In a first for the Gympie Music Muster the annual music event will host a New Zealand artist showcase featuring Camille & Stuie, Kaylee Bell, Aly Cook with The Sou’westers, Kylie Price, Tami Neilson and Billy TK Junior.


‘From Across The Ditch’ will feature a mix of Country, Roots and Blues from the New Zealand talent on display. While it’ll be first-time visits for The Sou’westers, Kylie Price, Tami Neilson and Billy TK Junior - Camille & Stuie and Kaylee Bell have performed at the Gympie Music Muster in previous years. The inaugural New Zealand showcase will be held on Saturday August 24th, 6.30pm – 8.30pm at the Amamoor Creek Theatre.


Camille & Stuie

This husband and wife musical team were awarded their first Golden Guitar at the 2013 CMAA Country Music Awards Of Australia for their fourth and finest album, “Big Days & Little Years” in the “Best Alternative Country Album Of The Year” category. Two of their songs - ‘Gone For All Money’ and ‘Pretty Katalina’ have also featured on the new Channel 7 drama “A Place to Call Home” http://www.camilleandstuie.com/


Kaylee Bell

The ex-pat who now calls Bathurst NSW home was named the 2013 Toyota Star Maker at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January. The last Kiwi to be awarded the prestigious music title was Grammy Award winner Keith Urban. Kaylee recently released her debut album, “Heart First” and is a finalist in the ‘Female’ category at the 2013 National Country Music Awards to be announced in August http://kayleebellmusic.com/


The Sou’westers featuring Aly Cook

The country-roots singer-songwriter trio comprises Aly Cook, Dean Hetherington and Liam Ryan. This is a relatively new outfit for Aly Cook – the 2012 New Zealand Female Artist Of The Year and Tui Award winners Dean Hetherington from The Coalrangers and Liam Ryan from The Narcs/Midge Marsden Band. The trio are finalists in the ‘Duo/Group’ category and Aly is also a finalist in the ‘Female’ category at the 2013 National Country Music Awards.

http://thesouwesters.com/


Kylie Price

Kylie started singing at age 11 and has played guitar since she was just seven years old. The Dunedin resident is a four-time recipient of the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards (the equivalent to the Golden Guitar Awards of Australia) including the 2012 Senior Winner when she was just 18 with an original track ‘A Man I Know’ written for her father. http://www.kylieannprice.co.nz/


Tami Neilson

This country/blues/rockabilly artist was raised in Canada, was the winner of the New Zealand Music Awards Best Country Album in 2009, 2010 and 2012 plus the Best Female Artist at the New Zealand Country Music Awards in 2010 and 2011. Tami toured across North America with her family band, ‘The Neilsons’ sharing the stage with the likes of Johnny Cash and has celebrated 2x Top 40 singles on the Canadian music charts. http://www.tamineilson.com/


Billy TK Junior

Billy has toured internationally since 1993 with the likes of George Thorogood, Jimmy Barnes, The Neville Brothers and Ian Moss. Billy released his new album, “Blues Benediction” in September before touring Australia in October and November 2012. George Thorogood believes ‘Billy TK Junior has the whole blues guitar thang down’ with Ian Moss echoing that sentiment ‘Billy TK Junior is like Stevie Ray Vaughan on steroids’. http://www.billytkjnr.com/


The Gympie Music Muster is an annual event held in the Amamoor State Forest Park, with nine stages and 50,000 people in attendance over four exciting days. In its 31 year history the event has raised more than $14.5 million dollars toward Australian charities. The 2013 Gympie Music Muster will run from August 22nd – 25th http://www.muster.com.au/


A companion piece to last year’s Boogie! Australian Blues, R&B and Heavy Rock from the ‘70s, Boogie! Presents Silver Roads looks at the incorporation of country and folk infuences in the Australian rock scene of the late 60s and 70s.


The 2CD features some iconic Australian hit singles, like – The long-lost classic “Gypsy Queen” bythe late Greg Quill & Country Radio


  • “Arkansas Grass” by Axiom
  • “Boy On The Run” by the Dingoes
  • “Winter In America” by Doug Ashdown
  • “Slipping Away” by Max Merritt & The Meteors
  • “Girls in Our Town” by Margret RoadKnight
  • “Khe Sanh” by Cold Chisel
  • Little River Band’s “It’s a Long Way There”


– as well as some fascinating obscurities by the likes of the Autodrifters (featuring the late, great Peter Lillie) and an unreleased version of “Wintersong” by the late Greg Quill, recorded by his short-lived Canada-based group Hot Knives.


Other featured artists include Russell Morris, Anne Kirkpatrick, Richard Clapton, Stars, Johnny Chester, Lee Conway, Ross Ryan, Daddy Cool, Flying Circus, and Fraternity, featuring a pre-AC/DC Bon Scott.


Country music veteran Dale Watson will be touring Australia with his band of Lonestars this November. The shows are in support of his 21st album, El Rancho Azul



A regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry and a member of the Austin Music Hall of Fame, Dale Watson is known as a musical maverick who mixes hard scrabble honky tonk, rockabilly and Americana to create authentic country music that goes against the Nashville grain. He's a true outlaw carrying on where Waylon Jennings left off andhe stands alongside Waylon, Willie Nelson, and George Strait as one of the finest country singers and songwriters from the Lone Star State.


Dale has established himself as one of the forerunning crusaders against the “Nashville Rash” that has been plaguing the country music industry. He also championed his own genre of original music called “Ameripolitan”, a genre Dale Watson describes thus: “Americana is original music with prominent rock influence, Ameripolitan is original music with prominent ROOTS influence.



Tickets are on sale now. Tour dates below:


DALE WATSON & HIS LONESTARS AUSTRALIAN 2013 TOUR DATES:


  • Thurs 28th Nov – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
  • Fri 29th Nov – Morningside Services Club, Brisbane
  • Sat 30th Nov – Caravan Club, Oakleigh, Melbourne
  • Sun 1st Dec – Northcote Social Club, Northcote,Melbourne
  • Sat 7th Dec – Factory Theatre, Sydney


Brent Lillie's That'sThe Deal has won the 2013 We Are Listening Lyric Writer Awards.


Eachyear, one songwriter is selected by an expert panel of judges, including the likes of Chris Farren and Chris Van Belkom of prominent Nashvillle music publishers Combustion Music Group, for an exclusive co-writing and recording project with some of the industry's most prominent songwriters, producers, mix engineers and session musicians.


The Lyric Writer Award attracted entries from all over the world and has a value of US $9,000.


Brent'swinning lyric prompted this response from Lior Shamir of We Are Listening: "(Brent) has the ability to weave visual detail into a dynamic story within the constraints of song form. I see a picture and feel compelled to sing your message in my head. That's powerful stuff. And very hard to do."


That'sThe Deal has proven to be a consistent winner for Brent. It took top spot in the $5,000 Cash Prize Songwriter contest and reached the finals of the Free International Songwriting Competition and the International Songwriting Competition.

"I think every songwriter likes to have that one song they feel they can throw everything behind," Brent said" I call it a 'key to the door'. From an emotional standpoint, That'sThe Deal meant a lot to me when I first penned it and it invariably gets an emotional response from anyone who reads the lyrics. In the end, it's up to me to get the best value out of this prize, and that's its most appealing aspect."


We Are Listening will hire a professional staff writer to set music to the lyrics and some of Los Angeles' leading session players, producers and audio engineers will provide a mastered demo. We Are Listening will then pitch the completed master to its network of music publishers and supervisors.


Brent's other achievements to date have included a win in the Australian Songwriters' Association Awards, reaching the finals three times in the International Songwriting Competition and a being named runner-up in the USA Songwriting Contest. www.sonicbids.com/brentlillie


John Williamson
is without question, an Australian icon. His voice and sound are as recognisable and important to Australia, as the Southern Cross is to the flag. How do you sum up an artist who has captured a country in song, released 48 albums and earned the longevity of such a career as Williamson?


A Hell Of A Career, featuring 44 songs over two CD’s will be released on Friday 19 July to celebrate his illustrious career. A true statement of Williamson’s love of Australia, the collection will feature fan favourites including Old Man Emu, True Blue, Mallee Boy, Galleries of Pink Galahs, Raining on the Rock, Rip Rip Woodchip, Papa Whisky November, Three Sons, Salisbury Street, Flower on the Water and The Big Red.


The double CD will also include a never-released before studio version of Island of Oceans plus live recordings of Hang My Hat In Queensland, Prairie Hotel Parachilna and Rescue Me all of which were recorded with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House in 2010.


To coincide with the release, Warner Music Australia will digitally re-release Williams’ studio albums including Mallee Boy, Boomerang Café, Warragul, JW’s Family Album, Waratah St, Mulga to Mangoes, Family Album No.2, Pipe Dream, The Way it Is, Gunyah, Chandelier of Stars, Hillbilly Road plus the stunning In Symphony live album with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. These will also be available physically in stores over the next three months.


An ARIA Hall Of Fame member, Williamson has sold more than four million albums in Australia alone, won three ARIA awards, four APRA awards and a staggering 24 Golden Guitar Awards. On Australia Day in 1992, Williamson was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) "for service to Australian country music and in stimulating awareness of conservation issues".


After forty-three years in the music industry, touring continuously, Williamson’s career is stronger than ever and he is still writing and recording new songs. But during this time he has shunned celebrity and resisted offers to take his music to the international stage, preferring to stay true to his passion: Australia.


Williamson is not only an artist of unbelievable musical poetry, but a man of integrity. He has always stood firm to his own beliefs and his courage of conviction, regardless of the outcome and without regrets. He is truly proud of his country and stands and sings tall with each note.


This is John Williamson, with A Hell Of A Career!


Sample Tune Hawkesbury River Lovin' : [MP3]http://itscountry.com.au/music/John Williamson 'Hawkesbury River Lovin'.mp3 [/MP3]


A Hell Of A Career track listing:

DISC 1

Old Man Emu

True Blue - 21st Anniversary Version

Hawkesbury River Lovin'

Diggers of the Anzac (This is Gallipoli)

Wrinkles

Queen in the Sport of Kings (Live)

I Can’t Feel Those Chains Any Longer (Live)

Mallee Boy

The Budgie Song

Galleries of Pink Galahs

Raining on the Rock (Live with Warren H Williams)

Cootamundra Wattle

Sail the Nullarbor

Westown

Boomerang Café

Amazing Day

Boogie with M' Baby (Live)

Ancient Mountains

Bill the Cat

Dingo

Goodbye Blinky Bill


DISC 2

Island of Oceans

Rip Rip Woodchip

A Flag of Our Own

A Bushman Can't Survive (Live Orchestra Version)

Wintergreen

Papa Whisky November

Prettiest Girl in the Kimberley (Live Orchestra Version)

Sir Don

Three Sons

A Thousand Feet (with Warren H Williams)

The Baggy Green

Sing You the Outback

Salisbury Street

Glory to Australia (Live)

Chandelier of Stars

Flower on the Water

The Joy Is in the Journey

Hillbilly Road

Cydi

The Big Red

Hang My Hat in Queensland (Live Orchestra Version)

Prairie Hotel Parachilna (Live Orchestra Version)

Rescue Me (Live Orchestra Version)


www.johnwilliamson.com.au