On Friday September 2, 2011, Rough Cut won the 8th annual Les Keats Memorial Award for the most popular band as voted by the members of the Country Music Guild of Australasia. They were one of 19 bands to perform at The Guild during the year 2010-2011.

Rough Cut consists of Mark “Yorkie” Crossley (vocals and rhythm guitar), Mark Woolridge (lead guitar and vocals) Bruce Baker (bass and vocals), Tony Patricks (drums) and Mike Burke (pedal steel).

This was the 4th award won by Yorkie - the other three with the Prairie Oysters in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

Don't miss your chance to catch Yorkie and Roughcut at one of their much sought after appearances .. this Friday 28th October at the Pascoe Vale RSL!

Rough Cut Country Band featuring Dave Moore on Pedal Steel.

40 Cumberland Road Pascoe Vale, Victoria.

Book early for seating Keith (03) 9338 7902

Upcoming Roughcut gigs:

FRIDAY 23 DECEMBER 2011(you will need to book for this one!)

Rough Cut Country Band

Pascoe Vale RSL

Book early for seating Keith (03) 9338 7902

SUNDAY 8 JANUARY 2012

Rough Cut Country Band

RED HILL COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

HOT ROD SHOW AND UTE MUSTER

RED HILL RECREATION RESERVE

ARTHUR'S SEAT ROAD, RED HILL,

VICTORIA (MEL 190 J3)

Entry $25 - Pensioners $20 Under 14 free

Show 9am-6pm

Australia's country music capital is to have its very own Commemorative bronze statue of Smoky Dawson in Peel Street, the heart of Tamworth. The commission has been given to Australian Sculptor Tanya Bartlett from Shortland, who was also involved in the Light Horse Memorial in Tamworth and the statue of Don Bradman in Bowral.

Herbert Henry Dawson, affectionately known to country music lovers as “Smoky Dawson” was born in Collingwood, Victoria on March 19, 1913. After spending his early years in an orphanage in Warrnambool, he tried rough riding, cycle racing and practicing music. In 1934, he formed a Western group and toured Australia. His band the South Sea Island Boys ushered him into the world of hillbilly music, yodeling and radio. Dawson served with the Australian army's Entertainment Unit during World War II, using his talent to cheer and comfort the country's servicemen. After the war, he married “Aunty June” (real name Florence “Dot” Cheers) whom he had met at radio station 3KZ where she had a children's program. An elocution teacher, broadcaster, radio actress, producer and drama coach, Dot had founded the Melbourne program “Carols by Candlelight” to raise funds for children who were polio victims. Together, they formed an inseparable duo that supported each other's career all through the years.

Dawson jumped into recording sessions and went on tour, at times with Stan Gill's Rodeo, yodeling, cracking whips, whirling the lasso, trick shooting and throwing knives. He acted in films, wrote songs and sang them and became a star on the stage, radio and television. Smoky and Dot travelled to the USA in 1952 to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville, Tennessee at the invitation of their close friends American country music legends Roy Acuff and Wesley Rose. Turning down an opportunity to become a Nashville star, Smoky and Dot returned to Australia. Upon his return, Dawson started his radio show “The Adventures of Smoky Dawson” patterned after that of Roy Rogers in the USA and earning for him the sobriquet of Australia's first singing cowboy. The show ran for ten years over 69 stations in Australia, and Smoky became the hero of countless children throughout the country, thrilling them with his heroics. In the meantime, Dot continued with her children's programs.

In 1978, Dawson was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his contributions to country music. In 1983, he was named to the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown. Smoky and Dot became the first Life Members of the Country Music Association of Australia.

In 1988, Smoky, with Trevor Knight, won the Heritage Golden Guitar. The Next year, the pair followed up by winning a second Golden Guitar. Dawson was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005, the same year in which he released his last album making him the oldest recording artist in the world.

During his life, Dawson was an active Mason and Rotarian. He supported the Children's Hospital Bear Cottage Foundation, the Stockman's Hall of Fame, to which he donated his first electric guitar, and the Australian Country Music Foundation. His home the Smoky Dawson ranch in the Sydney suburb of Ingleside which was sold to the HASG Armenian School now sports a Smoky Dawson ranch-style gate which has become a tourist attraction.

The story of the Country Music Guild of Australasia is the story of Les Keats, his family and his band. In the early 30's a young Les Keats, turned on by the music of Tex Morton, Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Snow, decided he wanted to become a country musician.

Armed with a guitar and a hat, Keats performed before his first audience and embarked on a lifelong career as a country cowboy. He married a young lady, Kathleen Joy Boden, from Scottsdale in Tasmania and she became not just his wife but his country music partner. The two of them co-founded the Country Music Guild of Australasia in 1968.

Having gotten himself a wife, Les Keats proceeded to found his country music dynasty. Their son Garry David was born in July 1947 and the next son Kerran Geoffrey in December the year after. In the 40's and 50's, Les and Joy Keats started to make a name for themselves throughout Australia as hosts of their own radio show on 7LA. In the early 50's they moved to Melbourne where Les became famous for his recording of the Slim Dusty hit “A Pub With No Beer” and following this up with his own composition “A Pub With More Beer”. Les also performed as one of the lead singers of the popular country and western group The Trailblazers.

The Keats formed their own band called The Dakotas which later changed its name to The Country Styles. The band gave Keats a chance to develop his music in the mould of his idol, the Canadian Hall of Fame awardee Hank Snow. The group became the back up band for the live appearances of Lionel Rose, the Australian boxing champion.

A third son, Warren, was born in October 1961. The elder boys, Garry and Kerran, started to join the band. Through the years, Les and Joy Keats appeared either as the Les & Joy Keats band or, when joined by their children as The Keats Family Band. Throughout the 80's and 90's. Les Keats passed away in 2002 and Joy five years later. The Keats music dynasty goes on with the grandchildren getting into the act. Michelle, the daughter of Warren, joined the band in 2002.

The organization co-founded by Les and Joy Keats continues going strong. The Country Music Guild of Australasia features the leading country musicians in regular shows and stages competitions where members of the Guild honor winners with, among other trophies, the annual Les Keats Memorial Award for the most popular band. Les and Joy Keats

The Country Music Guild Of Australasia

Established 1968

The Country Music Guild Of Australasia presents the best in country music every Friday at the Pascoe Vale RSL

40 Cumberland Road Pascoe Vale, Victoria.

(Cnr of Cumberland Rd and O’Hea St)

Country Music Guild of Australia

Hear the artists that play regularly at the Guild on Friday's by tuning into...

'That’s Country'

with Frank McHugh

Sundays 12 noon - 3 pm

98.9 North West FM Glenroy

NOW STREAMING LIVE ON

www.northwestfm.org

Growing up in a singing family, Amber started by pretending a hairbrush was a microphone. A niece of Julie Anthony, one of Australia's most decorated entertainers, Amber Joy Poulton grew up singing with her sister for ten years. When she finally made up her mind that she wanted a career as a singer, she did it the way most people do – by answering an ad.

She broke into traditional country music by playing the role of June Carter in the local production “Black – The Lighter Side of Johnny Cash”. This inspired her to co-write a show with Christopher Naylor called “Honky Tonk Angels”. The show is named after the historic 1993 album which teamed up country music superstars Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and, most of all, Loretta Lynn whom Poulton has idolized all throughout her career.

In the show, which features the life, times and music of Loretta Lynn, Poulton portrays her and the cast dishes out the greatest hits of these country music legends. The show also highlights their relationships, and their contributions to country music. Honky Tonk Angels has been performed several times at the 2009 and 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival, the 2010 Mildura Country Music Festival, 2010 Katherine Music Muster, the Gympie Muster in 2010, the Adelaide Fringe in 2010 and 2011, the 2011 Victorian Tour and many other venues.

Poulton was voted a Top 10 Finalist in the 2009 Toyota Starmaker competition. She received the 2009 South Australia APRA Traditional Country Song of the Year award and the South Australian Achiever Award for her music. Her maiden album hit the Top 30 of the Australian Country Music Charts, and in 2010 Poulton got a second SA APRA Traditional Country Song of the Year award.

Married to former Power player Jared Poulton, she takes her role as a wife and mother of two very seriously, building her music career around her family responsibilities. Singing, guitar practice and planning the next gigs are squeezed into her day after she's gotten her primary tasks settled. Nevertheless, there's no stopping Amber Joy Poulton when it comes to her music. When asked what she absolutely needed to be able to put on a performance, Poulton quipped, “Just the mic and a pair of high heels”.

Amber Joy Poulton