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- Winners announced!!
- 2006 CMAA
Country Music Awards of Australia!
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Male Vocalist
Female Vocalist
- Troy Cassar-Daley
Sara Storer
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- Best Group -The
Flood
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- New Talent - Samantha McClymont
(Photo courtesy Paul Spencer)
- APRA SONG OF THE YEAR
Lonesome But Free
Writers: Paul Kelly and Troy Cassar-Daley
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Troy Cassar-Daley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Sara Storer
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Chandelier Of Stars
John Williamson
Producer: John Williamson
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Flood
VOCAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Jimmy Barnes & Troy Cassar-Daley
Bird On A Wire
BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR
Bells In A Bushman’s Ear
John Williamson
Writer: John Williamson
HERITAGE SONG OF THE YEAR
Rally Round The Drum
Paul Kelly
INSTRUMENTAL OF THE YEAR
Yellow Belly
Troy Cassar-Daley
NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR
Samantha McClymont
VIDEO CLIP OF THE YEAR
Song Of The Old Rake
Paul Kelly
Directed by Nice Trees
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Pony
Kasey Chambers
TOP SELLING ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Chandelier Of Stars
John Williamson
After being pipped for the award by Adam Harvey in 2005, Troy
Cassar-Daley takes out the award for Male Vocalist of the Year for his
performance of Lonesome But Free, the song that’s also been judged APRA
Song of the Year. Troy is one of Australia’s most successful
singer-songwriters and this award is recognition yet again of his
pairing with Paul Kelly. Troy also wins a Golden Guitar for Vocal
Collaboration of the Year for his duet with Oz Rock legend Jimmy Barnes,
Bird On A Wire, and Instrumental of the Year for Yellow Belly taking his
career tally of Golden Guitars to 14.
Likewise, Sara Storer’s mantelpiece will be groaning under the weight of
yet another Golden Guitar with the news that she has taken out this
year’s award for Female Vocalist of the Year. Sara’s staggering success
at the 2004 Country Music Awards of Australia is firmly etched in
country music history when she won an unprecedented seven Golden Guitars
in one night.
Kasey Chambers takes her Golden Guitar tally to 8 with the award for
Single of the Year, earned for Pony, the opening track of her third
album, the bestselling Wayward Angel.
And Paul Kelly, regarded as a national treasure among songwriters (and
his legion of fans) earns his third Golden Guitar for Heritage Song of
the Year with the stirring Rally Round The Drum and his fourth for APRA
Song of the Year Lonesome But Free with Troy Cassar-Daley.
John Williamson has returned to the national consciousness with his
album Chandelier Of Stars. Lyrically direct, melodically gorgeous and
passionately concerned with the land, it’s a thoroughly deserving winner
of this year’s Golden Guitar for Album of the Year and Top Selling Album
of the Year. He also takes home a Golden Guitar for Bush Ballad of the
Year with Bells In A Bushman’s Ear, taking his career tally to a
staggering 23.
The Flood, scored their first ever Vocal Group or Duo of the year Golden
Guitar win with Hello Blue Sky, from their third studio album The Late
Late Show. This win sets a new high-water mark for the band for 2006.
The New Talent of the Year award this year goes to Grafton songbird
Samantha McClymont. Her new single, Heart Of A Man, was written by Sam
when she was 16 (at the CMAA Australian College of Country Music), is
receiving airplay across the country.
The 34th CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia were presented in the
Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre on Saturday, January 28, 2006
Troy Cassar-Daley ‘waxed’ in Tamworth
unveiled at Tamworth’s Gallery of Stars
Wax Museum during the 2006 Tamworth Country Music Festival.
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Wax model of Troy Cassar-Daley
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- Star Maker
- Cat Southern wins Toyota
Star Maker 2006
Cat Southern, a 25 year old described as a born singer and
entertainer, has won the 2006 Toyota Star Maker Quest in Tamworth.
After a gruelling day of heats, the initial 20 finalists were
whittled down to a top 10 who performed before a capacity audience,
and the judges, in the Toyota Country Theatre in Country Music
Capital on Sunday night.
Cat took the Toyota Star Maker 2006 crown from a strong line-up of
grand final contenders... James Anderssen, Tim Farren, Belinda
Harkness, Nick Kingswell, Brad Lee, Rebecca Lee Nye, Ryan Sampson,
Jason-Lee Sharp and Craig Stewart.
Originally from South Australia, Cat moved to the NSW Central Coast
in 2003 after making a commitment several years earlier to build a
career in country music. Since then, she has performed all over
Victoria, NSW and South Australia and, in 2005, joined the Brian
Young Show touring and performing through remote New South Wales,
Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South
Australia.
Having already succeeded, as a youngster, at pursuits including
gymnastics and diving, Cat’s decision to become professional was
influenced by her natural ability to entertain. Since she could
talk, Cat has been singing and entertaining everyone around her,
never afraid to attract attention!
A kick-start to Cat’s career came when she reached the national top
100 of the 7 Network’s Pop Stars solo performer competition. A year
or so later, she entered Network 10’s Australian Idol winning
through four auditions in South Australia to be chosen as one of 14
performers to go to Sydney.
As Toyota Star Maker 2006, Cat will receive an
enormous career boost.
The prize package includes a big budget recording session
with Ramrod Studios, distribution and promotion of a CD through the
ABC Music label, production of a video clip to be showcased on
Country Music Channel, media promotion, guaranteed performance
bookings and invitations to a number of major festivals and industry
events, a Toyota Star Maker winner's jacket, a special edition Maton
guitar, a new BOSE Personalised Amplification System (PAS) and use
of a fully serviced Toyota motor vehicle and fuel card for the 12
months after winning Toyota Star Maker.
Official presentation of the Toyota vehicle to Cat will take place
in front of the Toyota Country Theatre at Tamworth Regional
Entertainment Centre today, Monday, January 23, at 11.30am.
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- PETER PRATT CONTINUES TO
REAP AWARDS
Illabo based singer song-writer, Peter Pratt, has continued
to reap a harvest of awards at this year's Tamworth Country Music
Festival.
His debut album, Ever True, has delivered two more accolades - his
first ever Tamworth Independent Artists Recognition Award (TIARA)
for best Bush Ballad for the self penned song Where I'm Longing To
Go and his second ACMLA award for the Eric Bogle song As If He
Knows, in the Heritage category.
- CLELIA ADAMS
- “The Gentleman Geoff Brown Memorial Award”, was awarded to
Clelia in recognition of her first original song “HEARTBEAT
HIGHWAY”, the title track of her current CD. Originally from
Tamworth, this award is very special to Clelia, as the Browns were
her “other” family in her Tamworth years before she moved north.
Geoff was one of the founding fathers of the country music festival
in Tamworth in the early 70’s.
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- ABC COUNTRY GIRLS WIN TAMWORTH GOLD
- ABC Country stars illuminated the 34th CMAA Country Music
Awards of Australia held tonight at the Tamworth Regional
Entertainment Centre.
Sara Storer was named for the 2nd time, Female
Vocalist of the Year for the single Firefly from her album of the
same name. Sara’s compelling songs evoking the bush and characters
have now earned her 9 Golden Guitars and she dedicated this award to
her father. During 2005, Sara took country music to a wider audience
through the national tour with Paul Kelly and her ‘Broad’ tour with
Deborah Conway and Katie Noonan,
Sara is back on the road to WA in late March with this year’s Male
Vocalist of the Year Troy Cassar-Daley, then the NT and NSW’s north
coast in May.
Samantha McClymont is New Talent of the Year
and received her Golden Guitar for the song Cookin’ in My Kitchen,
performed at the awards and co-written by her sister Brooke and Rick
Price.
20 year old Samantha from Grafton NSW, travelled for much of last
year with Travis Collins and Amber Lawrence as part of the Toyota
Star Maker tour. Her latest single Heart of A Man just peaked at
Number 1 on the CMC video chart and is racing up the Country Tracks
radio chart right now.
The audience was mesmerised as Samantha and co-finalist for Vocal
Collaboration of the Year Travis Collins performed their stunning
duet, A Fool Like Me. Travis returned to Tamworth following the
official harbour shore Australia Day concert where he performed his
single Start The Car from his debut album, to an audience of
180,000.
Beccy Cole, current CMAA Entertainer of the
Year, was a fantastic host for the Golden Guitars and kicked off the
evening with a dynamic performance of her new single So Good For So
Long. Beccy has just returned from an experience of a lifetime, her
tour to Iraq, where she entertained the troops over the festive
season.
The Golden Guitars are the genre’s most prestigious accolade and ABC
Music congratulates all recipients for their outstanding
contribution to Australian country music.
For further information, images or interviews, please contact:
Sue Camilleri 08 89 412 512/0408 412 512 Em:
soozcam@bigpond.net.au
Reg
Poole elevated to the Roll of Renown
One of
Australia’s finest bush balladeers – Reg Poole – was elevated to the
Country Music Roll of Renown in Tamworth
Reg was born in Rushworth, Victoria, just after World War II and grew up
on a dairy farm at Tatura on a block his great grandfather selected in
1871.
He formed his first dance band in the 1960s
He first recorded in 1972, a custom release selling 1,000 copies over
the counter of his local Shepparton radio station.
On the strength of this, he gained a contract with W&G Records in 1973,
recording his now classic Australian Country Music Hall of Fame song
winning his first Golden Guitar in 1974, the first award for New Talent
of the Year.
Reg joined Selection Records in 1977 issuing numerous highly successful
recordings over the next almost 30 years including many successful
concept albums such as his popular truck and rodeo theme releases.
In 1999, Reg was named Victorian Entertainer of the Year.
“The Gentle Giant” of country music, as he is known, Reg constantly
tours and performs all over Australia. As well as keeping a fast pace on
the road, Reg makes time available for many charity shows and
activities.
Currently he is recording a new CD for his own Matildaroo Music label
planned for release in March.
Reg is the 33rd inductee to Australia’s highest country music honour.
He joins Tex Morton, Buddy Williams, Smoky Dawson, Slim Dusty, Shirley
Thoms, Tim McNamara, Gordon Parsons, The McKean Sisters, Reg Lindsay,
Rick & Thel Carey, Johnny Ashcroft, Chad Morgan, John Minson, The
Hawking Bros, Stan Coster, Barry Thornton, Nev Nicholls, Shorty Ranger,
Jimmy Little, Ted Egan, Dusty Rankin, John Williamson, Rocky Page, Brian
Young, Rex Dallas, Arthur Blanch, The Schneider Sisters, Frank Ifield,
The Webb Bros, Kenny Kitching, The Singing Kettles and Athol McCoy on
the Roll of Renown located in front of the Tamworth Regional
Entertainment Centre.
The Roll of Renown honour is presented annually to those artists who
have made a lasting and significant contribution to Australian country
music.
It is administered by the Australian Country Music Foundation.
- NICK KINGSWELL
- Nick won the 2006 Telstra Road to Tamworth talent quest and
the prize included recording time in
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Nashville. He is also a graduate of the Australian Country Music
Association college. Photo from Telstra.
2006 Telstra Road to Tamworth
songwriter winner Kirsty Lee Akers off to Nashville
Kirsty Lee Akers from NSW Hunter Valley is off to Nashville and
on the threshold of an exciting professional career after winning the
Pub With No Beer Song Writer’s Award in the national Telstra Road to
Tamworth country music talent competition in Tamworth on Tuesday night
Jan. 24th.
Singing before a packed crowd of over 1200 and thousands of others
around Australia and overseas who watched live online via webcast,
Kirsty impressed the judges by singing 3 of her own original songs,
competing with seven other grand-finalists who initially qualified for
the final series after winning their hometown heat. Over 800 singers
from across the nation entered the competition, then 35-heat winners
made the journey to Tamworth to compete for some extraordinary prizes
and take home the 2006 title.
Kirsty (from Stanford Merthyr near Kurri Kurri) will head to Nashville
as part of the newly established songwriters recognition award. Judges
recognised her song writing skills by awarding her with the inaugural
package which includes writing appointments with top American country
music songwriters.
Kirsty is delighted to have been chosen as the winner of the 2006
Telstra Road to Tamworth Competition Song Writer’s Award. “I just
realised I’m goin’ to Nashville!” was Kirsty’s onstage reaction to
this great news.
Telstra Country Wide Group Managing Director, Geoff Booth, said Kirsty
performed terrifically tonight & made a worthy winner. “With such
depth of talent on display, the future of country music in Australia
is looking bright. This is the beginning of a prosperous career for
all the heat winners in the competition,” he said.
Allied Artists Chief Executive Officer and Telstra Road to Tamworth
judge Marius Els said Kirsty’s performance was outstanding and her
life will be changed forever. Kirsty is a very talented artist with
all the qualities of a future star. Telstra Road to Tamworth is a real
launch pad for young country music singers.,”
Three American-based record company executives joined local industry
officials to judge the Telstra Road To Tamworth country music talent
competition Grand Final.
· Pat Higdon, Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville Senior Vice
President/General Manager
· Mark Brown, Senior Director, A&R Sony Music Nashville
· Mark Moffatt, Australian raised, Nashville-based independent record
producer.
The Pub with No Beer Songwriter’s Encouragement Award winner receives
a return airfare to Nashville, seven nights accommodation, a daily
allowance and five days of song writing appointments with top American
country music songwriters.
Telstra Country Wide support the Telstra Road to Tamworth Competition
as a means of helping some impressive Australians live out their hopes
and dreams of establishing a professional career in country music.
Through this initiative, Telstra Country Wide is helping support the
future of the country music industry in Australia.
A Pocketful of Poetry - Album of the
Year 2006 Australian Bush Laureate Awards
One of Australia’s finest bush poets Carol Heuchan received the
highly sought-after Golden Gumleaf trophy for Album of the Year at the
11th annual Australian Bush Laureate Awards in Tamworth last week.
The CD ‘A Pocketful of Poetry’ produced by Restless Music is a mixture
of humorous and very moving poems recorded to original music
compositions. The album is a collection of poems Carol has won major
performance and written poetry awards for throughout Australia.
Equally accredited was her poem ‘Why?’ a heart wrenching plea to
absentee fathers. It won the coveted Blackened Billy Verse from a field
of 279 Australian and overseas writers. ‘The response to the poem Why
has been overwhelming. So many hurt women and even one ashamed man have
told me how they have been touched by my words’ she said.
Carol is ecstatic about the wins and she acknowledged the work of the
bush poetry community ‘To receive this beautiful trophy as the epitome
of Australian bush poetry excellence is very much respected. It’s
inspiring to be in the company of the finalists in these categories and
I’m thrilled to see my work recognised in this way. Thanks to my friends
for pushing me into Bush Poetry and to my new family - the Bush Poets of
Australia for supporting me and making me so welcome’
Up until a few years ago Carol Heuchan from Cooranbong in the Hunter
Valley New South Wales was totally involved in the world of competition
show horses. After publishing her first book ‘Horseplay’ a collection of
rhymes and ramblings which proved to be a roaring success she stepped
onto the stage where her reputation as one of the best bush poets in the
country quickly gained prominence. Her second book ’Horsing Around’ was
a final five nomination in the Bush Laureate Award’s Book of the Year
Category for 2005.
In just three years she amassed over forty awards including richest
prize in Australian poetry history. Carol’s entry ‘Hats Off’ about her
old Akubra hat won a CASE IH JX55 tractor valued at $34000 sponsored by
The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW and The Land Newspaper at the 2004
Royal Easter Show prompting as one would expect another poem ‘Tractor
Factor’. It too became a winning entry later that year in the Original
Humorous Championship in Perth.
Her ability to connect with her audience as an entertainer, a compere
and a guest speaker has completely changed her lifestyle from the days
of equestrian show events. She has regularly appeared at Beaudesert in
Queensland Inverell Dunedoo Narrandera Scone Young and Tenterfield in
NSW and Mulwala in Victoria. In 2004 she appeared on NBN Channel 3 and
is well known in poetry circles as a performer and in horse circles as a
judge at exhibitions at the Brisbane Ekka and the Sydney Royal Easter
Show.
‘I’m thrilled when I can combine my two loves - bush poetry and horses.’
Carol said
Media Contacts: Carol is available for interview.
Carol Heuchan - tel: 02 4977 3210 or email: carrobity@hotmail.com
Rhonda Sinclair - mobile 0438 902413
CD & Book Sales:
CD ‘A Pocketful of Poetry’ is available from the Golden Guitar
Gift Shop New England Highway Tamworth NSW 2340 Tel: 02 67 652688 and
Tamworth Sound City 84 Dennison St Tamworth NSW 2340 Tel: 02 67653435 or
by cheque or money order to: Carrobity 67a Crawford Road Cooranbong NSW
2265 Tel: 02 4977 3210
Publications: ‘Horseplay’ and ‘Horsing Around’ are available from all
major equestrian and saddlery shops throughout Australia and at Dymocks,
Book City and several independent bookshops.
Six new famous country music hands
Six new famous
country music names will be immortalised in concrete in Country Music
Capital’s Hands of Fame next Saturday.
The 2006 Hands of Fame names were
announced by the Australian Country Music Foundation at the Roll of
Renown Concert in Tamworth this afternoon.
The six are... Carter & Carter, Ernie
Constane, Peter Denahy, Wave Jackson, Shaza Leigh and
Lenore Miller-Somerset.
Carter & Carter are one of Australia’s most successful country duos with
numerous awards to their credit including a Golden Guitar for 2004 Vocal
Group or Duo of the Year and three consecutive Australian Country Music
Independent Entertainer of the Year awards.
Bush ballad singer/songwriter Ernie Constance had 17 songs recorded by
Slim Dusty and has released three CDs of his own. In 2002, he was
honoured by the Tamworth Songwriters’ Association as their SongMaker
award winner. He has won many awards including TSA Bush Ballad of the
Year and Album of the Year at the Bungendore Stan Coster Memorial Bush
Ballad Awards.
Peter Denahy, having toured extensively as a support act and band member
for Sara Storer and the late Slim Dusty, has built a solid fan base. At
home at country music festivals and on any stage, he is probably best
known for his comedy ditties but, after a five year hiatus, he has just
released a self titled album of straight material through on the ACMEC
label highlighting his talents as a singer, songwriter and
multi-instrumentalist.
Wave Jackson is one of Australia’s best known bush ballad singers and
writers with many of his ballads recorded by the likes of Slim Dusty,
Keith Jamieson, Double Decker Dave McCallum, Rick Hopkins, Felcity
Urquhart, Alisha Smith, Dean Perrett and Jeff Brown. At last year’s
Golden Guitar Awards, Wave won APRA Song of the Year with Where The
Yellow Kapocks Bloom, recorded by Jeff.
Having toured Australia extensively for more than a decade and with five
albums and a string of hits to her credit, Shaza Leigh has secured her
place as one of Australia’s leading female performers. She has appeared
on many major showcases, events and festivals throughout Australia and
abroad. Shaza has won numerous awards including three consecutive
Independent Female Vocal of the Year titles and has had more than 60
songs published.
Lenore Miller-Somerset then Lenore Miller, was known as Queensland’s
Yodelling Jillaroo in her hey day in the ‘40s and ‘50s. She worked with
Buddy Williams in the war as an entertainer and recorded with him on
78s. After marrying, Lenore went into folk music, appearing on numerous
television programs including Reg Lindsay’s Country & Western Hour from
Adelaide and with stars like Graham Kennedy. She also recorded a number
of her own albums.
The Hands of Fame are co-ordinated for the City of Tamworth by the
Australian Country Music Foundation.
Broadcasters’ Hall
of Fame adds four
Four new names were added to the
Australian Country Music Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame in Tamworth,
Australia’s Country Music Capital, they are Brian Howard,
Maurie Huxley, Barry McMahon and
Cathy Winkler.
A long-time country music broadcaster, Brian Howard’s career goes back
to Sydney radio, including the popular 2SER FM. Eventually moving to
Tamworth, Brian worked on the famous Hoedown (later Country Music Radio
or CMR) program on 2TM for many years. When CMR returned to the airwaves
more than a year ago, Brian was recruited to once again host part of the
program.
Maurie Huxley has been a country music broadcaster for more than 20
years (since 1985), currently with Coast FM 88.7 in Adelaide. His
personal mission is to help publicise Australian artists and bush
balladeers, a mission many say he well and truly accomplishes on a
regular basis.
The late Barry McMahon was, when he died unexpectedly in August last
year, Program Manager of Good Morning Country, the national breakfast
show heard daily on the community radio satellite ComRadSat heard on
more than 60 stations. Barry had a lifelong passion for country music
and radio.
Cathy Winkler is a long time broadcaster of country music on the NSW mid
north coast. When she took up the occupation, it was for her love of the
music more than wanting to be a broadcaster but through the
encouragement and assistance of her co-volunteers, Cathy took to the
task and, now in her 80s, is still on air.
The Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame was inaugurated by the Australian Country
Music Foundation (ACMF) to honour and pay tribute to those broadcasters,
past and present, who have played a significant role in the development
and promotion of Australian country music through broadcasting.
Inductees to the Hall of Fame are now Mike Bedford, Mel Cameron, Hedley
Charles, Gary Coxhead, Dick Cranbourne, Smoky & Dot Dawson, Carter
Edwards, Gene Fisk, Bob Fricker, Brian Howard, Maurie Huxley, Peter
Leslie, Reg Lindsay, Helen Kay, Doug “The Bandit” May, The McKean
Sisters, Barry McMahon, Tim McNamara, John Minson, Barbara Morison, Nev
Nicholls, John Nutting, Don McGuire, Dave Prior, Rocky Page, Keith
Melbourne, Neville Pellitt, Earl Reeve, Bob Spence, Allan Wallett, Barry
Williams and Cathy Winkler.
The Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame Honour Roll is located at the ACMF in
Brisbane Street, Tamworth, Australia’s Country Music Capital.
- - - - - - - - -
AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC FOUNDATION
OPEN extended hours daily from 9am during the January Country
Music Festival
93 Brisbane Street Tamworth NSW 2340
PO Box 1842 Tamworth NSW 2340
Tel 02 6766 9696 Fax 02
6766 9918
Email info@acmf.org.au
AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY ON LINE
http://www.acmf.org.au
AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME
http://www.countrymusichalloffame.com.au
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AUSTRALIAN BUSH LAUREATE AWARDS –
2006 WINNERS
Winners in the 2006 Australian Bush Laureate awards were announced
before a capacity audience in the Tamworth Town Hall
In BOOK OF THE YEAR, for the best
Australian rhymed verse in book form, the winner was OLD BUSH SONGS, a
centenary edition of Banjo Paterson's classic collection edited by
Warren Fahey and Graham Seal (published by ABC Books).
In BOOK OF THE YEAR, ORIGINAL VERSE, for the best original Australian
work in book form, the winner was AUSTRALIAN POEMS THAT WOULD CAPTIVATE
A KOALA by Philip Rush (self published). A prolific writer, Philip hails
from Tasmania and has been a multi finalist in the Bush Laureate Awards
over a number of years.
In ALBUM OF THE YEAR, the winner was A POCKET FULL OF POETRY by Carol
Heuchan, of Cooranbong in the Hunter Valley of NSW (Restless Music,
produced by Roger Ilott). Carol is also widely known as a brilliant
horsewoman.
For SINGLE RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR, the winner was TV
personality and broadcaster Jim Brown from Heathcote in Victoria with
ANGEL OF DEATH, produced by Jim for Stanza TV.
The winner of the JUDITH HOSIER HERITAGE AWARD, for outstanding
achievement in nurturing Australia's heritage of verse, went to the
Winton Tourist and Business Association (WTBA) which has staged the
famous Bronze Swagman bush poetry events and published the Bronze
Swagman books every year since 1972.
After the presentation to Louis Dean and David Strang representing the
WTBA, poet Carmel Randle said Winton had "kept alive the legend of Banjo
Paterson while at the same time encouraging today’s poets to write down
that story – to tell that poem."
The Bush Laureate Awards were first staged in 1996 to recognise
excellence in published and recorded Australian bush poetry. At the
presentation it was announced that in 2007 a trophy would be awarded for
the Bush Poetry Performer of the Year.
2006 Judith Hosier Heritage Award Winner
A tribute to The Winton Tourism and Business Association
Moving into their 35th year of The Bronze Swagman
By Carmel Randle
There is a name synonymous with Australian bush poetry – Winton. This
tiny town in the middle of Western Queensland (population 1,200) is the
"birth place" of Waltzing Matilda, where it was first performed and
where, for the last 34 years, a book of the best original Australian
bush verse has been published.
The town has kept alive the legend of “Banjo” Paterson while, at the
same time, encouraging today's poets to write down that story, to tell
that poem!
Truly I believe that Winton has kept that heritage alive! Go to America
or England and watch the faces of the crowd when you say a Paterson
poem, or listen while any gathering, anywhere in Australia or overseas,
breaks into a chorus of Waltzing Matilda, and you'll know what I mean!
Winton is now the home of the Waltzing Matilda Centre, an establishment
of world renown, as well as…
a. The Bronze Swagman competition
b. The Qantas-Waltzing Matilda Bush Poetry Awards
c. The Little Swaggies Competition
d. The Junior Performance Festival
In addition, it has published books of the best of the Bronze Swagman
entries for the past 34 years and has recently published a book of
children's entries.
Everyone who goes through Winton appreciates "Waltzing Matilda" and the
other poems that Paterson wrote. Why? Because the people of Winton have
worked so hard for so long to make this dream materialise.
I am delighted that the Winton Tourism and Business Association have
been presented with the 2006 Judith Hosier Award for their absolutely
outstanding contribution to Australian Bush Poetry over three and a half
decades.
THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH LAUREATE AWARDS BUSH POETRY PERFORMER
OF THE YEAR
Tamworth, Tuesday, January 24: It was announced today at the
Australian Bush Laureate Awards that, in 2007, the Awards will recognise
for the first time the performance of Australian bush poetry with the
introduction of a new category.
Since the Bush Laureate Awards started in 1996, all awards have been
made on the basis of recorded or published material.
A spokesman for the organisers said that over the years there had been a
significant increase in the popularity of Australian bush poetry. This
had been both encouraged and reflected by expanding public performance.
The time had come for the Australian Bush Laureate Awards to recognise
and salute the talented artists who, in the true oral tradition of the
bush, are taking Australian bush poetry back to an ever-widening circle
of enthusiastic followers.
Called Bush Poetry Performer Of The Year, the new trophy will be
presented to an individual performer whose public performance of
Australian bush poetry over the current 12 month period (December to
November) on stage, radio, television or any other public forum, is
judged to be outstanding.
Criteria for the Award will include frequency of performances, reach of
performances, professionalism, popularity and entertainment value of
performances and originality and Australian character of material used.
Judging for the Bush Poetry Performer Of The Year will be based on a
system, which combines:
A panel of individuals who have a significant involvement in Australian
bush poetry, including bush poets themselves. The panel’s votes will
receive a weighting.
A popular vote conducted through The Australian Bush Laureate Awards
website and other specialist media outlets and events to be announced.
Judging forms will be distributed through the year and, for the 2007
Awards, must be returned to the ABLA by Tuesday, November 30.
The winner of the inaugural BUSH POETRY PERFORMER OF THE YEAR will be
announced at the annual Bush Laureate Awards presentations on Tuesday,
January 23rd 2007.
Further information can be obtained from the Awards website
www.bushlaureate.com.au
or PO Box 377, Tamworth 2340
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A very positive email to
thank the City of Tamworth
Hi Helen,
I am Michelle from the Mudgee Old Maids. A group of 9 Touch
playing friends who came to Tamworth this year to celebrate
Sharon's 40th. We had no idea what to expect but were always going
to have a great time(we do no matter where we go!!!!) We were NOT
disappointed. The Tamworth Country Music Festival is AWESOME!! We
went hard for three days and nights and danced ourselves still. We
went especially to see Finn MacCool on Saturday as we love the
guys and have seen them quite a lot. But we discovered Simply
Bushed, Red Hot Poker Dots, Matt Scullion and the lost moments and
the Re-mains. I also went out to see the Bushwhackers. We were not
country music die hards before last weekend but we are all
converted now and will definitely be back next year and every year
for as long as we live!!!!!
Thank you Tamworth and thank you to all the bands we saw.
Michelle Seis and the Mudgee Old Maids.
m.seis@cba.com
2007 Tamworth Festival
Dates
Friday January 19th to Sunday, January 28th.
The Festival Countdown will run
from Friday, January 12th to Thursday, January 18th.
2006
CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, - 27th January 2007-
Information Centre - 02 6767
5300
|
Tamworth
Rage Page
