2019 Toyota Starmaker Top 10 Finalist, Lizzie Steadman, an Aboriginal singer/songwriter has an ability to tell a story through her song writing and empowering vocals. she incorporates soul, folk, blues and country into the music she plays and writes.

She grew up in a small country town, near Tamworth NSW and was introduced to Country Music by her dad who always played and sung with the children when they were young. As an example of her determination, she taught herself to play guitar & it has always been her constant companion wherever she has been, in her life adventures.
Lizzie has had a varied life from living in Far North Queensland, to being a Jillaroo on some of Northern Territory’s largest cattle stations, an Aged Care Nurse at Mutitjulu (Uluru), Nursing at Tamworth and now working as a Caseworker assisting with disadvantaged youths. These life experiences have taught Lizzie how to relate to people and care for people despite their different backgrounds and ways of thinking. She has translated her life experiences into her songs and is able to comfortably sing a wide selection of genres.
Lizzie was awarded the Troy Cassar-Daley Indigenous scholarship to attend the CMAA Academy of Country Music in January 2018.

Lizzie was a finalist in the Indigenous women category for the ZONTA international women’s day awards, and has continued to inspire, empower and give strength to women through her music.
She attended the DAG sheep station at Nundle NSW, for a songwriter retreat in July 2018 and was mentored by Luke O’Shea, Shane Nicholson, Aleyce Simmonds, Kevin Bennet, Jeremy Edwards, Jeff Gibson and Brad Butcher. She performed on stage with Shane Nicholson, a song they wrote together at the retreat.
People who have influenced her music greatly have been artist such as Eva Cassidy, Patty Griffin, Bob Dylan and Paul Kelly among many others.
Life’s journey has allowed the singer to portray a resilience learnt and this heard through her music.

‘Here We Go Again’ was co-written with the amazing Shane Nicholson, when Lizzie attended The Dag Sheep Station Songwriters Retreat, in July this year.
The song tells a story of how after a breakup and/or a betrayal, it can be soothing for some to listen to old country love songs, have a drink or two and reminisce on what once was, or could have been. For Lizzie, listening to old songs can be a reminder of those relationships that seem to go around and around, like the song says, ‘Over and over again.’

The song was recorded and produced by Steve Newton in Tamworth at Enrec studios.

Allan Caswell’s latest bush ballad Feeding The Crew has been chosen as a finalist in the 2019 Bush Ballad Golden Guitar.

In the tradition of where a lot of Slim Dusty’s songs came from … people sending him poems and Slim carefully turning them into songs, Feeding The Crewcame to life in much the same way.

Kathy Berzinski lives in Far North Queensland and, when her husband was alive, they would do the grey nomad thing in outback Queensland … during the ‘boring bits’ Kathy would write bush poetry. Caswell was given some of her poems via a mutual friend, well known guitar builder Allan Tomkins and he loved them. One, in particular was the poem that became Feeding The Crew.

Allan Caswell recorded Feeding The Crew in Melbourne with producer Damian Cafarella after they had completed his MEXICO album, so the song was released separately.

So, here’s the story … a retired lady in Far North Queensland writes her first ever song … it gets recorded by a veteran country singer and goes on to be a finalist in the Golden Guitars … it sounds like a bush ballad itself.

Being the versatile songwriter, he is, Allan Caswell has long been known to explore all the different strands of the country music genre and his recordings reflect this. “I love the bush ballad because it is country music in its purest and most Australian form” Caswell has been a finalist in this section a number of times and won the Bush Ballad Golden Guitar in 2016 with Manfred Vijars for One Last Muster.

This is Kathy Berzinski’s first ever Golden Guitar final nomination … and Caswell’s 40th.

Yesterday, at the official nomination announcements event for the Country Music Awards of Australia, MONTGOMERY CHURCH were named 2 x FINALISTS for their stunning debut album – In The Shadow Of The Mountain.

The current single, I’M GONNA LOVE HER ALL THE TIME was announced top 5 finalist for Bluegrass recording of the year and the incredible instrumental track, MIDDLINGBANK ROAD was announced as a finalist for Instrumental Track Of The year.

Winners will be announced at the pinnacle event of the Tamworth Country Music Festival on Saturday the 26th January.

Country Rocks Records proudly congratulates label artist – Kristy Cox – on the announcement of two finalist nominations for the prestigious Toyota Golden Guitar Awards of Australia.

Yesterday at a special ceremony held at ABC Studios in Sydney, Kristy was announced as a finalist in Female Artist of The Year and Bluegrass Recording of The Year for her internationally acclaimed album, “Ricochet” .

“I’m still a little lost for words in excitement!” said Kristy from Nashville. “The ongoing support from my music family is incredible. I am a lucky girl to be part of such a great community – thanks everyone!”.

Michael Bond from Country Rocks Records echoed Kristy’s excitement following yesterday’s announcement. “For an independent label which has been operating for a year, to score two finalist berths in the Golden Guitar Awards is a great honour. Working with Kristy and her US label this year has been a wonderful experience. We are so proud of her and the major goals she is kicking. We have our fingers crossed for her for the awards and extend our thanks to the CMAA, judges and congratulations to the other finalists on their nominations also”.

Kristy returns to Australia in January for the Tamworth Country Music Festival and her latest single, “Right Where You Left It”, is at radio now.

2018 ACHIEVEMENTS
•#1 US Billboard Bluegrass Albums (“Ricochet”)
•#31 US Billboard Country Albums Chart (“Ricochet”)
•#1 Bluegrass Today Chart (“Ricochet” & “I Can Almost Smell The Smoke”)
•#1 AusCountry Top 10 (“Ricochet”, “I Can Almost Smell The Smoke” & “Right Where You Left It”)
•#3 AusCountry Top 10 (“Sweet English Rose”)
•Top 10 Female Artist nomination at International Bluegrass Music Awards
•Finalist Independent Female Vocalist of Year Southern Stars
•Finalist Female Artist & Bluegrass Recording of The Year Toyota Golden Guitar Awards of Australia

After entertaining country music fans across the United Kingdom and Europe since 2013, TEG Live and AEG Presents are proud to present the inaugural Country to Country (C2C) Australia at Sydney Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday 28 September 2019 and Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Sunday 29 September 2019, headlined by superstar Tim McGraw.

Also appearing at the very first C2C Australia will be the hugely popular Kelsea Ballerini, along with Midland, and many more international and local artists to be announced.

Presale tickets will be available via Telstra Thanks® from 10am (local), Wednesday 14 November and the general public on sale commences from 12 noon (local), Friday 16 November through Ticketek.

C2C Australia will be 10 hours of country music, spanning multiple stages including the Main Stage, the C2C Spotlight Stage and the Town Square, and showcasing the best in country music as well as emerging talent from the United States and Australia. The festival will also feature an array of attractions and great food options for passionate country music fans.

C2C made its debut at the O2 Arena in London in 2013 and has now become an annual staple on the UK festival calendar with tens of thousands of fans attending each year to enjoy some of the very best of country music. In 2015, C2C went into mainland Europe for the first time with shows in Sweden and Norway. In 2019, C2C will debut in both the Netherlands and Germany, and now this annual country music festival is coming to Australia for the very first time in September 2019.

Tim McGraw has sold more than 50 million records and dominated the charts with 43 worldwide #1 singles. He’s won 3 Grammy Awards, 16 Academy of Country Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards, 11 American Music Awards, 3 People’s Choice Awards and numerous other honours. His iconic career achievements include being named the BDS Radio’s Most Played Artist of the Decade for all music genres and having the Most Played Song of the Decade for all music genres.

He is the most played country artist since his debut in 1992, with two singles spending over 10 weeks at #1. His career-long tour successes include the record-setting Soul2Soul The World Tour 2017 with his wife, Faith Hill. McGraw starred in and narrated the hit movie, The Shack, as well as played leading roles in Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side. McGraw recently released two news songs ‘NEON CHURCH’ and ‘Thought About You’, his first new solo music in two years. Tim McGraw was last in Australian in 2012 when he headlined CMC Rocks together with his wife Faith Hill and sold out multiple arenas in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Kelsea Ballerini has emerged in the last three years as one of the biggest names in country music. Ballerini released her debut album ‘The First Time’ in 2015, since then she has received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, banked three consecutive No. 1 songs (a record, as she’s the only female Country artist to have done so from a debut), toured across the US and around the world, and nurtured a growing reputation as one of Nashville’s sharpest writers. She has played and toured with artists such as Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban, and headlining her own tour, in addition to winning scores of accolades including an ACM Award, a Billboard “Rising Star” Award and an ACCA for Breakthrough Female of the Year. Kelsea Ballerini headlined CMC Rocks in 2018.

Midland. Hailing from Dripping Springs, TX lead vocalist Mark Wystrach fronts Midland’s rich sound that is rounded out with lead guitarist Jess Carson and bass player Cameron Duddy. Rooted in tradition in both sound and style the trio initially garnered attention playing clubs in the region. Their critically acclaimed freshman album, “On the Rocks” (Big Machine Records), features 13 tracks with song writing credits from each member alongside hitmakers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. Launching to rave reviews from notable outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone Country, “On the Rocks” was declared “the year’s best Country album” by Washington Post. The Dann Huff produced album earned the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Top Country Album Sales chart upon release. Their debut No. 1 single “Drinkin’ Problem,” which offers an intentional nod to Country music reminiscent of the 1970s and 80s, earned the band their first Grammy Awards nominations for Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Midland was also named New Vocal Group of the Year at the 2018 ACM Awards and are nominated for three CMA Awards including Vocal Group of the Year, Single of the Year for “Drinkin’ Problem” and New Artist of the Year. This year Country Radio Broadcasters voted the trio as one of the esteemed 2018 CRS New Faces. This will be the very first time Midland tour Australia.

Further exciting line-up announcements will be made soon. Check the website for updates: https://www.c2c-countrytocountry.com.au/

C2C : Country to Country, Australia

Saturday 28 September 2019 Sydney Qudos Bank Arena
Sunday 29 September 2019 Brisbane Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Alt Country/Americana and outlaw country artist, Gareth Leach is set to hit the road for a stack of shows leading to the Tamworth Country Music Festival, following the recent release of his debut album, Death & Taxes.

With tour dates commencing tomorrow in Echuca, Leach will perform a handful of shows just prior to Christmas before returning in the New Year for his From the Mountains to the River Tour in January for five shows. He then takes in Tamworth CMF between the 18th and 23rd January.

Gareth’s latest single is title track from his album, Death & Taxes, with that and the previous single, Turn Back Jimmy Creek, both receiving plenty of airplay across country radio stations and the Country Music Channel. The record was produced, engineered and mixed by Tyson Fish of The Alamo in Melbourne, with additional engineering and production by Leach and mastering by David Walker (Stepford Audio). All associated artwork has been created by Jasper Shelton Hollis. The culmination of talents wrapping up what is a masterful debut Americana album.

Gareth Leach draws inspiration from a spectrum as wide as Willie Nelson to Keith Urban, Jimmy Eat World to Chris Stapleton, and beyond, blending Americana sensibilities with the introspective and reflective lyrical concepts of his Outlaw heroes.

Anyone who enjoys alt-country/Americana will enjoy Gareth Leach and his raw, powerful and engaging take on one of the fastest rising genres in Australia.

GARETH LEACH TOUR DATES
Nov 10 – Gypsy Bar, Echuca VIC
Nov 11 – Cape Horn Vinyard, Echuca VIC
Nov 17 – Some Velvet Morning, Clifton Hill VIC
Nov 24 – The Bearded Lady w/ Hayley Marsten, Brisbane QLD
Dec 19 – Spotted Mallard, Brunswick VIC

FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO RIVER
Jan 4 – Snowline Hotel, Harrietville VIC
Jan 5 – Happy Valley Hotel, Ovens VIC
Jan 6 – Wandi Pub, Wandiligong VIC
Jan 12 – Men’s Club, Deniliquin NSW
Jan 13 – Shamrock Hotel, Echuca VIC

TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Jan 18 – Pig Stage, 2pm
Jan 18 – The Press 2340, 9pm
Jan 20 – The Welder’s Dog, 12pm
Jan 20 – Pig Stage, 4pm
Jan 21 – FanZone, 4:50pm
Jan 23 – Pig Stage, 6pm