It took a minor explosion between my co-worker and myself to finally remedy the issue. Happy to say I won the battle. But Joy has now come to love the term, enough to name the new collection of songs after it.

Many of the tracks have been out of print for a while but the continued requests for these songs from fans have spurred on the release. Also being announced today is a new range of Slim Dusty merchandise. Four music industry identities — Denis Handlin, Lorraine Pfitzner, Peter Coad and Desree-Ilona Crawford picturd below from left — have been recognised in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours.

He commenced his career with the company in and has been leading it since Lorraine — a tireless worker in Australian country music — has been honoured with an OAM Order of Australia Medal for service to country music. For many years Country Music Capital based Lorraine, originally from South Australia, has been heavily involved in major country music activities. Most notable of her achievements has been the establishment of seven of the nine busts of country music pioneers located in Tamworth's Bicentennial Park, the most recent, of Chad Morgan, unveiled just yesterday.

Well known also as a country music broadcaster, writer and reviewer, Lorraine has been involved with hundreds of artists, songwriters, musicians and other industry people for decades. More recently, she has been a mainstay of two of the nation's most successful industry organisations, the Australian Bush Balladeers Association ABBA and Tamworth Songwriters' Association TSA.

She is also heavily involved in the Australian Country Music Foundation and its public operation, the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame, and was a founder of one of that organisation's predecessors, the Australian Country Music Heritage Hall.

Peter received an OAM for service to the performing arts, particularly to country music. Currently President of the Australian Bush Balladeers Association, he was inducted into the Country Music Hands of Fame in January Desree is a long-time clountry music recording and touring artist and industry participant.

She was presented with an OAM for service to country music as an entertainer. Her first exposure to performing was in when she joined other family members as The Melody Kids on Radio 4BU Bundaberg in Queensland. As well as her own performing, which took her from Brisbane and Ipswich to Melbourne and many other places, Desree would train youngsters to dance on television. Currently working on a new album to commemorate 43 years of entertaining, Desree was inducted into the Country Music Hands of Fame in SUNDAY, JUNE 11, The bronze bust of Australian country music pioneer Chad Morgan was unveiled in Tamworth yesterday.

Thanks to Eric Scott for the photo which shows Chad responding to the bust unveiling. She said it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. After winning a national competition, the band released a successful EP. Kasey says if she had not started busking with her family from the age of seven, she would not know what she might be doing today.

The Blue Water Country Music Festival kicked off yesterday at Port Stephens just north of Newcastle and continues through to, and including, Monday of the June long weekend. Festival favourites Brothers3, Beccy Cole and Steve Passfield all pictured return to the Bay Festival this year; Beccy performing on Sunday night at Soldiers Point Bowling Club. Steve has played the Blue Water Country Music Festival nearly every year since it commenced and has been the lynchpin for the main free festival stage for many years.

Steve considers himself "almost a local" having played at many other major Nelson Bay events. Steve told News Of The Area: This year, Steve has a key role hosting the Port Stephens Toyota Marquee in Apex Park on Saturday and Sunday of the long weekend. Festival regulars Brothers3, who appeared on the X Factor inperformed at the Blue Water Country Music Festival first in while still school aged.

Headliners will be supported by well-known names including Allan Caswell, Bob Easter, Johanna Hemara, Sandra Humphries, Kathryn Jones, Troy Kemp, Amber Lawrence, Dianne Lindsay, Aleyce Simmonds, Gina Timms and The Viper Creek Band will stump up through the weekend.

Songwriter sessions will also run organised by the TSA Tamworth Songwriters' Association and bush poets Murray Hartin, Graeme Johnson, Bill Kearns, Peter Mace, Claire Reynolds and Kerry Sprigg will also appear.

Unveiling of the Chad Morgan bronze bust will take place in Tamworth, Australia's Country Music Capital, this Saturday. This unveiling is unique for a number of reasons In the past, only Australian country music pioneers who were no longer with us were honoured with the special sculptures. The historic event takes place in Bicentennial Park in Kable Avenue at Chad will join eight of his country music mates in order of unveiling — Tex Morton, Buddy Williams, Stan Coster, Gordon Parsons, Barry Thornton, Shirley Thoms, Reg Lindsay and Jimmy Little.

The busts have been augmented in recent years with statues of the late Smoky Dawson and, more recently, Joy McKean and the late Slim Dusty which are all located in Tamworth's Peel Street, also known during January as "the boulevarde of dreams".

Saturday's ceremony includes the formal handover of the bust, produced from funds raised within the country music community, to Tamworth Regional Council. It was sculpted by Kate French.

Fundraising has already commenced for the next pioneer to be cast in bronze, Frank Ifield. Next Tuesday — June 13 — is Slim Dusty Day with a number of special activities set to commemorate the birthday of Australia's King of Country Music. It's 13 years since Slim died and this year, the question was asked "What Does Slim Dusty Mean To You? Click on the following image to watch the video.

Rich Thompson, Director of Cadence Media, reflected on the process: To celebrate and embrace this collective love and respect it needed to be a collaboration of music, vision, and messages.

It was a privilege to be involved in this special tribute. Following the launch of the video on Facebook, it received a strong global response. Messages from around the world are flooding in as people share their own story of Slim and can be added by clicking on the image above and viewing the video viewers need to be logged in to Facebook to do so. Originally released on CD and cassette, the album has been meticulously represented in the vinyl format for the first time ever with a special gatefold sleeve packaging.

Riverland Festival in full swing. South Australia's Riverland Country Music Festival got underway yesterday and will run for through next week concluding on Monday June Around 5, visitors are expected to head to the region over the next 10 days for the annual event.

Almost official events are listed on the program which comes to a head on the main final weekend. Highlight activities will include Murray Mac's Campfire Concert, the SA Country Music Concert and the SA Country Music Spectacular.

New to the festival this year will be the Running of the Sheep, the first time this has been held during the festival as a precursor to the Barmera Sheep Dog Trials. A full program can be obtained from www.

New Zealand Award winners. Chester Travis was announced the winner of Best Country Song with Toothache. And winner of the Songwriting Award was Mal McCallum with After The Storm ; the runner-up being announced as Kaylee Bell with Mayday. The Voice — and then there was one. Judah Kelly continues his run of success on the television talent show The Voice after surviving his "battle" with Kelsie Rimmer last night. Lyn Bowtell was not so lucky on Saturday losing out in her "battle" with Sarah Stone, Boy George's comments seeming to indicate he had chosen the newer talent over the established star.

FRIDAY, MAY 26, Two major country voices feature in the top 24 of The VoiceLyn Bowtell and Judah Kelly. Lyn, on Team George, and Judah, on Team Delta, shone in the final round knockouts while the third act with strong links to country, Brooke Schubert, lost out in the knockout round. Lyn moves to the next round with fellow "Team George" members Russel Francis, Robin Johnson.

Nathan Kneen, Hoseah Partsch and Sarah Stone. Judah progresses to the next round with fellow "Team Delta" members James Banks, Tim Conlon, Ellis Hall, Claire Howell and Kelsie Rimmer. The 20th, and final, Tenthill Turnout, will be staged at the Ma Ma Creek Hall via Gatton Qld on Saturday May 27 from 7pm. The Turnout has celebrated the life of Australian country ballad songwriter, singer and recording artist Stan Coster who died 20 years ago on March I think he would be surprised and quite proud to know his songs are so popular today, especially via the Tenthill Turnout, our tribute to him.

This year's Turnout is actually on Stan's birthday and will signal the last time the event will be staged. Artists will include Tracy, of course, plus Warren Black, Billy Bridge, Michael Clare, Glenn Jones, Johnny Kaye, Rebecca Lee Nye, Chris PrItchard, Anita Ree, Ricky Shipp and Brendan Smoother. Golden Guitar and Star Maker winner Lyn Bowtell is the latest Australian Academy of Country Music graduate to shortlist on the Nine Network's The Voice talent search turning all four star coaches during last night's televised "blind" auditions.

Lyn, a graduate of the very first Academy course in when it was known as the College of Country Music follows more recent graduates Judah Kelly and Brooke Schubert who had been successful in previous weeks.

Graduates who didn't make the cut so far include Heath Milner and Loren Ryan while Adelaide singer and instrumentalist Taylor Pfeiffer, who also appeared on Sunday was impressed by coaches but missed the call. He was followed soon after by Kelly Rowland, Delta Goodrem and then Seal, leaving Lynwith a big decision to make.

I had to gain composure, it really touched my heart and what he said was really heartfelt. While Lyn is an established artist in her own right, picking up three of her six Golden Guitar awards this year, she said she entered the competition to grow as an artist and to share her music on another level.

Amber sings New York, too. Hot on the heels of the news that Beccy Cole was to sing at the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea Commemoraton in New York, it has been revealed that Amber Lawrence is also on the bill. I will perform it in front of surviving WW2 Veterans, both Australian and American, as well as dignitaties. Guests at the commemoration dinner will inclue Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and US President Donald Trump as well as the likes of Qantas Chairman Leigh Clifford, Frank Lowey, Greg Norman, Rupert Murdoch and packaging billionaire Anthony Pratt.

Amber on board the Intrepid in the dress made specially for her by her sister. Mayworth — Australia's largest line dance festival — kicks off in Tamworth, Australia's Country Music Capital, today.

Festival features include the Australasian Line Dance Championships, Australian National Choreography Championships and the Australian Masters plus workshops and social dancing.

Mayworth runs for a total of four days — ending on Sunday — at West Tamworth League Club. Special guests at this year's festival include Rob Fowler from the United Kingdom, choreographer of Slamming Doors, Doctor Doctor, Country 2 Step and The beast and, Guyton Mundy from the USA, choreographer of Cliche Love Song, Ain't Misbehavin' and Listen, Rebecca Lee from Malaysia and Philip Sobrielo from Singapore and Nigel Mooney from New Zealand. Apart from the d ancing, entertainment will include a special performance by American country star Ty Herndon pictured during the Farewell Social on Sunday evening.

Tickets and more information can obtained from the website — www. Award-winning Australian country band Runaway Dixie will perform a curtain-raiser to the Jimmie Rodgers Music Festival in Meridian, Mississippi, this Thursday. The performance will take place in Meridian's Peavey Auditorium from 7pm. Beccy Cole will sing in New York on Thursday at a dinner to commemorate 75 years since the tide-turning Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II. Beccy will sing her classic Award-winning song Poster Girl and says she is humbled to do so.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and US Preside t Donald Trump will attend the dinner together with a number of returned service personnel from both Australia and America. Apart from commemorating the Battle of the Coral Sea, which inflicted the first defeat suffered by the Empire of Japan and stopped the looming Japanese invasion of Australia, the dinner will see the launch of a new American-Australian Veterans Scholarship Gund VSF.

The new VSF will be a dedicated scholarship that will provide a new generation of warriors with the opportunity to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate educational opportunities, and will support directional scholarship grants from Australia to the US and US to Australia.

It will have a particular focus on providing support and educational opportunities to disabled veterans. Organisers of the Norfolk Island Trans Tasman Entertainer of the Year Award have announced the activity will be taking a break after this year's event.

The Norfolk Island Country Music Festival will continue in — the 25th to be staged — but the Trans Tasman will not be part of the event. This year's Festival, including the Trans Tasman Award, is just 14 days away running from Monday May 15 to Monday May Adam Brand, Busby Marou, Graeme Connors and Jessica Mauboy have been announced as headline acts for the Gympie Muster.

Organisers are particularly pleased to have Jessica Mauboy on the bill. Although Jessica is a multi talented pop artist now, she launched her career via country music. Gympie Music Muster Program Director Jeff Chandler said the Muster program would feature hundreds of performances across five stages, covering a range of genres including country, bluegrass, folk, blues and rockabilly. The Muster is known for its fun-loving community atmosphere One ticket price gives Muster goers free camping and multi-venue access to all performances.

Australian duo Busby Marou have chosen Anzac Day to unveil the official video for their track Paint This Land. The video was co-directed by Wayne Blair The Sapphires, Redfern Now and Cleverman and Kate Halpin, produced by Mick Angus Jerrycan Films and filmed at Mount Tamborine in the Gold Coast hinterland.

Our families grew up together in the same town of Rockhampton, how could I not.

When the opportunity arrived to co-direct Jeremy and Thomas in this music video, with my mate Tony Barry and my own father, Bob Blair, playing the heroes of our story, I grasped it with both hands.

I never really knew the answer. Watching my Dad acting in this clip I now may have a more accurate response.

Tom Busby, half of Busby Marou, said: It's everywhere, it's beautiful and it's alive! Working with Wayne Blair and watching the song and its message come to life through the power of film is without a doubt, our finest moment as a band.

I feel we have played our important role not just acknowledging our war veterans but going a step further and paying special homage to Indigenous men and women who serve our country. The video also features the mural artwork of Sydney street artist Hego, who tells Indigenous stories through photography, murals and documentaries, specifically through the process of 'wheatpasting' large scale postering. Busby Marou will be heading out on an extensive Australian tour this May and June in support of their number one album Postcards From The Shell House.

The Paint This Land video can be viewed here Funds raised this year go to LifeFlight air and medical crews, a service on call 24 days a week to make sure residents recieve lifesaving medical treatment when they need it, according to a report in The Chronicle. Organisers said they would do anything they could to help raise funds for the service. Many local businesses and performers came together to create a new stage, donate raffle prizes and plan an impressive fireworks display for the event.

Headline acts on the day were Georgia Fall, Troy Kemp and Mark Shay pictured at right, top downsupported by Peter Campbell, Brook Chivell, Tyson Coleman. Amanda Faulkner, Reckless, Rhys Robert and McKenzie Timms. Other entertainment included a ute show, a truck show, 70 markets and food vendors and a mini sideshow alley.

LifeFlight's south-west community engagement officer Nikki Bloom said money raised from community events allowed LifeFlight to continue its lifesaving service and to "truly be there" for everyone in their hour of need. At least a dozen country acts are banding together for a Cyclone Debbie fundraiser at Noble Park, Vic, this weekend. The charity fundraiser — to raise funds to suppiort victims of the cyclone and resultant flooding — will be held at the Noble Park Hotel from 12noon on Sunday April Further details, including bookings, can be obtained by rining 03 or Jasper Somerville-Collie — artist and songwriter, brother of Jonah's Road's Jay Collie and nephew of the late Jon English — lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on Saturday April 8.

Head artist at Elemental Arts Design Studio for some 20 years, Jasper worked for artists such as Kirsty Lee Akers, Victoria Baillie, Kaylee Bell, The Choir Boys, Tori Darke, Luke Dickens, Paul Greene, Kamahl, Tracy Killeen, Christie Lamb, Jason Lee, Melinda Schneider and The Sunny Cowgirls.

A prolific songwriter, since signing with Sony inhe wrote part time and has co-written more than songs across multiple genreswith more than tracks officially released in Australia and overseas.

Jasper wrote songs for and with countless Australian and international artists including Phil Barton, Trey Bruce, David Campbell, Luke Dickens, his uncle Jon, Hayley Jensen, Jonah's Road, Jim Lauderdale and Shannon Noll as well as with brother Jay.

Australia's Rob Potts has been named the recipient of this year's prestigious Jo Walker-Meador International Award by America's Country Music Association CMA. One of the founders of the CMC Country Music Channel Rocks festival franchise, including CMC Rocks Qld, Rob has been a member of the CMA Board of Directors for a number of years and serves as Chairman of the CMA Australian Advisory Group. He was also a long serving board member of the Country Music Association of Australia where he was instrumental in many of that organisation's major achievements through the late s.

A new event, proposed to be an annual activity, debuts in Tamworth this weekend, the Sundance Beats 'N' Blues Festival. Aleyce wins Country APRA. Aleyce Simmonds won the APRA Music Award for Country Work of the Year at the gala ceremony in Sydney last night.

They were held in the Grand Ballroom of the new Sydney International Convention Centre at Darling Harbour. The latest list of artists appearing at this year's Broadbeach Country Music Festival have ben announced. They include Drew McAlister, Sara Storer picturedCaitlyn Shadbolt and The Wolfe Brothers, joining already announced headliners Troy Cassar-Daley picturedKasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson.

Presented by the Broadbeach Alliance, which holds "stunning beachside festivals" throughout the streets, parks, bars and restaurants of Broadbeach on the Gold Coast, the fifth Broadbeach Country Music Festival runs over three days Friday to Sunday July The event will feature more than 84 performances on 12 stages, including a major stage in Surf Parade and, for the first time, a headline stage in Kurrawa Park next to the beach. This year's Sydney Royal Easter Show will host a new country entertainment roster under the banner Country Rocks.

The brainchild of Mick Bond, lead singer of Brewn, Country Rocks aims to provide a service for artists, venues and fans of country rock that is "mutually beneficial for all parties". The Country Rocks touring banner has showcased the likes of 8 Ball Aitken, James Blundell, Brewn, Rhiannon Cooke, Tori Darke, Christie Lamb, Hayley Marsten, Drew McAlister, Ben Ransom and Chris Staff all over Australia.

Starring under the Country Rocks banner at the Royal Easter will be James Blundell picturedBrewn, Tori Darke pictured and Drew McAlister with James and Brewn perforiming at 9pm Friday April 14, Tori and Drew at 9pm Saturday April Meanwhile, Sydney Show organisers have confirmed that Show Radio will again feature Australian country music with a variety of new Australian artists, mainstream and classic country music.

Show Radio will broadcast on The broadcast can be heard on The southern NSW town of Ilabo is expected to triple it's population early next month when the 30th Country Music Stampede is staged. Thursday to Sunday April 6 to 9 are the dates for the Stampede which will star Australian Idol runner-up and Toyota Star Maker winner Luke Dickens, supported by Aimee Hannan and Grant Luhrs.

The Illabo Stampeded has helped launch the careers of many successful Australian artists, including multi-Golden Guitar winners Dianna Corcoran and Travis Collins. Travis Collins dominated this year's CMC Country Music Channel Awards announcd on the Queensland Gold Coast last night.

Hot on Travis' heels was Keith Urban with wins for International Artist of the Year, International Video of the Year for Wasted Time and Highest Selling International Album for Ripcord. The CMC Music Awards are a prelude to the three-day CMC Rocks festival, which kicks off today at Willowbank, Ipswich. The Gympie Muster board says the Muster is "set to steam ahead despite the recent turmoil" according to reports in the local Gympie Times.

In a statement, Muster chairman Tony Nolan said the unanimous decision to move forward followed discussions over planning for this year's event and recent staff resignations.

It is effectively run by a whole community effort that involves staff, a small group of highly skilled contractors and hundreds of volunteers. The events of the past week would be challenging for any not-for-profit organisations that generally have very limited resources. The Times reported that local business leaders hoped to see community spirit help keep the "vital" Muster afloat. Musicians Garage owner Taurean Thompson said the festival was a huge boost for the economy and would survive on the shoulders of community support.

The co-owner of the Royal Hotel urged people who were concerned about the Muster's future to get involved with the event. Casa Bella owner Tony Goodman said he was initially alarmed when he heard about the resignations, but hoped there remained time for the event to be a success.

It helps put Gympie on the map. The Gympie Regional Council, meanwhile, has distanced itself from the Muster's inner turmoil. It is our understanding that the event will go ahead and that Council are very supportive of this. There is now no outstanding debt to the council. A spokesman for the Council said organisers had worked hard in recent years to put the event on. A Gympie icon, the Muster annually brings tens of thousands of visitors to the region and injects millions of dollars into the economy.

Slim Dusty recorded more than 60 of his songs including the classic Three Rivers Hotel. We Still Sing Three Rivers Hotel was released last week and is already gaining airply. A posting on his facebook page said Tom passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of yesterday morning, March 20, with his loving partner Evie by his side.

As his children say 'Tom is now bucking rank ones in the sky'. The family would now appreciate time to process their thoughts and will advise everyone of the arrangements for the celebration of Tom's life as soon as is possible. Tom was born in Brisbane on May 1,the first son of Tom and Joan McIvor.

He aquired his love of country music from his father who, Tom said, was a bit of a Tex Morton fanatic. From the age of 15, Tom was torn between his two great loves, rodeo and rugby league football.

InTom's career as a country music singer and songwriter began in earnest. He dipped his toe in the water at tallent quests around the country and was fortunate enough to win some of the bigger ones.

This gave him incentive for the future when he was no longer able to rodeo. At that time, his old riding mate Jim Stewart, who happened to be Secretary of the Australian Pro Rodeo Association, called him with the news that Chris Ledoux World Champion Bareback Rider and famed country music singer was after some original Australian rodeo songs.

Tom rose to the occasion and submitted two songs and with that his songwriting career was off to a flying start. Titled The Only Road You Know and Go Riding Young Cowboyboth were released on subsequent albums and were applauded by critics in the United States and Australia. As all of the songs on this album were written while Tom was still actively riding the rodeo circuit, they were highly relatable to other riders and rodeo fans alike.

Tom's name had become well-known by the early s with his song Half A Dozen Stubbiessponsored by Fourex Castlemaine, getting airplay on the radio.

Some of Tom's achievements included being awarded the Song Maker Awards, the Australian country music songwriters' hall of fame equivalent in Tamworth, and numerous accolades in successive Gidgee Coal Bish Ballad Awards.

During his country music career, Tom released 11 albums, including a double album inPride Of Australia and Gallipoli Sand. News is surfacing from Queensland that Gympie Muster staff have resigned in an apparent disconnect with the Muster Board.

Few details are known at this stage but we should know more after tomorrow afternoon's meeting of the Muster Board. View a Channel 7 News Video here. Tamworth's Northern Daily Leader reports today that its parent company Fairfax Media is to sell its country music assets to Tamworth Regional Council. The sale includes the Tamworth Country Music Festival Official Guide, website and smartphone app, the monthly Country Music Capital News magazine, the special events Festival FM radio licence and activities including Toyota Star Maker and the January Festival Coca-Cola Country promotion, together with their associated trademarks, internet addresses and Facebook pages.

The assets are currently part of the activities of one of Fairfax Rural Events which was previously known as Rural Press Events when it was part of the Rural Press group. Fairfax Rural Events' other main activity is running a number of the most successful field days in Australia including AgQuip at Gunnedah and FarmFest near Toowoomba. The sale is expected to be completed by July.

Council's General Manager Paul Bennett said the publications, websites, events and trademarks played an integral role in the success of the Tamworth Country Music Festival each year and the promotion of Tamworth as Country Music Capital.

The Leader reported that Council and Fairfax said they looked forward to working together to inform the community and develop the Tamworth Country Music Festival as it nears its 50th anniversary. Most of the subject assets of the sale to Council were originated by Radio 2TM or its marketing arm before being sold to Rural Press after the Broadcast Amalgamated Limited group sold its radio network in the s.

Details have been announced for Dianne Lindsay's Family Heritage celebration to be staged at the Nabiac Showground Hall NSW on Saturday and Sunday April 8 and 9. Dianne's parents Reg Lindsay and Heather McKean performed their first touring show at the Nabiac Hall so it will be a special celebratory event. The main concert is on Saturday night with stars including Charley Boyter, Caitlyn Jamieson, Keith Kamieson, Ken Lindsay, Sandra Lindsay, Peter Simpson, Alisha Smith and Dianne herself.

Sunday morning from 9: Funds raised from the weekend event go to support the Australian Country Music Foundation. Enquiries can be directed to or by visiting diannelindsay. Attendees are inited to "come along and experience again a country music show run in true traditional style". A delegation from America's Country Music Association CMA led by Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern pictured will visit Australia later this month to foster ties between the country music communities of Australia and the United States.

The CMA has visited Australia in an official capacity like this on several occasions. This visit follows the successful establishment of a sister city relationship between Australia and America's country music centres Tamworth and Nashville which between them host the two biggest country music festivals in the world. Country star Melinda Schneider and actor Tom Burlinson have joined together to create "Young At Heart", a show featuring the music of Doris Day and Frank Sinatra.

Both Melinda and Tom have been performing tribute shows to Doris and Frank for a while but this will be the first time the two have joined forces for a single show. The show will kick off in June and will include Melbourne on June 16, Sydney on June 18 and Brisbane on June Now in their 35th year, the Awards acknowledge and celebrate artistic excellence in contemporary music, honouring songwriters and publishers that have achieved outstanding success in their fields.

For Country Work of the Year, nominees are Burn Baby Burn by Kirsty Lee Akers and Trey Bruce recordd by Kirsty LeeCall Me Crazy by Travis Collins and Damien Leith recorded by TravisGreatest Companion by Aleyce Simmonds recorded by AleyceThe Truth Walks Slowly In the Countryside by Rob Hirst, Jay O'Shea and Mark O'Shea recorded by O'Shea with Rob Hirst and This Crazy Life by Phil Barton, Brodie Rainbird, Bruce Wallace, Nicholas Wolfe and Thomas Wolfe recorded by The wolfe Brothers.

Information on the voting and judging criteria for the APRA Music Awards can be found at apraamcos. A full listing of nominees can be found here Award winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held at the new International Convention Centre Grand Ballroom in Sydney on Monday April 3.

Pictured above clockwise from top left: Kirsty Lee, Travis, O'Shea, The Wolfe Brothers and Aleyce. John Edgar Minson, known as "Mr Hoedown", died yesterday in Coffs Harbour. John was one of the key visionaries who turned Tamworth into Country Music Capital in the early s and played a leading role in the establishment and growth of the Australian country music industry through into the s.

He steered his "Hoedown" program on Radio 2TM in Tamworth from a half hour weekly show to almost five hours every weeknight when he retired in John arrived in Tamworth with his wife Ann infirst working as a copywriter and announcer at 2TM and at sister station 2MO in Gunnedah. Though born in Waverley, NSW, and attending Sydney High School, he spent many of his holidays on a family property in the Brindabella Ranges near Canberra, soaking up all aspects of bush life.

On "Hoedown" John gave preference to Australian music, offering exposure to country artists who were battling to be heard. For many of them, that airplay became the key to success. Listeners too liked the fact that John, descibed as a superb communicator, always talked "with" them, not "at" them.

Byit was becoming apparent that country music offered big possibilities for 2TM and Tamworth, according to then Station Manager Max Ellis. InJohn was one of the group at 2TM, with Max, Warwick Higginbotham, Kevin Knapp and Eric Scott, who instigated the "Tamworth, Country Music Capital" promotion. On January 28,2TM launched the Australasian Country Music Awards and John played a major role in setting up and staging the event. For many years, he served on the judging panel and, until he left 2TM inhe did all the detailed preparation of the castings and wooden bases for the famous Golden Guitar trophies.

As the Awards was expanded into the Tamworth Festival, John was intimately involved in every aspect of the project, helping develop ideas like the Hands of Fame, the Roll of Renown and many other innovations. While promoting on radio, he also wrote for Capital News, the publication he helped found at 2TM in John and wife Ann were heavily involved with the amateur country music scene in Tamworth supporting the early Jamborees organised by what is now the Capital Country Music Association.

Both he and Ann are were honoured with life membership of that organisation. A keen musician, John played his harmonica on many recording sessions including some for Slim Dusty. A number of his songs were recorded, such as the one by Buddy Williams The Mighty Moonbi Range. John designed and built his custom JEM pedal steel guitar and was involved in the Steel Guitar Convention in Tamworth. Inhe helped instigate the Harmonica Championships held during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

InJohn was presented with the Country Music Capital Award for services to the industry. Inhe was elevated to the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown. And inhe received a Medal of the Order of Australia AM for services to the music industry. For more than 30 years, John Minson played a vital role in helping to establish country music as a legitimate and important part of Australia's heritage. John's enormous enthusiasm, his tireless commitment, his encyclopaedic knowledge, his multitude of skills and his genuine interest in, and love of, his fellows, played a vital part in establishing both Tamworth as Country Music Capital and the Australian country music industry.

He was loved and respected by all who knew him. Comfortable with stars and country music fans, John had a wonderful way of reaching out and showing genuine interest and compassion for anyone he came across.

Retiring from 2TM inhe and Ann moved to Coffs Harbour in where he took up building model aircraft. Although out of active country music activity for more than 25 years, John Minson is remembered and honoured by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife Ann, sons Lawrie and wife Shelley and James and daughter Kathleen and her partner Tony and daughters Jess and Nikki.

Details announced today for John's farewell Reception to follow at West Tamworth League Club at 12 midday. Finalists have been announced for the CMC Country Music Channel Awards. For Australian Artist of the Year Adam Brand, Travis Collins, Lee Kernaghan, Amber Lawrence and O'Shea. For Australian Male Artist of the Year Adam Brand, Troy Cassar-Daley, Travis Collins, Troy Kemp and Lee Kernaghan.

For Australian Female Artist of the Year Chelsea Basham, Kasey Chambers, Amber Lawrence, Jasmine Rae and Caitlyn Shadbolt. For New Australian Artist of the Year Fanny Lumsden, Imogen Clark, Missy Lancaster, Jason Owen and The Weeping Willows.

For Group or Duo of the Year For Australian Video of the Year Call Me Crazy by Travis Collins, House by The McClymonts, One Of These Days by Chelsea Basham, This Crazy Life by The Wolfe Brothers and The Truth Walks Slowly by O'Shea.

For International Video of the Year Heartbeat by Carrie Underwood, Humble And Kind by Tim McGraw, H. In addition to the voted awards, Lee Kernaghan will be honoured with CMC's Hall of Fame award and recognition will be provided for Adam Brand as "the highest selling Australian artist" for his album Adam Brand and The Outlaws and Keith Urban will be recognised for "the highest selling international album" of the year with Ripcord. The Recording Academy, presenters of the Grammy Awards, will recognise Keith Urban for contributions to the music community and dedication to music education in Washington next month.

The four-time Grammy winner will receive the Academy's Recording Artists' Coalition Award at the annual Grammys On The Hill Awards in Washington on Wednesday, April 5. Billed as "uniting the worlds of music and politics, Grammys On The Hill also recognises American legislators who have improved the environment for music by advocating for music creators' rights. Previously honored legislators include former US Vice President Joe Biden, Senators Hillary Clinton, Orrin Hatch, Ted Kennedy and John McCain and House Leaders Kevin McCarthy and Nancy Pelosi.

The following day, April 6, The Recording Academy will host the music community's largest annual Washington gathering, Grammys On The Hill Advocacy Day, which sees hundreds of music professionals from across America visiting lawmakers to discuss important issues facing today's music creators.

Tex Morton is back on the small screen, as the subject of New Zealand television series, Kiwi Country. A television crew from New Zealand was in Tamworth during this year's country music festival filming a documentary about Tex. New Zealand artist Aly Cook travelled to the festival to perform, and brought along the crew for a new television series she is hosting, called Kiwi Country, which will start screening in New Zealand in May.

While researching Tex's life, she found parallels with her own life. Initially his style was similar to hillbilly music that was being recorded in America, but he was the first artist to perform bush ballads when he introduced uniquely Australian content into his lyrics.

Both Aly and Tex are currently featured in the country section of an exhibition called Volume at Auckland Museum covering the history of New Zealand music. However, Aly said, there is little acknowledgement in his hometown by comparison. To celebrate the recent number one ARIA chart debut of her 11th studio album DragonflyKasey Chambers has announced the first dates of her Dragonfly Tour.

The Dragonfly Tour will kick off in April and see Kasey and her band take in capital cities and regional towns stretching from Tasmania across to Western Australia and Victoria, with more dates to be announced throughout the year.

Saturday, February 25, will see the posthumous launch of Hugh McDonald's last CD release, Bush Shenanigans. Well known songwriter and musician Hugh died in November of complications from prostate cander. All profits from this special event go to Peter Mac, the Melbourne cancer centre. It comprises a collection of classic bush tunes originally recorded for European release in by Hugh and some of his mates, all of whom are playing at the launch event.

Artists will include Peter Anderson, the Davidson Brothers, James Clark, Sam Lemann and Kath McDonald. Gates open at 6pm, live music 7pmpm. More information and tickets can be obtained from James Clark on 03 or email clarkaudio gmail. Hugh's many songs include the now country classic Diamantina Drover that has been recorded by more than 40 artists including Lee Kernaghan, Redgum and John Williamson.

Winners in the Stan Coster Memorial Bush Ballad Awards were announced during the Bungendore Country Muster at the weekend.

Virginia Coad also won the Songwriter award for the same track. Marcia Wells, from Wauchope, NSW, has been presented with the Peel Valley Lions Club Community Charity Award for her dedication and commitment to many organisations, charities and country music.

The Lions Club has been presenting this award every year since during the internationally renowned Tamworth Country Music Festival to someone who has made a significant contribution to their community by way of fundraising, helping others and through a connection with Australian country music. Day 10 of the Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth rounds out with the Last Roundup tonight in Bicentennial Park. It's like a winner's concert really, with Toyota Star Maker Raechel Fahim pictured heading the bill as well as the winners of male and female vocal People's Choice Awards, the Busking Championship, Battle of the Bands, Battle of the Youngstars, Capital Country Music Association National Talent Quest and more.

But it was Troy Cassar-Daley's night! Even though he "only" took home Album of the Year, he was totally surprised when industry stalwarts Max Ellis and Joy McKean announced his elevation — to a standing ovation — to the Country Music Roll of Renown. Travis was the most prolific last night winning three Golden Guitars, for Male Artist of the Year, for Song of the Year Call me Crazy co-written with Damien Leith and Single of the Year for Just Another Girl.

Sara Storer was a big winner as well with two gongs Female Artist of the Year and Bush Ballad of the Year for Amazing Night. See below for the full listing. Album of the Year — Troy Cassar-Daley with Things I Carry Around produced by Troy. Bush Ballad of the Year — Amazing Night written and recorded by Sara Storer. Video Clip of the Year — The Truth Walks Slowly In The Countryside by O'Shea directed by Mark O'Shea. Keith Urban was acknowledged as winner of the Top Selling Album in Australia in for Ripcord.

The Golden Guitar Awards Country Music Awards of Australia are organised by the Country Music Association of Australia, staged by Tamworth Regional Council and sponsored by Toyota Australia. Tim started busking when he was seven and now travels the world busking all over. Hundreds of buskers tale part in the championship now every year hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole and Keith Urban who all started at Tamworth by busking on Peel Street.

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Festival Manager Barry Harley said: A "popular choice" winner was Goldhiest with Western Australia's Kimberly Gold, performing in Tamworth for first time in Tamworth, were voted second. As winner of the Toyota Busking Championship Tim takes home some great prizes, including the opportunity to appear on the Tamworth Country Music Festival Official Opening Concert.

Other finalists in the Championship were Goldheist, Grand Whistle Dixie, The Mason Boys, Molly Millington, Rory Phillips, Smoke Hazard and Vevyla. Kathryn Luxford, Blake O'Connor and Brooke Thompson are Tamworth Country Music Festival's "official" young stars after winning the Battle of the YoungStars talent quest today. Staged in the famous Tamworth Town Hall over the last few days, the quest was descibed by organisers as a "spectacular success" drawing "huge crowds daily".

Brooke pictured far right who is from Tamworth and says she only started singing last year with local teacher Sally-Anne Whitten, won the junior section for nine years and under. She said she hopes to pursue music as a career. Kathryn leftwho is 13 years old and from Glen Innes, won the intermediate section for 10 to 13 years. Kathryn has been succesful in many talent quests and performed at several festivals around Australia. Last year, she released her first CD, an EP of original songs influenced by her favourite artist, Taylor Swift.

Port Macquarie based Blake pictured, centre won the senior section for 14 to 17 year olds. He is a singer, songwriter and guitarist and regularly performs on the NSW Mid North Coast, Inverell, the Hawkesbury and Sydney areas. He was accepted into X Factor in which led him to the Top More recently he has performed with Brooke McClymont from The McClymonts, Adam Eckersley and Shannon Noll.

The Grand Final was staged today in the famous Tamworth Town Hall where winners tax lien certificates make money announced before an enthusiastic full house audience.

Seventeen-year-old Analisa teknikal di forex Pfeiffer from Walkerville SAhas been performing since the age of five sharing the stage with her inspirations Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers, Adam Harvey and Lee Kernaghan, was annoucned as the junior winner playing banjo. Montz Matsumotofrom Cygnet Tasalso playing banjo, was named the senior winner.

Montz joined legendary Japanese folk band The Natashar Seven in and later toured Japan with Peter Rowan in From a competitive field of finalists in each section, the Battle of the Bluegrass "showcased the power and passion in Australian bluegrass performance," according to organisers. It's the 17th staging of the popular band talent search while Coca-Cola is celebrating 39 years of direct sponsorship involvement with the Festival this year.

Second place in the grand final of the "Battle" which was staged today in the Tamworth Town Hall was the Rachel Summerell Duo from Kariong NSW while third place went to Tru Country Band from Kersbrook SA.

They were judged winners, respectvely, of the non-commercoal and commercial sections of the parade. The University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health won second place in non-commercial with Multicultural Tamworth in third place. Tamworth City Dance Academy, a perennial winner, was judged second in the commercial section with Mayberry Harvesting third.

Perennial winners Brothers3 and Dale Duncan pictured featured strongly with two awards each what the the acronym plc stand for stock market other favourites were recognised as well as some newcomers.

The people voted Dianne Lindsay as winner of Best Female Vocal while another long-term winner, Graham Rodger, took out B est Album with Territory Man. Most Promising Future Star went to rising star Jade Holland and Best Video Clip was taken out by newly solo singer, songwriter and recording artist Troy Kemp formerly of the long-term star duo McAlister Kemp with his clip of A Little More Country.

The award for Best Vocal or Music Event went to Australian pioneer instrumentalist Lindsay Butler and associate musician Peggy Gilchrist for their recording of Gospel Road. In the broadcast awards, Jane Kellaway of 2MCR FM Sydney was again voted Most How does a scrap yard make money Country Music DJ and the duo Big Stu and MJ, who run the Planet Country program on Alive The fun continues today in Country Music Capital with hundreds of events and activities on the program, especially as the day is also Australia Day.

Australia Day celebrations throughout the day but espcially this evening in Bicenttenial Park And the 17th Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards in the Northwest Church Auditorium from 7. Several honours of note from this year's Australia Day honours and country music.

Two big ones are Jimmy Barnes and Paul Kelly, though certainly nor country acts as such, both have had a lot to do with the industry over the years, especially Paul. Solid volunteer work on a local level has been recognised with OAMs Order of Australia Medals to Roger Adams from Wauchope, NSW, for service to the community through a range of fundraising activities, including as a volunteer for the Hastings Valley Country Music Association.

And to Victoria's Susan Marstaeller, for service to local government and to the community of the Mitchell Shire, including a stint as treasuruer for the Wandong Country Music Festival Committee. The Gold Medallion Media Award winners announced yesterday are Ashley Cook pictured was named National Male Artist of the Year while Shaza Leigh pictured took out National Female Artist of the Year. Male Forexpros agenda economica of the Year Female Vocalists of the Year Bush Balladeers of the Year Musicians of the Year A gala presentation function saw a raft of excited winners at Tamworth Songwriters' Associaion's Awards night last night.

The song also took out Contemporary Country Ballad of the Year. Gospel Song of the Year went to Walk With Me by Dianne Coombes. The Association's Tex Morton Award was presented jquery create dynamic select options Johnny Greenwood pictured and Tony Brooks was named as the Songmaker.

Bridie Middleton won the Youth Songwriting section the John P Toomey Commemorative Award with This Is Me and Merv Webster took forex false breakout trading the prize in the Lyrics Only section with When The Thirty Three Came Home.

TSA and TSA members are appearing in dedicated songwriting events and activities throughout this year's Tamworth Country Music Festival, as usual. Details can be found on the TSA website or in the Official Festival Guide. A special tribute concert to the late great songwriting legend Stan Coster will be staged tonight at the Manilla Bowling Club at 7. The show will star Cody Bracken, Tracy Coster, Dean Perrett, Fibber Parker, Chris Pritchard and Trevour Tolten with backing band featuring Steve Newton on lead guitar, Geoff Clapson on bass and Graeme Jackson on drums.

Kalesti Butler will release a new album — Airborne — during this year's Tamworth Country Music Festival. These life-long experiences are where Kalesti draws from to create her brand of country music, reflected in her new album. While most will know the Academy Of Country Music graduate for her bush ballads and traditional sound, over recent years Kalesti has wanted to explore the wider musical genre.

Airborne has 11 tracks. The Top 10 Toyota Star Maker finalist says she finds lyrical inspiration in almost anything. For example, the album track, Pump was written by Kalesti and mum during lunch at the Mildura Country Musical Festival in Mum and daughter were discussing song titles, concepts and ideas as they regularly do, when Kalesti spotted an old fuel bowser. The title was born and the ladies created a heroine jillaroo whose job it is to check the water pumps around the property.

The song sings about the funny things forex trader story play on her mind that buying stocks with put options may or may not see.

Kalesti attended the DAG Sheep Station Singers Songwriters Retreat where she wrote Ride Cowboy with Felicity Urquhart. This track was inspired by her dad who had cancer and was quite ill at the time. Sadly he passed away while Kalesti was on her way to the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

Kalesti has been working on the land and singing about it for as long as she can remember. At just three years of age, she made her stage debut at the Charters Towers Country Music Festival and by nine she was crowned the Queensland Champion of Champions.

Accolades have since presented themselves many times over including the Australian Bush Balladeer Star Quest in Tamworth, New Talent trophy at the Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards in Pittsworth, New Talent at the Stan Coster Memorial Australian Bush Ballad Awards at the Bungendore Country Music Muster and winning the APRA Tamworth Songwriters Association New Songwriter Award.

Airborne will who better binary options launched at the South Tamworth Bowling Club Outback Stage, this Friday January 27 at 10am — a free show.

Sky News personality Paul Murray is in the north today and tomorrow.

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Paul will broadcast his live television show from the the Manilla Post Office tonight from 9 before moving to Tamworth on Australia Day. His visit follows a successful election broadcast in the Country Music Capital last year. Registrations are open for audience members for both shows via audience skynews. The story broke last night that Tamworth was to be the recipent of a "giant" Big Mac. To complement the big Golden Guitar? No-one is sure exacty where just yet although Waler Park has been mentioned wherever that is.

Tamworth's half-tonne 12 metre high big Golden Guitar already attracts visitors from all over the world. It isn't sure at this stage if the big Big Mac will do the same, or even if it's going to stay here. And in case you're wondering, the big Big Mac is not an inflatable gimmick. Constructed ib Sydney, it weighs kilograms and has been sculpted from polystyrene, sealed with resin, and painted to look just like a burger.

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It will be more chadstone trading hours on anzac day 2013 two and a half metres high, mounted on a five-metre tower.

To put it in perspective, the sesame seeds on the bun are the size of your palm. Tamworth Mayor Col Murray said: But on a more serious note: According to the Mayor, Tamworth is "probably dolla sign shake your money maker 32 epitome of Australiana".

For Gospel Song of the Year For Traditional Bush Ballad of the Neopets earn money the Bev Daniel Commemorative Award For Anzac Forex trading weekend gaps of the Year For Contemporary Ballad of the Year Dividend stocks paid stockmarket Contemporary Song of the Year Finalists for TSA Songmaker recognition are Tony Brooks, Greg Champion, Barry Forester, Iann Quinn and Graham Rodger.

Winners will also be announced in the National Country Songwriting Contest as will the Tex Morton "significant contribution" award. Winners of Gold Medallion Media Awards will forex trading vince stanzione announced at an industry luncheon this Wednesday in Tamworth.

Awards are presented in three groupings, National, Queensland, Asking for stock options in a startup and South Central West. In the National grouping, Male and Female Artists of the Year on Radio will be announced from state and territory winners.

Finalists for New Talent of the Year are Alice Benfer, Fletcher Morley and Ben Ransom. For Collaboration of the Year In the Queensland grouping, finalists for Male Artist of the Year are Casey Barnes, Graeme Connors and Justin Standley.

For Female Vocalist of the Year Laura Downing picturedShaza Leigh and Becci Netherey. For Musician of the Year Peggy Gilchrist, Alisha Smith and Lindsay Waddington. In the NSW grouping, finalists for Male Artist of the Year are Roo Arcus picturedArthur Blanch and Allan Caswell. Rachel Jillett, Dianne Lindsay and Rachel Summerell.

In the South Central West grouping, finalists for Male Artist of the Year are Billy Bridge, John Lecner and John O'Dea. For Female Artist of the Year Connie Kis Anderson, Lynette Guest and Marie Hodson. Ginger Cox, Stui French pictured, top right and Hank Koopman. The Gold Medallion Media Awards are an Australian awards system for Professional Australian country music artists judged by Australian radio announcers.

Further information can be obtained from Awards Co-Ordinator Sarah Watson on Golden Fiddle — update! Meanwhile, the Golden Fiddle Awards will not be announced on Wednesday morning. Fiddle legend Pixie Jenkins will compere the event. Leading multi-instrumentalist Andrew Clermont will be Musical Director.

Rachael wins Star Maker. Sydney born Rachael was judged the winner last night in Tamworth from a strong field of grand final contenders. Rachael has been working steadlly to win her way Into the hearts of audience and industry alike, one gig at a time.

Growing up on the outskirts of the NSW capital, Rachael fell In love with country music and began entering talent quests, rapidly gaining the name of "the country glrl from the city" which she didn't mind how to get money on nintendogs best friends llttle blt. During school, Rachael says, llke many young women, she was bullled and turned to songwriting, "finding an outlet in story songs with catchy riffs, and fun, quirky thoughts".

Rachael has toured Australia's east coast and performed at some of the biggest festivals In the country including Tamworth, the Sydney Country Music Festival and North Queensland Freedom Festival. At the "MO" Awards, she won the Johnny O'Keefe Encouragement Award.

She was a finalist in Star Maker and supported Daryl Braithwaite on several shows of his tour in that year. Rachael released her debut single, Say Itwhich shot to number one on the iTunes charts and was in Country Music Channel's Top 30 for several weeks.

Rachael, the 38th Star Maker, is pictured receiving her winner's plaque from Toyota's Wayne Gabriel. The major event on today's program is Toyota Star Maker which runs in Bicentennial Park or Toyota Park as it has been dubbed for the Festival. Battling it out on stage are Brook Chivell from Labrador, QldMeg Doherty Pakenham VicRachael Fahim Cherrybrook, NSWCassidy Rae Gaiter Flagstaff Hill, SAAngus Gill Wauchope, NSWJade Holland Balgal Beach, QldLiam Kennedy-Clark Sippy Downs, QldMichelle Plozza Kingston, QldMegan Sidwell Melbourne, Vic and Andrew Swift Berwick, Vic.

Star Maker is the most significant talent search of the Tamworth Country Music Festival but there are many more industry aspirants can get involved in. Next on a list of importance, in some ways more significant, is the Capital Country Music Association CCMA National Talent Quest which runs aol stock options Thursday and Friday of the main Festival week.

The CCMA will stage its 51st event this year which pundits say is a record in longevity for Australia, possibly the world. It was running before the Tamworth Festival proper was even a gleam in the eye of its creators. Indeed, the CCMA talent quest 3x etf option strategies part of the catalyst for the Festival which started in January It has provided an entry point for hundreds of artists, muicians and songwriters, including the likes of Allan Caswell, Lee Kernaghan, Keith Urban and Felicity Urquhart.

Entry for this year's event is still open and can be done via the website www.

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West Tamworth League Club runs two major talent quests, the Aristrocrat Entertainer of the Year which kicks off today and Mt Franklin Junior Talent Quest which starts Tuesday. Country Music Capital News runs three separate how to get stardollars on stardoll for free quests as part of their activity in the Tamworth Town Hall.

The Battle of the Youngstars anz bank foreign currency exchange rates off today at 10am, Battle of the Bluegrass gets underway at 1: Information can be obtained from personnel at the Town Hall. A number of bush poetry competitions are held during the festival and there are bound to be others, either planned or ad hoc, at other venues.

The Australian Country Music Foundation announced four inductees to the Country Music Hands of Fame yesterday. They are Broome based guitar player Ginger Cox known as "the Kimberley Guitar Man"award-winning instrumental duo the Davidson BrothersVictorian singer and recording artist Gary Ellis and country star Amber Lawrence.

Imprinting of this year's inductees will take place at the Hands of Fame Cornerstone on the corner of Bridge Street and Kable Avenue this coming Saturday morning at West Australia's Brendon T Moylan and Victorian Pre market trading hours etrade Forbes are two inductees into the Australian Country Music Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

The announcement was made yesterday by the Australian Country Music Foundation at the Hall of Fame in Tamworth. Brendon is best known for his long-running program "Born In Boots" on Curtin FM Artists announced for People's Choice Awards.

Attendees at the Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards in Tamworth on Australia Day will be treated to performances by a big line-up of established and rising stars in country music. The Awards take place at the Northwest Church Auditorium at the corner of Anne and Kathleen Streets in Tamworth next to the new Coles Southgate Shopping Centre from 7pm Thursday, January Awards will be presented in 11 categories Best Female and Male Vocal, Best Group or Duo, Best Song, Best Bush Ballad, Best Album, Best Video Clip, Best Musical or Vocal Event and Most Promising Future Star Most Popular Country Music DJ and Most Popular Country Music Radio Station or Program.

Tickets for the Awards — the 17th annual event — can be bought online via a link on the front page of the Awards website www. Tamworth Day Two has plenty to offer visitors to Tamworth and locals alike with a mix of the tried and true plus a few new events. From the Red Cross Hall's Big Breaky Show in Kable Avenue at 7: Following are just a few of the events listed at specific times during the day Line Dancing activity continues at Tamworth High School at 8 with the Australian Championships while bush poetry performances conitnue at venues including The Longyard Hotel with Neil McArthur picturedalso at 8.

Writers In The Round take over the Services Club in Marius Street from 9, as do buskers in Peel Street the "Boulevarde of Dreams" and continuing all day. Coca Cola Country kicks off in the Tamworth Town Hall at 10 and at 11 there is a Friends Of The Codes to unlock clothes on club penguin Showcase at Nundle's The Dag Sheep Station.

An extensive program organised by the Tamworth Songwriters' Association at various venues gets underway at Southgate Inn at A tribute to the delta hedging with call options Karl Broadie — "Leave A Light On" — will run at The Pub on the Gunnedah Road at 7.

Major events tonight include the Tamworth Family Support Service Family Concert in Bicentennial Park from 6 forex trade for living artists including Tori Forsyth, Jeannie, Amber Lawrence, Brendan Nawrocki, Aleyce Simmonds pictured and Scotty Thallon.

Our Kinda Country in the Tamworth Town Hall see story below gets underway at 7, Brian Letton performs at the Kootingal Bowling Club from 8 and Adam Harvey stars at Wests at 8: The first event of its kind to debut at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in the world class AELEC arena is CowboyUp which promises to entertain, with "an adrenaline charged exhibition of premier rodeo sports, country music, ute shows and western equine sports".

Featuring a one and a half hour benefit concert in aid of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service, CowboyUp is described as an event "with something ratings canadian stock brokers online everyone". Utes will travel from near and far to participate in a "good old Australian ute show" at the same time the National Finals for the new and popular sport of Ranch Sorting will crown its Champions.

A Salute to Australian Country Music" will feature some of Australia's "most patriotic artists" at the Tamworth Town Hall tonight. Jodie Crosby will host the event. It's day one for the annual bash in Australia's Country Music Capital, Tamworth. And as we reported yesterday, the program expands dramatically following a solid seven day festival countdown period that kicked off last Friday.

Last night, the unofficial curtain-raiser to the day festival — the Australian Academy of Country Music Graduation Concert — pulled a good crowd at the city's West Tamworth League Club. Today's official program lists almost individual events or activities A number of "downtown" stages kick off today, including the Toyota Fanzone stage in Fitzroy Street next to the Post Office from 9am with the first of dozens of Toyota Hat promotion events kicking off at 10am. Adam Harvey and Felicity Urquhart pictured will host the event which will be staged in Country Coles anzac day opening hours cairns Capital Saturday night Silver bullion or stocks New Talent contenders Fanny Lumsden, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Justin Standley, Michael Waugh and The Weepiong Willows will also appear.

The three songbirds were key members of the touring band for the late rock star, who died suddenly last year. Since Jon's untimely passing, many continue to mourn and miss the man and his music. And not least of all feeling the loss are his regular band mates.

He had been planning a national theatre tour throughoutcelebrating great Australian rock music, including his own important contributions. Tickets were on sale and the band was in rehearsal. However, the tour was never to be. Bereft but not defeated, the female element of his touring entourage have banded together over their love of Jon and his music, to bring to the stage earn money from internet by typing special once-only show.

Vee is no stranger to Tamworth, having grown up in the Country Music Capital and returning most years for the festival. An accomplished fiddle player, she has also toured with the likes of Kasey Chambers, Sara Storer and Shane Nicholson. I miss him more than I can say. I lived, worked and travelled with Jon a lot over the past eight years. He was like family. Leaney has worked as a professional singer for more than 20 years and is also an experienced promoter and event coordinator.

There may even be a few surprise guests. Tickets also available by ringing 02. The Toyota Fanzone experience at Tamworth is a free activity "jam packed full of seriously good talent every single day," according to organises, bringing country music to the heart of the city and offering visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with their artists. Fanzone is located in the Post Office building at the corner of Peel and Fitzroy Streets, and is also the home of Festival FM and "the legendary Toyota Hat promotion" and where visitors can take a break from the hustle of Peel Street in the "excitingly new "chill out area" right in front of the Fanzone stage.

It's the last day of the Countdown to the Tamworth Country Music Festival today with plenty of activity and entertainment throughout the day and night to keep pre-festival-goers happy.

The program includes Gavin Chateleir in Peel Street outside Adairs from 10; Norma O'Hara Murphy in the St Andrews Room at Tamworth City Uniting Church, also from 10 and again at 2; Two Gals at Wests from hong kong stock exchange holidays Fibbers Ave A Go Show at the South Tamworth Bowlo from 1; Jonny Taylor at Wests Diggers from 2; Kiara Rodrigues at Wests, also from 2; Hayley Jensen at Wests Diggers from 5; Seleen McAlister at Wests, also from 5;the "opening night" show at South Tamworth Bowlo from 6 with Darren Carr, Sandra Humphries, Dan Murphy, Alby Pool and Anthony Taylor; Trevor Coombes at The Oasis Hotel from 6; the Australian Line Dance Championships Welcome Social at Tamworth High School from 7; Bolton Crook at The Post Office Hotel from 7; Errol Gray at Austin Tourist Park at 7; Tom Maxwell victoria day stock market The Oasis from 7; Michael Bryers at Tamworth Services Club from 7: The Pop-Up Information Centre opens at Festival HQ Tamworth Regional Council bulding in Peel Street at forex com platform reviews ratings Two major events on today's program are the Academy of Country Music Graduates Concert at Wests from 7: This will be the last daily program we will feature avis broker hotforex this website as things go crazy from tomorrow with dozens of events and activities.

All in all, some artists and musicians will play this year's festival in card packing jobs from home leeds than separate "gigs". The two ways visitors can best find their way around Tamworth most effectively are the Official Festival Guide, available from numerous locations around town and the Official Festival App menu page pictured above which can be downloaded from the App Store.

The activity starts to gather pace the closer we get to the official start of Tamworth Country Music Festival The first Pop-Up Information Centre opens at Festival HQ Tamworth Regional Council bulding in Peel Street today at 8: There's even a harness race meeting in the evening with a host of events recognising The Pub Group's contributin to Tamworth and country music, including the inaugural Bevan Douglas Pace, The Pub Pace, The Longyard Hotel Pace, Southgate Inn Pace and The Pub Group Gold Nugget.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, finalists have been announced for the West Australia Country Music Awards. Winners in the Awards, presented by LiveLighter, will be announced on Friday February 17 should i buy lockheed martin stock the 32nd Boyup Brook Country Music Festival which runs from Thursday February 16 to Sunday the 19th.

For Music Group of the Year For Independent Single of the Year Barricade by Emily Joy, Keep On by Karin Page and Kill Him by Sharmain Kendrick. For Independent EP of the Year Emily Joy by Emily Joy, I Believe in You by Jonny Taylor and Wayward Heart by Helen Townsend. For Independent Album of the Year The Girl I Am by Kate Linke, Rolling This Old Way by Di Harris and Salt Of The Earth by Terry Bennetts. For Video Clip of the Year For Open Songwriter of the Year The countdown to the Tamworth Country Music Festival continues today with another solid day of entertainment.

The Australian Country Music Hall of FameTamworth Visitor Information Centre and Big Golden Guitar all open every day of the Festival and Festival Countdown at 9am. Three days out from the release of her highly anticipated album Dragonfly this Friday, Kasey Chambers has announced two special appearances.

To coincide with the release, Kasey will appear on Friday in Brisbane at the Queen Street Mall and in Tamworth on Wednesday January The country star will perform tracks from the new album and sign copies at the Brisbane store before heading to Tamworth where she will sign copies of the new album at Tamworth Shoppingworld.

Kasey was in Tamworth last week to meet students at the Australian Academy of Country Music. The countdown to the start of this year's Tamworth Country Music Festival is well and truly on with just four days to go now to the annual event that is reputed to double the region's population of 50, for 10 big days of music.

Already, the weekend featured dozens of artists and musicians at local pubs and clubs and the Balladeers Westpac Rescue Service fundraiser at Kootingal. Today's program includes Allison Forbes at Wests Diggers from 4: The Australian Country Music Hall of FameTamworth Visitor Information Centre and Big Golden Guitar all open stock brokerage firms chicago 9am. Ashleigh Dallas has debuted this week as the number two top selling Australian country album with her latest release Lighthouse.

The album was launched at a jam packed function in her hometown of Tamworth earlier this month. Keith Urban retains his strangelhold on the top spot with his latest outing Ripcord while John Williamson's His Favourite Collection is up to number three.

Slim Dusty's perrenial best seller The Very Best Of sits at number four on the Aussie chart which how stocks are trading on the stock market philippines compiled by Korean currency rate pakistan rupees Bulletin from the all nations chart.

Keith Urban holds five and six with his "best of" compilations, respectively, Greatest Hits: Troy Cassar-Daley's Things I Carry Around is at number eight while two re-entries this week round out the top Lee Kernaghan's "best best forex system reviews Ultimate Hits and John Williamson's A Hell Of A Career! Colin Buchanan has announced the release of a new album, Calvaryset for March.

Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal more money ielts single from the album — Outside The Camp — was released to radio today. Inwhile he was on the road, Colin was invited by Lee Kernaghan to co-write a song with him about a ute.

Colin will pre-launch the album in Tamworth with a stock market nike inc on Wednesday January 25 at 7: Songwriter Hayley Wilson will release her album Further Than Forever on Friday February The first single from the album — Somnus — was released to radio today and iTunes.

Further Than Forever was produced by the late Karl Broadie who mentored Hayley right up until his untimely passing in April. Accomplished producer Glen Hannah saw the album through to completion. It started out as an acoustic track but turned into one of the darkest songs on the whole album and it quickly became one of my favorites. I was able to capture the previous few months of my life in the mood and lyrics of Stock market linkages emerging markets. Hayley describes her journey to hijack profitable forex trends release of her debut album as "a long and winding road".

The genesis of the album can be traced back to guitar lessons from her brother at age The Mt Isa native would dedicate the following years to mastering her voice, guitar and piano. Karl has taught me to trust in myself, trust in my own unique songwriting process and that quality is better than quantity when it comes to writing songs that open up your heart and make people feel something.

It doesn't start officially until Friday January 20, but you could be forgiven for thinking the Tamworth Country Music Festival was already underway. Campers and caravanners began arriving before Christmas and the trickle has become a stream this last week as hundreds more arrived to make Country Music Capital their home for the rest of the month.

So many, in fact, Tamworth Regional Council decided to officially open the Riverside camping area today, a full week before usual. Walking the main drag of the city — Peel Street or the Boulevarde of Dreams as it will become during the Festival — it's easy to tell there are many hundreds of visitors in town early for the annual country music bash. And they are not disappointed as all of the city's regular biggest emerging market stocks have plenty of entertainment cuemix fx software mac keep them busy while they settle in for the long haul.

Tonight, for example, Jared Scott plays at The Longyard who makes more money lpn or rn 7, Sally-Anne Whitten pictured has her regular Muso's Calculate workdays between two dates in oracle scheduled for The Albert Hotel from 9: Marie Hodson pictured plays at Tamworth's Cattleman's Steakhouse on the Sydney Road from 7: Saturday night, the entertainment kicks off at The Oasis Hotel on the Armidale Road from 6 while Wests has Marie Hodson and The Cartwheels at 8: Among some of the very special events that take place in Tamworth every January is the annual Balladeers Fundraiser.

It's always held the Sunday before the first official Sunday of the Festival which means this year it's this Sunday, January 15, from 10am. Stars of the show this year, which raises money for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, include Big Al, Tracy Coster, Lynnete Guest, Tom Maxwell and Patti Morgan. Compere is Graham Doubleday. A courtesy coach to the venue leaves from the Country Music Hall of Fame next to Hungry Jacks at 9am, picking up kursy walut forex onet the Caltex Service Station on the Armidale Road and Matildas at Nemingha.

Two years ago Jim Haynes celebrated a quarter of a century of Morning Shows at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. This January, the veteran entertainer, songwriter and author will call "time please" after his 32nd consecutive time at the event. The festival was only just starting to grow into a week-long event and three of us came to town a few days early. Rod Laing binary options strategy signals providers us having a drink at Notowania forex chf/pln and gave us a gig later that afternoon.

The festival was growing rapidly and thousands of people needed breakfast and entertainment. Soon, morning shows sample stock market portfolio springing cara main forex bagi pemula all around the Festival.

The show later moved to Wests Diggers in a theatre-style format. Jim says the decision to pull up stumps was a hard one, but the festival has changed over the years and so has he. After 15 years as a board member of the Country Music Association of Australia CMAAand many years' association with the Academy of Country Music, the veteran was given CMAA Life Membership in and honoured with an Order of Australia Medal in for services to the arts as a performer, author, broadcaster and historian.

Forex training courses london the festival has changed with the times and it's time to move on. But change is what happens in life.

It's been a wonderful journey and the gold suit will still be worn in my club shows, hopefully at the festival too, but it's the end of the Morning Variety Shows. Special memories for Jim include The Sunny Cowgirls' first festival, when they drove across the Nullarbor and Jim arranged with Repco to have their utes repaired and serviced for free — "and John Williamson entering through the 'outdoor dunny' stage entrance with his pants half undone and toilet paper trailing!

So, it will all end with two 11am shows, on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th of January at Wests Diggers — with regulars Darren Carr, "Rustling" Russell and Katelyn O'Donoghue, and some special past guests dropping in to surprise the audience. Tickets for Jim's final Tamworth Festival Morning Shows can be obtained via wtlc.

Jim goes into the Hands of Fame with Keith Urban in Jim with Dianna Corcoran and Amber Lawrence on the Golden Guitars red carpet in On the with Hurricane Fall this year is popular Star Maker Grand Finalist and Queensland "Queen of Rock Edge Country" Jade Holland above, centre. The "Ambassador for Townsville", Jade has hdfc forex plus multi currency card login all over the world, including for our troops overseas, and will appear with her band for the successful forex hedge strategy that makes money time.

Amy Vee above right will kick the show off with her own style of music. Her latest single, 10 Years Agoclimbed to the Triple J Top Amy is also known for her acting skills, her last show seeing her play Evita in the Newcastle production of the famous show. Also performing for the first time will be bluegrass band Whistle Dixie, described as a "must see act that creates a lively range of songs that will have you tapping your toes and singing along. Host of the event is well known entertainer Mike Vee who says: Gates open at 11 for the event on Sunday February 19 at Caves Beach just kursy walut online forex money of Newcastle, NSW.

Country at Caves Facebook. We take the opportunity to update quantum computing stock market story on the Senior Course in the Australian Academy of Country Music.

Full list of top selling Aussie albums. ARIA — the Australian Recording Industry Association — has released a more detailed listing of top selling Australian country albums from last year. As per our story rbi daily foreign exchange rates, Keith Urban's Ripcord came in at number one.

The Ultimate Collection at five. The Very Best Of Slim Dusty was at six, Keith Urban's The Story So Far at seven and The Golden Guitars Winners at eight. Keith featured again at nine with Greatest Hits: Adam Harvey's Harvey's Bar The Backyard Sessions was next at number 12 with Brothers3's Brothers Never Part at The compilation album Hit Country was at 14 followed by The Wolfe Brothers' This Crazy Life graphics in binary options charts The Sunny Cowgirls' Here We Go placed at 16 and John Williamson's A Hell Of A Career was at Troy Cassar-Daley's Freedom Ride was at 21, Keith Urban featured yet again at 22 with Fuse and Travis Collins' Hard Light was at A Celebration Of Australia placed 27th while Lee Kernaghan held down 28 and 29 with Beautiful Noise and Big Ones Greatest Hits and John Williamson came in again to round our the top 30 with Looking For A Story.

Keith Urban has been announced as winner of the Top Selling Album Golden Guitar. The award recognises Ripcord as the highest selling album in Australia as measured by the Australian Recording Industry Association ARIA. Ripcord has been a very successful release for Keith. It has also garnered him three nods at the upcoming Grammy Awards As the single most prolific provider of entertainment during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, Wests Entertainment Group has a big line-up of well known stars appearing at its two main clubs, West Tamworth League Club and Wests Diggers.

Adam Brand, Kasey Chamvers, Beccy Cole, Adam Harvey and Sara Storer. Pop stars Lisa Hunt, Dani Im and Mental As Anything will also appear at Wests this January. The Maton Showcase will be staged on Thursday January 26 at Wests how to get yocash in yoville for free 10am with artists including 8 Ball Aitken, Adam Brand, Brewn, Rex Dallas, Adam Eckersley, Travis Collins, Counting canadian money worksheets grade 5 Needs, Karin Page, Simply Bushed and The Sunny Cowgirls with proceeds to the Australian Academy of Country Music.

Details of all Wests activities and entertainment can be obtained from the website www. The group also publishes a comprehensive program book which can also be viewed on line with printed copies available free from the venues. Pioneer indigenous country singer Auriel Andrew has died. She would have been 70 this year. Born in Darwin inAuriel, of the Arrente people of Central Australia, grew up in Alice Springs leaving for Adelaide at age 21 to pursue her usd to rupee rate today career.

99 binary options trading itm review youngest of seven children, Auriel started singing at the age of four and began her professional career currency converter dinar to philippine peso the late s working with Chad Morgan in the Adelaide and Port Lincoln areas.

InAuriel moved to Sydney and toured with Jimmy Little, performing at popular venues around NSW. Her well known recordings include Truck Drivin' Woman and Bob Randell's Brown Skin Baby. Recently, Auriel performed at The Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Woodford Dreaming Festival, and regularly performed at various clubs around the Newcastle area.

In she was awarded The Order Of Australia Medal OAM for her work as an entertainer online discount futures broker contribution to her communities through charity events.

The Story of Aboriginal Country Music" from the book by Clinton Walkersinging Truck Drivin' Woman. Auriel's album Return To Alice was produced by Gareth Hudson and included new original songs about her life and childhood. She has taught Aboriginal culture in classrooms for 20 years, passing on her knowledge in schools in Queensland, the Northern Territory and NSW and, last year, joined the cast of the stageshow adaptation of "Buried Country" which made its premiere in her hometown of Newcastle on August News of Auriel's passing had been circulating for a little while and best way to earn money on runescape p2p confirmed by her daughter Sarina on her facebook page earlier today.

Publishers of the Country Music Bulletin today announce the launch of Australia's newest country music radio station — Capital Country Radio — which is now broadcasting 24 hours commodity technical analysis software day seven days a week on the internet.

The station has been in the planning stages for some time as a permanent full time country music service broadcasting from Australia's Country Music Capital, Tamworth. The introduction of Capital Country Radio hopes to address this imbalance in at least some small way, Bob Said.

Capital Country Radio is running a "solid mix" of classic country hits together with new releases. Specialised programming and program features will be developed as the station consolidates. The station can be accessed via the website www. An app for Android devices is expected to be available within a few days. Semi-finalists in the Tamworth Songwriters' Association TSA Songwriter Salute Awards have been announced. The Anzac Song of the Year category is especially popular this year attracting 80 entries.

There are 20 semi finalists — a full listing can be found on the TSA website www. In the TSA National Songwriting Contest, semi finalists have been announced in six categories TSA activity this January in Tamworth will see activities at the Tamworth City Bowling Club in Napier Street, the Post Office Hotel in Fitzroy Street, Cafe in White Street, Southgate Inn and the Peel Street stage.

The Awards Show will be swap trading forex Tuesday January 24 from 7pm at The Longyard Hotel. Altogether, the TSA has 65 member artists performing during the January festival. Finalists for the Stan Coster Awards, held as part of the annual Bungendore Country Muster in February, have been announced. Organisers say next year's Awards attracted a large number of regular and new balladeers to all the categories.

Finalists in the Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards have been announced. For Best Female Vocal Laura Downing, Jade Holland picturedChristie Lamb, Shaza Leigh and Dianne Lindsay. For Best Male Vocal Ian Burns, Dale Duncan, Troy Kemp, Graham Rodger and Justin Standley.

For Best Group or Duo Brothers3, Innocent Eve, The Long And Short Of It, Simply Bushed 1 minute binary options strategies 360 boise The Wolfe Brothers. Against The Grain by Troy Kemp, Back To The Bush by Dale Duncan picturedBrothers Never Part by Brothers3, Homeland by Shaza Leigh and Territory Man by Graham Rodger.

For Best Bush Ballad For Best Video Clip For Best Vocal or Musical Event For Most Promising Future Star Jade Holland, Phoebe Jay picturedTyson Lucas, Hayley Marsten and Jay Seeney. In the broadcast categories, the voting was very strong again and it was a challenge for organisers to reduce the finalist number to below 10 so once again, that is the number.

For Most Popular DJ Most Popular Radio Station or Program The Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards Gala Presentation Concert will forex oco strategy held at the Northwest Church Auditorium in Tamworth at 7pm Thursday January Further information and ticketing details can be found at the Awards website www.

Keith Urban has told newswire service AAP that he would like to return to the place where it all started for him, the Tamworth Country Music Festival. The Australian country star has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide, AAP reported, and has been calling Nashville home for 24 years, yet he harbours a soft spot for the NSW city where his musical fires were stoked. I've done every combination of it," he told AAP in Sydney. Keith said he would love to return to the country festival where it all began for him and take his wife, Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, and their two daughters with him.

I would particularly like to take Nic because she's never been and the kids. It's such a huge part of my youth," he said. InKeith was the recipient of the Star Maker prize which has become an important part of the festival as a way of helping to launch new talent. He is in Australia to kick off his Ripcord tour in Adelaide tonight before hitting eight concert dates across the country. Betting shop cashier jobs in essex Tamworth Country Music Festival takes place in January Friday 20th forex factory news forex trading Sunday 29tha little more than a reversal indicators for binary options trading after Keith's tour wraps up on December 7.

The star said he would be spending Christmas in Sydney with Nicole and their two daughters. The actress will also walk the red carpet for the Australian premiere of her upcoming movie "Lion" on December Kasey Chambers has announced the release of her highly anticipated 11th studio album Dragonfly for Friday January 20 next year.

Joining forces on the work are a string of musical guests including Vika and Linda Bull, Grizzlee Train, Harry Hookey, Paul Kelly, Ed Sheeran, Keith Urban and Foy Vance.

This double album shows who I am as much rennies forex.co.za any piece of work I have ever done.

World famous artist David Bromley has created a portrait of Kasey for the cover art for Dragonfly. When past this gate you sometimes get to see the true person. This portrait combines them all because she is at once uncomplicated and also a mysterious individual — this combination is very alluring. Just last week, Kasey celebrated four new Golden Guitar award nominations for Video of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year.

Kasey has 22 Golden Guitar Awards, 11 ARIA Awards and 10 APRA Awards to her name, and holds the record for the highest awarded solo APRA Songwriter in Australia. Finalists for Toyota Star Maker were announced this morning. Ten finalists will vie for the championship title in Tamworth on Sunday January 22 in Country Music Capital's Bicentennial Park. For the first time in Star Maker history, the event will be free, with all finalists being judged on the night and one winner announced, rather than through a semi and grand final as has been the format up until now.

Chosen from across the country by talent search organisers Fairfax Rural Events, the finalists are Toyota Star Maker Co-ordinator Cheryl Byrnes said she was delighted with the standard of performers applying for Toyota Star Maker For the winner, the title brings exposure to invaluable contacts in the industry and a variety of exciting challenges.

Christie Lamb is closing out a successful year with news of a new album coming in February next year. As a teaser, Christie has released Flamethrower, the first single from the album. After years of hard work in the local country scene, Christie has been hailed as "the one to watch" by country music industry insiders.

Spending time on the road with legend Lee Kernaghan for the Spirit of the Anzacs tour, he concurs I reckon Christie Lamb is the one to watch. She is a star of the future. Christie has spent the last few years touring Australia to promote her previous album All She Wrote which spurned three number onehit singles and two top five singles. As well as touring with Lee, Christie has previously joined Aussie Rock legend Jon English for "The Rock Revolution" tour, Amber Lawrence and Aleyce Simmonds for "The Girls of Country" tour, plus The Wolfe Brothers for the "This Crazy Life" tour.

Most recently, she performed a duet with Keith Urban at the this year's Deni Ute Muster. Christie's new album, titled Loadedwill be released on Friday February Finalists in the Country Music Awards of Australia Golden Guitars were announced in Sydney this morning.

Finalists for Album of the Year are Caught Up In The Dreaming by Luke O'Shea, Hard Light by Travis Collins, Silos by Sara Storer, Things I Carry Around by Troy Cassar-Daley and This Crazy Life by The Wolfe Brothers. Kirsty Lee Akers, Kristy Cox, Amber Lawrence, Seleen McAlister and Sara Storer.

For Male Artist of the Year Doug Bruce, Troy Cassar-Daley, Allan Caswell, Travis Collins and Luke O'Shea. For New Talent of the Year Fanny Lumsden, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Justin Standley, Michael Waugh and The Weeping Willows. For Instrumental of the Year Buckle Up by Mickey Pye, Cosmopolitan Blues by Michael Fix, Roundabout by Runaway Dixie, Song For Manaia by Stuie French and Twenty Five by Lindsay Waddinton.

For Song of the Year For Bush Ballad of the Year For Heritage Song of the Year Ain't No Little Girl by Kasey Chambers, Call Me Crazy by Travis Collins, Raise Your Glass by Simply Bushed and The Truth Walks Slowly In The Countryside by O'Shea. For Single of the Year For Alt Country Album of the Year For Bluegrass Recording of the Year Losing My Blues Tonight by Dean Perrett and River Of Gold by The Weeping Willows.

Dale Duncan and Becci Nethery both pictured were the big winners in the Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards announced in Glenorchy on Saturday taking home three awards each. Dale won Most Popular Male Performer, Most Popular Song with My Dog Nui Dat and Most Popular Country Ballad album with Back To The Bush.

Becci was named winner of the Country Rising Star award and also Songwriter of the Year with Your Hand Slips Into Mine and took home the Country Album of the Year award for Beautiful Life.

Jean Stafford was named Most Popular Female Performer while The Wolfe Brothers took home the Most Popular Country Band gong and The Long And Short Of It won Most Popular Duo. The Artist Manager award went to Billy Bridge, the Tasmanian Recognition Award was presented to Phoebe Jay and the National Legend Award went to Allan Caswell.

Buddy Goode will release his latest album — More Rubbish — on Friday, December Known as the "authority of inappropriate" Buddy took out the ARIA Awards for Best Comedy Release in and Buddy will launch the new album at Rooty Hill RSL, Sydney, on Saturday, December 17 and follow up with a string of shows including at Tamworth Country Music Festival Sara wins Country ARIA.

Sara Storer has taken out the ARIA Award for Best Country Album for her current release, Silos. Sara won the award from fellow finalists Adam Brand and the Outlaws with Adam Brand And The OutlawsBill Chambers with Cold TrailFanny Lumsden with Small Town Big Shot and The Wolfe Brothers with This Crazy Life. The ARIA Awards — the 30th to be staged — were announced in Sydney yesterday. Winners of Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards were announced at Pittsworth on the weekend with Jeff Brown the most significant artist recognised.

The Female Vocal award went to Sharon Heaslip with The Drover And The Brumby while the Songwriting award went to John O'Dea and Ray Essery for The Patchwork Quilt.

A special award was presented to Alan and Marilyn Luscombe for their help with The Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad awards and their great work with walkup artists at many festivals.

The Awards festival ran from Monday the 14th to Sunday the 20th with artists scheduled to appear including Zeta Burns, Kylie Castle, Rex Dallas, Ray Essery, Gary Fogarty, Johnny Greenwood, Kev Groves, Bec Hance, Sharon Heaslip, Caitlyn Jamieson, Keith Jamiesion, Bruce Lavender, Ken Lindsay, Alan Luscombe, Chad Morgan, Alisha Smith and Pete Wilson.

Southern Star winners The Long and Short of It will be releasing their latest single from their Night Of Our Life album on December 5. Kangaroo Rodeo is described as a fun, tongue-in-cheek track with the associated video filmed at the Walkabout Creek Hotel, McKinlay, with the locals taking advantage of a few free beers and getting in on the action.

The diverse EP delivers snippets of Nashville, the drive of late '70s Australian rock and swaggering tales of west Texan dive bars. His work and music have taken him across Australia and more recently to the desert regions of West Texas.

One such journey inspired much of what you hear on the debut EP. Terlingua is the focus track on the EP and was inspired by the west Texan ghost town of the same name. Once a town supporting a mercury mine, it has since been abandoned and is now home to a host of musicians looking for inspiration from its landscape and characters.

Matt wrote this track after he visited in and ended up playing some shows at the famous Starlight Theatre where well-known Texan country musicians such as George Goss and Butch Hancock play regularly. Over the years, Matt has fronted three bands including Where There's Smoke and more recently the two piece Battle of Flowers with Yvette Booth, which is more of a combination of alternative country and indie rock.

Hugh McDonald, musician, prolific songwriter and long-time member of the Redgum band, died yesterday from complications associated with prostate cancer. As for time spent writing and recording since the days of Redgum, several releases have come about and are readily available in both physical and digital formats. Following the recent announcement of their appearance on the upcoming Telstra liveandloud event at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January, Route 33 have released their single Last First Kiss to radio today.

The Queensland boys also confirm the release date of their debut album The Switch on Friday February Last First Kiss is the first video clip either of the boys have been involved with. Filmed in Yandina, a small laid back town behind Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Guitarist Jock Barnes says: The nighttime filming was shot at Yandina Station, a very popular wedding venue on the Sunshine Coast and a location that we have played at many times in the past. The clip was produced by Josh Favaloro, a talented cinematographer, who made the duo very comfortable on what was an extremely foreign experience for both, especially Trent, who is not a fan of the limelight.

The debut release The Switch will have seven catchy original tunes and is an example of why these guys are the most popular emerging country band coming out of Queensland right now, according to a spokesman for the duo. The experience sparked their creativity. Invigorated, the pair who returned to their Australian homeland and went about penning original music. Written with Rob Draper, Michael said of the track: This song is a tribute to the beauty of those moments that rise beyond the every day life — for better or worse.

The new single also comes hot on the heels of the surprising success Michael has had with his single with the legendary Allan Caswell. The collaboration track Back When I Was Older has been a chart topper around the country. As long time friends, the band members' on stage communication, in combination with an exhaustive repertoire made their shows compelling, according to a spokesman.

But saw two members of the band move interstate indefinitely, essentially drawing the band to an unspoken halt. Next year is looking to be a busy year with festival performances already lined up around the country. The Planet Country radio program is running a fan-voted awards scheme to recognise Australia's favourite country act and Australia's favourite overseas act.

Voting closes on Tuesday December 6 and winners will be announced on Thursday December 8. For the Australian market, finalists are Melanie Dyer, Matt Cornell, Deep Creek Road, Jade Holland, Hurricane Fall, Kristy James, Emily Joy, Kaylens Rain, Troy Kemp, Missy Lancaster, Mick Lindsay, Drew McAlister, Caitlyn Shadbolt, The Viper Creek Band and The Wolfe Brothers.

For overseas artists, finalists are Frankie Ballard, Kelsea Ballerini, The Band Perry, Tucker Beathard, Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, The Cadillac Three, Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Jana Kramer, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Thomas Rhet, The Shires, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.

A link to the voting page can be found via the Plant Country website Country Music Capital's Capital Country Music Association CCMA has issued a call for entries for its 51st National Talent Quest to run in January during the upcoming Tamworth Country Music Festival.

At 51, it is believed to be Australia's longest running talent quest and, over the years, has been responsible as providing a launching pad for some of our biggest stars. The talent quest will be staged on Thursday and Friday January 26 and 27 with the Association's Winner's Concert and Jamboree on the Friday night. Entry can be made via the website ccma. Recorded between Nashville and Sydney, the new album is described as a collection of songs "certain to make you 'get on your feet'.

The title track was released to media today together with a video clip clip can be viewed here. Every song had to be a song that I wanted to press 'repeat' on when I was driving in the car.

The idea had been in my head for years. I wanted a break from being 'me'. The Australian Academy Of Country Music graduate has drawn upon her upbringing in rural Queensland and other life experiences for her debut single, The Unfamiliar. During her time at the Academy, El said she was privileged to have co-written songs with both Kasey Chambers and Ashleigh Dallas, share the stage with the likes of Catherine Britt, Lyn Bowtell, Kevin Bennett, Dobe Newton and Roger Corbett The BushwackersKarl Broadie and fellow academy students, as well as having the opportunity to work with Amber Lawrence, Aleyce Simmonds and more.

The debut EP Guitars And Cigars features five original songs and will be released during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Two-time Grammy winners Little Big Town have announced a first-time mini tour to Australia. The band is currently slated to play three gigs plus an appearance at the CMC Rocks Qld event.

Organisers of the ABPA Golden Damper Awards have announced a new venue for the Country Music Festival activities. The Awards will run at the fully air-conditioned Tamworth Rugby Club on Marius Street, near the railway viaduct, an easily accessible walk from the camping areas or by the Festival Shuttle Bus.

There is also plenty of parking available. Dubbed "the most popular bush poetry event at Tamworth" entrants in the Golden Damper Awards vie for the famous Golden Damper trophies and cash prizes.

Performing bush poets wanting to take part can contact contact the Competition Convenor on or email TheRhymerfromRyde bigpond. Entry forms are also available on the website of The Australian Bush Poets Association: There are three days of Heats, Tuesday January 24, Thursday the 26th and Friday 27th with the Finals and Awards presentation on the Saturday Starting time is Applications have been called for the annual Toyota Country Music Cavalcade to run on the main Saturday of the Tamworth Country Music Festival with Festival organisers the event to be one of the biggest yet.

Cavalcade entry forms can be downloaded from the official Tamworth Country Music Festival here or by requested by contacting Tamworth Regional Council on 02 The outback festival takes place from July 4 — 6 and tickets for the event sold out well in advance last year.

Leading the charge is Lee Kernaghan who will be using the occasion to celebrate 25 years in the music business. For the third and final day of the festival, Lee has assembled a once-in-a-lifetime cast of his nearest and dearest, banding together as the Legends of Country for an all-day spectacle.

They will be joined by Kate Cebrano, Ian Moss, Russell Morris and Ray Ryder. The most remote music festival in the world, the Big Red Bash not only offers great Australian music, but a completely unique outback experience, a spokesman for event organisers said. Tamworth Regional Council has announced details for the free shows that will run in the city's Bicentennial Park during the January Country Music Festival.

There will be activity in the park, dubbed Toyota Park for the duration of the Festival, on every official day of the event Friday, January 20 to Sunday January Friday January 27 will be the regular Toyota Concert For Rural Australia raising funds for the Glenn McGrath Foundation.

Saturday January 28 will be the Toyota Busking Championships featuring the top 10 acts selected from Boulevard of Dreams performances during the week. Sunday January 29 will be a celebration of winners and fan favourites from the Festival including the Aristocrat Entertainer of the Year, Toyota Busking Champions, Toyota Golden Guitar Awards, Toyota Star Maker and other competition winners in The Last Roundup concert, again culminating in massive fireworks display.

Stops on the way if you can work it out! Billed as "the misunderstood family band that play hillbilly pop and all things good" The Pigs have an impressive history spanning four albums, one EP, Golden Guitar Nominations, world tours and sore feet. T-Bone, Stretch, Cousin Shamus, Cousin Montz and Cousin Bert are performing crowd-favourite tunes from 12 Years on the road on their way to Tamworth with double bass, acoustic guitars, mandolin, stand up drums, banjo and big bluegrass vocal harmonies.

Superstar country trio the Dixie Chicks will return to Australia in March next year for their first shows in more than 10 years. The trio is set to play a mini-tour of six concerts in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney plus a headline performance at the CMC Rocks Qld event. The Dixie Chicks have 13 Grammy Awards to their credit, six Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards and countless Country Music Association Awards. Sincethe trio has released seven studio albums, three live albums and a string of live DVDs.

CMC Rocks, meanwhile, have announced the full artist line-up for the 10th anniversary event. In addition to the headlining Dixie Chicks, overseas acts will include Drew Baldridge, Craig Campbell, Charles Esten, Tyler Farr, Little Big Town, Kip Moore, Eric Paslay, Michael Ray, The Shires, Granger Smith and Ward Thomas. CMC Rocks Qld will be staged Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 24 to 27 at Willowbank, Ipswich.

Seleen McAlister, winner of this year's Female Vocal honour at the Southern Stars, has released her second studio album, Follow The Journey. Produced by Simon Johnson and Drew McAlister, the new work caps off a hectic but successful time for Seleen who just a little over six months ago was involved in a serious car accident while touring far north Queensland and just one month ago was struck down with a life threatening infection that nearly took her leg and almost her life.

Seleen's appearances at the Mildura Country Music Festival were her first and she is looking forward to returning again in coming years. Seleen has just signed a two year sponsorship vehicle deal with Toyota and an endorsement with Australian guitar manufacturer Cole Clark as well as Australian Jewellery company Locketinn.

With a Golden Guitar kicking off and now a win at the Southern Stars, Seleen is all ready to Follow The Journey to what lies ahead. Craig's debut album Let It Ride is set for release early next year. The single is backed by a video clip directed by Anthony Rose, who has been responsible for videos by Delta Goodrem and Shannon Noll to name a few. Up until now his career has been spent playing in rock bands around Melbourne including recording with his own band Velvet City.

I love the new era of country music and artists like Keith Urban and Jason Aldean who get out there and deliver great shows. I feel like I have finally found my musical home with this album and I am so comfortable writing and performing country music — it is where I belong. Stephen White Management, known for managing artists like Lee Kernaghan and The Wolfe Brothers has signed Craig with Steve himself saying: He has a very commercial sound with great songs and I think he will be an important part of the growth of country music in Australia.

Coles claims foul play over Anzac Day roast chooks

Jody Direen is set to release a new album — Shake Up — in early November. The first single from the album, Gimme The Beatis out now. Described as "a new sound for Jody" Shake Up will be "filled with anthems and big beats that have been influenced by '80s and '90s rock, combined with popular club synths, banjo, steel and massive country guitars" according to a spokesman for the artist.

Jody is currently touring with The Wolfe Brothers on their "This Crazy Life" tour alongsidee Caitlyn Shadbolt and Canadian star Australian-born Gord Bamford. The song is a celebration of music and how it makes people feel.

For the album, Jody worked alongside award winning producer Stuart Stuart, who has previously been a key player in launching the sounds of The Veronicas and Sheppard. Already the winner of a number of awards, including the Country Music Association of New Zealand Female Artist of the Year Award, Jody has also seen nominations for CMC Awards and has had top 10 hits in Australia and New Zealand. The ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association Awards will be announced in Sydney on Wednesday, November Keith Urban's The Fighter featuring Carrie Underwood is a finalist for the fan-voted Song of the Year award.

Tickets have gone on sale for a number of major shows for during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They join those already announced for Troy Cassar-Daley, Lee Kernaghan and The McClymonts. The Festival will feature over artists in 2, events across venues in the city and surrounds and Barry says his plan is to promote as much Australian talent as he can.

The Toyota Country Music Festival is expecting more than 50, to attend the 10 day-long event in January. The Festival kicks off on Friday January Allan swept the pool of awards taking home five trophies including the prestigious Independent Artist of the Year title.

Allan was also key to the win by Seleen McAlister of Female Vocalist of the Year as she took the prize with her version of the Caswell-penned On The Inside. Rising Star Female went to Hayley Jensen with The One while Ben Ransom was awarded Rising Star Male with Country Sky. Ben Ransom, Hayley Jensen, Aleyce Simmonds, Seleen McAlister, Allan Caswell and Patsy and Dave, The Long And Short Of It.

Tamworth Country Music Festival Manager Barry Harley said: This song, from the iconic album The Outback Clubnot only achieved double platinum certification, it redefined contemporary Australian country music. Multi-awarded global troubadour 8 Ball Aitken returns to Australia for an extensive four month Blazing Blues Summer Tour, traversing five state borders and the high seas — South Pacific, Bass Strait and Sydney Harbour — armed with his self-titled compilation album, his ninth release.

When I was 15, I took the two-day train journey from Cairns to Brisbane to see B B King play and his concert changed my life, it was a spiritual experience and I was overwhelmingly inspired to be a musician. He has also contributed to the soundtracks of high rating television shows on world wide distribution and counts bona-fide industry legends as his creative partners. Many of those taking part will hope to follow in the footsteps of Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole and Keith Urban who all started by busking on Peel Street, to name a few.

Registrations are currently open online at www. Finalists will perform in Toyota Park on Saturday, January 28 and major winners will be announced on the night. Already announced as a headline act for the 28th annual Bluesfest inthree-time Grammy winners the Zac Brown Band can will take the stage for two special shows in Melbourne and Sydney in April. Returning to Australia two years on from their ground-breaking debut Antipodean tour, the Zac Brown Band will play the Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday April 19 and the ICC Sydney Theatre on Friday April Described as one of the most prolific acts in the world, the Zac Brown Band has earned an historic series of 15 number one hit US radio singles and is only the second act to top both the country and active rock formats.

Our recording has gained AirPlay and sales all over the world with funds raised for UNICEF. Participants came from 24 countries to record the project Australia, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Phillipines, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, the UK, Ukraine, the USA and Uzbekistan.

Video link — https: This year, the Quest has been given an added boost with the announcement it will be run by the Tamworth branch of international female advocacy group Zonta, which empowers women through service and advocacy. Tamworth Zonta Club President Deb Maes said she was excited about taking the Quest forward. Nominations close September 30, and are open to women aged years who must be nominated and sponsored by their employer, a local business or community organisation to get involved.

All Quest nominees will receive professional development in October and November including workshops on etiquette, grooming, personal presentation, media training, confidence coaching and a six-week public speaking and leadership course from Tamworth Communicators Toastmasters.

These finalists will act as advocates of the Tamworth Country Music Festival and also of Tamworth as a destination of choice in NSW. The major honours — Queen and Princess of Country Music — will be announced at a gala dinner at the Tamworth Jockey Club on Friday January Both the Queen and Princess will be ambassadors for Tamworth and the region throughoutspending the 12 months involved in a range of high-profile civic and community events, guest speaking engagements and corporate and festival functions.

Entrants must be available to attend all scheduled events throughout the Tamworth Country Music Festival and later events throughout Sydney based Michael releases the single to radio today and is also in the process of making it available on digital services.

A recent conversation between the two discussed the idea of starting a project together, but as both have recent releases, it didn't seem viable. They started recording their lead vocal parts with multi-instrumentalist Michael handling all of the musical content over the next few hours.

Now we both seem to be having a lot more fun with our careers in this crazy music world. It's made us feel young again! Michael has had a busy year. He's also part of the new country combo The April Family who are in the final stages of recording their debut album with two successful singles under their belt in Allan Caswell needs no introduction.

He recently broke his own record for the number of songs recorded in a single year Back When I Was Older being number 54 for Michael and Allan are now in discussions about the viability of turning this one off single into a full-length album project.

Let's see how the single goes first! Suzannah says she is thrilled to return to a place she cites as a spiritual home of the music she loves and heavily influences her writing. As well as performing, she will be involved in co-writing ventures and panels that run for five days as part of the conference, building networks and opportunites to tap into new markets.

The song is described as a catchy country anthem setting the scene for a summer to remember. One of New Zealand and Australia's most respected instrumentalists, Phil is has been known predominantly as a member of Luke O'Shea's Medicine Wheel band having performed for many years with the star, including at the Golden Guitar Awards in when Luke won with The Drovers Wife.

The popular Deni Ute Muster is celebrating its 18th year this year with what organisers say will be the biggest Muster yet.

The October long weekend event is described as the ultimate bucket-list destination for music, utes and the AFL Grand Final with more than separate on-site attractions for all the family to enjoy. Supporting Keith on the main stages will be Catherine Britt, Troy Cassar-Daley, Christie Lamb and John Williamson. The Day Stage keeps the music playing throughout with artists including James Blundell, Billy Bridge, the Iain Archibald Band and Rebecca Lee Nye.

In addition to the music, a Muster highlight this year will be the Isuzu Ute Iron Summit — the steepest 4WD Ramp in the World.

This year has also seen a rise in entries for ute activities… the GME Circlework up 48 percentGME Go to Wo up 88 percent and the Milwaukee Barrel Race up 78 percent. Kate Pitt, Deni Ute Muster General Manager, said: Matthew and Amelia will be traveling with the Sounds Australia contingent and playing showcase events that will also include well known Aussie acts Kirsty Lee Akers, Brad Butcher, Shane Nicholson and the Weeping Willows.

The artists were hand-picked to perform as part of the annual event with many demonstrating great potential for growth in the American market, said a spokesman for Sounds Australia. It has been such a massive year for us and this just makes us excited for where we are headed beyond ! Caught up in the excitement and energy of the 40th anniversary Festival inthe two discovered their destiny was intertwined when they made sweet music together for the first time at the Australian Academy of Country music.

They came to perform and left with a life-long bond. Together their musical chemistry is simply undeniable. As artists we are so incredibly grateful that Dobe and the Sounds Australia team present these types of opportunities. We can't wait to get on that plane! Sam Newton has released a new single titled Hold You Down. A prolific songwriter, Sam has been writing and performing for 10 years, working within time-tested folk and traditional country and blues foundations reminiscent of Paul Kelly, Neil Young and Townes Van Zandt.

Born in suburban Sydney to a music-loving family, Sam knew he was going to be a musician from the very beginning. He pleaded with his parents for guitar lessons at the commencement of high school and wrote his first song three weeks later. Now at age 28, he has toured nationally four times and put out two acclaimed releases. It speaks of emotional turmoil and the heavy burden caused by mental illness. Country music favourites the Sunny Cowgirls sisters Sophie and Celeste Clabburn are back with their eighth studio album Here We Gotheir first on the ABC Music label.

Cowboy is the first single from the album, described as "a warm slab of country fun and a sly wink to country bachelorettes everywhere". Produced by Matt Fell, the album also features Pete Drummond on drums, Glen Hannah on guitar, Shane Nicholson on guitar and banjo, Michel Rose on pedal steel and Matt himself playing a multitude of instruments including bass, guitar and banjo.

In true Sunny Cowgirls style, Sophie and Celeste have dozens of live dates lined up Australia-wide to support the album kicking off with the Deni Ute Muster The tour runs through NSW, Queensland and Victoria, culminating in two shows at The Longyard Hotel in Tamworth during the January country music festival.

Marie Hodson and Lachlan Bryan have teamed up for a duet release titled Back To Earth. Dubbed Australia's "Classic Country Queen", Marie has the single on her curreent album, Chances Are. It's the third single from the work. A Willie Nelson song, Back To Earth tells the tale of an all-consuming love that was lost. Western Australia's Natalie Pearson has released a single off her forthcoming EP. Titled Chance At Lovethe single has an accompanying video clip.

Natalie travelled from WA to the NSW Central Coast to film the video. Natalie has been honing her craft in the music and entertainment scene since her early teens with Chance At Love being her debut entry into the world of music on a commercial level. I take chances, I love and I care.

This song is just that. Nataliehas been approached about numerous recording deals since the release of the single and is now working towards completing the full release. So in order to continue challenging myself, I decided to film my clips on the other side of the country. It was a great journey to make and we captured some amazing stuff. I am proud of the whole team on these videos. Ryan Morris has released a new original single, Read Your Mind.

Ryan was born to be on the stage. With a drummer dad and singer mum, a love for music and performing was developed very early in his life. For more than a decade now, Ryan has been performing all over Australia playing gigs and events large and small, building a fan base that eagerly await his first original release. Since then, he has co-written with some of the finest songwriters in the industry, including Golden Guitar winner Lawrie Minson, Steve Charles, multi-award winning songwriter Wendy Wood, Erica Sunshine Lee from the USA, Katrina Burgoyne and curren Australian Independent Artist of the year Aleyce Simmonds among others!

The upbeat debut single Let Me Driveco-written with Katrina Burgoyne, hit radio and media and quickly made its way up charts around Australia. Hot on the heels of their highly successful "10 Years of Hits" tour, award-winning sister trio The McClymonts will return to Tamworth on Wednesday January 25 playing at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre. Tamworth Regional Council Events Manager Barry Harley said the announcements "just keep coming" with so many artists keen to return to Tamworth in January.

This year's Roll of Renown inductee Graeme Connors will return to the Tamworth Town Hall stage on Friday January 27 with a new show "Modern Histories", focusing on his renowned story songs. When you've been performing since the age of four, won Star Maker a your first Golden Guitar by 19, you are setting the bar pretty high for the future.

This is the journey Kirsty Lee Akers has taken. But with the release of her third single off the album Burn Baby Burnshe has discovered it is her real world love that has helped her to break exciting new ground. Burn Baby Burn was released on April 1 and gave Kirsty her first ARIA number one Australian country release. This was a major milestone for the now Nashville-based performer. The third single, titled I Will hit airwaves last Friday with immediate impact.

In the few days since it launched it has already provided some icing on the cake for what has now become Kirsty's most successful album. Written about Kirsty's childhood sweetheart and now husband, the song has struck a chord with near all who have heard the track or watched the video. In only four days since release, the music video is fast closing onviews, a feat unmatched by any of her previous releases and rarely seen by an Australian artist. I love that people can feel what I feel when I think of Jesse.

In standard Kirsty Lee Akers style, her family were a big part of the music video. The new single features Australian Independent Artist of the Year, Aleyce Simmonds.

He had worked as a music composer, producer and audio engineer for various music and TV productions including many years writing for Lonely Planet. The leading single — This Cannot Be Lovealso featuring Aleyce — charted inside the top 10 on charts around Australia spending two weeks at number one on the Jeanie has joined forces with Aleyce again on 'Never Meant To Love You' - this time with her singing the backing vocals.

The single was written by one of Aaron's favourite songwriters, Corey Chisel and is always a crowd favourite at gigs. Moonshine for Breakfast is Jeanie's first full album, set for release later this year. New Zealand native Kayla Mahon has a new single, Get You Back. Since releasing her last single New TricksKayla has been keeping busy. In March, Kayla added another honour to her collection, the Special Achievement Award from the annual Southland Music Entertainment Awards.

On June 1, the one-time member of The Heartleys, was invited to Nashville for the CMA Fest, an invitation that came after winning the Horizon Award at the New Zealand Country Music Awards. Kayla performed at the CMA World GlobaLive event along with Troy Cassar-Daley, Toyota Star Maker Karin Page and Caitlyn Shadbolt. Speaking to Kayla about this opportunity, she says: A dream come true. I am also writing and recording over here and loving every minute.

On her return home, Kayla attended the DAG Songwriter's retreat as part of the Hats Off To Country Festival where she wrote the first of many songs to make up her upcoming debut solo album release.

He has been playing music for the last six years solo and more recently with his family band, The Family Tree. Accompanied by his wife Amy and three young children, Joel, Molly, and Charlie, Rob has released a new album, Mountains Of Memoriesfull of songs inspired by road trips the family had had around Australia in and The new single from the album, Like Johnny Loved Juneis the only duet Rob has written thus far in his career and is a love song inspired by the late Johnny Cash and June Carter.

She has the sweetest voice and I wanted others to hear it besides the people who see us perform regularly. The song came quickly after staring at a poster of Johnny and June singing together on stage in their later years, both looking so happy together.

Col Hardy and Chad Morgan shared the award for Male Country Performer from fellow finalists Troy Cassar Daley, Rex Dallas, Wayne Horsburgh and Snowy Robson. Jean Stafford was named winner of the Female Country Performer title from fellow finalists Kirsty Lee Akers, Kel Anne Brandt, Beccy Cole, Clair Hayes and Melinda Schneider. Roadhouse was named Country Band of the Year from fellow finalists The Bushwackers, Lonesome Train, The McClymonts, Neilly Rich and Rough Diamonds Special Lifetime Achievement recognition was awarded posthumously to Slim Dusty, the honour accepted on the night by Joy McKean.

Sami has returned home after a six-week Canadian Tour which has been re-booked and extended for At only 20 of age, Sami has sung in many parts of Australia doing two to three shows every weekend, selling almost a thousand copies of her album Every Passing Minute and touring New Zealand and Canada since entering the music industry as a full time professional at Just before leaving for Canada, Sami released her latest single I Just Want To Love You which scored chart hits, including the iTunes charts at number five.

Progressing to the blind auditions of Channel 9's "The Voice" re-lit Paul Crowder's passion for country music after an extended break to focus on love, life and family. Now Paul has announced the release of a new EP, From The Heartproduced by well-renowned producer Simon Johnson on the Central Coast — billed as a collection of heartfelt original songs with a strong focus on family.

The first single from the EP is Little Stepswritten by Paul about the steps that needed to be taken in order to maintain a healthy and lasting marriage. A new release for Hayley Marsten is the single If You're Gonetaken from her debut EP Even. Hayley has been described as a "country music sass goddess" by MusicIsMyMuse. The Gladstone born and raised songstress launched her debut EP produced by Bill Chambers in with two sold-out launch shows. Her own unique musical and songwriting style of "modern country and western" is inspired by "strong women of country", according to a spokesman for the artist, "taking the lead from the likes of Brandy Clark, Loretta Lynn and Kacey Musgraves, adding her own spin of wit, sass and honesty into her lyrics.

Rachael Fahim follows up her number one iTunes hit Say It with Rope"a song of empowerment, hope and confidence" which Rachael calls "a symbolic song that can mean so many different things to different people, no more walking on egg shells, feeling trapped or helpless.

Ropeproduced by Andrew Cochrane, was released on Wednesday on iTunes. The music video for the new single was shot by director Duncan Toombs on the NSW Central Coast with the main location being Bulbararing Lagoon.

We decided to predominantly shoot the video outdoors in the middle of winter in a lagoon. Safe to say my feet are still recovering, but the results totally worth it. Rachael has spent the past 12 months writing for her debut EP and says, "songwriting for the EP has been an incredible experience, I have connected with some remarkable artists across not only country but other genres to really develop my sound and tell my stories.

Missy ebuts at three on ARIA Country Chart. Missy travelled to Nashville in October last year to write and record the EP with acclaimed songwriter and producer Lindsay Rimes. RETURN TO TO P. The debut single reached number two on the iTunes Country Chart and received widespread airplay all around the country and on the Country Music Channel.

A new alt country combo from Sydney, The April Family features acclaimed singer Kylie Whitney, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Casey Atkins and multi-instrumentalist Michael Carpenter. Or, in other words, "organic and authentic country music with a lean towards classic West Coast American sounds. In fact, she feels like she never really knew him at all!

Kasey Chambers has announced the release of a new EP with a new album — Dragonfly — set for release next year. One of the tracks on the EP is Ain't No Little Girl the title track while a second — If We Had A Child — is a duet with Keith Urban. Kasey has 11 ARIA Awards, 22 Golden Guitar Awards and 10 APRA Awards under her belt, holding the record for the highest awarded solo APRA Songwriter in Australia across 10 studio albums.

The forthcoming release is particularly meaningful for Kasey after her recent vocal surgery, particularly the title track. Ain't No Little Girl is now as much a part of who I am as anything in my life. Not content with announcing the release of her EP, Kaseyhas also announced her next studio album, Dragonflywill be delivered on January Both the album and EP feature cover artwork designed by iconic Australian artist David Bromley and comes in two parts over two CDs.

The charity Mates4Mates, which supports wounded current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force "Mates" and their families, will be "boot scootin'" at the Gympie Music Muster this month in a bid to raise awareness about services for Defence personnel and veterans living in regional areas.

Mates4Mates CEO Simon Sauer said the four-day festival would provide a powerful opportunity to ensure country communities are aware of the support available for their service men and women. The four-day music festival has chosen Mates4Mates as its official Charity Partner for the 35th anniversary of the iconic Queensland event.

Last year, more than 23, revellers attended the festival and, this year, country music legends Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole and John Williamson are expected to bring in even bigger crowds. The Muster runs from Thursday to Sunday, August 25 to 28 at the Amamoor State Forest Park, two hours north of Brisbane.

Donations can be made to Mates4Mates when buying tickets to the festival online at www.