Becoming a musician and singer/songwriter has been a rite of passage for young artist Ashleigh Dallas. Granddaughter of renowned country music icon Rex Dallas, Ash’s earliest memories were of singing with her Dad and going to her grandfather’s performances around her hometown of Tamworth NSW.
“I was two and a half when I had my very first music lesson. I would sing with my Dad at home and started playing the fiddle when I was six”, says Ash. “Obviously having a very musical family has been an awesome environment to have grown up around. It has given me a lot of learning experiences with music that I am very grateful for.”
Ash credits her Dad, Brett, and big brother Lindsay, former bassist with Tamworth band ‘Chasing Bailey’, as her first musical influences as they both inspired her to work hard at her playing and songwriting.
“Dad would sit me down and play old records to learn the fiddle and taught me to play by ear and ‘improvise’ I thought I had the coolest Dad in the world, and in my eyes, the best guitarist! All I wanted to do when I got older is what he was doing. It made me want to practice harder!”
Ash’s big break came when she was approached by Kasey Chambers to come on the road with her and play fiddle in her band. This was the start of a strong musical friendship that has seen Ash travel to the US to play in Kasey’s band, become the support for shows here and overseas and now joins Kasey on the road as an artist in her own right.
“Dad encouraged me to play a variety of instruments so I could be part of a band as well as doing my own thing. I remember when I first saw Alison Krauss. To see a lady who writes her own songs and also plays fiddle- it really connected with me and gave me the drive to be a chick that could front a band but also be a part of the band. I used to sit and play along to her CD’s.”
Now Ash is about to embark on her own musical journey with a collection of songs she recorded with respected Australian producer Matt Fell and co-produced with Kasey Chambers, at the Foggy Mountain Studios. This musical insight to Ash Dallas reflects her traditional music roots as well as the vibrant, bubbly young artist who is ready to make her way in the world.
“Slim Dusty, Ricky Skaggs, The Carter Family and Merle is music familiar to me but when I was a teenager Buddy Miller and Steve Earle started to really influence my songwriting. But you can find me listening to everything from Patty Griffin, Ed Sheeran, Passenger or singing ABBA with mum!”
Just like her musical influences, the new album features an eclectic selection of co-writes with highly respected artists such as folk/pop outfit Busby Marou, country legend Bill Chambers, her Dad Brett and young singer/songwriter, Kelly Menhennet, whom Ash met at the Country Music Academy.
“There’s lots of different stories when you look at all the songs. Carry Me is a song I wrote especially for my parents and thinking back on my childhood. I would go along to The Pub in Tamworth and watch my Dad and family play music, and in the car ride home would pretend to be asleep just so my Dad would carry me inside, and no matter what happened in life or still happens now I know my parents will help me through it.
“One of my favourite songs is the one I wrote with Tom Busby (Busby Marou). I took my little Holden Astra all the way up to Brisbane on a road trip with my guitar in the boot, and sat on the deck at Tom's house and we wrote the song Nothing at All. It was such an awesome moment for me to be able to write with an artist that I love. It is a fun song that I guess sums up the circle of relationships. When it's the right person you will stop at nothing to make it work even if sometimes you go over and over the same things. It was a goose bump moment for me when I had the guys come down to the Foggy Mountain Studios and play on the track for the record!”
Writing for the album was both easy and hard.
“Songs normally just come to me, especially when I am travelling and experiencing new things. It brings up emotions that make me just want to put into a song. I found when I was writing for the record I went through stages. Sometimes it was really easy like when I was driving home from gigs and I would have ideas just pop into my head and sometimes it was a bit harder and I over thought things.
“One song on the record Devils Flame, I wrote while I was working a morning shift at Tamworth’s local Boost Juice. Normally I sit down with my guitar or fiddle and write my songs not to a blender while making a few fruit smoothies, but looking back now I think it’s really cool.”
Listen to Ashleigh's new single "Me" [MP3]http://itscountry.com.au/music/Ashleigh Dallas - 01 - Me.mp3 [/MP3]
2013 has been quite the busy year for country music’s Luke Austen – recently having toured with Travis Collins, Luke Dickens and Liam Brew on the ‘Turn The Page Tour’ and releasing two tracks already from his new album, Truth Is Simple, in “Drive” and “Let’s Just Go With It”. Now, as we’re well into the second half of the year, the 31 year old singer-songwriter is back with his new single, “One Song Left In Me”.
The song, inspired by a Neil Young DVD of all things, takes the connection between musician and guitar and by proxy, the way songs are also passed down from generation to generation. Co-written with Jerry Salley, “One Song Left In Me” is a softer offering from Austen; honest and reflective, the music simplistic in using the acoustic guitar to its fullest extent. It’s a song that demonstrates that a good country song does not always need to be littered with strings and guitar – couple the delicateness of an acoustic guitar with a recognisable vocal such as Austen’s and you’ve got the same effect.
One Song Left In Me: listen here: [MP3]http://itscountry.com.au/music/Luke Austen - 01 - One Song Left In Me.mp3[/MP3]
From the first time my dad showed me how to play a chord on his guitar when I was 6 years old, I knew what I was put on this earth to do.. But this new single isn't about me. If there is one thing I know, it is that we never really own the instruments we buy and commit our lives too. They merely allow us to spend whatever time we have, with them. When my days on earth is up, my guitar will still be around, and if it could tell a story of the hands it has been through to get to me.. What would it say?
I took this idea to American hit songwriter 'Jerry Salley' and we worked for weeks fine tuning this song, what we came up with is by far one of the finest pieces of music i will ever get to put my name to.
Australian country music’s new sensations The Wolfe Brothers have got their first national #1 chart position this week on the Country Music Channel chart. CMC has the video for the band’s second single The Girl, The Bottle, The Memory on high rotation on Foxtel and the response from the public has pushed the single to the top spot.
2013 has been a whirlwind for the band who came to national recognition after their amazing performances on last year’s series of Australia’s Got Talent. The nation were captivated by this four-piece band from Hobart, Tasmania, and voted them into second place on the prime-time television show final in late 2012. Soon after Australia’s Got Talent they were invited to audition for Lee Kernaghan at a studio in Sydney with the possibility of joining his touring party. After the first song Lee looked at the band and said – “you’ve got the job boys!”
Their first show with Lee was a baptism of fire, performing in front of 25,000 screaming fans at the Deniliquin Ute Muster last October.
“It was all a bit surreal for us,” said Tom Wolfe. “Here we were on stage playing songs that only a few weeks earlier we were doing as cover versions in our shows in the pubs around Tassie. Then all of a sudden we were in front of a sea of people playing the same songs, but this time as we looked to the centre of the stage we saw one of our musical heroes, Lee Kernaghan, singing the songs and we were playing them with him. It was like – WOW - what’s happening here???!!”
The Muster show was followed by a national run of dates playing with Lee on the Dwight Yoakam Tour. “We learnt so much on that tour,” said the group’s guitarist Brodie Rainbird. “All of a sudden we were playing the best venues in Australia with two country music legends. It was the start of us getting to see a lot of new places and faces around Australia, and we love it”.
The Wolfe Brothers signed their first record deal with ABC / Universal backstage in Sydney during the Dwight Yoakam Tour. Their first album – IT’S ON - was released in January this year and entered the ARIA country chart at #2, remaining in the Top 20 for 8 months. The title track, IT’S ON, was the first single and went Top 5 on the charts. Their second single The Girl, The Bottle, The Memory is #1 on the CMC chart this week. “We are stoked about getting our first #1,” said the band’s drummer Casey Kostiuk. “We are so thankful to all the people who have supported us and we are loving touring around Australia and meeting our new supporters at every show. It just does not get better than this, we are having a ball and learning all the time”.
Straight after the release of the album the band were on the road as the opening act on the biggest Aussie country music tour of the year – Lee Kernaghan’s Beautiful Noise National Tour.
“We are definitely living the dream at the moment and it has been an amazing year,” said Nick Wolfe. “We are currently working on the next album and for the month of August we rented an unused factory space in Hobart. We have been working on a bunch of new songs to put forward for the next album, which we will be recording in March”.
The Wolfe Brothers have been given the honour of opening for international superstar Alan Jackson at CMC Rocks North Queensland on Saturday 28th September in Townsville. The band continues touring with Lee Kernaghan, but have just announced a series of their own dates. Don’t miss your chance to check out the band that has put the rock back into country. Book your tickets now for The Wolfe Brothers’ shows near you.
THE WOLFE BROTHERS - 2013-2014 TOUR DATES
Saturday 21st September 2013
Ironclad Hotel, MARBLE BAR WA
w/ Lee Kernaghan
Friday 27th September 2013
Brothers Leagues Club, CAIRNS QLD
(07) 4053 1053 | www.brotherscairns.com.au
Saturday 28th September 2013
CMC Rocks North Queensland, TOWNSVILLE QLD
Sunday 29th September 2013
Sarina RSL Club, SARINA QLD
(07) 4956 1814
Wednesday 2nd October 2013
Maraboon Tavern, EMERALD QLD
(07) 4982 0999 | www.maraboontavern.com.au
Friday 4th October 2013
Great Western Hotel, ROCKHAMPTON QLD
(07) 4922 3888 | www.greatwesternhotel.com.au
Saturday 5th October 2013
Dingo Races, DINGO QLD
Saturday 12th October 2013
FNQ Country Music Festival, MAREEBA QLD
0427 780 505
Thursday 17th October 2013
Hallam Hotel, HALLAM VIC
(03) 8786 0200 | www.hallamhotel.com.au
Friday 18th October 2013
Gateway Hotel, CORIO VIC
(03) 5275 1091 | www.thegatewayhotel.com.au
Saturday 19th October 2013
Birchip BNS Ball, BIRCHIP VIC
Friday 1st November 2013
Caloundra RSL Club, CALOUNDRA QLD
(07) 5438 5800 | www.caloundrarsl.com.au
Sunday 3rd November 2013
Toowoomba City Golf Club, TOOWOOMBA QLD
(07) 4636 9000 | www.citygolf.com.au
* afternoon show
Sunday 10th November 2013
Longley International Hotel, HOBART TAS
(03) 6239 6378
* afternoon show
Friday 15th November 2013
Revesby Workers Club, REVESBY NSW
(02) 9772 2100 | www.rwc.org.au/events
w/ Lee Kernaghan
Saturday 16th November 2013
Blacktown Workers Club, BLACKTOWN NSW
(02) 9830 0600 | www.workersclub.com.au
w/ Lee Kernaghan
Friday 22nd November 2013
Mingara Recreational Club, TUMBI UMBI NSW
(02) 4349 7799 | www.mingara.com.au
w/ Lee Kernaghan
Saturday 23rd November 2013
The Cube, CAMPBELLTOWN NSW
(02) 4625 0000 | www.thecube.net.au
w/ Lee Kernaghan
Saturday 4th January 2014
Shearwater Resort, SHEARWATER TAS
(03) 6428 6205 | www.shearwatercc.com.au
Melbourne artist John Flanagan has taken out two of the major States at this years 2013 Gympie Music Muster Talent Search. His original composition 'Last of The Cassette Men' won Best Original Song and his performance earned him the Best Performance award.
After submitting his audition online, John was selected as a semi-finalist for this years search and made the journey from Melbourne to Gympie to perform in front of panel of experienced music industry experts on Saturday, August 24. Qualifying for the Grand Final, John performed on the MainStage at the Gympie Muster today and took out both major awards.
John Flanagan joins past winners of the Gympie Music Muster Talent Search such as Brooke and Samantha McClymont (of The McClymonts), Drew McAlister (of McAlister Kemp) and Mark O'Shea (of O'Shea) to name a few. John takes away over $30,000 worth of prizes including a Fender guitar, studio recording time and an assistance package to support his next release. John's also earned a main stage performance spot at the 2014 Gympie Music Muster.
"I decided to enter the 2013 Gympie Muster Talent Search hoping for a doorway into the country music world" John said of his win. "I couldn't be happier to have won both of these awards".
His original composition 'Last of The Cassette Men' was inspired by a chance meeting with Australian music legend Paul Kelly. John was asked to drive Paul to a studio in Melbourne and when Paul sat in John's car he commented on John's cassette car stereo and how much he enjoys still enjoys making mixed tapes for friends and family and how it's a dying art.
Winner of the Best Junior category was Charters Towers brother and sister trio 'Up & Coming'. Katelyn, Liam and Kasey O'Donoghue impressed the judging panel with their confident performance which was beyond their 11 to 16 years of age.
Music producer Rob Mackay was one of the panel of music industry experts and said, "The pool of talent the year was awesome. We had entrants ranging in age from 12 to 40 years and performing all styles of country music. This search is all about giving artists an opportunity to showcase their talent and for the panel to help nurture and give direction to their art. John Flanagan and Up & Coming are worthy winners of this year 2013 Gympie Muster Music Muster Talent Search and we hope they go on to great success in their careers".
Australian Super-Duo McAlister Kemp have today unveiled the first song from their new album project, plus new album release details with ‘Harder To Tame’, to be released on January 17, 2014.
In just under 4 years, McAlister Kemp have quickly established themselves as the premier duo in Australian Country Music… becoming giants (literally) of the genre.
They’ve topped the ARIA Country Charts, appeared in the ARIA Mainstream Top 20, won a Golden Guitar, have two fan-voted CMC Music Awards to their credit, two APRA Award nominations and scored an ARIA nomination for their most recent album ‘Country Proud’.
They’ve also started to grab international attention, having performed with US Country Stars Big & Rich during the recent US Summer at the Country Thunder Festival in front of 40,000 people in Wisconsin.
McAlister Kemp have become a major touring act in regional Australia, off the back of their explosive live show, songs that touch on real issues and core values and a brand conducive to obtaining genuine and loyal fan connection.
McAlister Kemp will take their music to the world with their new album ‘Harder To Tame’, which will a be “game changer” for Australian Country Music and the Australian music market generally.
‘Harder To Tame’ is an unapologetically cutting edge mainstream country single, produced by Nashville’s most sought after emerging producer Jeremy Stover – the producer of the current Justin Moore Billboard country hit ‘Point At You’ in the USA.
“Harder To Tame’ launches with a new direction for MK! This album is the album we always wanted to make with a collection of powerful songs recorded with hit-making producer Jeremy Stover in Nashville. It's a new chapter in our career we can’t wait to take to our fans,” say McAlister Kemp.
[video]http://youtu.be/FCxYMgnnUxY[/video]
Upcoming Appearances
September 7 – Sydney Country Music Festival
www.sydneycountrymusicfestival.com.au
September 28 – CMC Rocks North Queensland – Townsville QLD
October 5 –Mountview Music Muster - Stanthorpe QLD
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