new album

Rising star SAMI (aka Sami Cooke) will launch her debut album in Canberra on Saturday February 8.

Sami, who has just been announced as a finalist for Most Promising Future Star at the 2014 Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards, turns 18 at midnight on the 8th so it will be a special weekend for the singer/songwriter.

Following the launch, Sami will kick off her Australian "Album Tour" starting February 21, covering NSW and Victoria over eight weeks then to Queensland for an extensive run of dates.

The album launch is being described as "a red carpet affair with all the glam and glitter involved and a barrage of famous photographers and media".

Entertainment on the night will include Canberra locals Mark Brooker, BrothersBee, The Feldons, Johanna Hemara and Martin Oaks.

It will take place at the Harmone German Club on Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah.

Weblink – www.samicooke.com.au .

new album Rosanne Cash "The River & the Thread"

                               new album  Rosanne Cash  "The River & the Thread"

Rosanne Cash will kick off the new year with a brand new album. The songstress , -whose last album was ' The List ' in 2009 , will release ' The River & the Thread ' Wed January 14, 2014 .

"If I never make another album I will be content , because i made ​​this one , " Cash says of the 11 -track album. The daughter of the Man in Black wrote all of the songs with her longtime Collaborator - and husband of 18 years - John Leventhal , who also served as the project 's producer , arranger and guitarist .

Several artists Contributed to the record, including Rodney Crowell , Kris Kristofferson , Allison Moorer , John Prine , Tony Joe White, The Civil Wars ' John Paul White and Gabe Witcher from The Punch Brothers.

The album covers a wide scope of American history , from the Civil War era, to the New Deal through the eyes of a farmer in Arkansas , all the way to the current generation in Mobile, Ala .

The 58- year-old will celebrate the upcoming release with a three- day residency at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, beginning Wed December 5 Events will include a concert , a round robin with Leventhal , Crowell , Cory Chisel and Amy Helm and a conversation with U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey .

Cash will also play several shows over the next few months , including stops in New York and New Jersey, as well as a concert in Ontario, Canada.

Cody Widner

Cody Widner

As you listen to "Drinkin' Doubles", the first song on Honky Tonk Heart, the sophomore album by Texas born Cody Widner, it is clear that traditional country music is alive and thriving in the Texas hill country and Widner is, no doubt, one of the main reasons why. This handsome cowboy with a voice reminiscent of one of his heroes; fellow Texan George Strait, definitely has what it takes to impact country music in a spectrum far broader than just the Texas hills he calls home.

According to a recent press release, it may not be only his singing and songwriting that is getting audiences excited, apparently, whenever the urge strikes him, he has been known to give away an autographed guitar during a performance. But it didn't take a free guitar to get my attention. The album features all the best attributes of classic country and this is likely what put Widner on the Country charts in, according to one source, a secure position "between Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack." His current chart climber is titled "When the Smoke Clears" but any one of the songs on this album is chart worthy.

"Feel Again" has Widner doing some great vocal harmony with someone who sounds like Lee Ann Womack and this was only one of the several songs that were stand outs for me on this album. I'm a real sucker for peddle steel and there is plenty of it in this song, and on this album; there is also plenty of wonderful, weepy fiddle. "Back in the Swing of Things" was one of the tracks that really stood out for me; in part, due to the great instrumentals. This particular track harkens back to the up-tempo, toe-tappin' songs that carried Bob Wills to fame and fortune and it looks like it could easily do it again for Widner.

"*A Honky Tonk Heart" is one of my all-time favorite songs by Keith Whitley and I didn't think anyone else could ever really do this song justice but I must admit that I did enjoy Widner's version. I think Keith would have liked this version too because it has some really great instrumental riffs to match the super vocals.

The album closes with "What Time Does the Band Start." This enjoyable waltz, with its lilting lyrics, will definitely leave you wanting an encore. I admit it, I found myself hitting "replay" more than once.

Widner says, "As far as music goes, I just keep it simple and keep it country, and that's it." Well, as far as I'm concerned, I think, in the case of Cody Widner, keeping it simple and country is right on target. If you are a fan of traditional country, look no further, Widner delivers with a splendid Honky Tonk Heart.

Albums:

2000  - SUMTHIN' COUNTRY 

2004 - RIGHT WHERE I BELONG 

2005 -  HONKY TONK HEART

Nytt fra Audrey

Nytt fra Audrey

Ex-pat australske kunstneren Audrey Auld har gitt ut en ny DVD med tittelen Tonk: Lever i Nashville, og er for tiden i Australia fremme DVD og hennes nyeste album.

DVD ble filmet i Nashville med Tonk bandet med noen av Music Citys fineste musikere: Paul Martin, Chris Scruggs, Harry Stinson og Kenny Vaughan med spesielle gjester Oscar Harris og Music City Burlesque dansere.

"Det er alle gode gøy," Audrey sa, "men det er ikke alt egner seg for barn."

DVDen inneholder live-versjoner av alle sangene fra Audrey nye album Tonk pluss landets favoritter fra hennes backkatalog og "noen klassiske trekk".

Audreys turen starter i Ulvers, Tasmania, i kveld og går gjennom Sheffield og Rosny på Apple Isle før han flyttet til NSW og spillejobber rundt om i Newcastle området, nordkysten og Tamworth for country music festival før du konkluderer med show i Sydney og Melbourne.

Weblink - www.audreyauld.com .

Isla Grant International Singer / Songwritter

                                         Isla Grant   International Singer / Songwritter

Isla Grant was born in Wigtownshire, Scotland but when she was a few months old her family moved away and eventually settled in the Scottish Borders. Her parents were dairy people and Isla spent many happy years with her parents and two older brothers on the farm. She loved the farm life and would help her father in the milking parlour at milking time and did for a while show hereford bulls at the cattle shows. Her love of music started at an early age when she would listen to records her mother had these were mainly Scottish and Irish recordings, her brothers were at that time listening to jazz and pop and some skiffle.
When she was about eight she used to pluck the strings on her oldest brothers guitar and eventually he gave her the guitar so I suppose you could say that he is responsible for Isla starting to play music although music was right through her family. Her father’s side of the family were highland bagpipe players and her mother’s side were violin players and there were a few accordian players there as well.
When she was about fourteen Isla started to sing in the folk clubs mainly in Scotland and in the north east of England, then she discovered country music and that changed her style in music. She worked professionally in the country music scene till 1992 when she was involved in a serious road accident along with her husband Al.
Due to injuries in the accident Isla was off the road for five years and in that time she started composing more of her own material which led to a recording contract, now after eleven albums, some of which have gone triple platinum, Isla has branched out and started her own record label (I.G.E.) and releases her first album on her own label in October 2008.
This album is a tribute to the late Hank Williams and is titled "Isla Sings Hank". Isla will be touring with this album in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia over the next year. Isla's husband Al is an artist in his own right but is always on stage with Isla playing bass guitar and giving a few songs.
Isla has three sons and two grandchildren and another grandchild due in December 2008, she also has a great love of animals and has three dogs, and two cats, which keep her busy when she is at home.

Isla is also heavily involved in trying to raise money for the Yorkhill Children’s Foundation, which takes care of sick children from all over Scotland.
Isla loves to tour, that’s when she gets the chance to meet all her fans and tell them how much she appreciates all there support.

Ray Sings Ray

                            

                           Ray Sings Ray

 

 

Traditional Country Music. Ray Sanders and Ray Price sang together in their early years in Country Music. Ray Sanders says that Ray Price " Was the best boss he ever had....
Because they were both named Ray, the two had nicknames for one another...Ray Sanders called Ray Price..."Price" and Ray Price would call Ray Sanders..."Curly" because of his black curly hair.

Raymon Sanders born October 1, 1935 in St. Johns, Kentucky is an American country music artist. Between 1960 and 1980, he charted fourteen times on the Hot Country Songs charts with singles released by Liberty, Imperial and United Artists labels. He also sang backing vocals for Ray Price. 

Happy Birthday Ed Bruce

                                                    Happy Birthday Ed Bruce

 William Edwin "Ed" Bruce, Jr. (born December 29, 1939) is an American country music songwriter and singer. He is known for penning the 1975 song "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" and recording the 1982 country number one hit "You're the Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had". He also co-starred in the television series Bret Maverick with James Garner during the 1981-82 season.
          

Lou Bradley is set to launch her new album, The Other Side , with a run of shows during the upcoming Tamworth Country Music Festival.

Lou Bradley is set to launch her new album, The Other Side , with a run of shows during the upcoming Tamworth Country Music Festival.

The album, to be released to iTunes on January 17, is described as "a perfect way" of kicking off her time at the biggest country music festival in the Southern Hemisphere next month.

From her debut release in 2007, through to various festival appearances alongside many artists, Lou has been working hard on what has become her highly-anticipated third studio album. The Other Side was co-produced by Lou with Anthony Lycenko who has also worked for artists like Busby Marou and Pete Murray.

People's Choice flooded with votes

People's Choice flooded with votes

Organisers of the annual Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards have been inundated with votes for the 2014 presentation.

The voting, which closed only a few weeks ago, has been the strongest in the Awards' 14-year history with well over 90,000 individual votes cast for hundreds of different artists, groups, songs, albums, videos, radio presenters, stations and/or programs.

"We've been working on validating, sorting and counting the votes since the voting closed," said Bob Kirchner, spokesman for the Country Music Bulletin, organisers of the scheme that provides a means for members of the public to vote for their favourites.

"Normally we would have announced our finalists by now," Bob said, "but we will need to work through some of the Christmas/New Year break to make sure everything is right."

He said it was expected finalists would now be announced on or near New Year's Day.

"To say we are delighted with this result is an understatement," Bob said. "And what a great reflection this is on the country music industry. For so many people to take the time to reflect on and vote for their favourites tells me the grassroots support for country music in Australia is huge.

"It also speaks volumes for the work artists are putting in on the ground, recording, touring and promoting their music.

"Not to forget Australia's hard-working broadcasting sector, too," Bob said. "Dozens and dozens of individuals and stations are recognised through the People's Choice Awards scheme for what they do in bringing the music to the people and supporting our artists."

The Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards, sponsored by the Trans-Help Foundation, recognises finalists and winners in 11 categories and will be staged in Country Music Capital's Capitol Theatre at 10am on Wednesday, January 22.

Weblink – www.peopleschoiceawards.com.au .

The Burrito Brothers

                                       
                                 The Burrito Brothers

 

A significant chapter in The Flying Burrito Brothers history began in 1979, when Kleinow, Gilbeau, and Battin reunited under the name Burrito Brothers, and added vocalist and multi-instrumentalist John Beland to the lineup. Beland and Guilbeau had been bandmates in Swampwater (a pioneering country-rock band in its own right) a decade earlier, and the old chemistry between the two really clicked. This lineup recorded two full-length albums for the Curb label, and scored several minor hit singles on the country charts.

1982's Sunset Sundown consists of mellow mainstream country music, and is well done on that level. Beland and Guilbeau did most of the writing on both albums, and the results are impressive. The music of these Burrito Brothers was certainly more commercial than that of the original Parsons-Hillman combo