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
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
