 |
||||
 |
 |
 | ||
This website brings you the latest Australian country music news. News releases can be sent to news@countrymusicbulletin.com.au |
||||
|
|
Adam and Brooke join Australia's Biggest Singalong Adam Eckersey and Brooke McClymont will join an impressive line-up of acts featuring on "Australia's Biggest Singalong" on SBS Television in June.
"Everyone is invited to join in to learn some classic Australian songs," said a spokesman for the show, a two-hour live event at Sydney’s Town Hall. Songs to feature on the show will include John Williamson's classic True Blue, Little River Band's Help Is On Its Way, the Hunters & Collectors classic Throw Your Arms Around Me, Gang Gajang's Sounds Of Then (This Is Australia) and John Farnham's You’re The Voice. Australia’s Biggest Singalong! is described as a celebration of the power of music. The broadcast will feature community choirs from around the country, "reflecting on what singing means to them – be it connection to country, tackling mental health issues and homelessness or for the sheer joy of it." The program premieres on Saturday June 5 at 8.30pm AEST live on SBS, NITV and on SBS On Demand. Weblink here. Amber and Catherine release tribute to Helen Amber Lawrence and Catherine Britt today release a tribute recording of Helen Reddy's iconic I Am woman.
The response was overwhelming so when the time came to "hit the road" with her good It didn’t take much to convince Catherine who is also a big fan of the song. “Catherine and I are proof that women can and do anything. We’re both working mums, “I believe in equality and that women should receive the same level of respect and In making the decision whether to record such an important and iconic song, Amber and “Many came up to us afterwards saying ‘wow what an incredible song’ and how much truth it spoke. It felt right to take on the huge challenge,” Catherine said. Weblinks – www.amberlawrence.com.au • catherinebritt.com. Vale – Johnny Ashcroft Johnny Ashcroft, best known for his hit Little Boy Lost, has died at the age of 94. Johnny first came to prominence in the late 1940s when he toured with The Great Levante, then the biggest vaudeville outfit in Australia. In 1948, he worked on showboats, made two appearances on Australia's Amateur Hour (radio talent quest) and toured in New Zealand where he met and married his first wife Shirley Williams. They had three children John, Tracey and Mark.
In 1960, he wrote and recorded Little Boy Lost which became a hit song and sparked a movie, released in 1978. The idea for the song came from radio announcer Tony Withers. In 1973, Johnny launched what was to be a lifetime performance and personal partnership with Gay Kayler, initially performing at the Sydney Opera House when, four months after its opening, the duo topped the bill in a country music show presented by the Australian Festival Of Performing Arts. Eight weeks later, they again starred in the Australian Variety Show in the main Concert Hall of the Opera House. Both shows were markedly different. They appeared eight times in this venue. Also in 1973, Johnny and Gay recorded their Faces Of Love album. Each featuring in solo performances and duets. In 1975 he wrote what has been reputed as the first Australian female trucking song, My Home-Coming Trucker's Coming Home, recorded by Gay Kayler.. Also in 1975, Johnny became the inaugural president of the national country music songwriting organisation, Tamworth Songwriters' Association. And he recorded the American pop song Playground In My Mind which was a hit on the country charts. Johnny's 1975 song Holy Joe The Salvo became the Salvation Army's 1975 Red Shield Appeal theme song. He was elevated to the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown in 1986. In 1990 Johnny was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the entertainment industry and the community–and for his support for Aboriginal rights. Nominations open for Women In Music Awards Nominations have opened for the 2021 Australian Women in Music Awards (AMWAs) to be announced in October in Brisbane. The awards seek to recognise and celebrate the work performed by women and female-identifying people within Australia’s music industry. This year’s event will introduce a number of new awards to reflect the breadth of roles occupied by women behind the scenes.
In an AWMAs first this year, Tina Arena will present the new Special Impact Award, a title named in her honour that will celebrate an unsung hero of the Australian music industry and spotlight their contributions to the sector. “I believe that by working together, alongside the leadership of AWMA, we have an unprecedented opportunity to improve the culture of the Australian music industry for the better, and pave the way for more women to be recognised across the sector,” Tina said. There will also be two new awards for the live production sector, with organisers expanding the previous Live Production Award to include women working in both live creative production and live touring production roles, such as stage techs and road crew members. Additionally, the AWMA board has appointed Dr Diana Tolmie, a senior lecturer of professional practice at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University who specialises in woodwind instruments, as the chair of the 2021 AWMA Juror Council who said she was thrilled to be a contributor to the celebration. “The AWMA Juror Council represents the broad reach of the music industry from every state and the strength of individuals passionately advocating for their various music professions and passions whilst contributing to the cultural change so greatly needed in the Australian music industry,” she said. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also expressed her excitement towards the prospect of the Awards returning to Queensland in 2021. “It is wonderful to see this fantastic showcase of female talent, proudly supported by the Queensland Government, back on Australia’s events calendar," she said. “With two new categories, a groundswell of emerging young talent and Queensland’s strong health response to the pandemic, this year’s Awards are set to be bigger and better than ever.” On-line nomination for all Awards close on July 6. Categories are Lifetime Achievement Award, Special Impact Award, Humanitarian Award, Diversity in Music Award, Studio Production Award, Live Creative Production Award, Live Production Touring Award, Music Leadership Award, Songwriter Award, Emerging Artist Award, Music Photographer Award, Film-maker Award, Artistic Excellence Award, Excellence in Classical Music Award,Music Journalist Award, Excellence in Image Making Award and Creative Leadership Award. Full category descriptions are included on the website – womeninmusicawards.com.au. Melody wins Queensland award
She won the gong from fellow finalists Ruby Gilbert, Vixens Of Fall and Karl S Williams with her hit song Like Hank Would. Keith Urban was announced as winner of the Highest Selling Award for The Speed Of Now Part 1. Karl S Williams was successful in the Blues/Roots category with God Is A Bomb. Weblink – www.queenslandmusicawards.com.au. Jayne announces new album Three-time Golden Guitar nominee Jayne Denham is set to release her fifth studio album in August.
Jayne has also announced dates for an upcoming tour through NSW, Victoria and Queensland (Covid19 permitting, of course), and she says the new live show will represent her new direction. "It's going to be like nothing else,” she said. “I had the idea that I wanted to do something with a country Rock & Western theme in mind in mid-March last year, just as the Covid pandemic was starting to take hold and, after writing the title track with Troy Kemp and Matt Scullion, the concept of doing a whole record and show in this direction came about.” Jayne’s 15-year career has seen her play all across Australia and the USA with her high energy style of country rock becoming a fan favourite at major festivals and events such as the Deni Ute Muster, Gympie Muster, CMC Rocks and Mornington Country Music Festival. She has just graced the stage at The International Balloon Challenge in Canowindra in south-western NSW where she performed in front of 8,000 people. Jayne is also known for her trucking songs and has been a regular performer throughout the USA playing at some of the biggest truck shows in the world. Wanted is set for release on Friday August 13 and is available from today to pre-order. Jayne will be staging an album launch performance at North Queensland’s Rock’n Country Festival in Mackay on August 20 before setting off on an East Coast tour where she will be joined by Golden Guitar nominee Cass Hopetoun. Weblink – www.jaynedenham.com. Raechel debuts at number one Broken Hill-born musician Raechel Whitchurch trumped Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Harvey and Keith Urban with her debut album hitting number one in the final week of April. The alt-country singer/songwriter's album Finally Clear reached number one on the ARIA (australian Recording Industry Association) Top 20 Australia Country Albums chart.
Raechel said it was flattering to see her name alongside top-class performers. "I guess it's like the underdog story – people at shows would just say 'I want to support you, I love what you are trying to do and I love you're chasing your dream,'" she said. "I'm just really encouraged by how lovely people have been to me and my little dream." The success or failure of an album is predominantly based on download figures, but Raechel said finding Finally Clear for sale in a bricks-and-mortar store was just as exciting as her lofty perch on the charts. Raechel, who now calls Parkes home, was in Toowoomba for a concert when she first tracked down the album – with husband Ben filming the momentous shopping expedition. "I felt a bit of pressure and I was looking in the wrong area. I was looking under 'R' instead of 'W' and finally we found it," said Whitchurch. "When I picked it up, I was so happy but then it quickly turned to tears because I was so overwhelmed because this is something... something tangible." Raechel's family moved away from Broken Hill in 2008 but the musician has fond memories of living in the Silver City. The album hunt in Toowoomba reminded her of a Broken Hill music store she used to visit growing up. So you might hear one song on the radio and get your tape recorder out and try and record the song so you could listen to it later, and then you'd try to write down the lyrics because there wasn't really any internet. "When the record would finally get in you would scour its booklet back to front and love it. I think that is something that is definitely missing a little bit now." Weblink – www.raechelwhitchurch.com. Brothers3 become two The immensely popular Brothers3 trio have announced they are transitioning to a duo act to be known as Mak & Shar with Makirum and Shardyn Fahey-Leigh with Tayzin deciding to “take a break at this point”.
“We've travelled across Australia, experienced the highs and lows of television and shared every moment with our amazing followers. However, as we continue forward with our lives, we have to bring this journey to a close. We will always remain together as siblings and love each other dearly. “We hope that you continue to share your support and we cannot thank you enough for all the love you have shown us.” Brothers3 first came to prominence in 2011 when they won two People’s Choice Awards in Tamworth… the Most Promising Future Star category and Best Group. Building a huge fan following over ensuing years, the brothers continued to dominate the Group category at the People’s Choice Award for an unbroken run of 11 years up to and including 2021. Along the way, they picked up a further four PCAs, for a career total of 16 including three for Best Song and one for Best Album. In 2014, Brothers3 got a major career boost when they featured on and took out third place in television’s X Factor talent quest. Over the next seven years, the band was in continual demand for concert and festival appearances. Photo: Brothers3 pictured with their second last People's Choice Award in 2020; they continued to dominate in 2021 at the Covid19 inspired online Awards. Weblink – www.brothers3.com.
New from The Anywheres The Anywheres – an alt-country duo from Melbourne – will release their debut self-titled album in June.
Dom is an established artist (a singer/songwriter) in his own right with nine solo records to his credit. In his career to date, he has played support to many artists including Diesel, Belinda Carlisle, Jon Stevens and Billy Thorpe. Rosie is described as one with a captivating, diverse and powerful voice and has also had the opportunity to perform alongside many Australian legends including Colleen Hewett, Doug Parkinson and Normie Rowe. The Anywheres album will be launched during a special event with The Weeping Willows at the Thornbury Theatre in Thornbury Victoria at 7:30pm on Friday June 25... Cobid 19 permitting! Weblink – theanywheres.com. New album for Sam Well-known Aussie musician Sam Hawksley has a released a new album featuring an entirely female singing cast. Titled Birds, the features female singers from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Then he thought, “What if I? What if I? … What if I made a record of songs I’d recorded and or written but sung by women….?” “Nobody was asking me to make a record like this," Sam said. "Fans weren’t crying out for it, there was no record label wanting it, I’m not even sure my mum even thought it was a good idea… I just wanted to do it, so I did.” The multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter said he started imagining whose voices would bring the songs to life or give them a new lease on life, which he described was similar to casting for a movie. “I say this is the record for people who like my songs, but aren’t so keen on my voice,” he quipped. “I’m a guitar player and producer by trade and in my work with The Bodeans, Adam Brand, Kim Richey, Richard Clapton, Cotton, Keays and Morris, etc, I’ve always sung. I’ve made seven solo records singing my songs. My first album (in 2000) was reviewed in Drum Media and the reviewer said I had a ‘more than serviceable voice’ – I was never really sure how to take that. “Some of the singers are the writers of the songs who always sang these songs better than me anyway," Sam said. "Some are artists that in my wildest dreams I imagined singing these songs. "I had a blast making this record and it’s filled with some incredible singing – none by me.” Featured on the album are Alyssa Bonagura, Jonatha Brooke, Danielle Deandrea, Shanley Del, Nina Ferro, Wendy Matthews, Brooke McClymont, Wendy Page, Amber Rae Slade and Felicity Urquhart. “I called this record Birds because what else would I have called it?” Sam said, “Making this album kept me artistically alive during the live music COVID coma. The first single release from the album is We All Need Love with Wendy Matthews. Weblink – www.samhawksley.com. |
|
||
click here for recent news |
||||
© Country Music Bulletin |
||||
The Aussie powerhouse country couple will feature with the likes of pop stars Dami Im and Katie Noonan and Eurovision – Australia Decides 2020 entrant Mitch Tambo on the show which will be hosted by Miranda Tapsell and Julia Zemiro.
Amber says the passing of Helen last Septenber was the moment she truly felt the gravity of the lyrics of her global women’s rights anthem so she decided to include the song in
Johnny's first commercial recordings were six sides for Rodeo Records in 1954. In 1958, he recorded his first hit song, They’re A Weird Mob based on John O’Grady’s book, in skiffle style (the song written by George Dasey).
Last year’s ceremony was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Titled Wanted, the album is described as a new direction for Jayne that she says is: “Bad Ass Country with a big serve of Spaghetti Western on the side. It’s definitely country with a little bit of Western thrown in."
It also ranked fifth in ARIA's Top 40 Country Albums in the same week, with Taylor Swift taking prime position.
“To all our loving supporters, over the past 12 years, Brothers3 has created incredible memories and stories,” the trio said.
Described as staples of the Melbourne music scene, Rosie Conforto and Dom Italiano share a combined passion to create their own music as well as performing "anywhere" and as often as they possibly can.
Currently Nashville based Sam started the new album at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 when, like just about every other musician in the world, he started thinking, “What in the world am I going to do?”
