreed to officiate and declare the book open … or whatever book launchers do … Cheryl has known me since about 1979 or ‘80, so I couldn’t think of anyone more appropriate to launch the book.” With that career spanning 50 years in Oz, he’s pretty well accustomed to touring albums, but touring books is a little different. And it’s quite a read. Take your place alongside 14-yearold Cas at the railing of the Castel Felice as it sails through the heads after the six-week journey from England. Sit beside him in a Hercules dressed in full body armour on his way to a warzone gig. Read about the acts he’s supported over the years – Brian Cadd, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman’s Hermits, The Little River Band, Jon English, and the incomparable Billy Thorpe. Oh, and the time Garth Brooks opened the show for him … Experience the excitement when On The Inside is chosen as the theme song for Prisoner, effectively securing Caswell’s future as a fulltime songwriter in the music business. Hear Caswell’s no-holds-barred take on the state of play in Australian country music – and experience some of his lowest moments. It’s all there. And quite a few names are mentioned, most of them favourably. “I know a few people are buying the book as they want my take on the music industry,” Caswell said. “They know where I come from, so to me it’s not just an autobiography, it’s almost a handbook on how to survive the music industry. From that point of view, I know young artists now are facing a really tough time, with iTunes gone, and streaming. “People will discover the book is mainly about songs. Songwriting has been my life. I’m doing these shows now to support the book with the subtitle, ‘the songs that made the life, and the life that made the songs’. You really can’t separate the two things.” One song, above all, has allowed Caswell the luxury of making a living as a songwriter since 1979’s megahit, On The Inside. Forty years later, he’s still celebrating the success of that song and the TV show, Prisoner, most recently with the cast and crew at anniversary celebrations in Melbourne, and later the national capital. Overall, Caswell’s been delighted with feedback from readers who’ve said “some really nice things” about the book since its release. “People I’ve known for 20 and 30 years are finding out a whole bunch of stuff about my life they didn’t

know, so that’s been kind of interesting,” he said. “As I’m the one posting out all the books, I know everybody who’s bought a copy. When I send them out, the most oftenasked question is ‘am I in the book?’, which makes me smile. “I know they’re not saying it out of ego but think it would be kind of fun to be in the book. A lot of them are … hardcore country music fans who’ve been so supportive, like Kaz Johnson. “She was just blown away that I mentioned her – and she deserves to be there, the amount of work she does to support us. “My daughter Georgia had the book and showed one of her friends, who said: ‘your dad’s a hero’, when he read about my association with South Sydney. “It’s not like I haven’t written a book before. The first was a book about songwriting. This is a lot deeper than that. It’s interesting in that most people seem to be entertained by it. “It’s not designed to be heavy, just to tell the truth – or my version of it – and there will be people who disagree with a whole bunch of things. Everyone has an opinion. “Not everyone sees things through my eyes. Mum loves the entire book, except the chapter on politics. We’re diametrically opposed politically, but she’s a good guide. “Mum wasn’t offended by it at all. I thought I might have been a bit hard on a couple of people referenced in the book, but mum thought I was too soft.” Life is pretty hectic these days, touring a book, rather than an album, but another record is in progress. “I’m seven tracks into recording an album I wasn’t going to record, which I will release early next year,” he said. The book has sold steadily since day one, so he looks forward to maintaining his new fitness regime for some time to come. Direct all book enquiries to allan@allancaswell.com

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LIVE MUSIC SCENE

LIFT OUT

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

AARON JURD AND THE BANNED

Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 12 Tamworth Services Club Lounge 13 Manilla RSL Club Auditorium 14 Tamworth Services Club Lounge

ADAM HARVEY OCTOBER 12 Cruisin’ Country

ALEXIS AND SUZIE JULY 6 Blueys on Bribie Island Qld 13 Bluff Bar, Alexandra Heads Qld 25 Caloundra RSL Qld 26 Winterfest Music Festival, Biloela Qld 29 Kawana Community Hall, Buddina Qld

ALEXIS SAWFORD JULY 6 Coolum Bowls Club Qld 6 Coffee Cat, King’s Beach Qld 14 Montville Bar and Grill Qld 20 Montville Bar and Grill Qld 21 Coffee Club On Kings, Kings BeachQld

ALICE BENFER JULY 5-7 Yellowbelly CMF, St George Qld 13 Rainbow Beach Hotel Qld AUGUST 22-25 Gympie Music Muster Qld 30&31 Aussie Muster, Bundaberg Qld SEPTEMBER 1 Aussie Muster, Bundaberg Qld

AMBER LAWRENCE JULY 26 Gunnedah Hotel NSW SEPTEMBER 7 Bingara Sports Club NSW OCTOBER 25 Astor Hotel Motel, Goulburn NSW 26 Shoalhaven Bowls Club NSW 27 The Oaks Hotel Albion Park, Albion Park Rail NSW years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

ANDREW SWIFT *Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 5 The Bridport Hotel Tas 6 The Royal Oak Hotel, Launceston Tas 7 The Longley International Tas 10 Stag and Hunter Hotel, Mayfield NSW 12 Desk & Studio, Petersham NSW 13 Flow Bar, Old Bar NSW 14 West Tamworth LC, Legends Lounge NSW* 18 Oodies Cafe, Bundaberg Qld 19 Captain Cook Holiday Village, 1770 Qld 20&21 House Concerts, Gympie Qld 23 Mackay Masonic Temple, Mackay Qld 26 Groundwater CMF, Broadbeach Qld AUGUST 3 Braidwood SC NSW 16 Wesley Anne, Northcote Vic 17 Grand Ridge Brewery, Mirboo North Vic 24 Noojee Hotel Vic

ANGELA EASSON JULY 4-7 Twin Towns Services Club, Tweed Heads NSW

ASHLEIGH DALLAS Hats Off To Country Tamworth *Album launch JULY 13 West Tamworth LC, Legends Lounge NSW

BEN RANSOM AUGUST 10 Wellington Soldiers Club NSW 12-15 Sundeck Hotel, Perisher Valley NSW 17 Sundeck Hotel, Perisher Valley NSW 31 Huskisson Hotel NSW SEPTEMBER 6 Hotel Mackay Qld 7 Magnums, Airlie Beach Qld 8 Seabreeze Hotel, Slade Point Qld 9-11 KC’s Bar, Airlie Beach Qld

BRAD COX

BLAKE O’CONNOR JULY *Album Launch Hats Off To Country **Guest of Brad Cox ***Guest of The McClymonts 13 Moonshiners, Family Hotel, NSW* 19 The Foundry Brisbane Qld** 26&27 Groundwater CMF, Broadbeach Qld AUGUST 2 Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy, Melbourne Vic** 22-25 Gympie CMF Qld 8-11 60th Mt Isa Rodeo Qld SEPTEMBER 30 Mildura CMF Vic OCTOBER 1-3 Mildura CMF Vic 5 Deni Ute Muster, Deniliquin NSW 12-19 Cruisin’ Country 20 Wingham Acoostik Festival NSW 31 Saraton Theatre, Grafton NSW*** NOVEMBER 1 United Services Club, Laurieton NSW*** 2 Armidale Services Club, NSW*** 15 Village Green Hotel, Mulgrave (Melbourne) Vic*** 16 Wonthaggi Workmens Club, NSW** 23 Hometown Festival, Bowen Hills Qld 29 Dubbo RSL, NSW*** 30 Wenty Leagues, Wentworthville (Sydney) NSW*** DECEMBER 6 Young Services Club, NSW*** 7 Bargo Sports Club, NSW***

BOBBY HOWSON

Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 11 City Lights Caravan Park, Tamworth NSW

*Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 13 Moonshiners, Tamworth* 19 The Foundry Brisbane Qld 25 The Lansdowne, 2 City Road, Sydney NSW AUGUST 2 Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy, Melbourne Vic 7 The Station, Jindabyne NSW

CHARLIE COLLINS SEPTEMBER 13 Crown Melbourne Vic 14 Geelong PAC Vic 15 Wangaratta PAC Vic 19 Lismore City Hall NSW 20 Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Qld 21 Southport RSL Club Qld

CARTER & CARTER JULY 19 Burrinja Theatre, Upwey Vic 20 Gateway Hotel, Corio Vic 21 Wonthaggi Union Community Arts Centre Vic AUGUST 1 The Forge Theatre, Bairnsdale Vic 2 Alexandra Town Hall with UGFM Vic 3 Albury Commercial Club NSW 4 St Mary Of The Angels Auditorium, Nathalia Vic 9 Knox Club, Wantirna Vic 10 Club Mulwala, Mulwala NSW

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

LIVE MUSIC SCENE AUGUST 16 Gympie RSL Qld 17 Theebine Hotel Qld SEPTEMBER 7 Bulimba GC, Brisbane Qld 13 The GAS, Brooweena Qld 20 Toowoomba City GC Qld 21 Bony Mountain Festival, Warwick Qld 24 Winton Outback Festival, Gympie Qld 27 Emerald Star Hotel Qld 28 Byfield Rainforest Retreat, Yeppoon Qld

11 Carter & Carter’s Farm, Kinglake Vic 16 The Wedge PAC, Sale Vic 17 Moe RSL Vic 18 Frankston RSL Vic

CHRISTIE LAMB AUGUST 11 Central Coast CMF NSW 15 Mandurah PAC WA 16 Crown Theatre Perth WA 17 Bunbury Regional EC WA 22 Brolga Theatre, Maryborough Qld 23 Moncreiff EC, Bundaberg Qld 24 The Great Western Hotel, Rockhampton Qld 29 Cairns PAC Qld 30 Townsville EC Qld 31 Mackay EC Qld

DALE HOOPER OCTOBER 13 Bathurst RSL Club NSW NOVEMBER 16 Bathurst RSL Club NSW

DANI YOUNG OCTOBER 4 Woop Woop Festival Site, Tingun Qld 25 Old Dubbo Gaol NSW

DESTINY BAND OZ JULY 7 Bayview Homestead, Bittern Vic AUGUST 17 Latrobe Valley Maltese Club, Morwell Vic OCTOBER 4&5 Bowling Club, Ulverstone Tas

DIANNE LINDSAY SEPTEMBER 8 Grafton SC NSW NOVEMBER 9 Kyabram Showgrounds Vic 13 Nanango Showgrounds Qld

FANNY LUMSDEN JULY 24 Mackay Masonic Temple Qld AUGUST 2 Herbert River Crushers Hall, Ingham Qld 3 Dimbulah Memorial Hall Qld 9 Richmond Shire Hall Qld 15 Evening Star Tourist Park, Charleville Qld 16 Thargomindah Hall Qld SEPTEMBER 20 Toppy Hall, Wyalong, NSW 27 Eugowra Hall NSW 28 Tooraweenah Hall NSW 32

JOHN ‘K’ KRSULJA

FELICITY URQUHART *w Brad Butcher **w Andrew Swift ***w Brad Butcher & Kelly Cork JULY 19 Milton Theatre NSW* 26-28 Groundwater CMF, Broadbeach Qld AUGUST 22-25 Gympie Muster Qld SEPTEMBER 19 Edge Hill Tavern, Cairns Qld* 20 Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville Qld* 22 Seabreeze, Mackay Qld** OCTOBER 3 Hamilton Hotel, Brisbane Qld* 4 Highfields Tavern, Toowoomba Qld* 5 Mapleton Bowls Club Qld*** 12 -19 Cruisin’ Country NOVEMBER 8 Trinity sessions Adelaide SA** 9 The Barn Wombat Flat SA** 10 Emily’s Bistro, Quorn SA**

*Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 14 The DAG Sheep Station, Nundle NSW*

JAMES BLUNDELL JULY 13 Seagulls Club, Tweed Heads NSW 28 Laura CMF SA AUGUST 2 Mittagong RSL NSW 16 Dubbo RSL Club NSW 17 Condobolin RSL Club NSW 23 Amstel GC, Cranbourne Vic

HAYLEY JENSEN

*Groundwater CMF JULY 10 Coca Cola Stage, Calgary Stampede, Alberta, Canada 26 Broadbeach Mall Stage, Broadbeach Qld* 27 Surf Parade Main Stage, Broadbeach Qld* 28 Envy Hotel Upstairs, Broadbeach Qld* AUGUST 17 Lake George Hotel, Bungendore NSW 31 Wisemans Ferry Inn NSW

HAYLEY MARSTEN AUGUST 7 Can You Keep a Secret?, Woolloongabba Qld 14&16 Stockmans Bar, Bowen Hills Qld OCTOBER 12 Biloela Showgrounds Qld

HILLBILLY GOATS JULY 5 Seabreeze Resort, Mackay Qld 13 Beerwah Hotel Qld 20 Pullenvale Folk Festival, Brisbane Qld

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

9 Knox Club, Wantirna Vic 10 Club Mulwala Vic 11 Carter & Carter’s Barn, Kinglake Central Vic 16 The Wedge PAC, Sale Vic 17 Returned & Services League, Moe Vic 18 Frankston RSL Vic OCTOBER 12 Radiance of the Sea, Sydney, Lifou, New Caledonia, Noumea

JOHN WILLIAMSON JULY 5 Shoalhaven EC, Nowra NSW 6 Sutherland EC NSW 7 Wenty LC, Wentworthville NSW SEPTEMBER 5 The Events Centre, Caloundra Qld 6 Brolga Theatre & Convention Centre, Maryborough Qld 7 Moncrieff EC, Bundaberg Qld

KALESTI BUTLER JAYNE DENHAM JULY 11 Mt Pleasant Tavern, Mackay Qld 12 Emerald Star Qld 13 Bush to Bay Festival, Hervey Bay Qld 19 Burrinja Theatre, Upwey Vic 20 Gateway Hotel, Corio Vic 21 Wonthaggi Union CAC Vic AUGUST 1 The Forge Theatre & Arts Hub, Bairnsdale Vic 2 Alexandra Town Hall Vic 3 Commercial Club Albury Vic 4 St Mary Of The Angels Auditorium, Nathalia Vic

AUGUST 3 Emerald GC Qld 15 Capella Cultural Centre Qld 24 Emerald Showgrounds Qld 31 The Maraboon Tavern, Emerald Qld SEPTEMBER 7 Emerald Jockey Club Qld 27-30 Mildura CMF Vic

KATIE JAYNE BAND *Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 12&13 Imperial Brew House, Tamworth NSW* years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

LIFT OUT

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

KYLIE ADAMSCOLLIER JULY 6 St George Showgrounds NSW

LUKE O’SHEA

*Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 13 North Tamworth BC NSW*

LYN BOWTELL OCTOBER 6 The Brass Monkey, Cronulla NSW 27 Lizottes, Newcastle NSW

22 Forum Melbourne Vic 26 Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane Qld 27 Empire Theatre, Toowoomba Qld 29 Tuning Fork, Auckland NZ

MURPHY’S PIGS JULY 23 The Bug, New Farm BC Qld OCTOBER 19 Woodford Memorial Hall Qld

NORMA O’HARA MURPHY SEPTEMBER 20-22 Bony Mountain Folk Festival, Warwick Qld

KEL-ANNE BRANDT JULY 4 Camp Breakaway, San Remo NSW AUGUST 27 Cabra-Vale Digger NSW SEPTEMBER 12 Heritage Village, Canton Beach NSW 18 Blacktown RSL Club NSW

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON SEPTEMBER 17 Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide SA 19 Palais Theatre, Melbourne Vic 20 Riverlinks Eastbank, Shepparton Vic 21 Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo Vic 23 Civic Hall, Ballarat Vic 24 Kernot Hall, Morwell Vic 25 Llewellyn Theatre, Canberra ACT 27 State Theatre, Sydney NSW 28 Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul NSW 29 Civic Theatre, Newcastle NSW OCTOBER 1 C.EX Coffs, Coffs Harbour NSW 2 Twin Towns, Tweed Heads NSW 4 Empire Theatre, Toowoomba Qld 5 Brisbane Convention Centre Qld 6 Caloundra Events Centre Qld

PEPPER JANE LEE KERNAGHAN

*Backroad Nation Tour* JULY 28 Groundwater CMF, Broadbeach Qld AUGUST 15 Mandurah PAC WA 16 Crown Theatre Perth WA 17 Bunbury Regional EC WA 22 Brolga Theatre Maryborough Qld 23 Moncrieff EC, Bundaberg Qld 24 The Great Western Hotel, Rockhampton Qld 29 Cairns PAC Qld 30 Townsville EC Qld 31 Mackay EC Qld SEPTEMBER 5 Kingaroy Town Hall Qld 6 Empire Theatre, Toowoomba Qld 7 Kedron-Wavell SC, Brisbane Qld 13 Rooty Hill RSL Club NSW

LLOYD BACK JULY 14 Biggenden Men’s Shed Qld 21 Abermain BC NSW

MATT SCULLION

*Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 3 The Stag and Hunter hotel, Newcastle, NSW 13 Hogs Breath Cafe, Tamworth NSW* AUGUST 7 The Stag and Hunter hotel, Newcastle NSW

MICHAELA JENKE JULY 6 The Barn @ Wombat Flat, Neales Flat SA 7 Quorn Oval SA 8 North Blinman Hotel SA 10&11 William Creek Hotel SA

MORGAN EVANS OCTOBER 17&18 Enmore Theatre NSW 20 Astor Theatre, Perth WA 21 The Gov, SA

JULY 12&13 Ranelagh Showgrounds Tas 21 The Junk Bar, Brisbane Qld 27 Peregian Beach Hotel Qld AUGUST 2 Ground N Sound, Labrador Qld 31 Peregian Beach Hotel Qld

PETER CAMPBELL AUGUST 3 Tara Showgrounds, Tara Qld 15 Boondoomba Qld 31 Twin Towns Services Club, Tweed Heads NSW SEPTEMBER 28 Twin Towns SC, Tweed Heads NSW

PETER COAD, COAD SISTERS, & RUNAWAY DIXIE AUGUST 7 Casterton GC Vic 8 Memorial BC, Warrnambool Vic 9 Maryborough Highland Club Vic 11 Morwell Club Vic 13 Nicholson Hotel Vic 16 Noble Park RSL Vic 18 Edenhope GC Vic 19 Rendelsham Town Hall SA 20 Tatiara Civic Centre, Bordertown SA

» years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

LIVE MUSIC SCENE RORY PHILLIPS

29 C2C Festival, Boondall, Brisbane

JULY 14 Newmarket Hotel, Albury NSW

Qld

ROSS MCGREGOR AUGUST 11 Long Jetty Hotel NSW NOVEMBER 9 Long Jetty Hotel NSW

SUSAN KEENAN & ALEXIS SAWFORD WITH CONTRABAND JULY 12 Caloundra RSL Qld 19 Caloundra RSL Qld 28 Bluff Bar, Alexandra Heads Qld

TANIA KERNAGHAN

THE MCCLYMONTS JULY *W/ guest Blake O’Connor

THE WOLFE BROTHERS

*Backroad Nation Tour* JULY 28 Groundwater CMF Broadbeach Qld AUGUST 3 Merry Curry Muster, Cloncurry Qld 15 Mandurah PAC WA 16 Crown Theatre Perth WA 17 Bunbury Regional EC WA 22 Brolga Theatre Maryborough Qld 23 Moncrieff EC, Bundaberg Qld 24 The Great Western Hotel, Rockhampton Qld 29 Cairns PAC Qld 30 Townsville EC Qld 31 Mackay EC Qld

TROY CASSAR-DALEY

JULY 5 Grafton SC NSW 6 Sawtell RSL Club NSW 12 Casino RSM Club NSW AUGUST 16 Anderson Park, Dalby Qld 23 Warroo Sporting Complex, Surat Qld

OCTOBER

TAYLOR PFEIFFER

2 Armidale Services Club, NSW*

JULY 6 Belair Hotel, Blackwood SA 12 Excelsior Hotel, Brompton SA 14 Holdfast Hotel, Glenelg South, SA 19 The Lodge Hotel, Brahma Lodge, SA 20 Crown Inn, Reynella, SA 21 Tower Hotel, Magill SA 26 Maylands Hotel SA 27 The Paradise Hotel, Paradise SA 28 The Gilbert Valley Hotel, Saddleworth SA AUGUST 17 Blue Ridge Banjo Camp USA, Brevard, USA

15 Village Green Hotel, Mulgrave

THE BUSHWACKERS

*Hats Off To Country Tamworth

28 Camp Davey, Lismore NSW

*Hats Off To Country Tamworth JULY 13 Moonshiners, Tamworth NSW* 21 Grand Junction, The Junkyard, Maitland NSW SEPTEMBER 7 Trundle Showground NSW

JULY

AUGUST

31 Saraton Theatre, Grafton NSW* NOVEMBER 1 United Services Club, Laurieton NSW*

(Melbourne) Vic* 29 Dubbo RSL, NSW* 30 Wenty Leagues, Wentworthville

JULY 18 The Event Centre, Caloundra Qld 19 Town Hall, Kingaroy Qld 21 Civic Centre, Ipswich Qld 26 Berry School of Arts NSW 27 Mingara Recreation Club, Tumbi Umbi NSW SEPTEMBER 12 Sky City, Darwin, NT OCTOBER

(Sydney) NSW*

18 The Old Mill, Hahndorf SA

DECEMBER

19 Barossa Arts & Convention

6 Young Services Club, NSW*

Centre, Tanunda SA

7 Bargo Sports Club, NSW*

WATLING & BATES

THE WEEPING WILLOWS

13 The Sider Diner @ City Sider Tamworth NSW* 27 The Spotted Mallard, Brunswick Vic

JULY 18 East Lismore BC NSW

TRAVIS COLLINS JULY 20 Boulia Qld SEPTEMBER 28 C2C Festival, Sydney NSW

3&4 Tara Festival Of Culture & Camel Races Qld 9 Oodie’s Café, Bundaberg Qld 17 Commercial Hotel, Casino NSW

Visiting Tamworth?

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

1979 34

THE LEGEND CONTINUES

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

2019 years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

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years of bringing you the music 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2019

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

PHOTO: GREG SYLVIA

Glen Hannah far right with fellow members of the Golden Guitar House Band.

IT IS WITH MIXED EMOTIONS THAT WE WRITE THIS MONTH, AS WE JOIN WITH YOU ALL TO PAY TRIBUTE TO GLEN HANNAH.

len was a much-loved member of the country music community who passed on May 27. He was extraordinarily talented in so many areas and was recognised at the CMAA Achiever Awards for his graphic design work as the recipient of Cover Art of the Year in 2005 (Walkin’ In These Shoes Paul Costa), 2006 (My Life - Felicity Urquhart), and 2007 (Ring Around The Moon - James Blundell) and twice for Musician Of The Year, the last in 2017. In 2019, he received a Golden Guitar as producer of the Bennett, Bowtell & Urquhart album Weeds. Glen leaves behind wife Felicity Urquhart and their two daughters, his father and three brothers. A Support Act Appeal has been established in his name, and members are reminded they can donate here: https://supportact.org.au/ help-a-mate-campaigns/glen-hannah-appeal/

CENSUS FINDINGS President Dobe Newton has been working on the 2018 Country Music Census Project and the ‘Economic and Cultural Value of Country Music in Australia 2018’ is now available on the CMAA website. It has been a fascinating exercise which reveals that despite the well-documented decline in the global and Australian recorded music markets since the initial 1997 study, country music is in excellent economic health, with increases in all revenue streams recorded across the sector. With a record survey response from 4,329

fans and 580 artists, we are confident that our findings are accurate and credible. Since our report in 1997, the economic value of the country music sector has more than doubled. It is now worth more than $500 million. Below are a few statistical highlights.

LIVE PERFORMANCE In 1997, we had two significant festivals - Tamworth Country Music Festival and the Gympie Music Muster. With the addition of the Deni Ute Muster, Groundwater, CMC Rocks QLD, Winton’s Way Out West and Dashville Skyline, we have seen audiences dramatically increasing. In 2018, the major festival audience alone was 202,000 with Country To Country (C2C) to be added later this year. Box office revenue across the live performance sector (festival, concerts, pubs/clubs) totalled $83 million. Patrons attending live country performances in 2018 spent an additional $198 million on food & beverage, transport, merchandise and accommodation. This total of $281.5 million represents a 145% increase on the $144.6 million reported in 1997.

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

RECORDED MUSIC Although the value of CD sales as reported by ARIA has plummeted from the $596 million recorded in 1997 to $69 million in 2018, the rapid adoption by country fans of first downloads and now streaming subscription services has seen country experiencing the same growth as the general recorded product sector. The report confirms that country fans have taken to streaming with as much enthusiasm as the general industry with Spotify identifying Australia as the world’s third largest and fastest-growing country market. This has helped country back into the ‘black’, with $65 million in recorded product sales surpassing the $62 million recorded in 1997.

ARTISTS AND WRITERS 2018 WAS A STELLAR YEAR. Kasey Chambers became the youngest-ever female inductee into the ARIA Hall of Fame, Keith Urban was anointed as the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year and Morgan Evans had a year he won’t soon forget. Not only did he achieve #1’s on Australian and US charts with his debut single and album, he also became the first country artist since Taylor Swift in 2009 to top the all-genre TMN Hot 100 airplay chart.

OTHER BITS In 1997 there were 1,460 writers who identified as ‘country’ when registering with APRA - 6% of the membership. In 2018, there were 13,400 country writers - 15% of membership. In 2018, Australian country accounted for 15% of all new-release music played on commercial radio. In 1997 it was 8%. Country is Safe! 80% of male and female artists and 90% of all fans have rarely or never felt unsafe or uncomfortable at a country gig. Far greater percentages than recorded for other popular music genres. Enjoy the read and, once again thanks to our financial partners for making the project possible - APRA AMCOS, Tamworth Regional Council, Choose Your Cruise, NSW Government, ABC Music and Universal Music Australia.

2020 GOLDEN GUITAR NOMINATIONS We are constantly working to ensure the Golden Guitars are the shining light in our industry and the pinnacle of awards for any Australian or New Zealand country music artist. The sub-committee is currently working on the handbook for the 2020 Golden Guitar Awards and the handbook is expected to be distributed to members this month ahead of the awards entries opening in late August. For those keen to get their entries ready for the 2020 Golden Guitar Awards, nominations open on Wednesday, August 28 at 9am and close on Tuesday, October 1 at 5pm.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

Jem with her dad and Channel 9 entertainment editor Richard Wilkins

ON THE ROAD WITH JEM CASSAR-DALEY BY REBECCA GRACIE

HITTING THE ROAD WITH YOUR DAD FOR A YEAR MAY NOT BE EVERY DAUGHTER’S IDEAL GAP YEAR, BUT IT’S A DREAM COME TRUE FOR JEM CASSAR-DALEY WHO IS TOURING AS THE OPENING ACT FOR HER DAD, TROY CASSAR-DALEY, BEFORE SHE SETTLES INTO UNIVERSITY LIFE.

ow did it feel to finish school and farewell that chapter of your life? It was bittersweet because I was kinda happy to get out of grade 12 because it was a pretty stressful year. It was good to do something new but also quite daunting knowing what the next year was going to bring because school is all about routine and there’s no routine in touring. I was probably one of the only ones who was taking a gap year, so I wondered if I should be doing that. When did you decide to hit the road with your dad for your gap year? It was probably halfway through last year when we had to put our uni applications in. Dad brought it up and asked “What would you think about taking a year off and doing some touring?” It’s given me a year to do something I really love to do, so it’s pretty cool to be able years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

to travel around Australia and really special to share those experiences with your dad. What did you expect it would be like? I honestly didn’t know what to expect and going into the first gig, I was incredibly nervous because I’d never done my own set for my dad’s show. I was hoping his audience liked me and after the first gig was done, I loved it. It is definitely better than I expected because I kept doubting everything, but I’ve absolutely loved it. Has it inspired songs? It definitely has because it’s really just seeing different towns and different places. I’ve never been to rural Victoria, but the landscape is incredible, going to Cairns was just beautiful and meeting different people definitely inspires you to do a lot of songwriting. It’s hard to have ideas if you’re just sitting in your room, and I get a big writer’s block if I’ve just been at home, but when I get home from touring, I always like to do a bit of writing because even writing down past experiences on the road can help you trigger memories of what you’ve just seen and can help write songs as well.

What have been some of the highlights? On the first run on the tour, we went to Crossley in Victoria where we did a gig with Shane Howard in this beautiful church on a hill. It probably only seated 300 to 400 people and had an upstairs area. I felt a real connection to the place. Having family at gigs can always help with the performing aspect of it, too, because you always feel more comfortable if you know you’ve got family in the crowd, like when we played Coutts Crossing and Coffs Harbour because I have so many family there. What are the most valuable lessons you have learned during the last six months on the road? It’s always important to be on time. It’s good to have your little sleep, but I always like to make sure I have some time at the venue to get my head in the right space and being on time takes the stress away. What effect has The Academy had on your year, performance, music, future plans? Songwriting wise, the academy has really helped to give me a bit of inspiration to keep writing and co-writing. Do you have any particular pieces of advice for other young artists? Dad always told me it’s important to always run your own race and not to worry about what level other people are at in their life and their career. What does the rest of the year hold for you, and what are your plans for 2020? Other than touring, I’ve been doing a bit of writing and hopefully a bit of recording at the end of this year or early next year. I’m heading to Uni to do a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Queensland and I‘m thinking of majoring in maybe psychology for next year, but I’m always going to play music because I don’t think I could live without performing.

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ome may even remember his words as he did so: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”; many of us also remember watching the stark black and white TV transmission – whether sitting in a schoolroom, an office or in the window of an electronics store somewhere in their hometown on Monday, July 21, 1969. But how many know that that image transmitted to the world was only made possible because there was a radio telescope located in Parkes, Australia. ‘The Dish’ as it is known around the world, allowed 600 million people all over the world watch Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. In 2015, Australian country singer-songwriter Billy Bridge released an album of songs called Stories Through Time and on that album was a song called Man On The Moon, but why did Billy write that in the first place? “My wife Bec and I were driving past the dish in Parkes at some ungodly hour on one of our many trips from Melbourne to Queensland,” Billy said. “The premise of the song is if those pictures didn’t come back (via the dish) – would we believe that it all happened? So I got to thinking about it and the song came from that. We had a pretty big hand in putting a man on the moon.” Unlike people from an earlier generation, Billy doesn’t actually remember the television broadcast. “That’s because I was probably being cradled in my mother’s arms,” he said. “I was only 14 months old but my older siblings remember watching it and it’s been interesting talking

THE DISH BY JON WOLFE

MOST AUSTRALIANS BORN BEFORE 1960 WILL REMEMBER WHERE THEY WERE 50 YEARS AGO WHEN NEIL ARMSTRONG BECAME THE FIRST HUMAN TO PLACE AN OVERSIZED SPACE BOOT ON THE MOON.

to them about it.” Moving forward in time, Billy decided that he would produce a childrens book based on the song. “A couple of Tamworth festivals ago, Bec and I were asked if we’d be interested in doing a children’s book reading at the library. “So we went in and I started reciting the original song – and I thought ‘this could actually make a children’s book!” Billy worked on the idea, extended the song a little bit and then sought out someone to illustrate the book. “I went online - as you do!” he said, “and I found Leigh Brown’s work on there and it was exactly the style of imagery I was looking for. “I haven’t personally met Leigh, but we worked together and she actually went above and beyond in helping put the book together. The pictures are exactly what I had in my mind.” Billy dedicated the book to his three children and he said, “They love it. My daughter Harmony took it to school for show and tell. If it gives kids a little bit of an insight into Australia’s role in that moon landing fifty years ago, that’s good. “Our role isn’t always taught in schools. You know

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there was also a dish at Honeysuckle Creek, but that isn’t there anymore – it’s just a concrete slab. It’s good that we still have Parkes, because that’s the last piece in the puzzle, you know.” For those who like their pictures moving, Billy and Michael Bryers made a video to go with the original Man On The Moon song and Billy said that was something special. “Michael and I were given access to The Dish,” Billy said, “and you can see me standing on it for part of the clip. The video also shows some footage from the moon landing…in all its 1960s black and white historical glory. Billy’s book has already found its way into a number of libraries and would make a great gift for any young person interested in the story of space – and maybe even those of us who remember that incredible day 50 years ago. The book is available through Billy’s webpage billybridge.com

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he song was written and originally recorded by former Kingston Trio member John Stewart shortly after Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon in 1969 (July 20, US time; July 21, Australian time), but Reg’s version is the one played every July when the subject of that moon landing comes up. Reg recorded his version late in 1970 and by March the next year it charted around the country - #6 in Sydney; #19 in Melbourne; #2 in Brisbane; #5 in Adelaide and #16 in Perth and it made it into the Go-Set top 10, getting as high as #6! The placings were on pop music charts, as there were no country music charts at the time. The song also garnered plenty of airplay and chart action internationally. The international success of the song was instrumental in Reg, who was the first Australian to perform on Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry stage in 1968, being inducted into the city’s Walkway Of Stars and booked for more Grand Ole Opry appearances. Fellow Australian Jade Hurley said Reg was a very down-to-earth person and because of that one song, he became a headliner in his own right. On his This Is Your Life tribute on national Australian TV in 1978, it was revealed that Reg didn’t even want to record Armstrong. Pat Aulton, the man who produced the song takes up the story. “Reg walked into the record company I worked for (Festival Records) and said ‘Listen, you’ve gotta do an album for me’, and I said ‘OK’, and he said ‘But I wanna hit!’ “I said ‘Let’s look around’ and I went down to his house and we dug some tapes out and I said

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

50 YEARS SINCE MAN WALKED ON THE MOON BY JON WOLFE

MANY AUSTRALIANS CAN’T THINK OF THE TIME MAN FIRST WALKED ON THE MOON WITHOUT THINKING OF REG LINDSAY AND HIS MOST POPULAR HIT, ARMSTRONG.

‘What about Armstrong?’ and Reg looked at me with a puzzled look and just walked away!” Reg’s version of that moment was that he said; “I can’t sing that kind of song!” Pat went on to say; “But Reg went home and discussed it with Heather (McKean, his then wife) and came back and said ‘I asked you do it (the album) so let’s do it.’” “It worked!” Reg said. Some say that if the Australasian Country Music Awards had been up and running in 1972, Reg would have won at least one Golden Guitar for Armstrong, certainly as Male Vocalist, but the awards started in 1973 and it wasn’t until 1974 that he won his first of three Golden

Guitar trophies for Male Vocalist with another John Stewart song, ironically called July You’re A Woman. In 2018 TV legend Bert Newton was asked about his thoughts on Reg Lindsay, and thinking about the song Armstrong, he said: “He may not have walked on the moon, but he walked through many people lives and made their lives better.” In 2017 Reg’s second wife, Roslyn, re-issued the Armstrong album, with bonus tracks, including the audio from an interview Reg did with Bert Newton and in January this year a DVD called Country All The Way was released featuring many highlights of Reg’s incredible career. Reg’s version has been instrumental in many country singers performing the song live or recording it, many in faithful tribute to his version. One notable exception was a good version recorded by Bruce McCumstie which has more of a jazz styling about it. “Armstrong is a powerful song,” Bruce said. “I’ve always loved it and believe it to be even more important lyrically today than it was back then.” In an ironic twist of fate, Reg Lindsay passed away at the age of 79 on August 5, 2008 – Neil Armstrong was born on August 5, 1939. In what must be the ultimate tribute to Reg’s version of Armstrong, a video performance of the song was placed in the World’s Largest Time Capsule at Mission Control (Johnson Space Centre) in Clear Lake, Houston, Texas, USA.

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PHOTO: ROBIN REIDY

THE SIDEMEN

he concert in the venue named after former Geelong Football Club president and fruiterer Frank Costa went on but earned all artists major headlines and photos in the Geelong Advertiser and way beyond. “I remember it well, I believe there was a James Reyne gig going on in another part of the building and the mingling of the crowds outside was hilarious,” James recalled to Country Music Capital News about a colourful career that began in the south west of home state Western Australia. On another occasion the multiinstrumentalist producer was at St Kilda Palais when a trio of Aussie Rules stars burst backstage to meet Kernaghan and touring partner and singing pilot Dierks Bentley. That was 2012 and stars included former St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt who frocked up as Freddy Mercury in the MND deep freeze slide at the MCG in June. Gillard, a prolific songwriter, has played stadiums and arenas throughout the world in his 30-year-plus-career. He has shared stages with artists diverse as Leo Sayer, Jimmy Barnes, The Flood, Mondo Rock, Fargone Beauties, Western Flyer, Mental As Anything, Paul Kelly, Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole, James Blundell and Richard Clapton. James also toured in the 2002 production of The Man From Snowy River and won Musician of the Year at the 2007 CMAA Awards. Many of his tours inspired songs that became hits for peers. “I was in my thirties when I began writing,” James revealed. “There were always strong writers in the Melbourne bands I’d played in. Eric McCusker, Ross Wilson, Kerryn Tolhurst, Matt Taylor, Brian Peacock, Russell Morris, Broderick Smith and others. Song writing wasn’t something I did until I moved to Sydney and met Mark Collins, Heather Field and Kevin Bennett.” Gillard’s writing with Field yielded Firewoman and Superwoman for Melbourne singer Leslie Avril on her 1994 album Champagne & Desolation. But his favourite original is Make You Cry from his new joint EP with expat Kiwi singing

WHAT A BEAUTY BY DAVID DAWSON

JAMES GILLARD HAS VIVID MEMORIES OF THE NIGHT GEELONG’S COSTA HALL WAS EVACUATED IN 2004 WHEN HE WAS ON ONE OF MANY TOURS WITH LEE KERNAGHAN AND THE MCCLYMONTS. spouse Shanley Del. James and Shanley met at Festival Studios in 1992 when he was mastering a Fargone Beauties album. “Before we met he phoned me out of the blue to tell me how much he liked my single Funnel Of Love which he’d heard on the radio,” Shanley confessed. “The first time we worked together was with Saunders, Kane and Del.” Their first date was September 1994 at Gympie Muster – they wed in June 1998. James produced Shanley’s duet with Lachlan Bryan for I’ve Got All The Time In The World – first single on the Del-Gillard EP they promoted on an autumn tour with Sunraysia raised Sara Storer. The EP also includes Make You

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Cry, Your Own Sweet Time by Shanley and Chuck Jones and Need To Talk To You by Piers Partridge & Emily Teague. Gillard is not slowing down on stage or in the studio. “I’m finishing up a record with The Western Suntones from Fremantle and doing sessions with Katie Brianna and Simon Johnson,” James revealed. And a favourite song he was present for but didn’t write. “I didn’t write the song but when I was on tour with Western Flyer in 1978, Matt Taylor got entangled in a Bingo game in the Hotel Restaurant,” James recalled. “He wrote Stuck In The Middle Of A Blue Rinse Tour Of Canberra about the incident. I’ve been trying to sing it at home and Shanley described it as John Williamson meets Steely Dan.” Classics James did write include Last Train From Tennessee to Taree: The Johnny Duncan Story, Lost & Found for Troy Cassar-Daley and Mondo Rock tunes The Modern Bop and Why Fight It. Now the hits will keep on coming for James and Shanley in a new locale. “Stuie French and Camille Te Nahu are moving their talented family to Nashville,” James confessed. “Shanley and I are moving into their house and studio, so we are looking forward to living and working there.”

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

PHOTO: REBECCA GRACIE

BEHIND THE MUSIC

A FASCINATION

WITH SOUND BY JON WOLFE

STEVE NEWTON AND HIS ENREC STUDIOS HAVE A FORMIDABLE REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO GO TO RECORD MUSIC AND IT IS LITTLE WONDER, AS MUSIC, AND PARTICULARLY COUNTRY MUSIC, IS IN HIS BLOOD.

s the son of Slim ‘Redback’ Newton, music was always in his young life, as background or up front and centre as he went on the road with Slim and later with some of Australian country music’s touring road warriors. “As a little kid I had to tag along to various shows that dad did,” Steve said. “That’s when I first saw Rick and Thel Carey, and ultimately we ended up in Tamworth from WA when he came here to work at Hadley Records with Eric Scott.” Steve’s fascination with the recording process came about while he was involved with Slim in recording demo tapes to send to Hadley.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

“It was during the recording of the demo tapes that I was introduced to tape recorders,” he said. “I just found it fascinating – and I used to play with the equipment, the machinery, and even pulled them to bits, which I’m sure impressed Slim!” It seemed inevitable that Steve would become a recording engineer and producer. “For me it’s the love of music and the fascination of being able to capture live sound,” Steve said.

He can play just about every stringed instrument going, as well as piano and other instruments – and it’s a skill that has come in handy as the owner of ENREC and a wellrespected producer. “The process of learning to play an instrument has been valuable to me as a recording person,” he said, “because it gives me a good idea of the mechanics of the instrument - what it sounds like, what it can do. It gives me a heads up, I guess, when I approach an instrument, or a musician with an instrument, to record it.” Another skill of the producer is being able to turn an artist’s dreams or ideas into a product. “The most important tool a producer needs is to understand psychology, to be able to get the best performance from a musician or artist,’ Steve said, “and to do that, you often have to talk them into it. “To capture the performance technically is important too, but that’s really an engineer’s job. As a producer you have to encourage people, manage them to give you the very best performance they can do.” Steve often has to be both producer and engineer but says he would rather do one or the other. “It drives me insane sometimes,” he said. “Producing a record is very complex and being distracted by engineering is a bit of a pain, but it also has the same effect the other way, too.” As a gifted musician, Steve also finds himself on the other side of the studio glass as a player and his list of recorded credits is immense. He has also excelled himself as a live player on many concerts and shows over the years. “I don’t get to play live as much as I like these days,” he said. “I get to do some festivals and a little bit here and there. The problem is if you’re running a studio it is a full time job and if you do live gigs on the weekend you don’t get a lot of time off. “I’m sort of happy to not do too many gigs, but at the same time, you’ve got to keep your chops up. It is finding that balance. I’d like to play more and, in time, I think I’d play more and record less.” Over many decades Steve has worked with almost every big name in Australian country music, as well as guiding and recording many up-and-coming artists in their careers and he has produced (pardon the pun) a body of work to be very proud of.

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O N E T O WAT C H

rna Georgia said “I watched it obsessively when I was a young teenager, and I just adored Billy Ray Cyrus. It really ignited a passion for country music.” She completed a degree in musical theatre, acting and dancing, but wasn’t sure where to go next. Then a friend set her straight. “She said, ‘All you do is listen to country music – why don’t you give that a try?’” Arna said. “It was like a light went on – and I haven’t looked back since.” Arna started doing a few small shows near her sister’s home in Tumut, and in January 2016 attended the Academy of Country Music in Tamworth, where she says she not only learned about the industry and made some lifelong friends and valuable contacts, but realised that her passion was songwriting. She released her debut EP, Midnight Carousel, in 2017. It was produced by Bill Chambers, and had a raw, traditional sound that established her credentials as an artist to watch. Bill was so impressed with the young singer-songwriter that he took her with him on a US tour in 2017. “That was a crazy, wonderful experience. We covered five states and did 17 shows, and it really gave me a taste for touring and for travel,” Arna said. “It made me realise that music is like a ticket that will help me to see the world. I think that’s my favourite thing about it – you can go anywhere and still be able to work.” Arna has also been able to see much of Australia through her music. She joined Amber Lawrence and Travis Collins on their Our Backyard tour, and has also performed at a number of country music festivals, including Tamworth, the Bluewater Country Music Festival and the Gympie Muster. Last year, she and fellow rising star Hayley Marsten headed off for a three-month tour of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, which they called “The Tour with No Name”. They were a hit, with several sell-out shows, and are gradually building a fan base across the country. In January, Arna was a top 10 grand finalist in Toyota Star Maker, impressing the audience with her distinctive songs and compelling performance.

EMBRACING CHANGE BY SUSAN JARVIS

ARNA GEORGIA BLAMES THE CHILDREN’S TV SHOW HANNAH MONTANA FOR HER CAREER IN COUNTRY MUSIC. She says she found Star Maker an incredibly positive experience, which enabled her to take her music to a large audience. Now Arna has completed a brand new album, which will be released in October. “I absolutely loved doing Star Maker – I met some wonderful people, learned a lot about the industry and performing, and established some very valuable contacts. It was completely worth it,” she said. The new album was produced by Nash Chambers in his Nashville studio, and Arna says it reflects a more mature outlook on life than Midnight Carousel. “I went into the studio to record my album feeling much more confident about who I am and what I want to do with my music,” she said.

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“I think it’s a bit more polished, and the songs are more complex and nuanced.” The first single, Story For The Kids, has just been released, complete with a video clip. It’s a wonderful song about stepping back and seeing a bad experience in a different light. “All my songs are written from life experiences – I tend to say yes to things, and then see what happens, and I guess the album reflects the consequences of that, both positive and negative,” Arna said. That sense of taking risks and embracing change is also captured in Passing Through. Other tracks include Truth, about what matters in life, Change, again about taking a new perspective, the grungy Blues On A City Street and the catchy All My Married Friends and the murder ballad Missing Rose, both penned with Catherine Britt. Allan Caswell cowrote the beautify Holding On with Arna. 1998, about Arna’s Greek grandmother, is also an absolute gem. There will be a special album preview party for the album (which is as yet unnamed) at the Brass Monkey at San Souci in Sydney on August 11. Arna is then planning to head out on the road for a three-month east coast tour.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

W H E R E A R E T H E Y NOW ?

EDDIE TAPP BY JON WOLFE

FOR A LITTLE ISLAND, TASMANIA HAS WELL AND TRULY PUNCHED ABOVE ITS WEIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO COUNTRY MUSIC PERFORMERS – ATHOL MCCOY, JEAN STAFFORD, THE SINGING KETTLES (ROSS AND BILL) AND IN MORE CONTEMPORARY TIMES, STUIE FRENCH, GINA TIMMS AND THE WOLFE BROTHERS.

ut there is one Tasmanian artist who hasn’t been given the praise or accolades that he truly deserves – Eddie Tapp. Eddie, who came from Scamander, on the Tasmanian east coast, started by recording his own songs on acetate discs for 7LA’s programs in the mid-to-late 1950s. In 1962 he joined the line-up on the famous Rick and Thel Carey travelling shows. “I got the chance to tour with Rick and Thel for about six years,” Eddie said. “Before that I toured with Athol McCoy and later with Chad Morgan of course. Rick and Thel were wonderful people.” Eddie formed a great friendship during those tours with Chad Morgan, who remains a lifelong friend, and guitarist Paul Lester, who played on many of his recordings. He returned to Launceston in 1965 and signed with Eric Scott’s the Hadley label and his first release, an EP, included his own song, Star Of Love and a cover version of My Father ’s Voice - which are widely regarded as his best recordings. He recorded a number of singles up until 1970 and then he dropped out of the music scene. “It was because of my daughter,” Eddie said. “She

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

turned five and it was time to put her into school, so we moved to Sydney, bought a house, and settled down. It only lasted twoand-a-half years, then we sold the house and went back on the road, but only for a very short tour. In the late 1970s Eddie returned to the recording studio and released an album, but he never really took up full-time performing again. “I seldom perform any more, because my voice has just about had it anyway,” he said. “I did a couple of shows with Chad recently – Chad and I recorded some duets together – and he sort of talked me into performing with him at the Tamworth festival, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to do it with.” These days Eddie lives in Moore Creek in the Tamworth area and he said he spends a lot of time on the computers. “I got into computers in the ’70s, when they were in their early days and taught myself to program,” he said. “I actually worked in the IT industry for probably the last 10 years

of my working life. “I do a bit of woodwork, but only if I need to make something or if something needs doing.” There’s many a fan who think Eddie should at least be in the Hands Of Fame Gallery in Tamworth, but he said “It’s not there! You won’t find! “But I’m in the phone book. Not many people are these days.” He said he doesn’t mind if fans ring him up, but not many do, because not many have a phone book any more. There is a very interesting video of Eddie, with Slim Newton and Kevin King. being interviewed by former 2TM Hoedown announcer Garry Coxhead in which he recalls, in reference to Kevin, what he considers one of the greatest moments in his life. “After I’d gone back to Sydney and settled down after all the touring, and that, and was more or less out of the business, I got a call from Kevin asking if I could stand in for him at one of his pub gigs and I thought that was the greatest honour. I used to idolise that bloke.” In closing Eddie said he has no regrets concerning his time in the Australian country music business. “No, I can’t think of any,” he said.

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HEAR+THERE ULTIMATE BREAK-UP SONG NZ GOLD GUITAR WINNER RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE

ew Zealand singer-songwriter Arun O’Connor has released a new song he recorded in Nashville, TN as part of his prize for winning the 2018 New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards. Arun was born into a musical family, in Invercargill, near the southern tip of New Zealand’s South Island. He’s the youngest of four brothers who all followed in their dad’s drumming footsteps; he instead chose the guitar and has been playing in bands since he was 15 years old. By the end of 2016 Arun was working in music full-time and when he’s not working on his own music, he plays guitar for some of New Zealand’s finest artists, including Jody Direen who he recently toured NZ and Australia with. After previously entering the NZ Gold Guitar Awards a few times, in 2018 he dominated the categories of New Country, NZ Song, Male Vocal Solo and Overall Senior. He said choosing Chris Stapleton’s Tennessee Whiskey was a no-brainer that snared him the big trophy haul.

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TWENTY-YEAR-OLD DYLAN BRADY IS A MUCH-BUZZED-ABOUT SINGER-SONGWRITER AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST.

e has caught the attention of Zac Brown Band and Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney, as well as industry veteran Barry Weiss, who signed Dylan to his Sony joint-venture, RECORDS LLC. Dylan’s Over Us is a co-write between the New York native and writer Jared Scott and writer/producer Andy Sheridan. “For someone who is ready to move on, but not quite ready to say goodbye, this is a song we wrote for you,” said Dylan, who moved to Nashville on his own in 2016 to be closer to the creative song writing community. When the writers got together, each one could recall that one relationship that wasn’t meant to be, but it was still better when you had someone. Brady has been making waves on socials with his brand of pop melodies and heartfelt country lyrics.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

BIG MISTAKE, HUGE TWO-TIMES GOLDEN GUITAR FINALIST AND 39TH TOYOTA STAR MAKER WINNER BRAD COX HAS RELEASED BRAND NEW SINGLE RUSTY STRINGS.

t is the first taste of new music from Brad since releasing his debut selftitled album in May 2018. Already a big live favourite Rusty Strings follows a huge breakout year for Brad in 2018. Taking out Star Maker, opening shows for Randy Houser, Adam Eckersley and Brooke McClymont plus selling out his own shows. In January this year Brad hit Tamworth with his own ticketed show filling The Albert Hotel with 450 sweat-soaked fans. In March, he was a late call up for CMC Rocks where he blew the lid off the Jack Daniels White Rabbit Saloon and had the 3,500-strong crowd singing along wordfor-word on his hits. With such a massive years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

response, Brad was then offered the opening spot on the Brett Eldredge and Jon Pardi Australian tour. Rusty Strings is a reflection of Brad’s past 18 months, from winning Star Maker, touring festivals, selling out shows and seeing fans support and listen to his music, and a salute to the people and places that moulded and supported him. It’s also a sarcastic dig at those who didn’t believe him, or give him a go along the way, but who now want to join his journey.

CREDIT JOHN SHEARER

H+T

MARATHON SOLO PERFORMANCE SETS NEW ATTENDANCE RECORD

fter delaying the show open to allow the new record-setting concert crowd of 56,521 fans into Nissan Stadium, multi-Platinum superstar Eric Church appeared at the end of his 50-yard-line catwalk beneath a single spotlight to set the tone for the marathon Saturday night ahead. Dressed in his trademark aviators, t-shirt and a Gibson guitar, Church opened his first headlining stadium show with Drowning Man. The country music renegade performed nearly four hours of music and just under 40 songs spanning the catalogue of all six of his studio albums. With no opening act – making him the first artist to play Nissan Stadium alone in the venue’s 20+ year history – Church had the record-setting crowd in the palm of his hand the entire evening (previous record of 56,112 was set in 2018). Church indulged the crowd with everything from hits like current single Some Of It and the music video, directed by award-winning Reid Long, was debuted on stadium screens prior to the show Church has earned 30 million RIAA certifications, a feat he was recognised for with a plaque presentation prior to the show. He paid homage to Nashville, as he’s done in each tour city thus far, putting the ‘music’ in Music City with stadium-worthy covers of Bohemian Rhapsody, Night Moves, It’s A Great Day To Be Alive, Sweet Caroline, Piano Man, Pour Some Sugar On Me and I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll during his signature Mistress Named Music medley. As the epic show drew to a close after midnight, Church sent the satisfied Nashville crowd into Sunday morning with an encore including his classic hit Springsteen. C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

HEAR+THERE GENRE-BENDING WHISKEY MYERS HAS HAD A RUN OF 15 SHOWS AND MULTIPLE SELL-OUTS THROUGHOUT SPAIN, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, GERMANY, FRANCE, NETHERLANDS, UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND.

NEXT BIG THING

ayley Jensen has released not one but three remixes of her fifth single Next Big Thing from her current album Turning Up The Dial. The first two remixes were created in the Rukkus Room and Transient Park, with the final version produced by Michael Carpenter at MC LoveHZ. Hayley says it’s all about consumerism, hype and fleeting fame in a ‘disposable society’ with the new version an up-tempo, slide guitar and banjo-laden track planting it in the land of country-pop. Hayley is the only Australian artist to perform at this year’s Calgary Stampede in Canada, and she’ll also take the stage at the 30th Dauphin’s Countryfest Manitoba, plus she has a stack of Australian show dates, including Groundwater Country Music Festival this month.

escribed as “a riff-heavy blend of Southern rock and gritty country” by USA Today, Whiskey Myers are riding high following their standout performance at Stagecoach, where entertainment website Whiskey Riff included the genre-bending band in their list of “10 Can’t-Miss Artists”. “I’m still pinching myself after this past month in Europe,” said lead singer Cody Cannon.

“We started 12 years ago as best friends playing music in our hometown and never dreamed of anything like this. Now we get to go to these countries where the people might speak a different language, but everyone is still united by our music to the point where sold-out venues are singing every word back to us – that’s magic.” The band features in the Kevin Costner hit series “Yellowstone” and their fan-favourite anthem, Deep Down In The South, serves as a backing track during a pivotal scene in the Netflix series of “What If” starring Renée Zellweger. They are currently working on their self-produced fifth studio album.

IN THE DARKNESS

areth Leach has released his new single Better Or Worse?, from his current album Death & Taxes. The song tackles the difficult subject of depression and anxiety and the music video, shot and directed by his wife, Jade Robinson, portrays the seriousness of the illness and the darkness one can feel. Gareth admits to struggling with the condition for ‘as long as I can remember’. “For me, in my own song writing, music can either act as therapy or bring issues to

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light that I am not consciously aware of until writing it down. “Depending on the day I hear the song, my emotional response bounces, but it always totally kicks my arse!” Better Or Worse? received a semi-finalist nod for Best Alt Country Song at this year’s Tamworth Songwriters Association Awards.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

H+T BUILDING MOMENTUM IT’S BEEN A HOT 18 MONTHS FOR LAKE MACQUARIE’S AARON JURD.

he singer-songwriter released his top 5 charting debut single, Set Me On Fire, last September, followed by his second single, Hard To Breathe, in April that hit the top 20 iTunes Country Songs Chart. There’s more music to come, and the momentum continues to grow with the Hats Off to Country Festival and Deni Ute Muster snapping Aaron Jurd and The Banned up. They play their first Hats Off to Country Festival in Tamworth at Tamworth Services Club and Manilla RSL Club. “I love the Tamworth Country Music Festival, but the heat is so intense for me because I love the cold, so playing Hats Off is something I am really excited about,” Aaron said. “With three gigs on over the weekend in both Tamworth and neighbouring Manilla, we would love to see the music lovers leave their heaters and fires and enjoy the music across the city and beyond. We will get them on the dancefloor, which is sure to warm them up.” Playing the Deni Ute Muster is a dream come true.

THE WRITER

T “I watched Alan Jackson on the Deni Ute Muster stage a few years back and during his performance I dreamed that one day I would be able to perform on such an iconic stage,” he said.

en singer-songwriters have come together to record a previously released song, written by one half of The Bobkatz’ Garry Koehler, called The Writer. Kevin Bennett, Allan Caswell, Luke O’Shea, Kelly Cork, Brad Butcher, Michael Waugh, Sarah Koehler, Sam Maddison, Craig Lamond and Michael Bryers have recorded the song as a gift to the writer, who has been battling cancer. Musical mate, producer Robert McKay drove the project; “I’ve worked with Garry for 20 years so this means a lot to me on a variety of fronts. It’s a testimony to his great song writing, the respect and fellowship of his peers in the music biz and a testimony to a truly humble, talented and wonderful man.” Tex Austin added the drums and it was mixed by Jason Millhouse. The Writer is a dedication to the power of lyrics and the person who writes them.

THANKING A STRANGER

ince the release of his last solo album Coming Your Way Drew McAlister has released the first of some new music with the single The Stranger. The single was written with Mike Carr and Travis Collins and produced by Grammy and Emmy Award winner Jamie Tate [Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Thomas Rhett]. years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

Drew said about the song; “The nature of the first responders is to show up to a typically bad situation, do their job and in many cases save lives and then they are gone and move on to the next job. In this song I want to say thank you to those who don’t expect to be thanked.”

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HEAR+THERE

SHINDIGS AND JAMS AT THE DOGHOUSE

lake Shelton celebrated the grand opening of The Doghouse

at Ole Red Tishomingo, a music hall and events venue expansion to the Shelton-inspired bar and restaurant located in downtown Tishomingo, Oklahoma, with a special performance by Luke

Bryan on Thursday, May 23 and himself on Friday, May 24. Festivities kicked off Thursday evening with Shelton welcoming Bryan to officially christen the new venue. Luke Bryan said; “this is the one time it is good to be in the ‘Doghouse’.” Blake presented a cheque for $144,500 to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Foundation, of which he is a board member. The festivities continued with hometown hero Shelton taking the stage to perform some of his biggest hits including Austin, Honey Bee and Boys Round Here. Shelton was joined on stage by Andrew Sevener, season 16 contestant from NBC’s “The Voice” and Team Blake member. The Doghouse at Ole Red Tishomingo’s weekly programming will include Thursday Night Jams, Live in Concert on Friday nights, the Shindig, weekly dance party on Saturday nights, with more to be announced throughout the year.

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Includes e-r the elease r of the hit ong” “Armstr to coincide the 50th Anniversary of the moon landing Features a 1986 interview with Reg s Show on Bert at Radio 3DB Victoria. s R “Country Allay” The75 W minutes of footage from Country Homestead Show featuring ,Johnny Lucky Ches Sta and Doug Ashdown plus video clips s and from Ros’ s private Reg’ collection, photo slide show and interviews

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www.reglindsay .com.au or email info@reglindsay .com.au CD is @25 including postage and DVD $30 incl years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

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MIL UR A D rd ANNUAL

SEPTEMBER 27th to OCTOBER 6th

Keely Johnson

Rodney Vincent

Amber Joy Poulton

Jeff Brown

The Southern Stars - The Australian Independent Country Music Awards to be held on Saturday October 5th at 6.00pm Go to our Website: www.milduracountrymusic.com.au For program purchase, accommodation enquiries and general details Phone 1800 039 043

w w w.milduracountrymusic.com.au years of bringing you the music 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2019

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FESTIVALS

Cornell & Carr

The Pigs

Missy Lancaster

MOUNT HUNTER CM STAMPEDE THE THIRD MOUNT HUNTER COUNTRY MUSIC STAMPEDE CELEBRATING COUNTRY LIFE AND COUNTRY MUSIC IS ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26.

he line-up includes Melinda Schneider, Adam Eckersley Band, Missy Lancaster, The Pigs, Buddy Goode, Simply Bushed, Cornell & Carr and the iconic Choirboys [Run To Paradise]. In addition to the blockbuster cast there’s plenty of fun, food and entertainment for the whole family. Punters will have a chance to enter or be enjoy the Steak Cook Off to find who can cook the Stampede’s best steak.

The stampede was started by K-Ranch Arena owner, Mick Kearney and singer-songwriter Drew McAlister. The ranch is located at 180 Monks Lane, Mount Hunter. Tickets are on sale now from https://www. countrymusicstampede.com/

PARTY IN LAKE HAWEA NEW ZEALAND’S TOP ARTISTS WILL BE AT THE TOP PADDOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE PARTY OF THE YEAR.

conic band Dragon, and New Zealand’s best country artists Jody Direen, Kaylee Bell, Jenny Mitchell, Jaydin Shingleton, Assembly Required, Arun O’Connor, Kylie Price, and DJ Storm Wood, will make up more than eight hours of live music across two stages. The music and camping festival set deep in the Southern Alps, is returning to Lake Hawea for the fourth year on December 31st, 2019. The iconic outdoor venue provides an amazing backdrop for the festival amidst

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the surrounding lake and mountains with camping and glamping available. Wake up to the magnificent view of Lake Hawea to ring in 2020. Dragon, fronted by legendary kiwi singer Mark Williams, will play all the songs the band is known for – anthems like April Sun In Cuba, Are You Old Enough. Bass player, Todd Hunter reformed the band in 2007 after a much-needed break and they’ve played over 700 shows since then. Todd and Mark are joined by Canadian guitar slinger, Bruce Reid and drum wizard Pete Drummond. Tickets are limited to 2000 and on sale now Find out more at www.toppaddock.co.nz

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Kaylee Bell

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FESTIVALS

GYMPIE MUSTER

STRIPPING BACK FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS Married at first sight’s Gympie farmer, Mick Gould gets naked for muster.

ith on site and online help from social media activists Ben Brooksby (The Naked Farmer), Mick Gould (Married At First Sight) and Nick ‘The Honey Badger’ Cummins, the iconic Aussie event is leading #getnaked4muster and ‘Funky Shirt Friday’ initiatives to raise awareness and funds for delivery of RFDS statebased mental health programs. Muster Chairman, Greg Cavanagh said the choice of this year’s charity partner was driven by the need for greater mental health resourcing in rural communities. “Those living in rural areas are just as likely to face mental health challenges as city dwellers, but 1 in 5 times more likely to commit suicide due to lack of access to support services,” said Mr Cavanagh. “Every loss of life or suicide attempt has a ripple effect on family, friends, workplaces, schools and communities and the statistics in Queensland are far too high. “This year’s charity partnership is harnessing the collective power of community to drive change; opening up a dialogue and making it easier for people to connect with what’s happening in each other’s lives. At muster, there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet.” Muster is encouraging festival-goers to support the work of the RFDS by either getting naked, dressing up or

years years of of bringing bringing you you the the music music 1975–2019 1975–2019

GYMPIE MUSIC MUSTER IS STRIPPING AWAY THE STIGMA AROUND RURAL MENTAL HEALTH THIS AUGUST IN SUPPORT OF 2019 CHARITY PARTNER, THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE, QUEENSLAND (RFDS). meeting their neighbour in and around the Amamoor State Forest festival site this year. Gympie lad, Mick Gould has polished up his boots and his birthday suit to lead the #getnaked4muster photo competition – offering those with the guts to get naked the chance to become Mr / Ms August in the 2020 naked farmer charity calendar, along with a swag of other prizes. The not-so-brave can shirt up for ‘Funky Friday’ [Muster Friday, Aug 23], and the team from social enterprise Trademutt will be on hand to provide funky work shirt tips, and start conversations from their base at this year’s RFDS stall. In addition, the Nescafe crew will create on-site café spaces to give muster-goers the chance to sit, chat and find out more about their neighbours. The Queensland RDS team will

be at the festival offering aircraft simulator tours and raffling off a custom-made and signed Keith Urban guitar and one-of-a-kind muster t-shirt signed by 2019 festival artists. Raising in excess of $15 million for Australian charities since its inception 38 years ago, Gympie Music Muster is a not-for-profit event run by the community, for the community. Upholding muster’s tradition of true, grassroots country music coupled with an exciting element of discovery, the 2019 program features more than 80 acts, from Nashville Chase Rice and ‘rockgrass’ phenomenon Hayseed Dixie to festival favourites Kasey Chambers, The McClymonts and James Blundell to r’n’b legend Renee Geyer, Tex Perkins and more. An unmissable and iconic event, one ticket gives festival-goers free camping and multi-venue access to all performances to experience everything one of Australia’s favourite country music celebrations has to offer. The Gympie Music Muster runs from Thursday August 22 to Sunday, August 25 in the Amamoor Creek State Forest near Gympie. Tickets are on sale now via www.muster.com.au.

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FESTIVALS

Tam Nielson

DASHVILLE SKYLINE

Archie Roach

INSPIRED BY DYLAN MUSIC LEGEND ARCHIE ROACH WILL VISIT DASHVILLE SKYLINE TO CELEBRATE THEIR FIFTH EVENT OVER NSW’S LABOUR DAY LONG WEEKEND, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 TO SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6.

ne of the country’s most celebrated songwriters, Archie Roach’s 1990 debut record Charcoal Lane, a deeply personal record that drew on the songwriter’s life as a member of the Stolen Generation and his years spent living on the streets, remains a powerful document and was added to the National Film and Sound Archive registry. Revered by his peers, Roach has continued to release exceptional albums since his lauded debut, and remains one of our country’s most important artists. Canadian-born, New Zealand-based honky tonky queen Tami Neilson (NZ) is bringing her big voice and acclaimed songwriting to the Dashville arena. With an esteemed musical pedigree, Neilson has warmed crowds for Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris, and has been the recipient of the APRA Silver Scroll, New Zealand’s highest musical award. Described as “Patsy Cline meets Wanda Jackson”, Neilson’s old-school rock ‘n’ roll show will have Skyliners dancing in the aisles. Perth’s The Kill Devil Hills will make their long-awaited

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return with their ragged, emotionally wrought alt-country rock epics. Other artists include rising soul singer Emily Wurrawara, revered group Kevin Bennett & The Flood, alt-country songstress Fanny Lumsden, folk trio Albi & The Wolves (NZ), American country rocker Hannah Aldridge (US), Central Coast family all-girl trio and future superstars Little Quirks, country rock veterans The Re-Mains, Austin, Texas two-step stalwart Leo Rondeau (US), Brisbane alt-country rockers Suicide Swans and Wollombi’s own country superstar Andy Abra & The Big River Band and others. The festival’s name derives from that of Bob Dylan’s 1968

release Nashville Skyline, which lends an impression of the vibe of this festival. It’s a celebration of alternative country, its birth in America during the ‘60s-‘70s, the culture that surrounds the music and the evolution that continues to inspire modern-day songwriters. One of the main spectacles of the festival is the immensely popular Sunset Super Round. On Saturday at nightfall, artists on the bill merge around the main stage in spontaneous collaboration, to pay homage to their favourite songs of the “golden era”. A celebration of alternative country music and the surrounding roots culture in its varied forms, the festival gives music lovers the option to purchase single day tickets, or full event three-day passes. The ultra-chilled countrified camping festival will host over 40 live performances, mouth-watering American-inspired food and bevvies, boutique market stalls, an animal petting zoo and more. Held at the same location as The Gum Ball, Dashville Skyline is a popular alternative to its predecessor, providing an amazing experience for alt-country music lovers and those who like to partake in an ultimate weekend escape, full of laid-back music and family fun.

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

FESTIVALS

HATS OFF TAMWORTH

JUMP ABOARD THE

COWBOY CRAWL

Col Finley

Brad Cox

SEE FIVE SHOWS IN ONE NIGHT ON AN ORGANISED BUS TRIP AT THIS MONTH’S TAMWORTH CITY TOYOTA HATS OFF TO COUNTRY.

isitors and locals who join the Cowboy Crawl can expect to enjoy more than five hours of live music in the Country Music Capital on Saturday, July 13 for just $25 with all ticket holders helping to raise money for Ronald McDonald House. The crawl will visit five of Tamworth’s best music venues throughout the evening, kicking off at 6.30pm with registration at the South Tamworth Bowling Club and fine classic country by Alby Pool. Next stop is to Moonshiners Honky Tonk Bar to help 2019 Toyota Star Maker Blake O’Connor launch his debut album, then onto West Tamworth League Club’s Legend’s Lounge where Golden Guitar winner Ashleigh Dallas is launching her new album. The bus will head to Tamworth Services Club where the energy from Col Finley and Will Day and their band will

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

have you dancing, then we’ll peel you away kicking and screaming to The Longyard to finish off the night with Newcastle’s country rock outfit The Viper Creek Band. The fun doesn’t have to stop there, with party-going crawlers having the option to extend their experience for an extra $10 and return to Moonshiners to dance the night away to country’s hottest rising star Brad Cox at his late-night concert. Co-organiser, Chris Watson said the Cowboy Crawl is no doubt a highlight for visitors and locals.

Ashleigh Dallas

“It’s a great way to get around to as many shows without the hassle of fi nding a ride to and from.” “Hats Off is all about getting together and having some fun while seeing all that the Tamworth music-scene has to offer in the cooler and quieter months of the year.” “Join the party bus for a great night of music in a safe environment. Bring your friends, or come by yourself and meet a coachload of new mates,” added Cheryl Brown, country music coordinator at Tamworth Regional Council. There so much more to enjoy at this relatively laid-back mid-year festival so make tracks toTamworth from Thursday, July 11 to Sunday, July 14 for the Tamworth City Toyota Hats Off to Country Festival -- and don’t forget your cowboy boots! For a full program, ticket sales and further information about the Tamworth City Toyota Hats Off to Country Festival, visit www. hatsofftocountry.com.au/cowboycrawl

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FESTIVALS

TAMWORTH

NATIONAL GUITAR MUSEUM TO BE BUILT IN TAMWORTH THE COUNTRY MUSIC CAPITAL

TAMWORTH REGIONAL COUNCIL WILL ESTABLISH A MAJOR NATIONAL GUITAR EXHIBITION WITH INSTRUMENTS FROM NOT ONLY COUNTRY, THE MEDIUM FOR WHICH THE REGIONAL CAPITAL IS GLOBALLY KNOWN, BUT ALL FIELDS OF MUSIC.

huge variety of unique and specialised guitars and musical instruments from many sources will be augmented with a range of digital, audio and visual presentations of Australia’s – and the world’s – greatest guitar players. Everyone from rock ‘n’ roll legends to folk, country, pop and jazz celebrities will be represented in this unique exhibition in a venue which will have the dual purpose as both national museum and activity venue. Activities will feature unique examples of this iconic instrument and those superb musicians who pick, strum or otherwise illuminate it. The National Guitar Museum will be located in the high-profile site of The Big Golden Guitar Visitor Information Centre and be initially established, at no additional cost, adjunct to the already famous Country Music Wax Museum. The Big Golden Guitar precinct attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year and provides the logical signposting for the National Guitar Museum. Like its nearby neighbour The Longyard Golf Course, which was designed by golfing great Greg Norman, the National Guitar Museum will have the endorsement of Tommy Emmanuel cgp, who will also help in its

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establishment. It will focus primarily on the handful of guitar gurus whose expertise over the years has enriched and delivered popular music of all genres to people around the globe. In its early days, the museum will need to rely on instrumental contents from many sources. These will include donations to the museum from famous exponents, loans from collectors or institutions around the world (TRC has already spoken to some of these individuals and bodies), and some support from major guitar builders and custom luthiers. Other historical museums, such as the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame, have many guitars from some of the pioneers of country music, which will be available for exhibition. Tamworth Regional Council is confident that as the collection builds, the museum will become one of our city’s most significant and accessible locations. Tamworth Regional Council is a longtime supporter of the music industry and continues to make a significant commitment to country music

by underwriting and producing the annual Golden Guitar Awards, the Tamworth Country Music Festival and Hats Off to Country Festival in July. The council also supports the annual CMAA Academy (both junior and senior), and the Australian Country Music Foundation; it produces the Tamworth TV programs, organises and promotes the Toyota Star Maker talent search, publishes Australia’s most widely-distributed country music magazine, Country Music Capital News and manages many other major musical events. The National Guitar Museum could also include management and facilities able to present regular specialised master workshops and conferences on guitar building, playing, design and other aspects of activity. For example, a feature could be a fulltime luthier creating and perhaps even selling instruments from the site. To support this project, council employs specialist museum staff who will assist in the curation and care of the contents. The National Guitar Museum will salute both the instrument and the players and provide the opportunity to share the story behind the guitar to a wide, appreciative audience. If you have a guitar with a story, antiquity or you just think it deserves to be seen, then the National Guitar Museum would love to hear from you. Donors or lenders can be offered security and care of their prized instrument, and a guarantee that the instrument’s story will be told. Each display will include reference to ownership and terms of inclusion in the museum. The plan is that the significant displays will rotate, so a donor/lender’s guitar could be programmed for return whenever desired. For more information contact Barry Harley at b.harley@tamworth.nsw.gov.au years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

FESTIVALS

The Buckleys

Adam Brand

ADAM BRAND LEADS SECOND ANNUAL

BUSH TO BAY FESTIVAL AFTER MAKING ITS DEBUT TO THE HERVEY BAY COMMUNITY LAST YEAR, BUSH TO BAY RETURNS ON SATURDAY, JULY 13.

he festival will be lead by country superstar Adam Brand, and feature Sunny Cowgirls, Troy Kemp, Jayne Denham, The Pigs, 8 Ball Aitken, Bridget O’Shannessy and The Buckleys. The event takes over the outdoor precinct of the Bay Central Tavern expecting up to 3,000 country music enthusiasts. Following last year’s success, Bush To Bay will, not only

showcase the afore-named artists, but will highlight the regions culinary delights by way of local and craft beers, and local fare. The popular Wild West Karaoke Band is waiting for fans, and would-be country singers, and other activities

include a mechanical bull, shooting gallery, and a whip cracking exhibition. Paul Limbrick from the Bay Central Tavern said; “We can’t wait to have Bush To Bay back for another year. Showcasing the finest Fraser Coast has to offer while being treated to some of Australia’s best country music is such an exciting date for the community, and we’re so excited to have it all go down again this year at the Bay Central Tavern!” Tickets are on sale through Oztix and proudly supported by the Bay Central Hotel.

anterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club will hold its first festival on Saturday, September 7, following 19 years committed to its monthly showcase Canterbury Country. The proposed festival will deliver a full day of music, workshops, jam sessions, market stalls and more commencing at 10am. Melinda Schneider, formerly from the inner-west, will headline the event with a concert in the auditorium from 8:30pm, alongside Sydney-based singersongwriter, broadcaster, podcaster and author, Dan Mullins, presenter of the 2GB’s Bush Telegraph on the Alan Jones Show. The venue will be wrapped with entertainment, including a free family-friendly outdoor party hosted by Bryen Willems of the Bayou Boogie Boys plus ukulele workshops, line dancing, markets stalls and more. Canterbury Country’s popular host and musical director, Bob Howe, will carry on hosting duties throughout the weekend, rounding up years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

NEW FESTIVAL FOR SYDNEY VENUE Bryen Willems & The Baylou Boogie Boys

world-class artists including Wayne Horsburgh, George Washingmachine, Tomi Graso and others with the free Chillbilly

Sessions in the Main Bar. Stay in touch through social media on the Facebook page @CHPRSL or the website chprsl.com.au/canterburycountry.

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SOUNDADVICE THE CAPTAIN KASEY CHAMBERS Deluxe 20th Anniversary Edition OK, first up I have a confession…mine was one original review that didn’t praise The Captain when it was first released in May 1999 – my flimsy defence offering is that I really, really loved Kasey’s voice on the Dead Ringer Band recordings. Yes, I know I missed the revolution – Kasey’s first solo album opened a whole new school of emotional and honest country music in Australia and was possibly the true beginning of Australians embracing Americana or Alt-Country. This re-issue shows up why it is such an important milestone in our music. Listening carefully now, I can appreciate these songs in a new light and kick myself for being so blinded by my own perceptions in 1999. The title track is as evocative now as it was then, Mr Baylis and Last Hard Bible have travelled well over 20 years, as have Cry Like A Baby and This Flower, and I have even come to enjoy We’re All Gonna Die Someday! There’s hard to come by bonus tracks - Heartbreak Heartmend with Paul Kelly and Uncle Bill, the singularly great version of Fred Eaglesmith’s Water In The Fuel - and the previously unreleased Hey Girl. The highlight of this package is Kasey’s frank, down to earth, and often telling, spoken word pieces about each of the songs. EMI/Universal 7732967 JON WOLFE

BEYOND THE RANCH

EMMA BEAU

MILLSTREAM

INDEPENDENT

This Queensland quintet owes more to expat Kiwi-born superstar Keith Urban than pioneer Melbourne outlaw band Saltbush. Drummer Peter Clarke drove Urban’s embryonic band The Ranch and their Ayers Rockettes. This band, fronted by expat Aussie Darcy Crawford with bassist Marlon Holden and guitarists Alan Cooper and Brad Hooper, recorded in Nashville. They set their pace with Live From Our House (Saturday Night) - one of six tunes co-written by Patrick Matthews. It segues into vibrant Chris Janson tune You Don’t Know Me Lonely and That’s Our Thang - both collaborations with expat Aussie Phil Barton. It’s no surprise this is aural bliss with another expat - yes, Saltbush pedal steel guitarist Mark Moffatt - as producer. Funereal Some Dust Don’t Settle Down and Come On In are soulful siblings of jaunty I Know A Little Something About That. This joyous gem peaks with optimism fuelled The Windshield and Matches, weather metaphor ignited Lightning In A Bottle and rollicking finale Swerve.

Until now, Emma Beau’s been known best as a talented fiddler, in huge demand from the new generation of country stars. With this album, though, she’s stepped to centre stage, and shown she’s got what it takes to be a star in her own right. Her self-titled debut recording is a stunning collection of 10 original tracks and a powerful rendition of the classic House Of The Rising Sun. The highlight is her latest single, Leading Me Astray, a delicious, delicately woven tapestry of a song about falling in love, and fighting your doubts and demons. Like all the songs on this album, it is quirky, multilayered and vibrant. Emma’s songs are that rare beast in the music industry these days: fresh and unique. Other highlights include Dark Eyes, a tribute to mentor Jon English, Lost In You, Bridesmaid, Stars and the first single, Wild Heart. This album is an absolute delight – it traverses a wide emotional landscape, and does so with subtlety, perceptiveness and sensitivity. It’s a superb debut from a very talented young artist.

SALTBUSH SIX

MILLSTREAM 001 DAVID DAWSON

EMMA BEAU

INDEPENDENT SUSAN JARVIS C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

ANOTHER HABIT

LIAM KENNEDYCLARK

A BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS

TIN STAR

INDEPENDENT

C&P 018

This is the first full album from this Kiwi wunderkind – and it’s a beauty. Ten tracks either written by Liam or co-writes, and they showcase a talented young musician with an old head for country balanced by a complete understanding of the modern genre. The opening track, Bottom Of An Empty Bottle, has already received plenty of airplay and easily have been something that Jones or Haggard could have made hit. There’s a swampy edge to Wrong Turn Right and the traditional sounds of Old Family Home, Bright Lights (Big Dreams and Tails (You Do The Same), with a wonderfully understated mando, are perfect and South Of The Border with its bluesy saxophone break just works! There’s a duet with Aleyce Simmonds – The Line Drawn To You - that should be a contender for Vocal Collaboration of the Year in 2020. The music beds, featuring an A-list of musicians, allow for Liam’s voice to shine and producer Simon Johnson (Liam co-produced) are to be congratulated on a job well done.

Music should be about more than just entertainment – at its best, it should make you think and feel, and understand something more about the human condition. This wonderful album from folk/country trip Tin Star – Cathy Bell, Penny Boys and Dan Grant – ticks all of those boxes. There is a complexity and depth to these songs, but they are also appealing and delicious, drawing you into their ideas with sublime harmonies and superb musicianship. Highlights include the poignant Flowers On The Table, a song about accepting change but knowing remains true, the compelling The Dead Tree and the very sparse, traditional The Slant. Sky So Big, written by Penny Boys, is a delicious pop ballad full of hope and possibilities, but also realisation. I also loved the myriad emotions of A Letter From Your Mother, and the jaded Birds Fly South. Best You Can and Nothing Else I Can Do are also standouts. This album combines fragility and strength, traditional sounds and contemporary themes. It warrants repeated listening, and each time will offer up new delights.

INDEPENDENT JON WOLFE

INDEPENDENT SUSAN JARVIS years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

SOUND ADVICE - album reviews are the reviewers’ own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the view of Capital News or the publisher. Sound Advice will accept unsolicited albums for consideration, but cannot guarantee published reviews. Sound Advice does not review singles. Send 2 CDs together with biography or media release to Capital News, PO Box 555, Tamworth NSW 2340 and email a jpg of the cover to c.byrnes@tamworth.nsw.gov.au LEE KERNAGHAN BACKROAD NATION

ABC MUSIC

Aussie country music king Lee Kernaghan doesn’t beat around the bush in rural rooted songs - his staple in a 30year plus career. Here the 37-time Golden Guitar winner ploughs drought, fire and famine ravaged communities for song fodder. His title track entrée segues into Waiting On A Mate and Take It Down A Backroad to aptly titled prophetic parable finale Till It Ends with touring pals The Wolfe Brothers. He illustrates love of drought survivors and saviors on Round Here, The Trucks Came Through, Wheels and Keep On Trucking where his subject’s security is a gun safe by the back door and a pig dog called Chainsaw. Pilbara windmill repairers are heroes in Watching Lightning and servicemen and women who suffer PTSD on return after risking lives in foreign wars are heroines in Live To Ride. He tempers mateship anthems on his duet with singing spouse Robby X on Where I Wanna Be and sibling song Let There Be Cowgirls - tributes to the sisters of the soil. Lee’s altruism is magnified by sharing publishing royalties with a vast cast of co-writers on his 12- track 15th CD. ABC/UMA 7760261 DAVID DAWSON

CENTER POINT ROAD

THE DEVIL FOUND WORK

BIG MACHINE

INDEPENDENT

From the first notes of Up, Thomas Rhett lets his listeners know Center Point Road is not going to be a crying in your beer kind of album. The uptempo, positive feel continues into one of the highlights of this album – the collaboration with Little Big Town, Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time. With 16 tracks on this monster album, there’s plenty to enjoy and I like to give every album the roadtrip companion test and Center Point Road passes with flying colours. Rhett isn’t worried about being put into any musical boxes. This is not one for you country traditionalists. Center Point Road is comfortable in country pop, but with plenty of story songs that country is known for. It also features collaborations with Kelsea Ballerini and Jon Pardi, adding to the colour of the album, which is steeped in Rhett’s love for his family and his country upbringing. This one is going to leave you with all the feels.

This is Johnson’s first album of all new material in 20 years and it’s worth the wait. It features 13 originals that span a number of styles, but always written and sung with an individual perspective that many Johnson fans will relate to. The title track opens the album with some primo up-tempo rock, the radio single Political Shuffle is quirky but timely, and his four granddaughters, Saskia, Lola, Emmylou and Gypsy each have a song of their own - each delivered with love. Kevin hasn’t lost his ability to get to the nub of an issue and There Comes A Time looks at society and some of its shortcomings and where we’re heading. It was hard to pick standouts on a few listens, as this album is bound to grow on you the more you turn it on. Some of Australia’s best musicians, including Kirk Lorange, Bruce Brown and Russell Dunlop, provide the perfect settings for Johnson’s unique voice and his tone and delivery reminded me of his first album In The Quiet Corners Of My Mind – one of my all-time favourite Australian recordings.

THOMAS RHETT

BM/UMA 3004119 REBECCA GRACIE

KEVIN JOHNSON

PLANET/MGM LASS001 JON WOLFE years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

CAUGHT UP IN THE COUNTRY

RODNEY ATKINS SONY MUSIC

It’s Rodney Atkins’ first full length album since 2011 and it is worth every listening second. Burn Something is the first single and it’s a country rock love song that would have even the most cynical romantics caught up in the moment. From there, the album is 12 tracks of pure country with a twist of elements from pop and dance to an alternative take on the traditions of the genre. You can tell Atkins has really taken the time to hone his craft and he’s not afraid to experiment with a little edge. There are surprises at every turn and themes that perhaps everyone could relate to at one point or another. It also features a couple of appearances from his singer-songwriter wife Rose Falcon which is a nice touch to an album that weaves through themes of love. If you’re into American country, this is the epitome of great listening experience and the perfect soundtrack for a night by the bonfire or a day out on the open road. CURB/SONY 19075956432 HALEY CRAIG

THE GIRL WITH THREE NAMES

JESSICA EMILY ODGERS INDEPENDENT

Brisbane singer-songwriter Jessica Emily Odgers releases her debut EP The Girl With Three Names. Featuring lead single Candy and current radio hit Fall Back which was co-written with Nashville writers Hannah May Allison and John Millar is a storytelling love song that kicks off and introduces the distinctive sound and style of the EP. Young love is the theme of the EP with This Ain’t Over a solo write which goes through the phases of break up and loss and knowing it had to be over with the feeling that the story is not finished. Hot Mess reflects on Jess’s personality and is relatable for those of us that are prone to losing things, not paying phone bills, collecting coffee stains on clothes and just being in a mess. The EP was produced by ARIA and Golden Guitar Winner Matt Fell and recorded at Love HZ with the exception of Candy which was produced by Andrew Cochrane from Red Engine in Brisbane and shows Jessica Emily Odgers has a great feel for great melody and hooks. www.jessicaemilymusic.com THOMAS JOHNS

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COUNTRYCHARTS ARIA TOP 20 AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY ALBUMS Week Commencing 10 June 2019 TW

ARTIST

TITLE

LABEL

1 1 4 1 LEE KERNAGHAN

Backroad Nationa

2 2 34 1 MORGAN EVANS

Things That We Drink To

3 7 33 1 TROY CASSAR-DALEY

Greatest Hits

4 3 58 1 KEITH URBAN

Graffiti U

5 5

1060 1

6 NEW 1

CAP/EMI

The Very Best of Slim Dusty

CHARLIE COLLINS

Snowpine

8 4

375 1

KASEY CHAMBERS

The Captain

369 1

KEITH URBAN

The Story So Far

INE UMA CAP/EMI

10 12 47 1 ADAM BRAND

Milestones … 20 Years

11 10 146 1 JOHN WILLIAMSON

His Favourite Collection

12 15 600 1

KEITH URBAN

EMI CAP/EMI

Ripcord

9 8

WAR BDL/UMA

SLIM DUSTY

7 6 161 1 KEITH URBAN

ABC/UMA

Greatest Hits: 18 Kids

ABC/UMA WAR CAP/EMI

13 9 8 1 SARA STORER

Raindance

14 19 6 2 FELICITY URQUHART

Frozen Rabbit

ABC/UMA

15 R/E 11 2 BRIAN CADD

Silver City

AMB/SME

16 18 40 1 JOHN WILLIAMSON

Butcherbird

17 11 393 1

LEE KERNAGHAN

UMA

WAR

Ultimate Hits

ABC/UMA

18 14 60 1 THE WOLFE BROTHERS

Country Heart

ABC/UMA

19 R/E 16 1 KARISE EDEN

Born To Fight

ISL/UMA

20 17 302 1

KASEY CHAMBERS

Barricades & Brickwalls

UMA

COUNTRY SONGS Week ending 22 June 2019. This chart is published by Campfire Publishing and updated weekly at countrytrackschart.com.au POS

ARTIST

TRACK TITLE

1 5 5 1(1) LEE KERNAGHAN

Backroad Nation

ASHLEIGH DALLAS 2 4 6 2(1)

Vacation

3 1 11 1(1) ALAN AND TRACE

Country’s What I Am

TANIA KERNAGHAN 4 7 2 4(1)

Better Worn In

5 10 6 1(1) SHELLY JONES BAND

Nice To Be With You

6 2 3 2(1) BECCI NETHERY

In The Middle Of This

MATT SCULLION 7 6 5 4(1)

Aussie As

ANDREW SWIFT 8 15 3 8(1)

Ball & Chain

9 33 2 9(1) RUNAWAY DIXIE

What I Did

10 24 3 9(1) LIAM KENNEDY-CLARK

Bottom Of An Empty Bottle

AMBER LAWRENCE 11 0 1 11(1)

Heart

12 3 11 1(3) GAYLE O’NEIL

Open Arms

STEVE SPARROW 13 0 1 13(1)

Paint Your Cactus Green

KEITH URBAN 14 12 3 12(1)

We Were

15 23 10 2(1) NEILLYRICH

Hey You

DREW MCALISTER 16 0 1 16(1)

The Stranger

17 16 8 8(1) THE WOLFE BROTHERS

Storm Rollin In

18 18 14 3(1) HAYLEY MARSTEN

Wendy

19 30 5 14(1) ERNIE CONSTANCE

Lead A Horse To Water

20 9 9 9(1) COAD SISTERS

Without You

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years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

OFFICIAL AUSTRALIAN AIRPLAY COUNTRY TOP 20 Week ending 15 June 2019 TRACK TITLE

LABEL

1 3 7 1 BLAKE SHELTON

God’s Country

WB/WMA

2 7 19 2 TRAVIS COLLINS

Road Warriors

ABC/UMA

3 4 16 3 CHRISTIE LAMB

Hot Hot Kiss

ABC/UMA

4 5 14 3 LEE KERNAGHAN

Wheels

ABC/UMA

5 11 6 5 RUNAWAY JUNE

Buy My Own Drinks

SCR/BMG

6 14 4 6 LEE KERNAGHAN

Backroad Nation

ABC/UMA

7 9 4 7 LUKE COMBS

Beer Never Broke My Heart

8 6 5 6 FANNY LUMSDEN

Pretty Little Fools

9 9 2 1 THOMAS RHETT

Look What God Gave Her

BIG/UMA

10 10 3 10 KEITH URBAN

We Were

CAP/EMI

11 16 14 8 MORGAN EVANS

Young Again

WMA

12 1 15 1 AMBER LAWRENCE

Outrageous

ABC/UMA

13 8 11 8 MICK LINDSAY

Drink About You

14 13 14 13 KIRSTY LEE AKERS

Skeletons

15 26 4 15 THE WOLFE BROTHERS

Storm Rollin In

ABC/UMA

16 17 11 16 LEE BRICE

Rumor

CURB/SME

17 36 3 17 BRAD BUTCHER

Nature’s Course

18 12 4 12 MIDLAND

Mr. Lonely

19 19 13 10 RODNEY ATKINS FT. THE FISK JUBILEE SINGERS

Caught Up In The Country

20 18 19 1 MAREN MORRIS

GIRL

POS LW

ARTIST

COL/SME IND

IND SFR/UMA

IND BIG/UMA CURB/SME COL/SME

CMC TOP 50 Week Commencing 25 May. This chart is updated weekly at countrymusicchannel.com.au or tune into CMC. TW ARTIST

TITLE

LABEL

TW ARTIST

TITLE

1 CHRISTIE LAMB

Hot Hot Kiss

2 AMBER LAWRENCE

Outrageous

3 LEE KERNAGHAN

Wheels

4 THOMAS RHETT

Look What God Gave Her

5 BLAKE SHELTON

God’s Country

WARNER

6 TRAVIS COLLINS

Road Warriors

ABC MUSIC

7 RUNAWAY JUNE

ABC MUSIC

26 HAYLEY MARSTEN

Wendy

ABC MUSIC

27 JETTY ROAD

No Heartbreaks

ABC MUSIC

28 GRAEME CONNORS

Kimberly Frontier

BIG MACHINE

29 CHELSEA BERMAN

Kiss Me Like You Miss Me SOCIAL FAMILY

30 DYLAN SCOTT

Nothing To Do Town

31 HARDY

Rednecker

Buy My Own Drinks

32 GEORGE STRAIT

Every Little Honkytonk Bar

33 MICK LINDSAY

Drink About You

34 LEE BRICE

Rumor

35 CODY JOHNSON

On My Way To You

36 LIAM BREW

A Few More Dirt Roads

37 TROY KEMP

My Favourite Thing

38 GRETTA ZILLER

Go On

39 VIPER CREEK BAND

Australian Girls CHECKED LABEL SERVICES

40 NEILLYRICH

Hey You

41 JOSH SETTERFIELD

Broke

42 CORNELL & CARR

A Town Like This CHECKED LABEL SERVICES

43 LADY ANTEBELLUM

What If I Never Get Over You

WHEELHOUSE/BMG

8 BROTHERS OSBORNE I Don’t Remember Me 9 CHRIS JANSON

Good Vibes

10 LEE KERNAGHAN

Backroad Nation

11 CATHERINE BRITT

Too Hot To Just Quit

EMI WARNER ABC MUSIC LOST HIGHWAY/UMA

12 BRANTLEY GILBERT & LINDSAY ELL What Happens In A Small Town 13 FANY LUMSDEN

UMA

Pretty Little Fools

RED DIRT RECORDS

14 THE WOLFE BROTHERS Storm Rollin’ In

ABC MUSIC

15 LUKE COMBS

Beer Never Broke My Heart

16 KAYLEE BELL

Keith

17 CHRIS YOUNG

Raised On Country

18 MIDLAND

Mr Lonely

19 JASON ALDEAN

Rearview Town

20 KIRSTY LEE AKERS

Skeletons

SONY INDEPENDENT SONY BIG MACHINE

BROKEN BOW/SONY SOCIAL FAMILY RECORDS

ABC MUSIC

SONY

Ball And Chain

INDEPENDENT

47 MATT SCULLION

Aussie As

EMI

48 NATALIE HENRY

Apple And Pride

Good As You

22 BRAD BUTCHER

Nature’s Course

23 DIERKS BENTLEY

Living

24 ABBIE FERRIS

Beat You At Your Own Game SOCIAL FAMILY

49 SARA STORER

Raindance

25 RASCAL FLATTS

Back To Life

50 MORGAN WALLEN

Whiskey Glasses

CURB/SONY TVM/BIG LOUD UMA INDEPENDENT CURB/SONY WARNER SOCIAL FAMILY CHECKED

SOCIAL FAMILY RECORDS

SOCIAL FAMILY RECORDS INDEPENDENT

BMLG ABC MUSIC

45 DAVISSON BROTHER BAND Unbreak You

21 KANE BROWN

years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

INDEPENDENT SOCIAL FAMILY RECORDS

44 FELICITY URQUHART New Harmony 46 ANDREW SWIFT

BIG MACHINE

LABEL

SONY

SOCIAL FAMILY RECORDS CHECKED LABEL SERVICES

C O U N T RY M U S I C C A P I TA L N E W S J U LY 2 0 1 9

INDEPENDENT UNIVERSAL BIG LOUD 59

BUSH BALLADS

ENDLESS SUCCESS BY PETER COAD OAM WWW.BUSHBALLADEERS.COM.AU

WHILEVER BUSH BALLADEERS RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM SO MANY LOYAL FANS WE’LL ALWAYS ENJOY CONTINUED STRENGTH AS A GENRE.

As mentioned last edition, a fundraising concert will be held on Saturday, July 13 from 1pm at Southgate Inn as part of the Tamworth City Toyota Hats Off To Country festival. All artists appearing on the fundraiser concert are donating their time and all funds raised on the day will go toward the Brian Young OAM Bronze Bust Fund. Tickets are available from the venue and at the door.

BOONDOOMA SCOTS IN THE BUSH his month we shine a spotlight on Ernie Constance, remind you about the Brian Young OAM Bronze Bust Fundraising event and the Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad awards, as well as introduce a brand new festival.

ERNIE CONSTANCE With a swag of songs recorded by Slim Dusty, and a long-time recording and performing artist himself, Golden Guitar winner Ernie Constance remains at the forefront of quality bush ballad writing in Australia. In view of his life in country music and on his property in Cooma NSW, Ernie is set to receive even greater recognition with an article dedicated to his contribution as a leading local identity in the Snowy Monaro area being published in the Regional Lifestyle Magazine. In the meantime, the title track of Ernie’s latest album Lead A Horse To Water continues to enjoy success on the country music charts. BRUCE LAVENDER

Whistling Behind The Mob

This brand new album from Bruce features 12 bush ballad-style performances. Seven of the songs are from Bruce’s own pen with some excellent bush ballad stories. He’s dedicated songs to his wife Gail [When We’re Old] and mother [Mum’s Last Song] and co-wrote Memories Of A Mate with J Barnes paying tribute to Stan Coster. On The Night Train is from the pen of Henry Lawson set to music by Slim Dusty, Peter Coad’s Riding Out The Storm and the timeless Slim Dusty classic Losin’ My Blues Tonight. Bruce delivers each song in a heartfelt way and, along with a good selection of songs, makes this an 60

BRIAN YOUNG OAM BRONZE BUST FUNDRAISER

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With such a huge array of traditional country music festivals spread around the country, it’s often hard to keep up, but sources tell me that all festivals that have been on so far this year have been well attended, which is wonderful to hear. Coming up next month, the Historic Boondooma Homestead will present the ‘Scots In The Bush’ festival from August 15 to 18. Boondooma Homestead is well-known for their annual ‘Spirit Of The Bush’ festival in April featuring traditional country and bush ballad entertainment, but if you like Scottish and Celtic tunes and activities, head along to their August festival for something different.

GIDGEE COAL BUSH BALLAD AWARDS One of the very sought after awards in the bush ballad world is the ‘Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Award’. Entries close on August 31. Winners will be announced in November as part of weekend of entertainment at the Pittsworth Town Hall. Entry forms for the awards can be accessed from the ABBA website events page under the month of August. COL THOMSON

GULLYRAKER

Col is back with a new 20-track album opening with the title song Gullyraker, which he has tributed to his mother. I thought the album was very good with some great songs such as Sharon Ann, Trooper Ernest Crags, and Hunter Valley Moon. Col wrote all the tracks and plays some of the banjo and lead guitar. Featured musicians are Hamish Davidson, Graeme Howie, and Bruce Green with Sharon Benjamin on backing vocals. This is an album I found enjoyable because it is well-recorded and with some good original songs. There are some great photos in the sleeve by Robyn McIntosh and good cover notes. years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

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

NO STOPPING THE

‘WILD ONE’ BY LORRAINE PFITZNER OAM

BUNDABERG NATIVE BURT EVERETT, NOW IN HIS EIGHTYFIRST YEAR, IS ALSO KNOWN AS BUNDABERG’S “WILD ONE”.

e became interested in music at an early age, singing along to pop songs played on the radio. In his late teens, Burt joined a rock group and they played at charity gigs and parties and had lots of fun. In the late 1950s, rock and roll was very years of bringing you the music 1975–2019

popular and Burt joined another group that played the pub scene belting out songs that were made popular by artists such as Chuck Berry. Bill Haley was his idol in those days, and so was Johnny O’Keefe. The band use to have regular Saturday night pub gigs as well as playing at other hotels during the week. Their work continued until the mid-1960s when Burt married and retired from the music scene to raise a family.

Sadly, tragedy struck when Burt’s wife and son were killed in a car accident. Burt was laid up for a few months, and supported by his 16-year-old daughter Melinda, who helped him to recover. It took some time for Burt to gather the courage to return to his beloved music, however with new songs and encouragement from his daughter, he entered the Bundaberg Easter Round-Up competition and won. The Bundaberg Country Music Club invited him to join and Burt’s involvement opened up a new world for him. He began travelling to festivals all over South Queensland and some further afield. It was a successful time for Burt that continued until the late 1990s. In 1989, Burt began writing a weekly country music column for the Bundaberg Guardian newspaper, however just short of celebrating 30 years writing for them, the paper was discontinued. Another great interest of Burt’s is community radio and together with a few keen radio enthusiasts he applied for and acquired a licence to set up a local community radio station. Coral Coast Radio 94.7FM commenced broadcasting in 2000 and has many loyal listeners. During the 1990s Burt released several cassettes and three CDs. The songs he recorded were mainly comedy and all his own writings, proving very popular, however they’re now collector’s items as they’re no longer available. Other country music artists who’ve recorded Burt’s songs are Glenn Jones [The Garage Sale] possibly the most popular, and Paul McCloud, Pete Smith, and Steve Sparrow have all recorded songs too. Following recent serious health scares, Burt is back on radio, continues to enjoy playing guitar and singing to who ever wants to listen.

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W R ITIN G GREAT SONGS

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

has a right to disagree with you. When the chemistry is working you learn to handle disagreement without taking it personally.

BUSINESS

CO-WRITING SONGS CAN BE AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE, A NICE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE WHO COMBINE THEIR TALENTS TO CREATE A SPECIAL PIECE OF COLLABORATIVE ART THAT NEITHER OF THEM COULD HAVE WRITTEN BY THEMSELVES.

t can be a way to broaden each writer’s repertoire of songwriting styles and it can be sound from a business perspective. There is a down side. Cowriting is an exercise in compromise and not everyone has the mental and emotional capacity to handle it. When two creative people get together to write, it is not always a pleasant experience. This can be caused by a number of factors but the most common are a lack of chemistry or attitude. Sadly, there is not much you can do about the former but the latter can be fixed. What follows are some suggestions that are based on specific experiences that could help you in future cowriting situations.

RESPECT Even if you are the artist and the song is being written for your album, you have to accept that your songwriting partner is not your employee (unless you pay him) … he or she has the same right to an opinion as you when it comes to co-writing. If you think the song is getting away from what you want for your project, you can do one of two things … either suggest changing to another idea or finish it and see how it works

out. Often songs change dramatically in the writing and could turn into something that you want. Even if the finished song doesn’t fit your project, it can be farmed out to other artists … having your name on other artist’s recordings can have huge benefits in terms of your standing in the industry as a singer-songwriter. Regardless of where you see yourself in the pecking order, when it comes to co-writing YOU ARE EQUALS. You need to take into account your co-writer’s feelings. If you ignore his or her ideas, if you cut in another co-writer on a song without consultation or if you write a number of songs and don’t use any of them on your album, you have to respect your cowriter’s decision to stop writing with you. In terms of respect, you should always acknowledge your co-writer’s part in writing the song … NEVER try to take all the credit yourself. I have had my name left off albums to which I have contributed a number of songs and it hurts. Get a reputation for doing that and no one will write with you.

LISTEN Some gifted and technically brilliant songwriters would be better advised to never co-write. Even if you are super focused and are totally committed to an idea, you still have to listen to your songwriting partner. Don’t ever be arrogant enough to think that your option on a line is the only one that works. If you listen, you will see that your co-writer has something important to contribute. Never get precious about a line … it may be creatively brilliant. It may also not fit … your co-writer

The Music Business, particularly in Australia, is a very difficult place to earn a living. Percentage points as a writer or artist are vital but you always need to avoid letting this affect your sense of fairness. I always stick with the formula of two people in a room 50% each, three people in a room (or if another writer is pulled into the song) 33.3%, four people 25% etcetera. There are times when someone comes in with a title and a song that is up and running, or is “on” that day and writes the bulk of the song or where we are stuck on a song and the other writer finishes it by himself, where I will ask for a smaller percentage. This is not only fair, but also helps foster feelings of trust and gets you a reputation as someone worth working with. See you next month … maybe. If you have questions regarding upcoming songwriting workshops or my “one on one” private songwriting coaching service (now based on the Gold Coast). 0419218988 or at allan@ allancaswell.com

MY VERSION OF THE TRUTH

… A story of survival in the Australian Music Industry … and where it can lead you All enquiries: allan@allancaswell.com 62

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KIX

THE HOTTEST COUNTRY

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years of bringing you the music 1975â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2019