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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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FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2019
Comedian and singer Wally McQuaker, has died aged 85. Wally was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, and moved to central Queensland after marrying Alice where he worked as a stockman, shedhand and drover. He toured with Trevor Day, Chad Morgan, Les Partell and Buddy Williams. Wally's friend Neville Pellit asked him to join the The Harmony Trail show on Shepparton radio station 3SR and the Surprise Package television show on the local GMV6 television station as a resident singer and comedian. That led to a comedy spot on GMV Juniors as "Joey" the clown. He took over production of the show and featured many country artists during the next few years. Wally moved to Coffs Harbour in 1973 making his home in Dairyville. It was here that "Joey the Clown" appeared on NBN television as well as becoming a rodeo clown. He spent time songwriting and recording as well as doing shows with his three daughters Sue, Robyne and Kris. Wally was inducted into the Australasian Country Music Hands of Fame in 2005. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2019 Friends of Garry release The Writer Ten singer/songwriters have joined forces to pay tribute to one of Australia's best known writers, Garry Koehler of The Bobkatz who has been been battling cancer recently.
The song was first released by Garry and duo partner in The Bobkatz Robert Mackay on the album of the same name in 2012. "Rob (who also sings on the new recording) was the driving force behind the project" which is "a dedication to the power of lyrics and the person," said a spokesman for the collaborators. The recording was mixed by Jason Millhouse with Tex Austin featuring on drums. "I’ve worked with Garry for 20 years," said Rob, "so this means a lot to me on a variety of fronts. It’s a testimony to his great songwriting, the respect and fellowship of his peers in the music biz and a testimony to a truly humble, talented and wonderful man."
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 Morgan pushes forward with international tour Rising international star Morgan Evans has annouced more dates for his "world tour" which kicks off in Ireland on Tuesday September 3.
The "world tour" follows an extensive series of dates Morgan is currently performing with star American band Rascal Flats through numerous US states. Dubbed the "Nashville-via-Newcastle chart-topping singer-songwriter" Morgan is also due in Australia this month as a special guest performer on Nine Network's "The Voice" and has just released the video to his latest single Young Again off his top selling album Things That We Drink To. "Young Again is special because I feel like it’s definitely one of those songs that I just want to play over and over at the live show," he said. "I finish the show every night with it but it’s also that feeling that I try to wake up every day and live in the moment and take the opportunity for the life that you have right in front of you. The line is we will never be this young again and it’s so true. "It’s as true when I wrote the song on a mandolin and it’s as true when I sing it to a festival crowd in the UK or a festival crowd in Oklahoma or whether I’m just listening to it as I drive around and making sure the mixes are right." Morgan made a lasting first impression at radio with the hit Kiss Somebody which peaked at number one on the US Country Radio chart. This was followed by Day Drunk, which was dubbed "one of the 10 best country and Americana sinfs of the week by Rolling Stone magazine. Things That We Drink To debuted at number one on the ARIA Australian Country Albums chart and number five on the mainstream albums chart. Morgan has picked up a number of awards along the way including the Golden Guitar for Single of the Year (for Day Drunk) in January and the America’s Country Music Association gong for Global Artist of the Year. With recently announced dates for the the North American leg of his 2019 performance tour (more than a dozen shows in the US and Canada, Morgan is set to further expand his international fan base. The tour now takes in 26 shows in eight countries, including previously announced European dates. Weblink – morganevansmusic.com. FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 2019 New from Gina Multi Golden Guitar winner Gina Jeffreys has broken a 12 year break from recording with the release of a new single, Cash.
Gina will release a new album –Beautiful Tangle – on Friday August 9. A performance tour will follow from Anakie in Victoria on Saturday August 10 through regional NSW. The inspiration for the first song released from the new work comes from Gina’s career-launching tour in 1994 as the support act for the late Johnny Cash. She says it was a time that changed her career from singing to five people a night in a dimly lit Sydney wine bar, to opening for the Amewrican super star in front of 15,000 people a night. "I still pinch myself that it was real," she said. "I learnt more by standing at the side of the stage watching him than any school could ever teach." The new album is described as "a stunning collection of personal stories that come straight from the heart". Gina first delighted audiences with her music as the winner of Star Maker in 1991 nefore going on to become Australia’s first ever female country artist to sell platinum albums, perform sell-out shows across Australia, and take her music all over the world. Weblink – www.ginajeffreys.com.au. THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 201
Nominations in the 2019 Australian Independent Country Music Awards close on Sunday June 30. The Awards, also known as the Southern Stars, have nine categories... Single of the Year, Album, Bush Ballad, Male Vocal, Female Vocal and Group/Duo of the Year, Rising Star Male and Female as well as the overall Independent Artist of the Year accolade. This will be the 23rd Awards which are staged annually as the culmination of the Mildura Country Music Festival now in its 33rd year. Entertainment features at 25 different venues from Friday September 27 to Sunday October 6. A draft program for this year's event can be found at – www.milduracountrymusic.com.au, as can the Awards nomination form. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 New from JoKeria Western Australian country duo JoKeria will release a new album on Saturday. Billed as a tribute to the duo's homeland, Red Country... the work has "imagery within the songwriting" that is "so vivid, it is almost as if you are standing in the heart of the red country," according to spokesman.
Following their 2017 debut Back No More, JoKeria (drummer Josh Philpot and vocalist/guitarist Kendall Smith) took their second release back to the drawing board. "Where many bands may have packed up their bags and headed for the big smoke, Josh and Kendall instead dug their heels in, embracing their local community and creating an album that alludes to a township that has had its ups and downs, but most importantly is the sum of its people and their experiences." the spokesman said. "Their community – Roebourne – with a population of under a thousand people. has a strong sense of family and it was this that JoKeria wanted to bring to the fore in Red Country." "Having grown up in Roebourne, we have lived through the bad publicity, the disadvantages and the exclusion of our people in society for way too long," Kendall said. "We feel it's time there was a dramatic change in our community." Josh and Kendall have been playing music together in their community since the age of 22. For the two musicians, "real country music" was something that resonated with them both. A large part of what makes up the identity of the band is Kendall’s Indigenous lineage. Born of an Aboriginal father and a non-Aboriginal mother, he grew up understanding what he describes as "both sides of the story, and both sides of the fence", something that he has translated into the band’s songwriting. The importance of storytelling within his Indigenous culture is something JoKeria has also embraced, ensuring their songs have a storytelling narrative to connect with people. The album was produced by Bill Chambers following what they call "a fortuitous meeting" in Tamworth last year. And in what is seen as a serendipitous twist, JoKeria will be launching their album at the Red Country Music Festival, "apt indeed for an album that embodies the spirit of the Red Country". It brings full circle everything the duo wanted for the release – a hometown launch and a chance to showcase their community to a wider audience. They are already planning a West Australian tour and looking ahead to Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2020. Weblink – www.jokeriamusic.com. TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019 New from Jamie
Independently released, the record came together between Auckland, NZ, and Nashville where Jamie recorded all the tracks with award-winning Australian producer Nash Chambers. It also features a hearty cast of country music legends including Kasey Chambers, Bill Chambers, and Tami Neilson. The record reflects Jamie's deep love of the music from her childhood, according to a spokesman for the artist. "It formed the fundamental elements of what inspired her about songwriting the most – honest vocals, raw acoustic guitar and deep storytelling. "Jamie moved to Nashville for a change of scenery a few years ago to connect with the environment that birthed the country/folk music of her youth. It was there that she wrote the songs that would make up the fabric of this record." Reflecting on the personal challenge of leaving the comfort of home to write something that was honest and true, Jamie said: "Nashville was me getting out of my comfort zone and finding my way back to it. The listener is getting a sincerely true collection of stories that haven’t been tampered with since they were written. They are exactly what I felt like saying/singing at the time – raw, unpolished and deeply honest." The singer-songwriter, who is in her mid-20s, has achieved a lot for someone so young... signed to EMI... a debut album – Six Strings And A Sailboat – that achieved Gold album sales... and, more recently, receiving three NZ Music Award nominations. Her second album – Ask Me Anything – gained global attention and saw the album track Moon Shines Red featured on the hit TV show "Pretty Little Liars".
MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019 Lee's Backroad Nation dominates chart
An extensive performance tour is also underway to support the new album release. "The reaction to the new album and tour has just been amazing," Lee said. "I really want to say a huge thanks to everyone for the incredible support. "I think the Backroad Nation Tour would have to be the most exciting run of concerts I have ever been involved with in my career and to be doing it with four-time Golden Guitar winners The Wolfe Brothers is the ultimate trip." The still extensive list of remaining tour dates can be found at Lee's website. Weblink – www.leekernaghan.com.au. THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019 Nominations open for National Live Music Awards Nominations open today for the National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) with winners to be announced in December.
In 2019, the NLMAs will be hosted in eight venues around the country. Organiser and founder Larry Heath has unveiled the 10 board members tasked with overseeing the Awards, jury and selecting the Live Legend inductee. The refreshed board would now have a dedicated member from every state and territory thanks to the addition of ACT-based representative Ruth O’Brien and three new faces. Ruth currently works for Accessible Arts, Ainslie & Gorman Arts Centres, Women With Disabilities ACT and is one half of Canberra music duo Miss Adventure. Sian Walden of Little Acorn Music will represent South Australia, acclaimed musician Dallas Frasca joins to represent Victoria and Andrew Tuttle takes a seat on behalf of APRA AMCOS. Returning board members are Aeron Clark (Tas), Damien Cunningham (NSW), Katie Noonan (Qld), Mark Smith (NT), Michelle Padovan (Qld) and Mike Harris (WA). “It’s taken four years for our board to be as representative of the country as the Awards are themselves," Larry, "and I’m thrilled to finally have an ACT member join the fold who – along with the nine others – will help us take the event to the next level. “And thanks to their input, we have some big changes on the way for 2019. I’m excited to share these details with you all over the coming months. We’re looking for 2019 to be even bigger.” Heath also said that councils and venues are welcome to make contact if they are interested in hosting the event, joining past cities including Alice Springs, Freemantle, Launceston and Wollongong. Nominations in the Awards close on Thursday August 15. There are 21 Awards categories including Country, Blues & Roots and People's Choice plus state awards. Last year's Country winner was Marlon Williams. Weblink – www.nlmas.com.au. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019 Gympie charity partner announced The Gympie Music Muster has announced the event's 2019 charity partner will be the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Queensland (RFDS).
“Those living in rural areas are just as likely to face mental health challenges as city dwellers," he said, "but are one in five times more likely to commit suicide due to lack of access to support services. “Every loss of life or suicide attempt has a ripple effect on family, friends, workplaces, schools and communities and the statistics in Queensland are far too high. “This year’s charity partnership is harnessing the collective power of community to drive change; opening up a dialogue and making it easier for people to connect with what’s happening in each other’s lives. At Muster, there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet," Greg said. With on site and online help from social media activists Ben Brooksby (The Naked Farmer), Mick Gould (Married at First Sight) and Nick ‘The Honey Badger’ Cummins, the iconic Aussie event is leading #getnaked4Muster and ‘Funky Shirt Friday’ initiatives to raise awareness and funds for delivery of RFDS state-based mental health programs. The Muster is encouraging festival-goers to support the work of the RFDS by either "getting naked, dressing up or meeting their neighbour in and around the Amamoor State Forest festival site this year".
"Gympie lad, Mick Gould has polished up his boots and his birthday suit to lead the #getnaked4Muster photo competition – offering those with the guts to get naked the chance to become Mr / Ms August in the 2020 Naked Farmer Charity Calendar, along with a swag of other prizes," said a Muster spokesman. "The not so brave can shirt up for ‘Funky Friday’ [Muster Friday, Aug 23], wearing their fave op-shop bargain or lairy number gifted by a relative with a sense of humour. The team from social enterprise TradeMutt will be on hand to provide funky work shirt tips, and start conversations from their base at this year's RFDS stall." “The RFDS is thrilled to be chosen as the Gympie Muster’s charity beneficiary in 2019," said RFDS Queensland Section CEO Meredith Staib. "A year that has seen the resilience of those across rural and remote Queensland truly tested with the devastating floods across north and north west and the prolonged effects of drought in other regions of our vast State impacting both livelihoods and individuals’ sense of wellbeing. "While much is made of our life-saving aeromedical services, our ability to provide counselling support and look after the emotional needs of these pastoral communities is of equal importance, so we thank Muster organiser’s for shining a light on this important issue." The Queensland RFDS team will be at the festival offering aircraft simulator tours and raffling off a custom-made and signed Keith Urban guitar and one-of-a-kind Muster t-shirt signed by 2019 festival artists. Raising in excess of $15 million for Australian charities since its inception 38 years ago, the Gympie Music Muster is a not-for-profit event run by the community, for the community. More than 80 acts will appear at this year's event including headliners James Blundell, Kasey Chambers and The McClymonts (pictured above). The Gympie Music Muster runs from Thursday August 22 to Sunday August 25, 2019 in the Amamoor Creek State Forest near Gympie. Weblink – www.muster.com.au. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2019 Hats Off program announced A program for Country Music Capital's mid year festival Hats Off To Country has been announced with more than 50 individual acts set to appear during the four day event. Golden Guitar winners The Bushwackers, Allan Caswell, Ashleigh Dallas, Luke O'Shea and Andrew Swift will be joined by a host of established acts and rising stars of country.
Allan Caswell will launch his book "My Version Of The Truth", Star Maker Brad Cox will launch his album and The Dag Sheep Station at Nundle will host their legendary Songwriter's Retreat including the traditional Showcase events. Tamworth Songwriters' Association will also host a number of events, as will the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame. The popular Hats Off Cowboy Crawl will return for 2019 visiting five iconic venues on Saturday night July 13 with proceeds going to Tamworth's Ronald McDonald House. A minimum of 20 separate venues will host entertainment... the Albert Hotel, Australian COuntry Music Hall of Fame, City Lights Caravan Park, City Sider Motel, The Dag Sheep Station,The Family Hotel, Imperial Brew House, The Longyard Hotel, Manilla RSL Club, North Tamworth Bowling Club, Post Office Hotel, The Pub, South Tamworth Bowling Club, Southgate Inn, Tamworth City Bowling Club, Oasis Hotel, Tamworth Services Club and Wests Diggers and West Tamworth League Club. Weblink – www.hatsofftocountry.com. FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2019 Ekka Country Music Showown Entries close Sunday June 30 for the 2019 Country Music Showdown, the talent search staged as a part of Brisbane's Royal Queensland Show, known as the Ekka. The Showdown will take place on Saturday August 17 and offers more than $20,000 in cash and prizes.
Musicians aged 12 years and over will have the ultimate music experience, performing two songs to Ekka crowds backed by Brisbane based live band, Southwest. Up for grabs are a Taramalin Sound Recording Package and $1,500 cash prize for competitors in the Open Category (18 years and older) and an Ekka scholarship to the Academy of Country Music 2020 for those in the Junior Category (12 to 17 years). The competition has helped launch the careers of a number of Queensland’s up and coming country artists. In addition to the Showdown, this year's Ekka will host performances by the likes of Casey Barnes, Star Maker Brad Cox, Eight Second Ride and Josh Setterfield. Weblink – www.ekka.com.au. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 Canterbury Country announces inaugural festival
The date is Saturday September 7, start time 10am. Headlining on the day will be Melinda Schneider, who celebrates 40 years in Australian entertainment this year, with 14 albums and six Golden Guitars under her belt. "Country enthusiasts will recognise Sydney-based singer/songwriter, broadcaster, podcaster and author Dan Mullins from presenting the Bush Telegraph on 2GB’s Alan Jones Show alongside his memorable performances across Sydney," said a spokesman for the Club. Other stars to feature during the event will include Tomi Graso, Wayne Horsburgh and Bryen Willems of the Bayou Boogie Boys. Canterbury Country’s own Bob Howe carries on hosting duties over the Festival. Other specific activities will include ukulele workshops, line dancing and markets stalls. Weblink – chprsl.com.au/canterburycountry. MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2019 Charlie releases Snowpine Tamworth-born singer/songwriter Charlie Collins who previously performed as Charlene Bailey in her young family band Chasing Bailey, has released her debut solo album Snowpine.
The album comes ahead of Charlie's upcoming national support of Kasey Chambers’ 20th Anniversary tour of The Captain which kicks off on September 13, a tour that marks an important milestone in Charlie's career as Kasey Chambers was a strong influence in her decision to pursue a career in music. From age 11, Charlie was making her way on to the stage of the local pub. Now, having played in various bands both in Australia and overseas, she is returning to what she says are her roots of authentic songwriting. Last year, Charlie's debut single Wish You Were Here made a big impression with significant airplay on a number of radio stations. Her second, and recent, single release Mexico also gained widspread airplay both in Australia and oversreas. The current singles from Snowpine are Beautifully Blind and Space Between. Weblink – facebook.com/iamcharliecollins. |
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Vale – Wally McQuaker
Kevin Bennett, Michael Bryers, Brad Butcher, Allan Caswell, Kelly Cork, Sarah Koehler, Craig Lamond, Sam Maddison, Luke O'Shea and Michael Waugh have collaborated to record and re-release Garry's song The Writer.
Tickets for the "home country" leg of the tour which launches on Thursday October 17 in Sydney are selling fast according to promoters with one of two Sydney shows and dates in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Toowoomba already sold out.
And the single is just the beginning.
"There is something almost tangible about the storytelling – showcasing not only the landscape, the people and the culture, but even the small intricacies of JoKeria’s homeland."
New Zealand native Jamie McDell has released her third album, Extraordinary Girl.
Lee Kernaghan's new studio album Backroad Nation is number one on the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Country Albums chart for the fourth consecutive week this week.
The Music Network reported this was the fourth consecutive year of the Awards and followed last year's successful series that raised more than $1,700 for Support Act.
Muster Chairman Greg Cavanagh said the choice of this year’s charity partner was driven by the need for greater mental health resourcing in rural communities.
Program highlights will include the Junior Academy of Country Music Graduation Concert which itself will feature more than 20 musicians and performers.
After almost 20 years playing to a dedicated crowd of country music enthusiasts, Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club is giving the monthly Canterbury Country a promotion to Festival status with a full day of music, worksshops, jam sessions, market stalls and more this September.
"Snowpine is about my journey from when I was a kid, to now," Charlie said. "I’m nervous and excited to release this vulnerable body of work. I expose a lot about who I am, what I’ve been through, people I love who have suffered, and what I still struggle with.