Saturday, September 4, 2010

Telstra Road To Tamworth Updated with Heat 6!

This post will remain on top of the page until the competition is over and the winners announced. It will be updated as each event unfolds so please scroll down for fresh information.

Telstra sponsor one of the greatest talent searches in Australia called The Road To Tamworth.

For more information visit
Official site
Myspace
Facebook

There are 12 heats, held around the country, the winners of each heat get to attend a two day music mentoring workshop in Sydney, where they will get to spend time with local legends who will talk them through the industry.

Overall winners in each category will get a return trip to the global home of country music Nashville. The winning Songwriter will work with some of country music’s best songwriters. The winning Performer will perform at a leading country music event and receive a professional photographic session and music video.

This is a priceless opportunity for our talented young musicians to get out there and been seen, Telstra is to be applauded for sponsoring such an important event.

I urge all site readers to follow progress of the entrants and winners and support local musicians.

Currently the competition is up to heat 6, which is being held on Thursday the 2nd of September at the Toowoomba Show Grounds, Glenvale Road, Toowoomba, QLD.

The winners of the 5 heats so far are

Heat 1

Beau, 17, from Karama, NT, proved tenacity is the key to success in the music business. Beau re-entered the Telstra Road to Tamworth this year after receiving encouragement from country music legend James Blundell at last year’s heat to “keep at it!”

A self-taught musician, Beau picked up the guitar for the first time just over 12 months ago and is drawn to the real life stories the country genre centres around. He juggles his passion for music with school studies, currently completing Year 11 at Marrara Christian College where he is also a Prefect.

Heat 2

Kelsie Rimmer, 18, from Palmwoods has been named the winner of the Brisbane heat of the Telstra Road to Tamworth talent development program.

Kelsie, supported by her family, travelled down from the Sunshine Coast to perform at the Brisbane event and said she’s always been drawn to the country music genre as it brings people together and she feels part of the country music family whenever she’s on stage.

A self taught musician who grew up with country music around her, Kelsie performs regularly around the Sunshine Coast but was a little stunned when her name was called as the Brisbane heat winner.

Heat 3

Brett Clarke, 24, from Tamworth was recently crowned the winner of the Gunnedah heat for the Telstra Road to Tamworth.

A graduate of the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) College in 2007, Brett has lived and breathed country music since as young as he can remember. A Tamworth local, he has been a regular at the Tamworth Country Music Festival and one day hopes to make it up on stage to collect the coveted Golden Guitar.

Brett has previously entered the Telstra Road to Tamworth in 2007 where he qualified for the finals. He has gained valuable experience since 2007 and he can’t wait to perform in Sydney.

Heat 4

Codee-Lee Down, 15, from Bunbury is the latest Telstra Road to Tamworth heat winner, from the Dowerin Field Days.

As a year 10 student, Codee-Lee already has an impressive musical resume. She is a 2010 Academy of Country Music Graduate, 2010 WA junior songwriter and teenage artist of the year and has met and played with the likes of James Blundell, Felicity Urquhart, Kasey Chambers and The McClymonts.

Codee-Lee admitted to being a bundle of nerves throughout the competition. The crowd and the support from her family really helped and Codee-Lee credits them as being an amazing force behind her ability to follow her dreams of a career in the music industry.

Heat 5

Nikki Jensen, 24, from Edmonton is the winner of the 5th heat of the Telstra Road to Tamworth held in Cairns.

Originally from the Gold Coast, Nikki (or Nikki J as she’s known when performing) moved to Cairns a few years ago to take up a role as a sports journalist at a local television station. Whilst she combines her love of sport as her full-time job, Nikki’s other passion in life is centered around her music, having studied music throughout school on scholarship.

Nikki has grown up with music her whole life. She took a break after finishing school before getting back into writing and performing about nine months ago. Nikki saw the Telstra Road to Tamworth as a potential opportunity to grow as a musician and was stunned, but excited to have won the Cairns heat.

Heat 6


Alan Boyle
Originally from Ireland, Alan has called Brisbane home for the past five and a half years. He performs regularly around the city and has been previously recognised for his songwriting skills, receiving accolades in the QSong Awards and the Vanda and Young songwriting competition.

He performed two originals songs, ‘The Ground on which I’m standing’, written about his arrival in Australia and the long distance from his hometown and family, and ‘New York’. Both tracks feature on his EP, Oxygen, which he released independently earlier this year.

Boyle was inspired to enter the Telstra Road to Tamworth after attending the APRA Song Summit in Sydney earlier this year and meeting current TRTT songwriting winner, Luke Webb.

Heat 7 ????

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Baby Steps.

There is a new album review up today and a couple of new Interviews in the works.

The slowness in getting such things posted is entirely my fault. The albums are there to be reviewed and the offers of interviews are there to be taken up.

Reviews and Interviews are not something I feel very comfortable doing. As the shrinks say…Baby Steps!

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Bugs Gone

All the technical difficulties this site was experiencing have been cleared up. All the bugs have been squashed so to speak.

A huge thank you, with love and kisses to my brilliant wife, who fixes all such things.

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Bugs

We are currently doing a little site tweaking, there will be bizarre looking bits and pieces here are there. Please bear with us as we muddle through it.

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The Australian Spectrum Show

The Australian Spectrum Show with Ross M Fear on 2CCRfm 90.5 and streaming to the world from http://2ccrfm.com/site/listen-live/ every Tuesday night from 9pm to 12mn features 100% Australian blues, roots, folk, indigenous, jazz and contemporary music.

Most of the artistes have independent releases and we feature maxi
EPs and albums tracks. Many artistes from all around Australia send in their independent releases for air play on the program. Some coming from the Facebook contact

Each week there is a studio guest featuring their recorded work and
latest releases. Some of the guests include:- Claude Hay, Mike
McClellan, Blakhatz, Bruce Mathiske, Michael Vidale, Ami Williamson, Stormcellar, Christina Crofts, Michael Peter, Alter Ego Blues Band, Rebecca Johnson Band, Michael Dolce, John Francis Kennedy, Nathan Eshman, Wheese & Suck Band, Stepps, Wheelers & Dealers, Furry & Wilde, Jarryd Scully, Damn Fine Gentlemen, Bill ‘Bilbo’ Tibben, Sally Street, Stephen Fogarty, Peter Freeman, Cellokate, Chris Brooks, Yokoinc, Martinez Trio, Toongabbie Folk Club, Damien Binder, Steve Edmonds Band, Cam MacKellar, Chickenstones, Yolanda & The Stolen Boys, Mark Cashin and more to come.

The show and the online streaming option is listed in newsletter
distributed around Australia, USA, Canada, UK and Ireland and many
ex-pat Australian musicians working overseas listen in and some have messaged from Nashville, Germany, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Dublin, Hong Kong, Paris, Japan, etc.

There is a week-end Blues & Jazz Gig Guide.

The Australian Spectrum Show on 2CCRfm 90.5 is like a music festival with its mixed genres of Australian artistes.

Ross M Fear – Announcer/Producer

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Moons Of Jupiter

Queenslands Moons Of Jupiter blend together a mix of classic rock and grunge, with great affect. Their music is alive with great riffs, thundering drums and tearaway solos all topped off with wonderfully expressive vocals. The band is barely a year old, but has already earned a reputation as a terrific live band. They are [...]

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Jimmy Barnes, New Video

Jimmy Barnes has released a new video for his brand new song “Before The Devil Knows Your Dead”. It comes form his forthcoming album Rage and Ruin, which is said to be a return to the rock sound of his very early solo albums.

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Telstra Road To Tamworth Updated with Heat 6!

This post will remain on top of the page until the competition is over and the winners announced. It will be updated as each event unfolds so please scroll down for fresh information. Telstra sponsor one of the greatest talent searches in Australia called The Road To Tamworth. For more information visit Official site Myspace [...]

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Lauren Bruce

Although currently based in London, Lauren is an Aussie girl through and through. Her music is emotional and delicate, her voice is remarkable. Lauren is captivating to listen to. Think Linda Perry’s “In Flight” album and your in the right ball park. Lauren Bruce… a lone but powerful voice of sincerity – she wears her [...]

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Dirty York, Say Goodbye To Diamonds

1. Born With A Broken Heart
2. Deep Water
3. Tied Up
4. Spin the Miracle Dice
5. Black Friday
6. Can’t Scare the Devil In Me
7. World Is Blinding
8. Cos I Miss You (more…)

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Interview with Casey Donovan

Casey Donovan was the youngest person to win Australian idol in 2004, she has since forged a successful career for herself which shows no signs of slowing. She has a voice to die for, is an inspiration to countless young people and has agreed to answer a few questions for the Only Australian Music website. (more…)

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