Dixie Chicks fly in for CMC’s 10th big year

Supergroup headlines 10th CMC Rocks

THE biggest news this week in Australian country music was the announcement the Dixie Chicks would headline CMC Rocks Queensland in March 2017.

Organisers wanted to make their big 10th birthday bash a biggie – and what better way to do it than with the hit-making American trio.
To accommodate the Dixie Chicks’ schedule, the dates have been changed to Friday, March 24, to Sunday, March 26, for the Willowbank (Ipswich) event.

The full artist line-up will be announced on Friday, October 7 ahead of general ticket sales commencing on Monday, October 10. Loyalty pre-sales open at 9am on Wednesday, October 5 and close at 5pm on Thursday, October 6, or until allocation is exhausted.

It’s been more than a decade since the global superstars have been Down Under, and organisers believe their presence will make it the most sought-after ticket around.

“Securing Dixie Chicks to headline the 2017 instalment of CMC Rocks Queensland is a major coup, and we’re thrilled,” event promoter Rob Potts said.

“It’s unfortunate that Dixie Chicks had a major commitment shift, meaning they were unable to attend the festival dates we had already announced.

“Because 2017 is the 10th anniversary of the festival, and we want to deliver the best possible line-up for the CMC Rocks audience, we made the tough decision to move the festival dates back by two weeks to make it happen.

“We are all about the country music fans, and we want to make sure that 2017 exceeds expectations and is the biggest celebration to date.

“It wasn’t done lightly and we know some fans will need to rearrange their plans, but there is plenty of time to do that.

“Let’s face it, who doesn’t want to be there for the triumphant return of Dixie Chicks to Oz. We are stoked that CMC Rocks Queensland can deliver this and we’ll make sure it continues to be Australian country music’s wildest party weekend.

“We’re confident that with Dixie Chicks headlining, and our incredible full artist line-up to come, fans will be able to refocus on the upcoming 10th Anniversary CMC Rocks. We have no doubt it’s going to be the best year yet.”

You can find out more information from www.cmcrocks.com

 

All-age shows announced for Zac Brown Band

IN OTHER exciting international news, the Zac Brown Band (ZBB), which had already been announced as a headline act for Byron Bay’s 28th annual Bluesfest over Easter 2017, have added additional dates to their Down Under agenda.

The three-time Grammy winners will take the stage for two special all-ages shows in Melbourne and Sydney in April.

Returning to Australia two years on from their ground-breaking debut headline tour, ZBB will captivate Melbourne audiences at Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday, April 19, and Sydney’s ICC Theatre on Friday, April 21. Tickets went on sale on Tuesday this week.

One of the most prolific acts in the world, ZBB has notched up 15 #1 hit US radio singles and is only the second act to top both the country and active rock formats.

With three platinum-selling albums, Uncaged, You Get What You Give, Jekyll + Hyde and five-times platinum The Foundation, along with their 2013 project, The Grohl Sessions Vol. 1, the band has sold more than 25 million singles and eight million albums to date.

Over the years, ZBB has collaborated with artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Alan Jackson and Mumford and Sons to name just a few.

During ZBB’s Black Out The Sun 2016 tour, it broke three Fenway Park records with back-to-back sold-out concerts; the most tickets sold for a single concert, the most tickets sold over two nights of concerts by the same artist, and the first band to sell out seven consecutive shows over three years.

The band reached another milestone in Camden, NJ, packing 25,227 people into BB&T Pavilion – the best-attended show in the venue’s 22-year history.

If the band’s 2015 sold-out Australian performances are anything to go by, it’s advisable to get in and secure your tickets sooner rather than later. They’re sure to be snapped up quicker than a seagull on a hot chip.

 

Wests’ online ticket sale begins October 1

BACK home in Tamworth, it’s action stations at Wests and Wests’ Diggers tomorrow (October 1), when the virtual ticket box for the 2017 Tamworth Country Music Festival opens for business.

The Wests Entertainment Group will deliver all your favourite artists – from Adam Harvey to Kasey Chambers and Bernard Fanning, Beccy Cole, Shannon Noll and The Wolfe Brothers, Sara Storer, Adam Brand, Amber Lawrence, Brothers3, Dami Im and Mental As Anything. And that’s just a small selection of the big name shows on offer.

Other festival staples to look forward to include the hilarious Pete Denahy’s Bluegrass Brekky shows in Legends Lounge at Wests, and comedian/ventriloquist Darren Carr in the Outback Room at Wests.

Night owls line up in droves to party on at the Coyote Ugly Bar at Wests’ Diggers, which is also home to the Aristocrat Country Entertainer of the Year quest, which has been unearthing new and exciting talent for more than 25 years.

Online ticket sales commence tomorrow at www.wtlc.com.au

You can purchase tickets in person at the Phillip St, West Tamworth club, or over the phone on (02) 6765 7588 from November 1.

Just so you don’t miss anything vital on the program, keep a regular check on the website for the latest information on who, what, when and where at www.wtlc.com.au

To make life easier for festival visitors, Wests offers festival membership, which means you don’t have to queue up to sign in each time you go to either club.

One festival membership gives you admission to both clubs and is valid from January 1, 2017 until March 31, 2017 for the small cost of $6.
Festival membership also entitles you to discounted food and drinks.

Apply online for festival membership and collect your card once you arrive in the Country Music Capital.

 

Saturday Night Country in Mildura

FOR the past week it’s been all systems go at the largest independent country music festival in Australia – mighty Mildura – which is celebrating its 30th anniversary year.

This is the final weekend, which incorporates the Southern Stars Australian Independent Country Music Awards on Saturday night.

Now if you can’t make it to Mildura, you can do the next best thing, which is tune in to Saturday Night Country on ABC Local Radio, where the delightful Felicity Urquhart and her offsider Scott Lamond will bring you all the latest news and views on winners and grinners from the big event.

 

Just Love previewed on SNC

ON TOMORROW night’s program, which starts an hour earlier than usual at 9pm, Felicity will also preview Just Love, the tribute album to Audrey Auld, and will interview some of the artists who took part, including Tasmanian devil, Gina Timms, who sang Australia on the two-disc compilation.

Just Love was the concept of Memphis, Tennessee-based folk artist Nancy Apple, in conjunction with Audrey’s husband, Mez Mezera.

Their idea was to honour the memory of the Tasmanian-born singer-songwriter who died on August 9, 2015 of cancer, leaving behind an enormous catalogue of songs, many of which have been included on the two-CD set performed by friends and fellow artists of Audrey’s.

Nancy and Mez launched the disc, hot off the press, at Woodyfest 2016 at Okemah, Oklahoma, where Audrey had been a regular and much-loved guest over the years. It was the highest selling CD of the festival.

The double album will be available to the public Friday, October 21 and Mez plans to launch the discs at Tamworth in January 2017.

Some of the artists who contributed to Just Love include Bill Chambers and Kasey Chambers, Dale Jett, Trev Warner, Terry Buffalo Ware, Camille and Stuie French, Katie Brianna, Pam and Jeri, Gina Timms, Annie McCue and Eamon McLoughlin.

 

Southern Stars finalists – the list

GOOD luck to all finalists in the Southern Stars Australian Independent Country Music Awards. Here’s a list of finalists so you can check off the winners as they’re announced:

APRA/AMCOS Australian Independent Country Music Single of the Year: On the Inside, Seleen McAlister; Augustine, Allison Forbes; Shelley’s Song, Allan Caswell; The Tears, Doug Bruce.
Australian Independent Album of the Year: Unsung – A Tribute to the Songs of Buddy Bruce, Doug Bruce; My Version of the Truth, Allan Caswell; Dusty Sky, Dean Perrett; Stories Through Times, Billy Bridge.
Australian Independent Heritage Track of the Year: Son of a Farmer, John O’Dea; The Veteran, Dean Perrett; Goodbye Grey, James Blundell; One Last Muster, Allan Caswell.
CRS Australian Independent Rising Star Male: Brad Marks, With Respect; Ben Ransom, Big Country Sky; Brett Clarke, That’s What Daddies Do; Graham Howle, He Went To Check The Water.
CRS Australian Independent Rising Star Female: Allison Forbes, Augustine; Hayley Jensen, The One; Rebecca Lee Nye, You, Me, Love (On A Saturday Night); Dana Hassall, Get Lost.
Capital News Australian Independent Male Vocalist of the Year: Allan Caswell, Until The Hurtin’ Starts; Billy Bridge, If I Get To The Rainbow; Doug Bruce, The Tears; James Blundell, Not Afraid.
Capital News Australian Independent Female Vocalist of the Year: Natalie Howard, Me Too; Seleen McAlister, On The Inside; Cielle Montgomery, Walking Free; Clelia Adams, The Captain and The Gypsy.
Australian Independent Group/Duo of the Year: Shelley Jones Band, Crosses By The Roadside; Innocent Eve, And We Sang; The Long And Short Of It, Two Thousand Years From Now; The Stetson Family, Man and a Pretty Girl.

 

Denise zooms in on Americana

MY GOOD mate and Nashville-based photographer/graphic designer Denise Fussell had an absolute ball during the recent Americana Festival.

She caught heaps of great acts and zoomed in her lens on a few of my red-hot favourites, including the aforementioned Annie McCue.
Denise has very kindly agreed to share some photos with Country Music Notes readers, so thanks, Denise.