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THE LATEST NEWS
A major computer breakdown at the Bulletin restricted the amount of news uploaded through September and parts of October 2009. Major news items will be included progressively for the record.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
Lee Kernaghan will release his new album on Friday November 6.
Planet Country is the title of the new work and will also be the first single from the album.
The song was written by Lee, Colin Buchanan, Garth Porter and Matt Scullion.
Planet Country will be Lee's first career album release since The New Bush three years ago in 2006.
Two years in the making, the album will feature what Lee describes as the world’s finest country musicians with recording sessions taking place in Sydney and Nashville.
The album is described as "contemporary and totally tapped in to the pulse of Australian culture and way of life".
"I’ll always remember playing a fundraising concert in the backblocks of Western Queensland," Lee said. "The little place was Yaraka and there wasn’t much there but a pub, a school and the bush medical clinic. But for the 30 odd people living in Yaraka this place was home.
"The then Premier of Queensland Peter Beattie and his wife Heather flew out for the show along with 3,000 people from all over the outback who came in from parts further out to help raise funds for the school and bush medical clinic
"After the show we all went back to the old pub and were invited to write a message on the wall. Peter Beattie wrote, 'Yaraka Qld – Centre of the Universe!' Years later, I recalled that legendary town, the people and the spirit.
"Planet Country is for you and all those people across Australia who are livin’, breathin’ and workin’ this hallowed ground," Lee said.
Weblink – www.leekernaghan.com.au.
TSA entries close October 15
Entries in the TSA (Tamworth Songwriters' Association) Songwriters’ Salute Awards of Australia, New Songwriter Award and National Country Songwriting Contest close on Thursday October 15.
The Songwriters’ Salute Awards comprise the following categories: Traditional Bush Ballad, Country Ballad, Contemporary Country Song, Comedy/Novelty Song, Children’s Song, Gospel Song, and Country Song of the Year selected as best song from all categories.
Entry to the Salute Awards is open for songs commercially released between October 16, 2008 and October 15, 2009.
The New Songwriter Award carries a prize of $1,000 and entries are open for material released by an Australasian country music artist between October 16, 2008 and October 15, 2009... to any person who has had their first commercial release after January 1, 2005.
In the National Country Songwriting Contest, trophies and prizemoney will be on offer for the following categories: Amateur Contemporary, Amateur Traditional, Professional Contemporary, Professional Traditional, Junior (16 years and under) and Lyrics Only.
Winners will be announced at TSA’s Gala Concert on Wednesday January 20, 2010, at the West Tamworth League Club.
Also presented will be the Songmaker Award which is decided on votes by TSA’s members and the Tex Morton Award which will be presented to someone who has made a lasting contribution to the cause of country music in Australia.
Entry forms for all awards and the songwriting contest are available from the TSA at PO Box 618, Tamworth 2340, by emailing tsa@tpgi.com.au, or by downloading from the TSA website www.tsaonline.com.au.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2009
Lianna wins Golden Saddle Award
Australian country singer/songwriter Lianna Rose was named winner of the 2009 Golden Saddle Award at Rooty Hill yesterday.
The award is presented "to recognise excellence achieved by artists from NSW, Queensland and Victoria within the Australian independent country music scene".
"Lianna was a finalist among some outstanding fellow nominees," organisers said, "Luke O'Shea, Ronni-Rae Rivers, The Harmonators and Victoria Baillie."
"To be named the winner from such a great bunch of talented artists was a great thrill and surprise," Lianna said. "Everyone's worked so hard and produced some excellent albums... I am shocked and extremely honoured to win this year's Golden Saddle Award."
During the last 18 months, Lianna has released her critically acclaimed debut album Soak Up The World, scored a number of chart hits, had songs cut by Adam Brand and featured in the new Paul Hogan feature film "Charlie & Boots" along with episodes of "Home & Away" and "Neighbours".
Her latest hit single, I Want My Tractor Back is gaining widespread airplay now and is featuring in a number of charts and major playlists.
And Lianna is about to hit the recording studio to work on material for her second album.
Weblinks – www.goldensaddles.com.au, www.liannarose.net.
Chart update – Troy at number one for second week
Troy Cassar-Daley's latest hit – Sing About This Country – is at number one for the second week on this week's national Top 30 Country Tracks chart.
Adam Brand's Blue Sky Cathedral is at number two, also for the second week, while Tania Kernaghan's Dad's Not Gonna Like It jumps three to number three and Sandra Humphries' Just Walk Away edges up one to number four.
Jayne Denham's Shake This Town is at five, America's Brad Paisley is at six with Welcome To The Future and The Sunny Cowgirls' Grog Monster is at seven.
Brooks & Dunn's Indian Summer is at eight, Jetty Road's Million Miles is at nine and The McClymonts' Kick It Up jumps five places to enter the top 10 at 10.
Bullet performers for the week include Slim Dusty's Give Me Room (14 to 11), Kimber Sparks' Movin' On (17 to 14), Amber Lawrence with Don't Do Lonely Well (19 to 15), John Williamson with Better Than A Picture (21 to 16), Harmony James' Precious Little (24 to 19), Lianna Rose with I Want My Tractor Back (26 to 20), The Sunny Cowgirls' Grog Monster (14 to 11), Jasmine Rae's Ain't The Same Girl (19 to 16), Ronni Rae Rivers' Waiting On Lonely (28 to 23), Liam Brew's Girls With Girlfriends (30 to 26) and Melinda Schneider's Courageous (new at 27).
Other new entries to the chart this week include Carter & Carter (pictured) with Surviving Black Saturday (new at 28) and Keith Urban with Only You Can Love Me This Way (at 29).
The full chart can be viewed at www.countrymusicradio.com.au.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2009
Adam wins "Dancing With The Stars"
Country star Adam Brand, with his dancing partner Jade Hatcher, has won the this year's "Dancing With The Stars" title.
In a tough "dance-off" with two Network Seven personalities – Kylie Gilles (with Carmello Pizzino) and Matt White (with Ash-Leigh Hunter), Adam took out the 2009 trophy.
And it was what must have been a massive fan vote to carry him across the line as he was marked below both of the other contestants by the judges.
Adam himself said he and Jade were somewhat shell-shocked when series favourite Kylie Gillies was knocked out in the first elimination last night.
In an emotional acceptance speech, Adam said his main motivation all the way through the series was on his selected charity, the Childrens' Cancer Institute Australia.
Weblink – au.tv.yahoo.com/dancingwiththestars.
Surviving Black Saturday, the latest single from multi award winners Carter & Carter, has been released to radio.
The single is also available on the new Carter & Carter special edition album and via their website (see below).
Merelyn and David Carter are both residents of Kinglake, one of the areas hardest hit when bushfires descended on Victoria on Saturday February 7 ("Black Saturday"), 2009.
"The purpose of recording this song was to say thankyou to everyone who helped in anyway with the recovery of the 'Black Saturday' fires, Merelyn and David said.
"After performing I Am Australian at the national memorial service with Bruce Woodley and his daughter Claire, we came to realise how the trauma of the 'Black Saturday' fires was felt by everyone around Australia, not just those directly caught in its path.
"Over the past six months, this has been confirmed time and time again as we have talked to people right around Australia.
"Something that we always bring into these conversations is how incredibly lucky we are to live in Australia where in times of trouble Australians come together and do whatever they can to help out those who really need it.
"The support that we have received in our hometown Kinglake has been incredible. While the song Surviving Black Saturday doesn't gloss over how horrible the day was, the main reason for writing it was to say thankyou.
"We'd like everyone in Australia to hear it so please pass this on to anyone you think might like to hear or download Surviving Black Saturday for free."
Weblink – www.carter-carter.com.
The lyrics – Surviving Black Saturday
Written by David Carter and Merelyn Carter ©2009
The day turned black
Like a moonless midnight sky
The wind it howled
Like a freight train running wild
The fire rained down
Like a million falling stars
They hit the ground
Tore our little towns apart
There was nothing
But ashes left behind
Burnt out homes
Broken lives
When the smoke clears behind the tears
We’ll find the strength to see
Together we can make it through
The darkest memories
And we all cried as one
‘cause we’re Australian
As we remembered those who lost their lives
And we’ll rebuild these towns
On ash covered ground
And we’ll stay
Surviving Black Saturday
Like a shockwave
Spreading out across the land
It broke our hearts
As only nightmares can
But it raised a spirit that held within it
The power to ease the pain
Heal the hurt, mend the broken
Together start again
‘Cause we all stood as one
And sang I’m Australian
As we remembered those who lost their lives
And we’ll rebuild these towns
On ash covered ground
And we’ll stay
Surviving Black Saturday
The sun will shine again
And the rain will fall on down
The green grass will break through this blackened ground
Our flags fly so proud
On the gate posts of our homes
Saying ‘Thank You
To all of you’
We know we’re not alone
‘Cause we all stood as one
And sang I’m Australian
As we remembered those who lost their lives
And we’ll rebuild these towns
On ash covered ground and we’ll stay
So let’s all stand as one
‘cause we’re Australian
And we’ll make it through together side by side
As we rebuild these towns
The strength that we found
Will remain
Will remain
Surviving Black Saturday
Davidson Brothers USA tour and new single release
The Davidson Brothers have embarked on a month long tour of America and released a new single.
Travelling with Hamish and Lachlan is a five piece all Australian bluegrass outfit with members hailing from almost every state of the nation.
The Brothers headlined this weekend at the Tri-State Bluegrass Festival in Kendallville, Indiana.
Other festivals will see them perform main stage shows to crowds of 3,000-10,000 people elsewhere Indiana, in Tennessee,, Missouri and Kentucky. They have been billed alongside artists such as J D Crowe, Joe Diffie, Ralph Stanley and Rhonda Vincent.
The tour leads them to an official showcase performance at the Nashville Convention Centre as one of 13 bands selected from across the globe.
Part of the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) "World Of Bluegrass" trade show, the Brothers will let loose on a 25minute set in front of US bluegrass media, festival booking agents, labels and peers.
Their showcase will go to air live on Monday September 28 (US-EST) at www.bluegrasscountry.org.
The new single, A Showman’s Life, the first single off the Brothers 2009 album Born To Play, has been added to KIX FM on high rotation.
Weblink – www.davidsonbrothersband.com.
The 2009 Nanango (Queensland) Country Muster will be staged from this Thursday to Sunday (September 10 to 13).
Stars of the Muster include Jeff Brown, Ashley Cook, Ernie Constance, Laura Downing, Jeff Gibson, Lynnette Guest, Brian Letton (pictured) , Tom Maxwell, Dean Perrett, Reg Poole, Rachel Richards, Graham Rodger, Ricky Shipp, Sharon Smith, Daly Stephenson and Kedron Taylor.
Barry Williams will compere the event.
Billed as four days of traditional country music, the Muster kicks off on Thursday evening with a barbecue and walk-up concert, continuing Friday with breakfast and walk-up poets and main stage from 12noon
More main stage events are scheduled for all day and night Saturday while Sunday will feature a bush poet's breakfast and country gospel concert.
Bookings and enquiries can be made with Sandra Shearn on 07 4126 5061 or 07 4163 1273 or by emailing Sandra.46@bigpond.com.
Weblink – www.nanangoshowsociety.com.
The new single from 2008 Australian Bush Balladeers' Association Star Quest winner Rachel Richards is titled Carry On.
The single is the first from Rachel's new album Beautiful Dreams which is due for release on October 5.
Described as an inspirational story, Carry On was co-written by Rachel with Dave Richards and producer Stuie French. It tells of "our great Aussie spirit when times are tough... a perfect window into the special talents of this unique balladeer who paints musical canvasses of Australian stories and characters".
Following her Star Quest win, Rachel released her successful debut album I’m A Country Girl and was winner of the new talent awards at both the Gidgee Coal Bush Ballad Awards and Stan Coster Memorial Awards at Bungendore.
"But it’s the latest album... that really sets a new benchmark for Rachel," a spokesman said. "Wonderful stories based on her personal experiences – many drawn from travelling around Australia for 10 years as a crane driver, working on various construction jobs with husband Dave.
"With innovative production by Stuie French and featuring a cast of Australia’s finest musicians, Beautiful Dreams is a compelling collection."
"It's a collection of stories about my life and the lives of those around me," Rachel said, "and I have put my heart and soul into this to make you feel something – happy, sad, to remember the past, and to delight in the future."
Weblink – www.rachelrichards.com.au.
Greg wins Bush Poet Championship
Greg North has been named Australia's champion bush poet for the second year in succession.
"What do you get when you put 30 poets together with an audience and a microphone in a function room at Club Pine Rivers in Brisbane's northern suburbs
"Maintaining his rhythm from last year, Greg made it back-to-back victories to become the Australian Bush Poets Association male champion for 2009.
The female champion was Susan Carcary from Maclean, making another double for NSW.
"I gained a second place in the classical category," Greg said, "and won the original humorous section with my poem 'Stick It' about the problems and dangers of sticky tape around Christmas time.
"Although I made a stumble in two poems, my overall score through the four performance categories saw me retain the Australian male champion title.
"I just returned from the (Gympie) Muster which was great. My 'Man From Snowy River' rendition and 'What's In A Name' (hospital yarn) went over very well and I also won the poets brawl one-minute poem contest."
Weblink – www.gregorynorth.com.au
Chart update – Jetty Road six weeks at number one
Jetty Road's Million Miles is at number one for the sixth week in a row on this week's national Top 30 Country Tracks chart
Troy Cassar-Daley's Sing About This Country jumps three places to number two, Jayne Denham's Shake This Town slips one to number three and Adam Brand's Blue Sky Cathedral is at four.
Felicity Urquhart's Two Wheels is at five, Graham Rodger's We're Gonna Be Alright is steady at six and Brooks & Dunn's Indian Summer is up one to seven.
Sandra Humphries is up two to eight with Just Walk Away, Tania Kernaghan bounds into the top 10 at nine with Dad's Not Gonna Like It and America's Rodney Vincent is at 10 with Fifteen Minutes.
Bullet performers for the week include The Sunny Cowgirls' Grog Monster (14 to 11), Jasmine Rae's Ain't The Same Girl (19 to 16), Slim Dusty's Give Me Room (21 to 18), Kimber Sparks' Movin' On (22 to 19), The McClymonts' Kick It Up (26 to 20), Amber Lawrence with Don't Do Lonely Well (29 to 23), Lou Bradley with La La La Not Listening (27 to 24), Clelia Adams with My Mother's Wedding Band (29 to 25) and John Williamson with Better Than A Picture (30 to 26).
New entries to the chart this week include Harmony James (pictured) with Precious Little (new at 28) and Lianna Rose with I Want My Tractor Back (at 30).
The full chart can be viewed at www.countrymusicradio.com.au.
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