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This website brings you the latest Australian country music news. News releases can be sent to news@countrymusicbulletin.com.au |
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Country music state of origin? Is there about to be another state of origin clash between NSW and Queensland? Is the epic annual rugby league stoush about to be overtaken by country music? A campaign is set to launch in Nashville after a deal struck earlier this week between the Queensland government and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation. This follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the government in 2018 with the American Country Music Association to promote Queensland as “Australia’s home of country music”. Queensland’s claim to the title is based on four major events… the Gympie Muster in August, Groundwater Country Music Festival in July, CMC Rocks in March and a new event, Savannah In The Round, set to run in Cairns this October.
In the 1990s, ABC Radio started nominating the weekly Saturday Night Country program as “Australia’s Home of Country Music” and still does to this day. Will NSW cowtow to Queensland and let the title go? Or will government tourism swords be drawn at 20 paces at a time and place to be fixed to fight it out? Only time will tell! As an interesting factual side to this story, if the title was determined by the biggest event, NSW – with the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January, would be the outright winner. If it was determined simply by the number of events, NSW would be the winner… just. The Country Music Bulletin news website has the only comprehensive and most up to date listing of Australian country music festivals and currently has NSW with 52 festivals and events (an average of one a week) with Queensland showing 50. Victoria is next with 16 followed by South Australia with nine, Western Australia with eight, Tasmania three and the ACT two. For a grand total of 140… an average of almost three events a week on the Australian country music calendar – a significant statistic in its own right. That doesn’t include, of course, quite a few who haven’t told us about their events. And let’s not even think about qualifying states for number of attendees. Both NSW and Queensland could come up with some impressive figures. A qualifier to this story is that Queensland has launched its promotion to attract visitors to “the sunshine state” from the USA. The tie-up with the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation will open the door to the almost a million country music fans on the corporation’s database, some of whom may venture outside of Queensland! Vale – Ross MurphyRoss Murphy – one of the first people to record country music in Tamworth – has died after battling cancer for a number of years. Originally from Tenterfield, Ross built a successful saddlery business in Tamworth before becoming involved in country music in the early 1960s.
Impressed by the club and its activities, he decided Tamworth should have its own branch which he set up in June 1967 with Margaret Carmichael as Secretary, John Minson as Publicity Officer and Betty Frey as Treasurer and Geoff Brown joining the committee later. The MCMA was an active group, staging talent quests and concerts with musicians like Bob Cole, Michael Cooke, Lance McCulloch, John “Doc” Riley, Tom Roach, Des and Barry Whitten and Frank Jones’ Trailblazers which featured young Tommy and Phil Emmanuel. On June 14, 1971, it changed its name to the Capital Country Music Association (CCMA) with Rodney Walker as President and Ross as Vice President. It continued to grow and Ross was there to see it celebrate its 50th anniversary in January 2016 in the Tamworth Town Hall. In 1969, with Geoff Brown, Ross travelled to Dubbo to help set up a branch of the MCMA with local country fan and car dealer Ken Cameron. Ross and Ken got on so well they decided they would establish a record company together and CM Records was formed. Their first recording of “Doc” Riley was on November 15, 1969 in 2TM’s “Tin Shed” (a corrugated iron building in which the radio station workshop and storage areas were then situated). The label continued successfully for several years putting on vinyl artists including The Dening Sisters, Garry Gardiner, Johnny Heap, Helen King, Tex Little, Wally White and many others. The partnership broke up in 1972 when Ross established his own label, Opal Records, based in Tamworth. Over the following 30 years Ross released dozens of singles, EPs, LPs and CDs by artists and instrumentalists like Auriel Andrew, Gary Brown, Lindsay Butler, Michael Cooke, Stan Coster, Joe Daly, Ray Griffiths, Col Hardy, Jimmy Little, Buddy Weston and Brian Young. His most recent releases were in 2016, CDs by Christina George and Johanna Hemara. During this time, Ross utilised a wide variety of studios including Enrec, Hadley and Nashgrill in Tamworth, Du Monde in Sydney, CM in Dubbo and Russ Hammond’s Studio at Coffs Harbour. Opal Records has two Golden Guitars to its credit, the first (and only) Radio Listener Award in 1973 which went to Col Hardy and the 1977 Best Instrumental trophy won by Lindsay Butler for his cover of the Slim Dusty song Closest Thing To Freedom. Ross “Murph” Murphy was deeply involved in the Tamworth country music scene for well over half a century and is rightly regarded as one of the major pioneers who helped turn Tamworth into Country Music Capital. For many years, Ross reviewed country music for numerous media outlets. He also became heavily involved in local radio community station 2YOU FM both as a country music presenter and later as Board Chairman. His service to the industry was recognised when he was awarded a Country Music Capital Award in 1991. He was inducted into the Hands Of Fame in 2005. “He was definitely one of the foundation members of Country Music Capital”, said Max Ellis. “Over more than half a century he made a massive contribution to Tamworth and to Australian country music both as a record producer and as a broadcaster. “He will be greatly missed by his many friends and by the many country music people he has helped and worked with over the decades.” Vale – Michael Harris Michael Harris – a former key member of The Bushwackers – has died after a battle with cancer. He was 66.
“He was there for all the fabulous gigs in the ‘70s and ‘80s,” said key band members Roger Corbett and Dobe Newton., “Port Fairy Folk Festival, The Dan, Birkenhead Point, The Sydney pubs, the big Town Hall dances, little country towns, Centenary Hall in Melbourne and about a million other gigs from one end of the country to the other. “Without diminishing his influence, it’s hard to talk about his contribution except in the context of his relationship with another master musician. It was his ‘job’ to form a relationship with the band’s multi-instrumental virtuosos Louis McManus. On the face of it, these were two very different people from musically and socially unrelated backgrounds. “But Michael bought into the band’s ‘mission’ to re-invigorate a unique Australian folk music and communicate it to a young audience with a fervour and energy not seen before. “We soon dubbed Michael and Louis the ‘leisure twins’ – always hanging out together, always the last to bed, always the last on the bus the morning after the gig.” “The emotional bond that Michael and Louis had formed transferred effortlessly to the stage, where Michael’s more classical style melded perfectly with the raw folk riffs and style that were Louis’s inheritance. “They had that unique ability to anticipate what the other was going to do and to complement it perfectly without ever getting in each other’s way.” Vale – Tabbi Francis Tabbi Francis – wife of the late “Tangletongue” Geoff Mack – has died. She was 94.
“They married in 1953 and subsequently moved back to Geoff’s native Australia not long after (transported most of the way from England to their new home in Sydney via Perth as a pillion passenger on Geoff’s motorbike).” In Australia, they continued their variety show and created and co-owned (with Lucky Grills) the “Carols Variety Show” – a tent show that travelled all over nation. “Along with being in the ‘Carols Variety’ show, Tabbi was also in demand as a performer in her own right – she was an accomplished comedienne, singer and, of course, a superb dancer, with pantomime being a particular specialty.”
“Without exception, Tabbi is remembered by all who had the privilege to meet her as being impossibly beautiful both physically and in spirit, kind, outrageous, funny, dear, stylish, a wonderful friend, and a devoted and loving partner to Geoff, whom she referred to as ‘the boyfriend’.” Photos: Geoff and Tabbi top, and on Geoff's bike in front of the Tamworth Regional Enteryainment Centre. The bike has been a significant part of Country Music Capital's Walk A Country Mile exhibition for many years.
One of northern NSW's most significiant equine events – the King of the Ranges Stockman's Challenge & Bush Festival is on the last weekend of February. Stockmen and women from around the country compete on the Friday and Saturday in seben preliminary events consisting of Horse & Rider Gear, Whipcrack, Pack Saddle, Stock Handling, Shoeing, Bareback and Cross Country. Novice and Junior finals take place on Saturday night with Ladies and Open Finals on Sunday. A total of $50,000 prizemoney and trophies will be up for grabs.
The festival will also see the announcement of winners in the new written poetry competition with prozes for serious and jumorous poetry and overall champion as part of the popular Poets’ Breakfast with awards also for best walk-up poetry performance. King of the Ranges Stockman's Challenge and Bush Festival runs from Thursday February 27 to and including Sunday March 1. Weblink – www.kingoftheranges.com.au. Willo to celebrate 50 years John Williamson will celebrate 50 years as an entertainer and recording artist this year with the release of a personally curated collection of recordings – JW 50 – Winding Back 1970-2020 – and a year long "Winding Back" tour.
Old Man Emu might have been the very first song John had ever written, but his performance of the tune on Channel Nine’s popular New Faces program resulted in a number one single and a record deal. The inaugural release marked the appearance of a striking new talent: an unofficial custodian of Australian stories. Half a century on, John has made an art of expertly capturing Australia in song. Painting lyrical pictures of our unique fauna and flora, landscapes and people, John has encapsulated the beauty, wonder and, sometimes, heartbreak of life 'Down Under". From boabs to billabongs and snowy mountains to sandy beaches, the Mallee-born songwriter’s 52 albums – including 20 original studio works – have traversed Australia like a dust-covered road train, deftly moving between larrikin humour and touching pathos. JW 50 – Winding Back 1970-2020 will be a limited edition, ornately packaged box set of 25 mini CDs, each disc containing two songs from across the course of his career. John’s images include acrylics depicting outback landscapes, humorous sketches based on song lyrics and Aussie minutiae captured with his trademark eye for detail. As well as inclusions from award-winning albums like 1987’s Mallee Boy, 1989’s Boomerang Cafe and 2012’s The Big Red the set will feature the new single Those Fifty Years. “Putting together this collection gave me a chance to take stock of what I’ve achieved during my career,” John said. “Like I say in the song, ‘There’s been laughter and there’s been tears’ – which I’m sure most people can relate to when reminiscing on their life’s journey.” The "Winding Back" tour will take in more than 40 dates across Australia through to the end of 2020. John sees the extensive run of shows as closing the book on regular touring. “While I’m not looking to retire just yet, once I’ve completed my 2020 'Winding Back' tour, I’ll be scaling down my live appearances,” he said. “I’ve always loved the connection I receive when performing, so you’ll still see me popping up at festivals and special events. ‘Winding back’ mainly means I’m looking forward to spending more time in the garden and less time away from home fiddling about with those hard to open motel soaps.” With his honours including an AM (Member of the Order of Australia) and induction into Australasia's Country Music Roll of Renown and ARIA Hall Of Fame, as well as 27 Golden Guitars and five million album sales and thousands of shows performed, it’s hard to begrudge the 74-year-old a less hectic schedule. First though, there’s a 50th anniversary to celebrate. “It’s hard to believe it’s 50 years since the first time I heard Old Man Emu on the radio while feeding the pigs,” John said. “'Winding Back' is a summary of my career. It’s a pretty remarkable innings and I’m thankful for the support I’ve received since those early days.” Weblink – johnwilliamson.com.au. Catching up on Tamworth – talent quests – CCMA
Jacinta, from Queensland, was named Junior Champion while Tayla, from Victoria, won the Senior Champion title. Jactina won from fellow finalists Felicity Dowd, Bella Mackenzie, Keely Sliwka and Ocean Waitakia while senior finalists included Jessie Allen-Berry and Brendan Write. Golden Senior finalists were Greg Baldock, Neale Campbell, Kevin Goodbun, Brett Rostron and Tony Shepherd. Gospel finalists were Jessie Allen-Berry, Tayla Clavarino, Briana Dinsdale, Sarah Hamze and Ocean Waitakia. Australian Heritage finalists were Greg Baldock, Tayla Clavarino, Sarah Hamze, Brett Rostron and Ocean Waitakia. Photo: Tayla with her trophies from the CCMA Jamboree. Weblink – www.ccma.net.au. Catching up on Tamworth - talent quests – Mount Franklin Winners of the 2020 annual Mount Franklin Junior Talent Quest conducted at West Tamworth League Club during the January country music festival were... Sarah Hamze senior winner, Keely Sliwka senior runner-up. Maddison Daly junior winner, Lucy Beveridge junior runner-up.
Our photo: winners and finalists from this year's talent quest with guest judges Brothers3. West Australian award winners Karin Page, Lincoln Mackinnon and Helen Townsend were multiple winners at this weekend's West Australian Country Music Awards at Boyup Brook.
Lincoln was named Male Artist of the Year and won Video Clip of the Year with I'm Bled. Karin won Female Artist of the Year and shared Songwriter of the Year with Mike Goodwin. Helen won Emerging Artist of the Year and shared Single of the Year with Jasmine Atkins, the winning singles being Get Gone (Jasmine) and Big City (Helen). Scarlet's Way was named Group of the Year and Julie Kember won Album of the Year with Million Lives. EP of the Year went to The Eastern Line with Place Of Living Water. The Junior Vocalist of the Year title was won by Serra McCallum and the "people's choice" winner was Sally Jane. Awards were announced and presented during the Boyup Brook Country Music Festival. Weblink – www.countrymusicwa.com.au. Catching up on Tamworth – Gold Medallions Another set of awards presented in Tamworth each January are the Gold Medallion Media Awards. Shaza Leigh took home two gongs, for National Artist of the Year and Qld Female Vocalist of the Year while Clelia Adams won the NSW Female Vocal award with Lynette Guest receiving the SCW (South/Central/Western) Female Vocal award.
Lloyd Back won National Male Artist of the Year and SCW Male Vocalist of the Year with Justin Standley taking home Qld Male Vocal honours. Allan Caswell won the NSW Male Vocal award. Ashley Cook win Qld Bush Balladeer of the Year, Tom Maxwell NSW and John O’Dea SCW. Lindsay Waddington took home Qld Musician of the Year, Lindsay Butler the NSW gong and Lance Birrell SCW. New Talent of the Year went to Shane Butterworth; Gary Ellis & Tessa Liberi won the Collaboration award and The Long & Short Of It, Band or Duo of the Year. Photo (from left): Shaza Leigh, Clelia Adams, Lynette Guest. Catching up on Tamworth – ICMA The ICMA – Indie Country Music Australia – Awards are presented annually as part of the January country music festival in Tamworth.
Cheryls Anderson won this year’s Female Artist award with Casey Barnes taking out Male Artist and Most Popular Single. Destiny Band Oz were named Most Popular Duo and The Mason Boys Most Popular Country Band. Benny Allen was named Most Popular Balladeer and winner of the Most Popular Album award. Ben Ransom took home Most Popular Video, Anthony Baxter Most Popular Instrumental. Trinity Woodhouse won the Patti McKinnon Encouragement Award. Beth Brown was named Most Popular Community Radio Announcer and Sheree Cotter took home the Al Slade Memorial Award for Photography and Phil Henry was named Most Popular Producer. Lana Doublet won the New Zealand Supporter award, Kazans Johnson the Fan Supporter award and South Tamworth Bowling Club the Venue Support award. Photo: Vickiree Melouney presenting Casey Barnes with his ICMA 2020 trophies. Changes at Support Act Industry non-profit Support Act has announced several changes to its board, with three new directors replacing four outgoing board members.
David is the CEO of Alberts, having been at the family business since 2004; Aletha is the Artistic Director of Digi Youth Arts and First Nations Producer of BIGSOUND; Tom has spent three decades as a musician and was a founding member of Shihad. Board Chair Sally Howland welcomed the new directors in a statement: “I am pleased to be able to report that Support Act is continuing to grow and develop in response to the needs of the community we serve. “Each of our new Directors have different skills, experiences and perspectives, and their input and guidance will be invaluable as we continue to provide crisis relief and mental health support to people in need, and to help create a healthier work environment for all people who are working in the music industry.” The Support Act board also contains Sebastian Chase, Linda Courtney, Leah Flanagan, Karin Lines, John O’Donnell, Lynne Small and John Watson. Catching up on Tamworth – Cavalcade winners
LBS Music Group was judged second while the Reg Lindsay entry was third. In the non commercial category, Northcott Disabiity Services was named winner with Tamworth Pride (LGBT) in second place and Kirinari/Aruma (disabiity services) were third with a commendation for the Tamworth Regional Council "Don't Waste Tamworth" entry. In non-vehicle/equine, the Fire & Rescue NSW Pipe Band was judged the winner, Tamworth Highland Pipe Band came second and the Australian Air League was third. The theme for the 2020 Cavalcade was "A Cavalcade Of Colour". More than 80 individual entities took part in the parade. Our photo: multi People's Choice Award winners Brothers3, Best Female Vocal winner 2020 Della Harris, finalist Pete "Smokie" Dawson and Brendan Smoother and Cush Ryder rode the Capital Country Radio/People's Choice Awards float. Jay collaborates with Dad Rob again Jay – half of the duo O'Shea with husband Mark – has collaborated for the second time with her father Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil fame.
Jay was given up for adoption and wasn't reunited with her father Rob until 2010. Jay’s mother, Rob’s girlfriend of 1974, became pregnant and was sent to Adelaide to have the child. The baby was taken from the couple. The parents weren’t even told the sex of the baby. The first collaboration was in 2016 when Rob featured on Jay's single, The Truth Walks Slowly. “Some of the songs (on the new release) are bluesy," according to Rob, "others are ‘atmos-pop' – plus there’s some rock and country thrown in." The common thread is strong storytelling, as well as the use of piano, cello, violin, harmonica, trumpet, acoustic and electric guitars, bass and drums. “Unsurprisingly, Jay and I have a natural chemistry” Rob said. “We both like songs with melodies that stay in your head, and lyrics that tell little stories. We’re suckers for a strong chorus. And of course, Jay’s voice is a remarkable instrument: It lifts every lyric, magnifies every melody. This album was a joy to make.” "To be able to collaborate has been one of the biggest highlights of my life," said Jay. "I loved that we got to work on a project without any kind of pressure or parameters of what a father and daughter should sound like together. We just got to make some music. I’m not even sure it has a genre, but I guess that’s just fine. To get to know my birth father more through this collaboration has been the most beautiful, epic adventure.”
Laura Downing has taken top honours at this year's Stan Coster Memorial Bush Ballad Awards presented as part of the annual Bungendore Country Muster on Saturday night. Her wins were for Female Vocal (with Home Is Waiting Here), Album (for The Guardian) and in Duo or Group where she shared honours with Trevor Tolton for their recording of the Gordon Parsons classic Back To Those Rolling Plains. Brian Letton won the Male Vocal accolade for When We First Fell In Love while Graham Rodger won the Songwriter category with Knights Of The Saddle. Peter Dawson was named winner of the New Talent award with Stanley And Slim while Lindsay Waddington won in the Instrumental category with Dingo. Sharon Benjamin won the Comedy section with Forget About The Car. Weblink – bcmm.com.au.
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Tamworth – Australia’s Country Music Capital – first coined the phrase and by so doing laid claim to the title back in the 1970s more as an extension of the Country Music Capital title than a title in itself (see image, a promotional sticker distributed widely in the 1970s).
As a member of the Queensland based Modern Country Music Association (MCMA), Ross had attended many concerts and talent quests around NSW and Southern Queensland run by the group.
Michael played fiddle for the Bushwackers through the late 1970s and early 80s, on the albums Beneath The Southern Cross, Bushfire, The Bushwackers Dance Album, Down There For Dancing, Faces In The Street and Warrigal Morning.
A tribute by the Country Music Association of Australia said: “Tabbi was a very attractive, flamboyant English dancer when she met and fell in love with Geoff in the early 1950s in England.
Tabbi was also a very active member of the showbusiness charity ALVA (Australian Ladies Variety Association) for many years.
King of the Ranges this weekend
Hunter Valley country duo Chloe & James (pictured) will entertain on the Saturday while the extensive festival program also includes The K Factor (King of the Ranges karaoke), Aussie "Whip Crack'n Kids" Tyler & Jada and Beef 'n' Bush Ballads with Carol Heuchan and celebrity bush cook Ranger Nick.
Since wandering into the Richmond (Vic) studios of GTV9 in 1970 with a guitar under his arm, little did the Mallee farmer realise he’d make a 50-year career out of singing and performing.
Jacinta Byrne and Tayla Clavarino have snared the annual Capital Country Music Association (CCMA) overall champion honours.
Lincoln won two awards in his own right, Karin and Helen each won one in their own right and shared one each.
ICMA is an informal group of industry people who organise and present the fan voted awards.
The Music Network reported David Albert, Alethea Beetson and Tom Larkin (pictured, from left) would join as music industry directors replacing Mark Callaghan, Cath Haridy, Keith Potger and Fifa Riccobono, who have retired following the completion of their terms.
Tamworth City Dance Academy were successful again as winners of the commercial category in the Country Music Cavalcade street parade on the last weekend of this year's January country music festival.
The collaboration is an album titled The Lost And The Found – reference to the relatonship between the two – set for release on Friday, February 28. 
Laura wins big at Bungendore
