Butto’s a busy bloke
IT’S like a permanent attachment to his ear – Gavin Butlin’s mobile phone. And when it’s not at his ear, it’s on the table in front of him … ringing … ringing …
Six weeks out from the Airlie Beach Festival of Music it’s little wonder he’s a popular fella. He’s busier than a one-armed fan dancer, but that’s how Butto rolls.
This is the fourth year he’s put together the festival, only this time he might even make a dollar or two out of it, thanks to some great sponsorship and astute business partnerships he’s forged over the past few years.
Four years ago when he conceived the idea of a festival with 74 bands – the same number of islands as in the Whitsundays – over four days, people said he was ambitious; some might have even said a little crazy.
The first two years of the festival he copped huge losses financially, but the passion was so strong in this hardcore music fan he wouldn’t consider giving up on the dream of creating this unique event for the Whitsunday Coast and his new abode of Airlie Beach.
Three albums tell the musical success story of Butto’s festival – souvenirs from each year’s event to date. And there are some pretty impressive names on the discs.
Kieran McCarthy, a 30-year local resident of Airlie Beach, played on the first festival in 2013 and he’s back this year, adding his groove-laden, indie-folk originals to the jam-packed mix.
Just a few of the fabulous acts on this year’s program include Tim Finn, Russell Morris, Daryl Braithwaite, Troy Cassar-Daley, Chad Morgan, Phil Emmanuel, Chain, Bill Chambers, 8 Ball Aitken, the Mason Rack Band, Urban Chiefs, The Hillbilly Goats and China and his Eastern Country Wok Band.
A major part of the festival is encouraging originality and Butto is a big believer in promoting songwriters of all musical persuasions.
This has led to the innovative Passport to Airlie Beach competition which has seen heats and play-offs in venues around the country – with all acts vying for the chance to have their time in the sun – literally – at Airlie Beach.
There will be a grand final held during the festival, which runs from November 3-6, 2016, with the eventual winner invited to perform on main stage at the 2017 Airlie Beach Festival of Music. As part of the prize package the winning act will also receive four nights’ accommodation and VIP festival passes.
The very best of luck to all finalists. My hot favourite is a red-headed singer-songwriter from Tamworth – Allison Forbes.
This festival has got to be a must-see on any music lover’s agenda. The location alone should be enough to attract a huge mob of music-loving party animals.
Check out the website, http://www.airliebeachfestivalofmusic.com.au where you’ll find all the details of how, when, why, and how much. It’s going to be a hoot. I’ll see you there.
A lot of heart in Troy’s CD
YOU can gain a fair bit of insight into Troy Cassar-Daley’s life and the things that matter most to him listening to Things I Carry Around, the new album which accompanies his biography of the same title.
The revelation he’s smoked with legendary country stars Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard is just one of the high points (pardon the pun) of Troy’s climb to the top of the country music tree.
From the humblest of beginnings, he shares in song the stories of childhood through to manhood – When My Daddy Played, Halfway Creek Timber Cutting Man, Country Music’s Coming To Town, First Night Alone, Certified Railway Man and my favourite, the heartfelt tribute to his beloved grandparents, My Gumbaynggirr Skies.
I’m delighted he included Down The Road, the song he co-wrote with Don Walker, which was chosen as the title track for one of Uncle Jimmy Little’s later albums.
That successful songwriting combination also features on the sorrowful If My Heart Was A Town, the very stark Blue Light and the reflective On My Way Back Around.
The most telling song on the big-value album is the title track and the accompanying video clip is well worth seeing. You can watch it here
The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, at Starstruck Studios with Ed Seay in the engineer’s hot seat.
Studio personnel include the A-list of Music City – including Brent Mason (electric guitar), Biff Watson (acoustic guitar), Michael Rhodes (bass), Greg Morrow (drums and percussion), Mark Punch (electric guitar), Dan Dugmore (pedal steel, lap steel), and Tim Lauer (keyboards).
Troy will be at the Deni Ute Muster on September 30 and his is one of 74 bands you can catch at the Airlie Beach Festival of Music over the festival, which runs from November 3-6. Troy plays Sunday.
And who could forget the party that gets it all started – his big show in Tamworth at TRECC on Australia Day 2017!
He’s got a busy touring schedule for the new year, with his gig guide accessible at the following link: http://www.troycassardaley.com.au/dates/
It’s the combination that really works – the book and the album. You just can’t have one without the other.
Country celebrated in magical medley
I SAW the best clip this week online and just had to share it with you. For country fans, it’s a smorgasbord with 30 of your favourite country acts performing.
It’s called Forever Country and is a mash-up/medley of John Denver’s Take Me Home Country Roads, Dolly Parton’s I’ll Always Love You and Willie Nelson’s On The Road Again.
It was created to commemorate the 50th annual CMA Awards, which will be broadcast live from Nashville on November 2.
The artists involved in the clip are: Alabama, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Brett Eldredge, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Ronnie Milsap, Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Randy Travis, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Trisha Yearwood.
Check it out at http://www.rollingstone.com/country/videos/forever-country-video-watch-magical-medley-come-to-life-w441288
Three decades on, they’re still chasin’ that train
MOST people I know refer to Kevin Bennett as “the singer’s singer … the guitarist’s guitarist … the songwriter’s songwriter†– and an all-round extraordinarily talented human being.
KB, who fronts Sydney roots band The Flood, writes relevant, contemporary Australian music containing elements of blues, rock and country, telling stories of where he’s from and where he might be going. He sings his life.
The Flood gigs on the Kevin Bennett Stage in the beer garden of the Tamworth Hotel have been some of the most musically-satisfying events on the festival calendar. Everyone who’s anyone does KB at the Tamworth.
He’s the proud owner of two Golden Guitars (Group of the Year in 2006 and Vocal Collaboration with Kasey Chambers in 2011) and was an ARIAs finalist in 2006.
Way before The Flood was conceived, Sydney audiences were rocking to another outfit he led, Chasin’ The Train.
Along with fellow CTT members Kirk L’orange, Ian Lees and Mark Meyer, KB will mark the band’s 30th anniversary on Saturday, November 12 at the Bridge Hotel in Sydney.
Tickets are on sale from Moshtix or you can get them from the pub. You’re guaranteed a night of music to add to your memories that last.