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This website dedicated to bringing you the latest Australian country music news |
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NEWS ARCHIVES DATELINE : WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2006 Allied Artist splits Australia's biggest country music booking agency Allied Artist & Event Services has split after 10 years, Christie Eliezer reports in his weekly music industry column. Directors Maurius Els and Rob Potts have started their own companies, dividing the roster. Both said that the business had come to a logical end. "We looked at new ways to do things," Potts said. Added Els, "We had 10 great years." Els' new company Artist Network Australia will look after Troy Cassar-Daley, Sara Storer, Adam Brand, Melinda Schneider, Lee Kernaghan and The Flood. Contacts are (02) 9819 6411 and email marius@artistnetwork.com.au. Potts' company, Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, will handle Keith Urban, Tommy Emmanuel, Catherine Britt, Jed Hughes, Adam Harvey, Steve Forde and Jake Nikolai. Current contact is 0419 273 607. 2006 WA Award winners The 2006 Western Australian Country Music Awards were hotly contested at the weekend with winners in all categories of a high standard, according to organisers.
Dean Johnson of Newcastle won Junior Songwriter while Debbie Beckett of Craigie took out the Songwriter – Australian Content – award. Connie Kis Andersen from Bentley won the Female Vocal title with Chad Woods from Bunbury taking out the Male Vocal award. Cyclone Jason & The Hurricanes from Busselton won the Open section. In the tradition of 21st birthdays, the Boyup Brook Country Music Club turned on a WA Country Music Festival at the weekend to surpass all others, according to a spokesman, with an attendance of more than 10,000. Special guests at this year's Festival included Carter & Carter, Greg Champion, Brendon Walmsley, Melinda Schneider, Sovereign the Sunny Cowgirls. A total of 180 utes and 50 trucks took part in the main street parade. At the conclusion of the Festival, President Daly Winter thanked all the volunteers from the local town and surrounds for their hard work and support over the past 12 months in preparing for the 2006 Festival. Planning for Festival 2007 is already with dates announced as February 16, 17 and 18. Photo: the winners on stage. WAM Hall of Fame Meanwhile, the Western Australian Music Industry Association (WAM) has announced inductees into the WAM Hall of Fame.
Steve and Alan Pigram of Broome group The Pigram Brothers are the first indigenous inductees into the WAM Hall of Fame. Paul Bodlovich, Executive Director of WAM, said: “These men were selected because for over two decades they have been at the forefront of indigenous music in this country. From their early days with Scrap Metal, through a long history with The Pigram Brothers, they have brought recognition not just to Indigenous musicians, but (have) also been central in branding the Kimberley as an important breeding ground for quality Australian Music." Singer/songwriter/guitarist David McComb was inducted posthumously (he died in 1999) for his long history of success with The Triffids and subsequent bands. The Triffids were pioneers in the '80s, taking Western Australian music to the UK with success and critical recognition that was not easily matched by other bands that were their peers. James Baker, as a drummer for the Manikins, Scientists, Hoodoo Gurus and Beasts of Bourbon (just to name a few), "has well and truly earned his stripes in the West Australian music scene," said a WAM spokesman. He was involved in formative lineups of a number of local bands that went on to major national and international fame and he is still active in the local scene. Hall of Fame inductees were to be presented with their certificates at the WAMi Awards night last night (no news to hand on award winners as we go to "net"). Further information can be obtained from wam.asn.au. Vale – Larry Dulhunty Country recording artist, variety entertainer and author Larry Dulhunty died last Thursday, February 16, at Charters Towers, Queensland, aged 83.
In his 2001 review of Larry's book "Our Blood Stained Past", Ian Hands said Larry grew up on a small cattle property south east of Charters Towers, Queensland. After volunteering for and then serving in the armed services during World War II, he again, when discharged, became a stockman working around his original stamping grounds. Feeling restless and unsettled with a return to the old life, however, he took to the road with a touring wild west show. During his travels, which have taken in every state of the continent, Larry has personally entertained a paying public by cracking whips, trick shooting, tent boxing, rough riding and as a bush story teller. For many years, he concentrated on an annual circuit that often included Cooktown, the Kimberleys and Kalgoorlie, but in 1968 he took a short break and journeyed to Sydney where, on that first visit, he performed whip cracking and vocals on the John Laws TV Tonight Show and was also a guest artist for Dita Cobb on an opposition channel. In 1970, for variety performances in "outback" Australia, Larry was featured in a 13-photo nine-page spread in America's Time Life magazine. In 1972, he made a 20 minute documentary in a Townsville hotel cabaret for Pat Harding's popular ABC program called Point's North. The following year, he performed a similar show for the Rockhampton based ABC TV Camera Three. In 1975, during a brief visit to Melbourne, Larry appeared daily whip cracking and trick shooting. In 1979, he had his whole show filmed in Western Queensland as an episode of "A Big Country". Back again to Sydney in 1980, Larry Dulhunty catching the sudden boom in country style entertainment, settled into his longest ever run of city performances – 18 months in clubs, restaurants, hotels and shopping centres. Although having broken well into the Sydney entertainment scene, Larry, suffering from itchy feet, embarked from Newcastle as a Trick Shot with Brophy Bros, newly formed Wild West Circus. After finishing a tour with Brophy Bros, he, in company with Paula Smith and the Fighting Hippy picked up other artists, worked around Brisbane and also again toured the Australian outback. In 1983, Larry was asked and gave permission to the ABC to enlarge his Big Country documentary into a motion picture short called "Glove Hustler" and have it screened with the Australian movie "Buddies" in the Hoyt's Cinema chain. These two pieces of Australiana brought good reports from viewers across the continent. At the time of the book publication (2001), Larry Dulhunty was again touring Outback Australia, an area he knew so well. APRA PDA winners to be announced in March Winners of the 2006 APRA Professional Development Awards (PDA) will be announced at a reception on Monday, March 27, in Sydney.
Almost 500 applications were received for this year's awards via 22 partner organisations. Short-listed entries are currently being judged by 25 music industry professionals grouped into panels for each category of music. "The quality of PDA submissions for 2006 are testament to a flourishing creative community that, with encouragement, has the potential to make a significant contribution to music in Australia," said Nigel Westlake, Composer and APRA member. Perth City Muster '06 Back to WA and the 2006 Perth City Muster – a nine-hour country music spectacular – will be staged at the Claremont Showgrounds this Saturday, February 25. Stars of the 2006 Muster are Beccy Cole, Adam Harvey, Paul Kelly, Lee Kernaghan, Tania Kernaghan, Ronni Rae Rivers, Aleyce Simmonds and The Topp Twins with Jim Haynes as MC. A "Best Ute" competition will be conducted as well as the the WA Whipcracking Championships and the Shear Power Invitational with international shearers challenging World Records. Further information available from www.citymuster.com.au. Jeanette to release Opal Blue
Described as a real career benchmark, "I am incredibly excited by the way the 10 original songs have come up." she said. "To celebrate, I am offering interested radio DJs and media a special preview copy next month - as soon as it gets back from the manufacturer. "And to say thank you to everyone who has shown such overwhelming support for last year's single If This Isn't Country." The first single from the album will be released on NFS 104 for distribution on March 27 and the album is in stores from March 20.
The ACMLA Peoples' Choice Awards were staged at Wests Diggers during the January Country Music Festival in Tamworth. Travis Sinclair won Best Country Album with Rush and Best Male Singer while Tania Kernaghan picked up her third Best Female Singer award. Peter Pratt took out Best Country Heritage Song with his recording of Eric Bogle's It’s As If He Knows and Graham Rodger won Best Bush Ballad for Country Towns. Newcomers to the Awards stage were The Sunny Cowgirls who won Best Country Music Band/Group/Duo while Carter & Carter took out Best Country Song with God Didn’t Make Mistakes. Charts update... Keith back at number one Keith Urban's Better Life retained the number one spot on the Country Tracks Top 30 Australian singles chart this week for the fifth week.
Adam Harvey's I've Been Loved By The Best fell to fourth position, Troy Cassar-Daley's Lonesome But Free was steady at five and Felicity Urquhart's The Flood dropped to number six. Brian Letton's Two Chords and Shania Twain's Shoes held steady at seven and eight respectively while the Dolly Parton/Keith Urban re-make of the Twelfth Of Never jumped to number nine and SweeneyKilleen's Running entered the top 10 at number 10. Bullet performers this week included The Flood's Hello Blue Sky (15 to 11), Sara Storer's Since I've Gone (up to 12), Paul Costa's It's Good To Be Me (up to 14), Tom Curtain's She Stays With Me (up to 15) and Keith Urban's new single These Are The Days (up four to 25). New entries to the chart this week included Darren Colston's Come By Chance (at 29) and Alex Watt with Window (30).
John Williamson's Chandelier Of Stars held steady at number three while Sara Storer's Firefly moved back up one to number four. Catherine Britt's (pictured) Too Far Gone slipped one place to five and Troy Cassar-Daley's Brighter Day and Paul Kelly & The Stormwater Boys' Foggy Highway were steady at six and seven respectively. Lee Kernaghan's Big Ones Greatest Hits moved back up to number eight while The Very Best Of Slim Dusty dropped one to number nine and dropped one place to nine while Keith Urbn's Golden Road was steady at 10. Bullet performers this week were Steve Forde & The Flange with Howdy (up six places to 12) and the Troy Cassar-Daley double album pack Long Way Home/Borrowed & Blue (moving back up to 17). Major tours kick off Four of Australia's leading contemporary country stars hit the road in March. Australian Country Music Entertainer of The Year Beccy Cole teams up with six times Golden Guitar winner Adam Harvey and this year's Male and Female Vocal Golden Guitar winners Sara Storer and Troy Cassar-Daley are also doing a double act. Troy and Sara launch their tour in Mudgee on Thursday, March 9, while Beccy and Adam's tour kicks off in Mittagong on Friday, March 17. Further information can be obtained at the artists' websites... www.troycassardaley.com.au, www.beccycole.com, www.adamharvey.com.au and www.sarastorer.com.au.
Last year's winner of the American Idol title, country singer Carrie Underwood, has released her album in Australia. Titled Some Hearts, the album is on the Sony BMG Music Entertainment label. Twenty-two-year-old Carrie has been dominating the charts in America with the album, her first. – top40-charts.com CMT Music Awards 2006
Nominees and voting instructions can be found on the CMT website (www.cmt.com). First-round voting ends at 11:59pm American Eeastern Time on March 9. Final nominees in each category will be announced March 15, when final voting begins. The final four nominees in the Video of the Year category will be announced during the live broadcast April 10. DATELINE : WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2006
Keith Urban has taken out the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance with You'll Think Of Me from his current top selling album Be Here. The award, announced in Los Angeles last Thursday afternoon (February 9, Australian time), is Keith's first Grammy. In other Country categories, Emmylou Harris won the Female Country Vocal Performance award with The Connection, Alison Krauss and Union Station won the Country Album award with Lonely Runs Both Ways, the Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal award with Restless and also the Country Instrumental Performance award with Unionhouse Branch, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw took out the Country Collaboration With Vocals award with Like We Never Loved At All, and Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna and Marcus Hummon won the Country Song award with Bless The Broken Road (recorded by Rascal Flatts). In the overall Awards, the 48th to be staged, U2 won Album of the Year with How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb and Song of the Year with Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own and Green Day took out Record of the Year with Boulevard Of Broken Dreams. Full details of this year's Grammys can be found at www.grammys.com. Photo: Keith performs at the Grammy Awards. 2006 Victorian Award winners Winners of the Victorian and National Country Music Awards were announced in Whittlesea on Friday night (February 10).
Whittlesea Country Music Festival Committee President Alan Hayward said there were only two multiple award winners. "Adam Harvey (pictured at right) was the only artist to win two national awards tonight, for Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year with Missing Heroes, while Carter and Carter (pictured, bottom right) won both the National and Victorian awards for Best Duo. "That shows how competitive each award category is," he said. "It also makes it clear that Australian country music in 2006 has an incredible depth of talent, among both established and emerging artists." A capacity crowd of 500 country music fans filled the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre for the awards ceremony. They were entertained by Hard Drive, who won the National Country Music Award for Best Bluegrass and Traditional Country. Special guests at the gala dinner, Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole (right) took out the top Male and Female Vocal awards. Peter Denahy (bottom right) became the first winner of Bush Ballad of the Year, a new category in 2006, with Peppercorn Tree. The Victorian and National Country Music Awards were first held in 1992 in Kyneton, before moving to become part of the Whittlesea Country Music Festival in 2001. The Awards began in response to two years of research which found Victorian country music artists wanted local opportunities to further their careers. “These awards provide an alternative to the Golden Guitars in Tamworth,” Alan Hayward said. “In 2006, they covered more categories and attracted more entrants than the Golden Guitars. These awards, and the Whittlesea Country Music Festival, are acknowledged throughout the country music industry as second only to Tamworth."
In Victorian categories... Female Vocalist: Rebecca Lee Nye (pictured, centre) with It's A Heartache. Male Vocalist: Travis Sinclair (pictured, top) with Rush. Group/Duo: Carter & Carter with God Didn't Make Mistakes. Album of the Year: Paul Costa with Walkin' In These Shoes. Victorian Entertainer of the Year: Rodney Vincent. In the national categories... Claye Middleton and Ruckus tied for the Hawking Brothers Best New Talent award with Free And Flying and Ruckus, respectively. John Williamson won the Trailblazers Heritage Award with The Camel Boy. Johnny Chester took out the Smoky Dawson Best Independent Release award with Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands. Bush Ballad of the Year: Peter Denahy with Peppercorn Tree. Duo of the Year: Carter & Carter with God Didn't Make Mistakes. Bluegrass & Traditional Country: Hardrive with Mighty Dark For Me To Travel. Jake Nickolai won Instrumental of the Year with Sidewinder. Song of the Year: Adam Harvey, Rod McCormack and Jerry Salley with Missing Heroes. The Vibe won Best Australian Group of the Year with Walk Away. Female Vocalist of the Year: Beccy Cole with Just Because She Always Has. And Male Vocalist of the Year: Adam Harvey with Missing Heroes. Boyup Brook gears up... Organisers of this weekend's Country Music Festival and Awards in Boyup Brook, Western Australia, are looking forward to another successful event.
The Festival kicks off Friday Afternoon with free country music behind the Tourist Centre in Boyup Brook featuring Girls with Guitars (pictured at right, below), Busty Brasierri (Deborah Minter) and bush poets. Friday Night, Carter & Carter, Greg Champion, Brendon Walmsley and Cowboy X star. Saturday morning features a street festival, buskers and street performers and a parade with floats, utes and trucks. Saturday afternoon and night is time for a Concert in the Park starring Greg Champion, Melinda Schneider, Sovereign, the Sunny Cowgirls (pictured at right, above) and more. Also on Saturday, some Awards contestants and previous winners will appear. Sunday kicks off with a bush poets' breakfast followed by gospel music at the Anglican Church with Carter & Carter. The Sunday Concert in the Park wraps up the Festival with Connie Kis Andersen, Sovereign, the Sunny Cowgirls and many more. A feature of this year's festival – and new for 2006 – will be a Blue Singlet Count Guiness World Record Attempt where organisers hope to beat the Deniliquin Ute Muster record of people in blue singlets. Finalists for this year's Awards are... In Female Vocal... Connie Kis Anderson, Danielle Simich and Judy Tilley. In Male Vocal... Steve Dix, Matt Starcevich and Chad Woods. In Instrumental... Kingsley Day and Linda Fisher. In Junior Vocals... Chelsea Basham, Lauren Brede and Kallen Hair. In Open... Country Horizon, Cyclone Jason & The Hurricanes and Super Dextas. Songwriter categories have already been determined with Debra Beckett winning the Senior Songwriter award and Dean Johnston taking out the Junior title. Further information can be obtained from www.countrymusicwa.com.au. New release for Slim A new double CD and double DVD set titled Slim Dusty Live will be released on March 12.
Slim’s enthusiasm was infectious and his live shows delighted hundreds of thousands of Australians for more than half a century. While his early shows drew heavily on the music hall tradition, his performance style evolved over the years. The strength of the Slim Dusty Show was seeing and hearing Slim sing real songs about real characters in such a down to earth, straightforward manner. Surprisingly, this is only Slim’s fifth live recording from his career spanning more than five decades. Achieving gold and platinum CD sales for Slim was commonplace but it is fitting that before he passed away Slim earned his first platinum award in the new DVD format. This puts Slim in the unique position of earning gold or platinum sales awards for all commercial audio and visual formats - 78rpm, 45 rpm, 33rpm, cassette, eight-track, CD, VHS and now DVD. The 33 track, double Slim Dusty Live CD was captured during the 2000 sell out Looking Forward Looking Back concert tour which celebrated Slim’s multi-platinum 100th album release. The previously unreleased concert recording also features performances from the McKean Sisters and Anne Kirkpatrick. The simultaneous double Slim Dusty Live DVD release features all previously unseen performances including concert footage filmed at Mike Walsh’s Richmond Regent Theatre in 1987. This concert was originally intended to become the pilot for a proposed television series to be hosted by Slim, however the series didn’t eventuate. Thanks to Joy McKean and Mike Walsh, now, some 20 years later, fans can enjoy the historic performance. The second DVD features another previously unseen Slim Dusty concert, filmed in 1992 at The Geelong Performing Arts Centre. These two historic concerts are complemented by the inclusion of two rare bonus Slim Live tracks, Three Rivers Hotel and Camooweal, both filmed in 1975. Fans will be delighted to discover that there is virtually no song repetition over the three hours of live performance featured on the Slim Dusty Live CD and DVD. Slim chance there'd be no Dusty on this mural Meanwhile, much in the way Slim Dusty turned ordinary tales into beautiful music, his lined face has now transformed a school wall in Queensland into an attractive mural.
Teacher Greg Retschlag is passionate about Australian history and every year, students from his class sing a medley of country music at the School's year-end concert. It was only fitting, then, that the country music legend grace the assembly area wall. "Slim Dusty had to feature in that," Greg said, pointing to the colourful new mural. "You can't do country music without Slim." The other Australian to feature on the mural, designed by graphic designer Megan Bourne, who incorporated the students' ideas, is poet Banjo Patterson. A windmill and water tank represent the outback, while native Australian flowers, including the banksia, wattle and Queensland's Cooktown orchid, complement the scene. "I sat down with the kids and said, 'Right, we want an Australian mural. What should we put on it?'" Greg said. "Then they watched their ideas take form on the wall." Money for the mural was granted by the Regional Arts Development Fund, which gave $2,000 towards the project. The school's P&C also contributed $1,500. School Principal Tom Otto said: "Slim Dusty was a great Australian and I am pleased that the children asked that his image be included in their mural." I've Been Everywhere goes even further Remember the movies "Ghostbusters" and "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids"?
The Canadian Press reported that Moranis, after nearly a decade-long self-imposed hiatus from major screenwork, had unintentionally launched a side career as a singer. Over the years, we've come to know him through memorable TV and film characters like the nutty scientist who shrank his kids. Since its release last fall, his offbeat country album – The Agoraphobic Cowboy – has taken off, earning major label support and a nomination for last week's Grammy Awards. And no one is more surprised than Moranis himself. After all, it began as a lark. "I sort of pulled out of everything a few years ago," said the Toronto-born Moranis who's been raising his children in New York since his wife died of cancer in the early 1990s. "I needed and wanted to spend more time at home and then I discovered that I just didn't miss any of it and didn't go back to it."
"As much as it is somewhat of a departure, it's not completely a departure because I've always done a lot of music," said Moranis, who started out as a radio DJ in Toronto before moving on to standup comedy. "I don't know if I'm capable of writing anything straight. I just can't take myself that seriously." Moranis said country music seemed a natural genre for his humour. "Country music is a place where from time to time you hear some really funny stuff," he said pointing to artists like Johnny Cash, The Statler Brothers, Roger Miller and Ray Stevens. Moranis, 52, made the album available for sale via his website using Artistshare, web-based technology that allows artists to sell self-produced music. The initial release sold a few thousand copies with barely any effort on Moranis's part. "It just made sense to see if we could take it a little bit further," he said. "I was running into people on the street in New York who were saying 'Hey, I heard about that thing. I gotta go pick it up'." The Agoraphobic Cowboy was recently made widely available in stores courtesy of a deal Moranis struck with Warner Canada. "I don't know what's going to happen now," he said, but he may cut a music video for I Ain't Goin' Nowhere, in which he sings: "I ain't goin' nowhere, man/Never gonna go nowhere/I'm cuttin' my own hair, man." Graeme back on the road
"Simply Graeme Connors" presents this multi awarded artist and gifted songwriter in intimate, solo mode while "…in a different light" is an insightful, interactive stage performance where Graeme invites the audience to share a day in his life set in his "inner sanctum" with writing desk, guitar, piano and his view to the world. "…in a different light" is descibed as "a journey into the creative process where imagery and inspiration merge with theatre and technology to reveal the private Graeme Connors at work" Graeme Connors "…in a different light" has received many outstanding reviews and, on this tour, he is joined on stage by musicians Sam Hawksley, James Gillard and Scott Hills. Recently inducted into the Walk of Fame in Tamworth, Graeme has released 12 albums and has achieved three Gold and one Platinum record sales awards, 12 Golden Guitars, "MO", APRA, ARIA and PPCA Awards among many other local and international accolades. Visit www.graemeconnors.com for tour details and more information. Big Brisbane year for Laurel The Australian radio news website radioinfo reports that 2006 is proving to be a huge year already for 4KQ breakfast host and media personality Laurel Edwards.
Laurel, who also works in television, has released a number of country music records and co-hosted the Golden Guitar Awards, is married to Troy Cassar-Daley. Robin Sellick has developed a reputation over the last 10 years for photographing famous aussies, including Geoffrey Rush, Kylie Minogue and Lleyton Hewitt. This exhibition features his previous work and four new portraits of high profile Queenslanders including Laurel and husband Troy. Laurel told radioinfo: “I’m really looking forward to this year. I love what I do. I just have a good time and meet some fabulous people – so life’s good!” Another “biggy” for Laurel in February will be the 500th episode of Channel 7’s "Great South East", airing on Sunday February 26. Laurel has been with the show since its first episode. Handlin re-elected to chair ARIA Board
Board members for 12 months are George Ash, Managing Director of Universal Music Australia; Philip Mortlock, Managing Director of Origin Recordings; John O'Donnell, Managing Director of EMI Music Australia; Ken Outch, CEO of Rajon; Ed St John, President and CEO of Warner Music Australasia; and David Williams, Chairman of Shock Records. "(This year) is shaping up to be a monumental year for the industry," Handlin said, citing ARIA's January alliance with mobile phone manufacturer Motorola and DMG Radio Australia's Nova network. Motorola's sponsorship has seen the funding of the reintroduction of printed charts in retail, the February 5 launch of a national live radio chart countdown on Nova and new promotional initiatives for Australian and international new releases. "During 2006, we'll be looking to repeat the significant successes that we achieved during 2005, including the successful outcome in the Kazaa litigation," Handlin added. Stephen Peach, CEO of ARIA, told Christie ARIA planned major events around the March launch of the digital download chart, the second ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame inductions mid-year in Melbourne and the 20th anniversary of the ARIA Awards in Sydney in October. Charts update – top four unchanged The top four positions on the Country Tracks Top 30 Australian singles chart remain unchanged this week with Keith Urban at number one with Better Life, Adam Harvey at two with I've Been Loved By The Best, Felicity Urquhart at three with The Flood and Samantha McClymont (pictured) at four with Heart Of A Man.
Brian Letton's Two Chords also jumped two to number seven as did Shania Twain with Shoes to number eight. The Sunny Cowgirls' Little Bit Rusty dropped two places to number nine with the Dolly Parton/Keith Urban re-make of the Johnny Mathis classic Twelfth Of Never entered the top 10 at number 10. Bullet performers this week included SweeneyKilleen's Running (rising to 12), Sara Storer's Since I've Gone (up five places to 16), Paul Costa's It's Good To Be Me (also up five places to 17), Tom Curtain's She Stays With Me (in the top 20 at 18), Mike Carr's Legend (in at 19), the Camille Te Nahu/Stuie French duet Wives Don't Like Old Girlfriends (rising to 24), Shaza Leigh's Old Calare (25) and Lee Forster's The Way He Rolls His Swag (27) New entries to the chart this week included Keith Urban's latest single These Are The Days at number 29. In this week's ARIA (Australian Record Industry Association) Australian Artist Country Albums Chart, The Winners 2006 retains the top spot for the fourth week with Keith Urban holding number two with Be Here.
Troy Cassar-Daley's Brighter Day slipped one place to number six while Paul Kelly & The Stormwater Boys' Foggy Highway was steady at seven and The Very Best Of Slim Dusty moved up one to number eight. Lee Kernaghan's Big Ones Greatest Hits dropped one place to nine while Keith Urbn's Golden Road album re-entered the top 10 at 10. Keith has three albums in the top 20 this week, Be Here (in for 66 weeks), Golden Road (in for 173 weeks) and Keith Urban (in for an amazing total of 203 weeks). John Williamson's True Blue – The Very Best Of album has the record for current charting albums though with an incredible total of 331 weeks in the chart, just pipping Kasey Chambers' The Captain, in for only 329 weeks! Country Energy supports Country Music Hall of Fame As fund-raising efforts for the proposed new Country Music Hall of Fame in Tamworth step up, the Australian Country Music Foundation has announced the signing of a new sponsor, Country Energy.
Country Energy is not new to backing country music. In the past, support has included sponsorship of the Slim Dusty Exhibition, the Foundation’s first major public display in the mid 1990s. The authority has also provided regular assistance and support to other Foundation activities and other organisations including the Capital Country Music Association. Country In The Courtyard, held on the third Monday of every month at the Foundation’s museum building in Brisbane Street, is designed to provide another regular country music activity for Tamworth and a focal point for promotion of the new Hall of Fame concept and fundraising for the project. It starts during the summer months at 6.30pm and runs through until 9. In inclement weather, the activity moves inside to the Foundation’s Smoky Dawson Room performance area.
For the small cost of two dollars, a light supper is provided on the night and a raffle is conducted. “We’re delighted to have Country Energy on board again as a sponsor,” said Foundation President Bob Kirchner. “As the Hall of Fame project kicks into gear over the next few years, we’re going to need as much support as possible. “To have a major organisation like Country Energy getting involved at such an early stage is very positive and encouraging.” "Country Energy is pleased to be in on the ground floor of such a worthwhile and important historical initiative for Tamworth," said Paul Brial, Regional General Manager Northern. "It has given Country Energy another opportunity to support our regional community." The next Country Energy Country In The Courtyard runs Monday evening, February 20. Further information about the Foundation and Country Music Hall of Fame can be obtained from www.acmf.org.au. Catching up on Tamworth 2006 – CCMA National Talent Quest Tamworth's Capital Country Music Association (CCMA) ran another very successful National Talent Quest during the January 2006 Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Winner of the Norfolk Island Prize was Krystal Donnelly who also won the Shirley Thoms Award for Best Female Vocal 18 years & Over and the Country Gospel trophy. Tiah Guillot won Best Young Talent Vocal 13 years while Penelope Somerville took out Best Young Talent Vocal 14-17 years. Glen Harrison won the Solo Instrumental 17 years & Under category while Sarah Roberts was named winner of Junior Gospel 14-17 years and Sugar & Spice took out Junior Duet 17 years & Under. Junior Gospel 13 years & Under: 1 Kiara Rodrigues 2 Melanie Dyer 3 Nathan Williams Bevan Gardiner won the Buddy Williams Award for Best Male Vocal 18 years and over while Bec Hance won Open Yodel and Bevan & Jane were named winners of Best Country Duet 18 years & Over.Buddy Williams Award: 1 Bevan Gardiner 2 Dan Murphy 3 John Nieper The Stewart James Group won Best Open Group while the CCMA Open Songwriting award went to Bec Hance. Full details of National Talent Quest winners and placegetters can be found at www.ccma.net.au.
Grammys fail to rate Associated Press reported in the Sydney Morning Herald last week that nearly twice as many people in the United States watched "American Idol" as watched the "Grammy Awards" when the two music programs went head-to-head in prime time, according to Nielsen Media Research said.
The Idol audience on the Fox network was 28.3 million while CBS's Grammy Awards were being watched by 15.1 million people, Nielsen said. It certainly wasn't what Grammy producers or the struggling US music industry anticipated after packing the show with star-studded performances. Kanye West, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Kelly Clarkson, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z and Christina Aguilera all performed, and the Grammys also featured a colourful appearance by reclusive star Sly Stone. During the hour when the Grammys competed directly with American Idol, the awards show featured Madonna, John Legend, Coldplay and U2, with the Irish rock band's duet with Mary J Blige arguably the evening's most thrilling moment. After Idol went off the air, the Grammys picked up a little steam. For its full three and a half hours, the Grammy Awards' average viewership was 17 million people. The previous least watched Grammy telecast was in 1995 when the show was watched by 17.2 million people. Last year's show was seen by 18.8 million people, and there were 26.3 million US viewers in 2004 Country star Kenny is number three top earner American country star Kenny Chesney has been named number three of the music industry's top earners in a survey by prestigious business magazine Forbes.
The Rolling Stones topped the poll with $168 million with U2 in second place at $150 million. Green Day came in fourth with $99 million, The Eagles fifth with $84 million, Paul McCartney sixth with $83 million, Celine Dion seventh with $81 million. Elton John was tenth on th list with $66 million. Nine dates of Kenny Chesney's upcoming The Road & The Radio Tour in America with more than 86,000 tickets snapped up including two shows in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that were gone in 15 minutes, less than a 60 minute sell-out in Jacksonville, Austin and both Dayton and Pensacola blowing out one show and nearly going clean on a second. Though he still has one of the lowest ticket prices of any major headliner – “because I wanna make sure the people who wanna come and party with us can… and it's not the price of the ticket that's keeping them away. I've been there as a kid, and I try to remember…”. CMA Music Festival announces artists The first list of artists for the CMA (Country Music Association) Music Festival (formerly FanFair) this June has been announced.
Artists making a repeat appearance will include Trace Adkins, Jessica Andrews, Steve Azar, The Bellamy Brothers, Lane Brody, Sonny Burgess, Billy Currington, Linda Davis, Emerson Drive, Sara Evans, Jace Everett, The Fox Brothers, Andy Griggs, Hot Apple Pie, Con Hunley, Buddy Jewell, Miranda Lambert, Brice Long, Montgomery Gentry, Oak Ridge Boys, Ray Scott, Blake Shelton, Keni Thomas, Carrie Underwood, Mark Wills, Trent Willmon, Darryl Worley, Chely Wright and Michelle Wright. Newcomers this year will include Susan Haynes and Danielle Peck. Additional artists will be added in the coming weeks. CMA Music Festival 2006 will be held in Nashville from June 8 to 11. Half of all proceeds from the event go toward charities hand-picked by participating artists who appear at the event for free. Further information can be obtained from www.cmafest.com. US country music scholar dies Charles Wolfe, a college professor who wrote the history of the Grand Ole Opry and was considered an expert on music, folklore and popular culture, has died. He was 62.
Wolfe had diabetes and other health problems before he died Thursday at Middle Tennessee Medical Center, his daughter, Stacey Wolfe, said Friday. "He's been a sick a long time," she said. "The main problem was his blood pressure. He was weak from surgery he had in June." John McDaniel, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, called Wolfe "a gentle giant and a prolific author." Wolfe was widely recognised as one of the leading experts on the history and development of country music. He is the author of more than a dozen books whose subjects range from Leadbelly to the Louvin Brothers to Southern fiddling, and he was quoted in news stories and documentaries about country and roots music. His 1999 book, "A Good-Natured Riot, The Birth of the Grand Ole Opry," won the Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award. Stacey Wolfe said her father had recently completed a book on the music of bluegrass great Bill Monroe that will be published posthumously. Wolfe earned his undergraduate degree at Southwest Missouri State College and his master's and doctorate at the University of Kansas. – Kansas City Star DATELINE : WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2006 Bungendore 2006 winners announced Winners in the ninth annual Stan Coster Memorial Australian Bush Ballad Awards were announced on Saturday night during the 21st annual Festival of Australian Country Music at Bungendore.
Western Australia's Jenny Bennetts won the Female Vocal award for her recording of Camooweal. Amos Morris took out the New Talent category with The Rain Don’t Tumble Down In July Here. The Instrumental award went to Lindsay Butler with Ride The Sunlander. John Williamson won his first two Bungendore Bush Ballad awards this year... the Songwriter award with Bells In A Bushman’s Ear and Album of the Year with Chandelier Of Stars. Comedy Song of the Year went to Keith Jamieson with Twenty Million Bulldog Ants. The Barry Thornton Encouragement Award, selected by Awards organisers from New Talent nominations, was presented to Ashley Cook. Special guest presenters on the night included Joy McKean, Anne Kirkpatrick and Ernie Constance. Organiser Maureen Gordon said this year's Festival had been "fantastic... a very, very good crowd and very positive". Pictured, from the top: Brian Letton, Lindsay Butler and Amos Morris. Stars line-up for Victorian Country Music Awards All systems are "go" for this weekend's Victorian & National Country Music Awards to be announced as part of the 2006 Whittlesea Country Music Festival. This year’s Festival, running over Friday, Saturday and Sunday (February 10 to 12) is expected to further lift the profile of the event with four of the hottest Australian country stars set to strut their stuff, according to a report from Victoria's Star Newspaper Group. John Williamson, Troy Cassar-Daley and Adam Harvey – widely recognised as three of the top male performers in Australia – and Beccy Cole – considered among the best in the female ranks – are the four special guests.
“Our name is bigger and better than ever before,” he said. “We can be picky with our artists these days, because it’s not just that we pay them, they want to be here.” The Festival started in Kyneton in 1989 before moving to Whittlesea five years ago. More than 15,000 people are expected to attend the Festival this year which begins on Friday night with the Awards show at the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre in South Morang. The next day is the Saturday Street Party in Whittlesea township featuring buskers, street stalls and carnival rides, leading into the evening program and Sunday performances, bush poetry with a truck and ute show rounding out the Festival. Finalists in the Awards are... In the National section, for Male Vocal... Royden Donohue, Adam Harvey, Jake Nickolai, Travis Sinclair and John Williamson. For Female Vocal... Merelyn Carter, Beccy Cole, Rebecca Lee Nye, Smantha McClymont and Sara Storer. For Group... The Borderers & Jay Collie, The Hamiltons, Jetty Road, Toe Sucking Cowgirls and The Vibe. For Duo... Carter & Carter, Travis Collins & Samantha McClymont, Sara & Greg Storer and SweeneyKilleen. For Hawking Bros Best New Talent... Samantha McClymont, Claye Middleton, Jetty Road, Ruckus and The Vibe. For Songwriter’s Composition... Beccy Cole & Rod McCormack with Rainbows, Dreams & Butterflies, Adam Harvey, Rod McCormack & Jerry Salley with Missing Heroes, Sara Storer & L Roberts with Firefly, Felicity Urquhart & Glen Hannah with The Flood and John Williamson with Keeper Of The Stones. For Smoky Dawson Best Independent Release... Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands by Johnny Chester, Acoustic Gospel by Carter & Carter, Higher Ground by Tania Kernaghan, Rush by Travis Sinclair and The River Rose by SweeneyKilleen. For The Trailblazers Heritage Award... Carter & Carter, Peter Denahy, Tania Kernaghan, Sara Storer and John Williamson. For Bush Ballad of the Year... Peppercorn Tree (Peter Denahy), Roan Stag In The Lead (Tom Maxwell), My Saddle Bag Dreams (Dean Perrett), Where The Cooper Flows (Graham Rodger) and Skinny Dingoes (John Williamson). For Instrumental... Ride The Sunlander (Lindsay Butler), The Kitchen Girl (Peter Denahy), Something’s Cooking (Michael Fix), Lightning (Hardrive) and Sidewinder (Jake Nickolai). For Bluegrass & Traditional Country... Beccy Cole, Peter Denahy, Hardrive, Adam Harvey and SweeneyKilleen. For Victorian Male Vocalist... David Carter, Paul Costa, Peter Denahy, Jake Nickolai and Travis SInclair. For Victorian Female Vocalist...Victoria Baillie, Merelyn Carter, Marcie Jones, Rebecca Lee Nye and Gail Smith. For Victorian Group/Duo... Carter & Carter, Crakajak, Hardrive, Jetty Road and Ruckus. For Victorian Album of the Year... Acoustic Gospel (by Carter & Carter), Foggy Highway (Paul Kelly), Peter Denahy (Peter Denahy), Rush (Travis Sinclair) and Walkin’ In These Shoes (Paul Costa). Fiddlers gain recognition Australia’s fiddlers issued a challenge for more recognition during the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January, and they got it with the staging of the Golden Fiddle Awards. The Awards, only two years old, has quickly established itself as the showcase for a lot more than country band support fiddlers. The top soloist at the first awards in 2005 was a classical player, Asmira Woodward-Page. This year jazz player Ian Cooper (pictured) took the honour. Ian is recognised as one of Australia’s leading jazz fiddlers who shares the cabaret stage with music legend James Morrison. "He came up to Tamworth to lend his support and, as a bonus, walked away with two of the top Golden Fiddle Awards, one for Soloist of the Year and the other for Best CD By A Fiddler Soloist," said a spokesman for the Awards. "Better known for his Stephane Grappelli-inspired jazz playing in Morrison’s shows, Ian admitted he was not really part of the Tamworth scene, but he sensed that a fiddle-revolution was in the air and wanted to be a part of it." A surprise at this year's Awards was the emergence of bluegrass players as winners in two categories. The Davidson Brothers of Melbourne was the Best Band Featuring A Fiddler while Foggy Highway by Paul Kelly & the Stormwater Boys took off the award for Best CD By A Band. Alice Springs based music teacher Jane Coleman, who was named Best Fiddle Teacher, uses her talents to bring tuition to children in remote areas of Australia, in less than ideal teaching conditions. Best Fiddle Composition was The Common Koel by Nigel MacLean with Lydia’s Jig by Peter O’Shea earning a high commendation. Another high commendation was made in the soloist category to Marcela Koldova from Templestowe in Victoria and Sydney band CODA received a high commendation in the category for Best Band Featuring A Fiddler. A youth encouragement award, presented for the first time this year, went to popular Gold Coast based band The Bostocks, all siblings.
"Ray died in 2002 in his early 40s but left a legacy of great showmanship and a portfolio of his own compositions." Awards organisers said. "Last year’s award went to the late Louis McManus, one of Australia’s best known multi instrumentalists and live performers. Louis died in December 2004, aged 48." More than 500 people packed the Tamworth Town Hall for the second annual Golden Fiddle Awards ceremony presented on Australia Day. The cream of Australian fiddlers, Marcus Holden, George Washingmachine, Andrew Clermont, Mykl Lozin and Jess Randall lent their support to the awards with their performances. Pixie Jenkins, who has featured as fiddle player with John Williamson for more than two decades, and a Golden Guitar winner himself, hosted the Golden Fiddle Awards. The new drive for recognition of Australian fiddlers comes from the Australian fiddle designer and maker Epoch which took an interest in the Tamworth scene about five years ago by joining with local legend and globe trotting multi instrumentalist Andrew Clermont in the No Holds Barred Fiddle Contest. With Epoch violins as prizes, the contest has encouraged fiddle playing particularly among the younger generation. The Golden Fiddle Awards, started by Marcus Holden, Andrew Clermont and Epoch Managing Director Mark Mitchell, was inaugurated in 2004 as a not-for-profit foundation to try to get "at least equal billing for fiddle playing at Tamworth". “We don’t deny any of the success of the guitar players and other musicians, composers and singers in Tamworth, but I think it’s time the fiddle was honoured a great deal more than it has been for the role it plays in country music, indeed all music," said Mark Mitchell. "The fiddle needs to come from the support position at the back of the stage to the front line!" Golden Guitar Awards on Pay TV
Country Music Channel (CMC), available on all Austar and digital channels, will screen the Awards program at the following times...
And the Canadian Country Music Awards... on Saturday, February 18 at 10.30pm and then February 19 (1.30pm), 21 (8pm), 22 (12noon), 23 (10pm), 24 (7pm), 27 (8pm) and 28 (12noon). A "country awards" special event will occur on CMC this year for the first time... "the three big awards shows back-to-back"... the Australian, American and Canadian awards air together on Saturday, February 18 from 6pm and Sunday, February 19 from 9am. Visit www.countrymusicchannel.com.au for more information. Australian Outback Spectacular Australian Outback Spectacular – a new attraction on the Queensland Gold Coast – opens on April 1.
Positioned next to Warner Bros Movie World, the Australian Outback Spectacular arena will "thunder with the hooves of Australian stockhorses as the action–packed performance unfolds. "It’s an electric atmosphere presented with state-of-the-art lighting and sound as Australia’s leading stunt riders and stockmen play out a story of two rival cattle stations," the operators say. "A highlight of the show is the audience participation. Each section of the audience cheers on their own team of stockmen to claim the title of the ‘champion cattle station’. "And during the heat of the action, a traditional Australian barbecue is served." The Australian Outback Spectacular is presented by R M Williams, Australia’s leading bush outfitter, a name which has, for more than 70 years, been synonymous with Australian bush life. Warner Village Theme Parks are investing $23 million in establishing the Spectacular which will run nightly from Tuesday to Saturday with a 1,000 seat capacity. Photo: the Outback Spectacular attraction begins to takes shape. No "MO" presentation Christie Eliezer reports in his music industry column this week the axing of the 30th "MO" Awards.
Instead, winners of this year's Awards will be announced on the Awards website (www.moawards.org.au) that night with confirmation sent to all winners. Ingrid Berg OAM, a former chairman of the "MO" Awards, has sponsored the new awards stateuettes to go to the winners of the 39 categories. Designed by Graham Simpson and the late Calvin Winetroube, they are a three-dimensional lasered figure of comedian Roy "MO" Rene, after whom the awards were named. Ken Laing, CEO of the Awards, said that the Awards would still be held next year, and they would be working to get a sponsor. Charts update... Keith Urban and Adam Harvey maintained their stranglehold on the Country Tracks Top 30 top two spots this week with, respectively, Better Life and I've Been Loved By The Best.
The Paul Kelly/Kasey Chambers duet You're Learning dropped one to number five while Troy Cassar-Daley's Lonesome But Free fell three spots to number six. The Sunny Cowgirls' Little Bit Rusty is steady at seven, George Strait's She Let Herself Go jumped from number 10 to number eight and Brian Letton's Two Chords was steady at nine. Shania Twain was the only new entry in the top 10 this week with Shoes. Bullet performers this week included SweeneyKilleen's Running (rising to 14) and The Flood's Hello Blue Sky (16). New entries to the chart this week included Lee Forster's The Way He Rolls His Swag at number 30.
Keith Urban's Be Here moved back up to number two while Catherine Britt's Too Far Gone dropped back to number three. John Williamson's Chandelier Of Stars moved back up one position to four, Troy Cassar-Daley's Brighter Day jumped from nine to five and Sara Storer's Firefly moved up one to number six. Paul Kelly & The Stormwater Boys' Foggy Highway dropped to number seven while Lee Kernaghan's Big Ones Greatest Hits jumped to number eight. The Very Best Of Slim Dusty moved back up to nine while Steve Forde's new album Rowdy debuted at number 10. Peter Pratt continues to reap awards Illabo based singer/songwriter Peter Pratt reaped a harvest of awards at this year's Tamworth Country Music Festival. His debut album Ever True delivered two more accolades, Peter's first ever TIARA (Tamworth Independent Artists Recognition Award) for Best Bush Ballad for the self penned song Where I'm Longing To Go and his second Australian Country Music Listener's Association (ACMLA) Award for his recording of the Eric Bogle song As If He Knows in the Heritage category.
A farmer in his "other life", Peter has gathered a big following since debuting professionally in the music industry four years ago. His talent and songs have also delivered two top 10 and two top 20 hits in the national Country Tracks Top 30 chart and his album has been a consistent top seller through national distributor One Stop Entertainment since its release in 2002. Where I'm Longing To Go, also Peter's most recent radio hit, was inspired by a series of concerts he has performed in the small NSW town of Cathcart, and has been his most successful song to date, earning him a berth as a finalist in the 2005 Golden Guitars and winning him this year's Bush Ballad TIARA. Peter said he was "rapt" at the response in Tamworth this year. "These awards were such a thrill," he said. "I never expected the album Ever True to do so much for me. I am just so grateful to my fans, radio DJs and music industry people for their support." He said he was also delighted with the crowd response in Tamworth. His first ever feature concert during the festival, which he shared with fellow artist and farmer Jeanette Wormald, attracted a full house at the Family Hotel on the final Saturday afternoon of the Festival, a major achievement in a week jam-packed with choice and entertainment for festival goers. And the crowd present erupted in spontaneous applause when Jeanette and Peter debuted their duet Out Here, which will be released as a single and music clip later this year. Peter has a busy year ahead of him in 2006, including tours to three states and a swag of festival appearances. He will also be recording a new album. Adam headlines Central Coast Festival The sixth annual ANZ Central Coast Country Music Festival will be staged from Friday to Sunday, March 10 to 12, at The Entrance, NSW, with country star Adam Harvey headlining the event.
"The free concert in Memorial Park by 'local legend' Adam Harvey is bound to be a highlight of the event," organisers say. "Adam is one of Australia’s most popular and successful contemporary country music artists. He is blessed with the biggest voice in Australian country music and a personality that enables him to make the most of every situation. "But it’s not only Adam who will be on show. The Entrance and surrounding areas will be buzzing with talent as many of the best artists throughout the country converge on our area." The Entrance outdoor venues will be the main focus of the Festival during the day, moving to the pubs and clubs in the evening. "And just when it sounds like the festival can’t get any better, it turns out that entry to most of the venues is absolutely free!" Artists appearing at the 2006 Central Coast Country Music Festival include Felicity Urquhart, The Wolverines, Stuart French, Camille Te Nahu, Cat Southern, Paul Costa, Carter & Carter, Donna Boyd, Pixie Jenkins, Rob Wilson, The Fuelers, Matt Frost, Boot Hill, Bruce McCumstie, Jonah’s Road, "and many, many more". The Festival will also feature a Poet’s Breakfast on the Sails Stage on the Sunday morning, Wandering the Lakes Cruises with country singers and Country Music Double Decker Bus Tours. There will be a Ute Show in Lakeside Shopping Centre Car Park on the Sunday and Memorial Park will "come alive" with stalls and exhibitions, show rides, face painting, temporary tattoos, fairy floss and more. A copy of the Festival's final program of entertainment can be obtained from The Entrance Town Centre Management on 1800 335 377, or by visiting www.theentrance.org. Rowdy and loud With another successful Tamworth Country Music Festival behind him, Steve Forde is set to embark on a 12 month national tour which will take him all over regional Australia.
The album was recorded in Dallas, Arlington, Nashville and Australia and co-produced by Steve, Mark Moseley and Sean “Barney” Thomas. Steve’s “Rowdy and Loud” tour involves 13 people, a 40 foot coach, a 60 foot semi-trailer and eight tons of sound and lights. Steve also has a new series on CMC (Country Music Channel) titled “Rollin’ With..." commencing on on Thursday, April 13 at 7pm with “Rollin With Lee Kernaghan” (taking viewers to The Deni Ute Muster and the hinterland of the Gold Coast for a one-on-one chat with Lee). No Wrong is Steve’s first single from Rowdy and is picking up strong airplay around Australia. The video was last week’s Hit Pick on CMC. Steve's tour kicks off in Orange tomorrow, followed by Forbes on Friday and Condobolin on Saturday. Full tour details can be obtained from www.steveforde.com. Australian finalists in International Songwriting Competition
Finalists were selected out of almost 15,000 entries from 80 countries and represent the top 1.4 percent of all entries submitted. Australian finalists include Kirsty Lee Akers with Bashed Up, Beaten, Battered, Broken Heart; Katie Brianna with The Devil Came Back For You; Karl Broadie with Black Crow Callin'; and Natalie Howard, Terry McBride, Tommy Lee James with The Long Night. The ISC grand prize package is put together to benefit the winning songwriter and maximize his or her songwriting career, including: US$10,000 cash, a college radio promotion campaign, legal services from a music attorney, a CD duplication package, premium recording software and hardware, music and recording equipment. Finalists' songs are currently in the judges' hands, and winners will be announced in March. Judges include the presidents of 10 record labels and leading artists such as Loretta Lynn, Sonny Rollins, Tom Waits, Steve Vai and Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC). More than $150,000 in cash and merchandise will be awarded to 50 winners, including the top honour of ISC Overall Grand Prize winner. The finalists' songs are also listed online for the People's Voice – an online voting contest that allows the public to listen to and vote for their favourite ISC finalist. The winner of the People's Voice is selected solely by public vote and is in addition to, and completely separate from, the regular winners who are selected by the judging panel. "Visit www.songwritingcompetition.com to listen to the finalists' songs and cast your vote!" Pictured (from the top): finalists Katie Brianna, Kirsty Lee Akers and Natalie Howard.
Dolly, Joaquin and Reese up for Oscars Three country music or country related nominations have been announced for the 2006 Academy Awards.
This is Dolly's second career Oscar nomination. She also made the list for writing the title track to 1980's "9 to 5". This year's other original song nominees are In The Deep from "Crash" and It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp from "Hustle & Flow". Meanwhile, the two lead actors from the Johnny Cash movie "Walk The Line" – Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon – were nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress for their roles as Johnny Cash and June Carter. The film was also nominated for Achievement in Costume Design, Film Editing and Sound Mixing. It won three Golden Globes in January and Reese accepted a Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actress, also in January. The Oscars will be presented in Los Angles on March 5 in Los Angeles. – cmt.com Vale – Louise Scruggs
She was 78. At her funeral on Monday, Louise's friends remembered her by offering heartfelt accolades and musical tributes at the Ryman Auditorium. One of the first women to gain prominence in the country music industry, Louise steered husband Earl Scruggs' career for more than five decades. Among those who performed during the service were Dwight Yoakam, Travis Tritt, Marty Stuart, Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs. Billy Bob Thornton and radio personality Eddie Stubbs were among those who provided personal recollections of Louise's impact on their lives and the country music industry. Photo: Louise Scruggs with her husband the late Earl Scruggs. DATELINE : WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006 Now the Tamworth Festival has concluded, attention focuses on three major events coming up in Bungendore, NSW, Whittlesea, Vic, and Boyup Brook, WA. We'll look at Whittlesea and Boyup Brook next week and the week after, but this week, it's time for the 21st annual... Festival of Australian Country Music More widely known as the Bungendore Muster, the Festival of Australian Country Music runs from tomorrow (Thursday) to Sunday, February 5, and will feature the ninth annual Stan Coster Memorial Australian Bush Ballad Awards on Saturday. The 2006 Awards have attracted good nominations and, according to organisers, prove that the bush ballad is thriving and is a major component of today’s contemporary country music industry.
"The songs and stories you will hear will paint a picture of an Australia you will never want to leave, some of the characters that you have met during your travels will be brought to life again, you will feel for the people on the land as they endure hardship and heartache, you will laugh at the bush humor and share a secret tear in sadness. "You will no doubt come to realise that the balladeers of today and the Australia they write about are not so different to Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson and the Australia they wrote about. "These awards are the only true celebration of the bush balladeer and the music of Australia and an experience never to be forgotten." Finalists for the Awards are... For Male Vocal – Brian Letton with Two Chords, Graham Rodger (pictured) with This Old Guitar Of Mine and John Williamson with Skinny Dingoes.
For New Talent – Neil Buttsworth with Rudder’s Place, Jeff Gibson with My Old Cooloolah Home and Amos Morris with The Rain Don’t Tumble Down In July Here. For Instrumental or Vocal Group or Duo – Lindsay Butler with Ride The Sunlander, Nev Molloy with Roll’n Buck Bush Blues and John Williamson & Chad Morgan with A Country Balladeer. For Album of the Year – Ian Quinn with Following The Footsteps, Graham Rodger with This Old Guitar Of Mine and John Williamson with Chandelier Of Stars. For Comedy Song of the Year – Keith Jamieson with Twenty Million Bulldog Ants, Tom McIvor with The Wrong Yard and John Williamson and Chad Morgan with Country Balladeer. For Songwriter – Peter Coad with The Old Shed, Ray Rose with May There Always Be A Drover and John Williamson with Bells In A Bushman’s Ear. Further information can be obtained from www.bushballadeers.com.au/bungendore.htm or by telephoning 02 6238 0224. Adam up for Global Country Artist Award
Initiated in 2002 by CMA's then-Global Markets Task Force, the award recognises outstanding achievement by a country music artist who has furthered the popularity of country music and brought attention to the genre, in their foreign-based territory. "Each of these artists has achieved amazing success in their own country," said CMA Board Member Jeff Walker, who serves as Chairman of the CMA Global Markets Committee. "Their success is building audiences for country music around the world." Apart from Adam, the nominees are... John Brack from Switzerland, George Canyon from Canada, Ruud Hermans from The Netherlands, Jason McCoy from Canada, Charlie Nagatani from Japan and Daniel O'Donnell, Ireland. Golden Guitar Awards on TV
The telecast, to most of Australia's regional population is scheduled for 7.30pm in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania, at 7pm in South and Central Australia, Broken Hill and Darwin. All telecasts will be on Southern Cross Ten except Tasmania, Seven Darwin and Seven Central which will be Southern Cross Television. At the Awards, presented in Tamworth on Saturday night, Troy Cassar-Daley took out a total of four – Male Vocal, Instrumental (his first), Vocal Collaboration (with Jimmy Barnes) and APRA Song of the Year (with Paul Kelly). John won Album of the Year and Top Selling Album with Chandelier Of Stars and Bush Ballad of the Year while Paul won Heritage Song of the Year, Video Clip and Song of the Year (with Troy). Rounding out the total with one Golden Guitar each were Jimmy Barnes (for his vocal collaboration with Troy), Kasey Chambers (for Single of the Year, Pony), The Flood (Vocal Group), Samantha McClymont (New Talent) and Ben Saunders (video clip director).
With his four wins last night, Troy has rocketed past Graeme Connors to go from nine to 13 in one fell swoop and fourth highest on the Golden Guitar tally (click here for a full rundown). Paul Kelly's three Golden Guitars last night, giving him a total now of five, firmly entrench his status and position in the Australian country music industry, a position which may have seemed tentative until now with his previous successful career as a pop/rock star. Sara and Kasey's additional Golden Guitars take them to nine and eight, respectively, both well into the top 15 of the Golden Guitar Tally. Champs' album launch | |||||||||||||
Chelsea Basham from Wongan Hills won Junior Vocal with Smarter Than Smoking.
They are Alan and Steve Pigram (pictured), David McComb and James Baker who were formally recognised by WAM last night (Tuesday, February 21) during the WAMi Awards for their contributions to and achievements in the WA music industry.
His funeral is being held today.
Six Professional Development Awards will be presented on the night in the categories of Country, Jazz, Film & TV, Popular Contemporary and Classical Music. The Jessica Michalik Contemporary Music Endowment will also be announced in conjunction with producers of the Big Day Out.
Jeanette Wormald's new album Opal Blue, her first full album project with producer Michael Cristian, will be officially launched in April.
Catching up on Tamworth 2006 – Peoples' Choice winners
Samantha McClymont's Heart Of A Man jumped to number two while George Strait's She Let Herself Go rose to number three.
In this week's ARIA (Australian Record Industry Association) Australian Artist Country Albums Chart, Keith Urban retook the number one position with Be Here, pushing back The Winners 2006 to number two.
Carrie Underwood's album in Australia
Voting for country music's only fan-voted awards in America – the CMT Music Awards – has opened.
Keith wins his first Grammy
Organisers said winners for 2006 were evenly spread, with no single artist or group dominating the awards ceremony.
The full list of 2006 Victorian and National Country Music Award winners...
More than 150 artists will be involved through Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
"As always, when I got too big for my boots," Slim is quoted as saying, "I went back to touring. There’s nothing like being out there on stage, connecting with the folk who come to hear my songs and tell me what’s going on in the real world."
The Toowoomba Chronicle's Kathleen Donaghey reported the Australian-themed mural was painted over the Christmas break at Withcott State School and features iconic Aussies of whom the Grade 4/5 students were learning about.
Rick Moranis (pictured at right), the star of those films (and more), has recently turned to country music and released an album which includes a parody of Geoff Mack's I've Been Everywhere called I Ain't Goin' Nowhere.
Inspired by his two teenaged children, who'd been listening to alt-country and bluegrass, the 13 tracks on the disc include Wheaties Box, Oh So Bucco and It's the Champagne Talkin'. And there's the parody of the Geoff Mack (pictured here) song which was originally a hit in America for Hank Snow.
Graeme Connors is back on the road taking his new solo show “Simply Graeme Connors” and an innovative theatre production “…in a different light” to NSW and Victoria. 
After claiming the title as Brisbane’s longest serving female breakfast announcer in 2005, Laurel’s continued success is being recogised through a photographic exhibition by acclaimed photographer Robin Sellick at the Brisbane Powerhouse until February 26.
Christie Eliezer reports in his 
Troy Cassar-Daley's Lonesome But Free moved back up the chart one spot to number five while George Strait's She Let Herself Go jumped a further two spots to number six.
John Williamson's (pictured) Chandelier Of Stars moved back up to number three while Catherine Britt's Too Far Gone slipped one place to four and Sara Storer's Firefly moved up one to number five.
The power authority is putting its weight behind the Foundation through sponsorship of the monthly Country In The Courtyard concerts.
Local and visiting artists are invited to perform during the evening.
It was the least-watched Grammy Awards in Nielsen records dating back to the 1970s.
Kenny's income, based on record sales and concert tickets, was listed at $110 million,
Returning in 2006 will be Brooks & Dunn, Terri Clark, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley and LeAnn Rimes.
Wolfe, an award-winning writer and editor of music books, was a professor of English at Middle Tennessee State University for 35 years before he retired last year.
In line with the number of awards ceremonies staged, Brian Letton took out his ninth Bungendore Bush Ballad award, this year for Male Vocal with Two Chords.
Festival Committee Treasurer Tony Holding said the calibre of artists showed how far the Whittlesea Festival had come in a very short time.
The lifetime achievement award, for the second year running, was made posthumously, to Sydney fiddle legend Ray Schloeffel (pictured at left).
Following last Saturday night's free-to-air telecast of the 2006 Golden Guitar Awards, subscribers to Pay TV in Australia get the chance to watch the program again in February and March.
CMC is also showing the American Country Music Awards presented in New York in November... on Saturday, February 18 at 8pm; and Sunday, February 19 at 11am.
The first of its kind in Australia, the Spectacular is described as "a unique and exciting show capturing the grandeur of the Australian Outback".
Organisers say money raised from ticket sales, sponsorship and program advertising was insufficient to cover the cost of staging the event which was to be held in Sydney on March 14.
Felicity Urquhart (pictured) and Samantha McClymont each jumped two... Felicity from five to three with The Flood, Samantha to number four with her latest single Heart Of A Man.
In this week's ARIA (Australian Record Industry Association) Australian Artist Country Albums Chart, The Winners 2006 held on to the top spot.
Last year Peter won an ACMLA Award for his song Tractor Pioneers.
Organisers say the Festival is building up to be bigger and better than the highly successful 2005 event with more than 40 country artists performing at 20 venues throughout The Entrance and Wyong Shire. 
Commencing tomorrow (February 9), Steve and The Flange launch the "Rowdy And Loud 2006" tour featuring songs from Steve’s new album (which debuted at number 10 this week on the ARIA Australian Artist Country Album chart).
Fifteen Australians have become finalists in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition (ISC).
Dolly Parton secured a nomination for Best Original Song with Travelin' Thru from the film "Transamerica". Dolly wrote the song specifically for the film which is about a transsexual and her son. In press materials for the film's soundtrack, Parton said: "It's a remarkable movie that touches you in every single place of human emotion."
Louise Scruggs – the wife of banjo innovator Earl Scruggs and considered among the most influential business people in American country music history – died following a lengthy illness, Thursday, February 2 in Nashville.
Award presentations on the Greg Gordon stage will be followed by "an unbelievable journey, song by song, through this magnificent land of ours that only the magic of the story teller, the bush balladeer, can take you on," organisers say.
For Female Vocal – Jenny Bennetts with Camooweal, Cathy Diete with When The First Rain Falls and Shaza Leigh (pictured) with Old Calare.
The 34th annual Golden Guitar Awards go to air on Southern Cross Ten and affiliate stations this Saturday night.