Launching her new EP Nothin’ But Love at the 2014 Tamworth Country Music Festival, brings a massive musical year full circle for Queensland-based singer songwriter Sarah Head. At last year’s festival she was named one of the Top 4 grand finalists in the 2013 Toyota Star Maker competition, something which launched a whirlwind year of more accolades and the progression of her professional recording career. The year that was 2013 saw Sarah as a finalist in coveted awards such as the MusicOz Awards for Independent Artists and the People’s Choice Awards for Most Promising Future Star. It’s no surprise she has been receiving such recognition, this 2007 graduate from the Australian College of Country Music has been working diligently on her music for over a decade, honing her skills as both a singer and songwriter and performing at all sorts of venues around the country.

Sarah says she can’t believe what a huge year 2013 has been for her, and can’t wait to kick off 2014 with her new release. “I pinch myself every day thinking about what I’ve experienced and achieved last year,” she says. “I am so excited about the future, and to keep doing something that I love and am so passionate about. I can’t wait to release my new EP and songs at Tamworth – I think there is going to be something there for everybody. I’m really excited about just how perfectly the tracks reflect my style and personality.”

The EP Nothin’ But Love, and the first single from it – Gypsy Soul – were written and recorded in Nashville. Sarah moved to the country music capital for nine-weeks to co-write with some of the biggest names in the business and lay down tracks for her latest release. She won the 2013 Arts Queensland Individual’s Grant for ‘artists engaging in projects that deliver highly transformative and unique career opportunities’, which assisted in funding her trip. She also created a successful crowd-funding campaign to help finance the recording of her EP. “I am sincerely humbled by the amount of encouragement shown by fans, community members and local businesses for my recording project,” says Sarah. “It’s this kind of support that keeps my chasing my dream and reaching for new heights, and for that I am so very thankful.”

While residing in Nashville, Sarah attended co-writing sessions with the likes of world-class songwriters Lauren Lucas and Ben Daniel, and leading industry icons such as Bob Regan and Byron Hill. She also worked with producer B.James Lowry (whose guitar prowess features on #1 hit songs in 2013). Byron Hill, whose songs have been recorded by Toby Keith, Ray Charles and Kenny Rogers to name a few, wrote two tracks with Sarah for the EP. “Sometimes you sit down with a new co-writer and just know you’ll come up with something good,” says Bryon. “That was the feeling for me when Sarah and I wrote for the first time.”

The first single from the EP Gypsy Soul was co-written with Bob Regan – who has penned tracks for Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood and Reba McIntyre to name a few) and producer B.James Lowry. The track is about self-discovery, written around the story of a woman’s moment of realisation where she embarks on a voyage of self-worth and revelation, determined to chase her dreams no matter what. “I do a lot of travelling with my music career and I always joke that I have a gypsy soul – never wanting to settle for the ordinary, always pushing the boundaries and daring to dream,” says Sarah. “That’s where the idea for Gypsy Soul came from – it’s about that point in your life when you realise you’ve been underestimated, like you’re faking being happy with the mundane and that you’re ready to show the world exactly who you’re supposed to be.”

Australia’s Nicki Gillis has ended the year on yet another positive note – being the most
popular female country recording artist in the UK. In the Hotdisc chart for 2013, Nicki’s self
written song, “I’ll Go My Own Way” just pipped good friend Hayley Oliver and Michelle
Wright as the highest charting female for 2013.

On the back of Nicki’s two tours to the UK in 2013 plus a tour of Germany, Nicki was
surprised by this news. ‘Wow I never thought I would be in the yearly chart, let alone the
leading female’, said Nicki as she took a break from rehearsing with Frank Ifield, Keith
Potger and Wayne Horsburgh for their new stage show, “When Aussies Ruled Britannia”,
‘and it’s so great to see Hayley (Oliver) in the chart as well, I’ve really loved the times we
have sung together on my last two tours in England.”

Nicki has had yet another busy year, apart from her overseas tours she has continued to
co-host Canterbury Country each month with Bob Howe while building her own event
management business and performance school. Much of her time in 2013 was spent
working in the community and speaking at various industry and business functions on
surviving in the entertainment industry and developing an international career as a mother
of two.

Aussies can get to see Nicki on stage in “When Aussies a Ruled Britannia” in late January
throughout regional NSW and Victoria.

Audiences at the 2014 Tamworth Country Music Festival are in for a special treat as songstress Melinda Schneider launches her intensely personal new stage show – BE YOURSELF – at the festival. This will be the first time the show has been performed in Australia and depicts the story of Melinda’s life through her own songs and those from other songwriters who have influenced her. Post-festival, Melinda will be taking the show on the road to theatres around the country, but when it came to selecting a place for the national launch of BE YOURSELF, Tamworth was the obvious choice for this multi-award winning country artist.

“Tamworth and the country music industry have always been very good to me,” she says. “It made perfect sense to premiere the show during the festival for the real die-hard country fans who will be there. I also think people who come back year after year really enjoy seeing something different. Country fans are so loyal, it feels good to be able to give them a whole new show.”

Penning a show about her life – both in the industry and on a personal level – has been something Melinda has always wanted to do. Inspired by the style of her theatre show paying homage to Doris Day – DORIS – So More Than The Girl Next Door – Melinda sought collaboration from friend and script writer David Mitchell, with whom she penned the Doris show.

“We got a rough song list together and started telling my story and writing the script from there,” she says. “Every song I have ever written has a story behind it and most of my songs have been inspired by happy or challenging times in my life. We all have them, I just tend to write about mine! It probably took about six weeks to write the show, then go over it and edit bits and pieces. There is also quite a strong visual element to the show, using some old footage from when I was a kid appearing on the Mike Walsh show and some other surprise bits and pieces. It takes such a long time to cut all of that together and get it looking the way you want it. It’s a mammoth task, especially with my little boy, 16-month-old Sullivan running around and keeping me up nights!”

Melinda is one of country music’s sweethearts. With nine albums under her belt, numerous awards including six Golden Guitars and a swag of sold out tours, she’s easily one of the most well respected performers in the industry today. Her songs have been recorded by artists as diverse as John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John, Ricky Skaggs and Paul Kelly. She made her stage debut at the age of three appearing with her mother, the legendary Mary Schneider, and she hasn’t stopped since. Her most recent achievement though hasn’t been musical, but personal, welcoming the birth of her first child. Her new show is an incredible legacy for him.

“Becoming a mum is the best thing that has ever happened to me,” she says. “The moment I saw Sullivan’s little face, a wave of emotion rushed over my entire body. I bonded with him straight away. I haven’t had a night away from him in 16-months and though motherhood is the hardest job I’ve ever done, I know it’s the most important thing I’ll ever do. I really want to be a good mum for him. Now I know what life is really about and what unconditional love is. Everything I do is for him.”

Sharing her life with audiences through this intimate show is nothing strange for Melinda. “I’ve always told personal stories on stage because they related to my songs and country music is all about the truth. I’m the type of person who wears my heart on my sleeve I guess, and Lord knows I love a chat, so really the show feels natural to me. I also think I decided to do this now, because I am in a great place in my life and by the time you reach the age of 40, you don’t worry as much about what others may think, you can really just be yourself.”

Melinda will be performing songs such as The Story of My Life, Sgt Bean, Courageous and of course, Be Yourself. There will also be some tracks from earlier in her career and songs from other artists who have influenced her. The show is an insight into Melinda as a person and what has made her the woman she is today. This is a show for anyone who is a fan of her music, or just a fan of great songwriting in general, and her only Tamworth performance. Don’t miss the chance to catch Melinda Schneider’s brand new stage show BE YOURSELF as it launches at Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2014. Tickets are on sale now.

For 2012 X-Factor runner-up Jason Owen, the forthcoming Tamworth Country Music Festival will be the start of what is going to be a massive 2014 for the rising star. He joins country starlet Amber Lawrence as her special guest. This is a rare chance for audiences to see two premier young country artists sharing the same stage. It’s also this budding country artist’s first time performing at the festival and he can’t wait!

Throughout 2013 Jason has been touring Australian beside Amber on their Islands in the Stream tour and they’ve already got a swag of tour dates locked in for 2014. The show has been a hit, selling out metropolitan centres and regional areas, earning Jason a whole new fan base. The 19-year-old caught attention with his break-out performance on X-Factor. His impressive talent and natural ease won the hearts of the judges and viewing public alike. His debut album Life is a Highway landed at #5 on the ARIA Album Chart and #1 on the iTunes Country Chart in its first week out. The album has also been nominated for a Golden Guitar for the Sanity Australian Top Selling Album of the Year. The Islands in the Stream tour was named after the duet single of the same name that Amber and Jason released mid-2013. The cover of the Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton classic hit is just one of the songs audiences can expect from the show in Tamworth.

“Amber and myself have so much fun together on stage,” Jason says. “We both love to perform our hearts out so our audience members can expect fun, great songs and a whole lot of entertainment. We’ve been touring Islands in the Stream throughout 2013 and have had a ball. The show contains songs from Amber’s three albums and me singing songs from my current album Life is a Highway.”

Life is a Highway is a collection of classic songs given a modern slant with Jason’s unique interpretations. They’re renditions of the tracks that he performed on X-Factor, and it’s easy to see why this teenager won fans and critics over. The album contains songs from John Denver, Elvis Presley, Bob Seger, The Searchers and Willy Nelson to name a few. There are even tracks originally made famous by The Black Keys, Green Day and Ronan Keating. Songs such as Always On My Mind, Against The Wind, If Tomorrow Never Comes, and Sweet Home Alabama are just a few of the tracks on this incredible debut release. Life Is A Highway marked the start of a new journey for Jason, who moved from his small country town of Albert in regional New South Wales to Sydney and is embracing his music career whole heartedly.

Jason says he’s really been enjoying touring the country and meeting fans face-to-face. He acknowledges it’s been a humbling experience. “What I’ve enjoyed the most is meeting all the fans that I have made from X-Factor and seeing the happiness on their faces when they meet me and I sing to them,” he says. “Also working with people like Amber and the other musicians is just amazing. The tour continues through 2014 – I think what appeals to fans the most is the way we engage with the audience. We try to entertain people no matter where we are or how many people are in the audience.”

With the tour continuing indefinitely throughout the next year, Jason’s calendar is jam-packed. With lots of things in the pipeline, including a new album release, he’s extremely excited about the year ahead and ever so thankful for the support he received in 2013. “It [2013] has been a massive year for me,” he says. “All I can hope for is that all the fans and people that Amber and myself meet around the country have enjoyed our shows. Just being given the privilege to work with the people I have in 2013 has been amazing and I want to thank all my fans for making it possible for me.”

Don’t miss Jason Owen at the 2014 Tamworth Country Music Festival as he performs as Amber Lawrence’s special guest. Tickets are on sale now.

As one of the Top 10 finalists in the 2014 Toyota Star Maker, the upcoming Tamworth Country Music Festival is going to be massive for songstress Tori Darke. Following on from her sell-out show at the last festival, this coming year she is also bringing some new tracks to showcase to festival fans. After spending a considerable amount of 2013 penning tracks for her next album – and working with some of the world’s most well-respected songwriters – she’s ready to give audiences a sneak peek of some of the tracks destined for her new release. Its not just new tracks that will be featuring as part of her rockin’ show either, Tori will also be performing tracks from her debut EP and debut long-player, including all the hit singles.

Tori’s debut long-player Dreams & Chances has already spawned several high charting singles, including Great Mistake and the recent release No You No Me. The single peaked at #6 on the Australian Country Tracks Top 30 [also reaching #1 on Cool Country 2KA and #1 on Mildura’s HOT FM]. Now comes the tricky task of picking material for her forthcoming second album, due for release in 2014. Tori has penned around 30 songs and is now working out which ones make the final cut. In fact, her upcoming show at Tamworth might just be the perfect opportunity to seek some fan feedback on the new songs.

“Sharing new tracks with fans is always fun,” Tori says. “Their reaction to the track can tell you a lot about how the song may do if it is released on an album or to radio. It is always good to hear your fans thoughts on the new songs as they will be the ones listening and buying your records.”

The tracks from the new album have been a work in progress over the past two years. Tori says she has made a conserted effort to really focus on her songwriting and it shows. This incredible musician has grown a lot since the release of her debut album and its evident in the maturity of her new material. She collaborated on co-writes with some of Nashville’s finest songwriters as well, refining her skills and creating a selection of songs which will set her apart from her contemporaries.

Its certainly been a busy few years for this country starlet. She’s travelled to Nashville twice for songwriting trips and performed in Nashville at a selection of venues, showcasing her material to American audiences and industry professionals. Now she’s taking up the coveted spot in the Toyota Star Maker finals and can’t wait to be involved in the competition.

“Toyota Star Maker is an amazing opportunity within our country music industry,” she says. “I chose to be a part of Toyota Star Maker because of the incredible opportunities it can provide. I know I’ll use every tool to the best of my abilities. It is an absolute honour [to be part of the competition] as there are so many talents within the industry and it is a privilege to be in the running.”

Tori says its important that projects such as Star Marker continue to give young artists the opportunity to shine. “It is important because without oportunities like this, we may not have discovered some of the greats within our industry, such as Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole, etc.Toyota Star Maker gives artists a start in country music and all of the opportunities and tools to sustain a successful career.”

This year marks the 35th year for the national music competition, which is one of the most well respected in the country. The finalists were chosen from a panel of six judges, who had the hard job of picking 10 finalists out of more than 50 entries. Over the three and a half decades that Toyota Star Maker has been launching the music careers of Australian performers, it has given a weath of experience to more than 600 musicians. Tori Darke will perform as part of the Toyota Star Maker final 10 at Tamworth Town Hall on Sunday 19th January. The Toyota Star Maker final four will then be decided and will perform at Bicentennial Park on Friday 24th January.

The 2013 Tamworth Country Music Festival was Tori’s first ever ticketed show and sold out – an impressive achievement indeed. The showroom was jam-packed and Tori put on a high energy, unforgettable show. Her concert at the 2014 festival promises to be bigger and better.

“I was completely blown away by the response and to see such a packed house,” she says of last year’s concert. “For my first ever ticketed show to be a total sell-out was absolutely amazing. I’m so proud my first show sold out. Tamworth is the home of country music, so to be able to return again each year and play for country music fans is a massive higlight. I look forward to starting my year with that every year.”

Don’t miss Tori Darke’s only Tamworth Country Music Festival show.

Lou Bradley is set to launch her new record The Other Side with a run of shows during the Tamworth Country Music Festival! The album, to be released to iTunes on January 17, is going to be a perfect way of kicking off Bradley’s time in Tamworth next month.
From the debut release in 2007, through to various festival appearances alongside many great artists both country, mainstream and a well-established reputation for her headline shows, Bradley has been working hard on what has become her highly-anticipated third studio album. The Other Side has seen Bradley work alongside Anthony Lycenko (Busby Marou, Pete Murray), whose talent more than speaks for itself. The album, Bradley’s first co-produced effort, was one that came about in that great, organic way artists strive for.
“The Other Side is my first co-produced album. Working with Anthony [Lycenko] was kind of like working with myself, but with better ideas just when I needed them. He is very skilled at his craft, but also stays quite invisible or transparent, so as not to get in the way of the creative process; just right for me and this project.”
Aside from her duet with Bill Chambers on the aching “One of Those Nights”, The Other Side features no co-writes between Bradley and another, making the album all the more personal and noteworthy. Many of the songs are reflective and hold special stead with the songwriter herself, detailing many different points in her life or notes on observations made over the past year or so.
“Lou Bradley is the real deal. She’s one of the most talented songwriters I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and she has a voice to match. There’s nothing phony about her; she’s lived every lyric of every song on this album.” – Anthony Lycenko
As a live performer, Bradley has continued to hone her craft and has remained a popular touring artist, as well as a consistently touring one. With her sights firmly set on ensuring Tamworth gets the full Lou Bradley treatment, the Byron Bay native is ready to bring more fans into the fold and showcase her latest material to those fans who may have not been able to see her give such songs a run yet.

Kaylens Rain Bringing Cool Change through Country in 2014

It certainly has been quite the year for Kaylens Rain – since the release of their debut album Found in October last year, Kaylee and Glen Harrison have multiple noteworthy achievements under their belts. The duo have been taking to stages at the Gympie Muster, Deni Ute Muster and CMC Rocks the Hunter along with their young dynamic band, as well as supporting Morgan Evans and appearing at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs), harnessing their live shows and proving to be more than just your average brother-sister act.
Says Glen of the past year of touring, “This year has been a blast we have had so much fun on tour and everyone has just been so supportive, we are so pumped for next year.”
Most recently, the sibling duo have been awarded two Golden Guitar nominations in the CMAA Country Music Awards in both the “Group or Duo of the Year” and “QANTASLINK New Talent of the Year” categories. Nominated alongside the likes of The Wolfe Brothers, Kaylee Bell, Ashleigh Dallas and the Adam Eckersley Band, Kaylens Rain are stoked to have been acknowledged in the same league as some of the best new talent in Australian Country Music and offer their congratulations to their fellow nominees.
Performing at the official nominations event at Sydney’s Hard Rock Café, it’s clear that Kaylens Rain has definitely developed into a live music unit that industry, as well as the public, have taken serious note of over the past year.
For the duo out of Sydney’s north west, the remaining months of 2013 are still packed with the goods, with their current single, “She’s a Wildflower”, continuing to build a strong radio presence since its initial service in October. A fitting follow up to the popular “Waiting on a Bus”, the newest Kaylens Rain track is one both Kaylee and Glen are excited about releasing.
For Kaylee, the past year really has been a dream come true. “We have had a ball this year touring and promoting the album. The support has been amazing and we can’t wait to keep living the dream in 2014”.
Already locking down a night time slot at the 2014 CMC Rocks the Hunter festival and a trip to Nashville in June, performing as part of the prestigious CMA Festival Global Artist Showcase (where they’ll be showcasing in front of some US Country Music heavyweights), plus much more in the pipeline, the next 12 months are looking to be massive for Kaylens Rain. A name already being talked about, the duo is planning on ensuring they remain at the front of the pack of great up and coming Australian country talent.

Tamworth Shows
Saturday 18th – West Diggers Courtyard – 7:30 – 10:30pm
Sunday 19th – Wests Leagues Legends Bar – 5:00pm – 7:30pm
Monday 20th – West Diggers Courtyard – 7:30 – 10:30pm
Tuesday 21st – TSA Awards Longyard – 7:30pm
Wednesday 22nd – Imerial Hotel – 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Thursday 23rd – Shoppingworld – 11:45am
Thursday 23rd – Longyard – 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Friday 24th – Family Hotel – 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Saturday 25th – Good Companions 3:00pm – 4:00pm Acoustic Album Set

The Deni Blues & Roots Festival has certainly hit the calendar with a bang taking out two Awards at last night’s NSW Tourism Awards at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. The inaugural Deni Blues & Roots Festival won the Best Festival & Event category and the Bronze Award in the New Tourism Development category.

The Deni Blues & Roots Festival, which took place over the 2013 Easter long weekend, saw thousands of music lovers descend on Deniliquin in New South Wales for the inaugural event which took world class music to inland Australian including international superstars Santana, Status Quo, Jason Mraz, Chris Isaak, Bonnie Raitt, Zac Brown Band and Newton Faulkner.

The two day Deni Blues & Roots Festival is unique for southern NSW and provides a great festival for music fans in the Southern States utilising the massive Deni Ute Muster site which is just 3 hours from Melbourne, 4 hours from Canberra and less than 5 hours by road from Adelaide. The purpose built site has had millions of dollars of permanent staging and lighting infrastructure, toilets and showers and bar facilities installed in recent years. Both events have been underpinned by overwhelming community support with an army of volunteers, contributions from many local businesses and great vision from the steering committee that established and built the site at Deniliquin. The inaugural Deni Blues & Roots Festival also took out the Best Festival Award at the Inland Tourism Awards earlier this year.

And there’s no time to rest on our laurels, the 2014 Deni Blues & Roots Festival is already set to outshine its debut with an amazing list of iconic artists already announced including John Mayer, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, The Doobie Brothers, Gary Clark Jr, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Boz Scaggs, Dr. John & The Nite Trippers, Michael Franti & Spearhead and many, many more (see below for full list).

Chugg Entertainment, Rob Potts Entertainment and Deni Play on the Plains Festival Ltd co-presented the event and were represented at last night’s ceremony by Project Manager, Nick Chugg, who accepted the Award on behalf of the promoter team, and Kathie Heyman, GM of Deni Play on the Plains.

Nick Chugg, Deni Blues & Roots Festival Project Manager said “We are thrilled to have won two NSW Tourism Awards last night. On behalf of the promoters I want congratulate all the staff and volunteers who worked on the Festival – these Awards wouldn’t have been possible without you. And particular thanks to all the patrons who came to the Festival earlier this year. We look forward to seeing you next year!”
Deni Blues & Roots Festival

Conargo Road, Deniliquin, NSW
Saturday, 19 April 2014

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Sunday, 20 April 2014