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 There are even tracks originally made famous by The Black Keys, Green Day and Ronan Keating.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.