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21st January 2008: TALIA WITTMANN - Toyota Star Maker winner 2008 - talks at the press conference and then receives the keys to her new vehicle (for the year). Click on the video (right) to watch… |
Remembering the legend of Smoky Dawson (1913-2008) on the Web…
The Australian Biography Online is a “web-based biographical resource profiling some of the most extraordinary Australians of our time”. As they so rightly claim…”A nation’s story is reflected in the lives of its people and these are the stories of our distinguished elders - told in their own words”. The site is an outstanding archive that provides in-depth profiles of “remarkable individuals who have had a major impact on our cultural, political and social life”. Amongst them is a marvellous section on SMOKY DAWSON which includes video highlights from the time he was interviewed for Film Australia’s Australian Biography series (in 1994) and also the full text transcript of the staggering six hour (plus) unedited interview. There are links to other articles, a study-guide for educational purposes and in a wonderful initiative designed to help users with slower connections, the entire contents of the section are provided in a choice of two downloadable files for offline viewing.
At the History of Country Music in Australia website you can read the ‘Tribute to Smoky’ (and Dot,
“…Two brilliant people working as one, supporting and complimenting each other and together creating the legend that is Smoky Dawson…”)
that was presented at the 2003 CMAA Industry Achiever Awards by Max Ellis. Pictured here are Smoky and his beloved Dot with Kasey Chambers (centre) celebrating on that night (photo Copyright ©2003 Bob Howe).
Over at the Australian Country Music Foundation site you can read more about Smoky, including the inscription from plaque on the Roll of Renown. A Google search of “Smoky Dawson” will lead you to a huge variety of news reports, tributes, a Saturday Night Country MP3 interview, YouTube videos and be sure to check out the wonderful photos at the Picture Australia site, which has a search engine that brings together images from various collections including the State and National Libraries. The National Film and Sound Archive also contains a wealth of audiovisual material that can be browsed via its website.
We hope you are enjoying our video snippets from the 2008 Tamworth Festival here at Cowboys In Cyberspace. You’ll find a selection of exclusive clips above including the Golden Guitar winners, Gina Jeffreys ‘Walk of Life’ Leukemia Foundation fundraiser, Toyota Star Maker Talia Wittmann getting the keys to her car, the Barry Thornton Memorial Bust unveiling, the Cavalcade and much more. There is also footage of the Rhinestone Cowboy himself, GLEN CAMPBELL at his Sydney press conference the following week, singing and talking about his recent shows with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, his early career as a session guitarist, Keith Urban and more.
Until next time, happy surfing!
Bob talked to Barbara Morison on 2SER 107.3 FM about this month’s column and more…
A glittering red carpet affair was held to host the 2008 Victorian Country Music Awards on 8th February as part of a Whittlesea Country Music Festival. The awards night attracted a capacity crowd with guests from interstate and overseas attending. Residents of Macedon district, DONNA FISK together with the band CRAKAJAK won Victorian and National awards for their recording of the original composition by Donna Fisk, Harry Nanos and Doug Bruce (Crakajak) “Somewhere Between the Truth and Goodbye”. Harry Nanos lead singer of Crakajak also took out the coverted prize of Entertainer of the year.
Pictured right: Harry Nanos and Donna Fisk receive the award for Duet of the Year from Melissa Brincatt of Delfin Lend Lease Victoria (photo by BIG DOG BITES)
Tune on, log on, tune in…
During the early days of the World Wide Web, it was quite a novelty to find online radio stations from far-flung corners of the globe. They are a lot more common now and the search is on to find specialised stations or programs that seem tailor-made for your tastes. To make that easier, your favourite artists host many programs and perhaps the logic is that if you like the music they make, then chances are you’ll like the music they listen to as well.
This article was prompted when I recently received Steve Earle’s brilliant album Washington 
Square Serenade. Inside was a flyer offering a free 3-day trial of the online version of the American satellite radio station SIRIUS RADIO. His show is called Hardcore Troubadour Radio and can be found on Sirius channel 63, Outlaw Country, which is a “sanctuary for the freaks, misfits, outcasts, rebels and renegades of country music.” When I tuned in to wait for the allotted hour of Steve’s broadcast, I thought I had died and gone to heaven! My computer speakers filled with Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, Emmylou Harris, Dale Watson, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and all three generations of Hank Williams! Other ‘celebrity’ hosts on Outlaw Country include Elizabeth (It Takes Balls To be A Woman) Cook, John (Swingin’) Anderson and the only son of Outlaw legends Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter - Shooter Jennings, with his program Electric Rodeo. Great music, although Shooter’s language is pretty colourful, but hey, this is the Outlaw station! They have other channels that cater for modern country, bluegrass and all other genres of music.
Closer to home, NSW Central Coast community radio station 94.1 FM has been taken over by a new team of community members and local stars and rebranded ‘todayscountry94one’. Look forward to programs by local musicians such as Adam Harvey, Kasey Chambers, Shane Nicholson, Bill Chambers, Gina Jeffreys and Beccy Cole and the station is also streamed on the internet. The first show produced was Bill Chambers’ ‘Hickory Wind’ and it was followed by the ‘Adam Harvey Christmas Special’ which featured many of Australia’s country music stars talking to Adam and spreading Christmas cheer. Pictured right: Adam Harvey with his 2008 Golden Guitar for Album of the Year.
Two of Australia’s best-known radio programs can also be heard on the World Wide Web. HOEDOWN recently celebrated 20 years on the air from 2TM, remembering the early days with John Minson and Kevin Knapp to more recent times with the name change to CMR and current hosts Nick Erby and Brian Howard. CMR can be heard across 32 stations via the 2SM Super Network and streamed via the 2SM website. Left: Sara Storer talks to Nick Erby
Over at the ABC, John Nutting’s SATURDAY NIGHT COUNTRY consistently tops the ratings in its timeslot as broadcasts his weekly show across Australia on 60 Local ABC Radio stations and across the world on Radio Australia and the Web (disclaimer: yes dear readers, I am the show’s gig guide compiler, Big Bob from Bondi and yes, I know you thought I’d be bigger!). The ABC have been pioneers of streaming radio and podcasts and in SNC can be replayed at your leisure until the new episode comes along replace it. Our National broadcaster also has its own 24-hour dedicated country station that is an offshoot of DIG RADIO.
Dianna Corcoran, Lee Kernaghan and Adam Harvey are interviewed backstage after their 2008 Golden Guitar wins, by John Nutting and Sue Jarvis for Saturday Night Country
Several community stations are also streaming their shows live including 2ser.com with Barbara Morison and her long running All Kinds of Country show every Saturday from 5am.
Also check out www.2mcr.org.au, www.coolcountryradio.com.au and www.purecountry.com.au (let me know if your station broadcasts online)…3MDR Mountain District Radio…102.7FM 4DDB…
Until next time, happy surfing!
Bob talked to Barbara Morison on 2SER 107.3 FM about this month’s column and more…
Legendary singer and guitarist GLEN CAMPBELL was in Australia with his band which included his daughter Debby. For his very last tour ‘down under’ he played the Burswood Theatre in PERTH with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and SYDNEY at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony & special guest Beccy Cole.
Watch our video of the Sydney press conference. Glen sings Rhinestone Cowboy and talks about his shows with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and his early career as a session guitarist, Keith Urban and more.
CLICK HERE to watch the VIDEO…
Links: www.glencampbellshow.com www.sydneysymphony.com www.beccycole.com
CowboysInCyberspace.com - first with the winners photo on-line
Back row, L to R: Dianna Corcoran, Troy Cassar-Daley, Steve Passfield,
Melinda Schneider, Adam Harvey. Amos Morris, Mollie, Brooke, Sam (The McClymonts), Sara Storer
Front row, L to R: (kneeling) Adam Brand, Lee Kernaghan, Steve Forde, (standing) Kirsty Lee Akers
L to R: Melinda Schneider, Beccy Cole, Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers, Warren H. Williams, Lou Bradley, Dianna Corcoran, Gina Jeffreys, Camille Te Nahu, Anne Kirkpatrick, Peter Denahy, Sara Storer
L to R: Talia Wittmann, Cheryl Byrnes (Rural Press Events),
2007 Winner Kirsty Lee Akers
Warren H. Williams, John Williamson, Reg Poole
…publicising Quambatook (the Musical) during the
2008 Tamworth Country Music Festival
Looking forward to festival on-line and more…
The Tamworth Country Music Festival now has a new official website, launched last month and developed by Tamworth Regional Council in association with festival promoters Tourism Tamworth. The site promises to ‘deliver more extensive Internet detail about the 2008 Tamworth Country Music Festival’. Keeping up with latest trends in an age where blogging is becoming an art form, the site will also include ten days of diary entries from stars Gina Jeffreys and Adam Brand.
Last years new site - TamworthCountryMusic.com.au - pulled together a huge amount of material and links to help create a central source of information on the Festival. This included podcasts of the Golden Guitar finalists, streaming of Radio 2TM, a webcam in Peel Street and a great gig guide that has continued throughout the year. Definitely worth a few mouse-clicks to read their editorials and see what else they come up with this year.
Dianna Corcoran - photo by Bob Howe
The latest video podcast here at Cowboys In Cyberspace features some very excited artists who had just received the news of their Golden Guitar nominations at the Sydney media launch for the Tamworth Festival. Caught on camera at a picturesque harbour-side venue, they include The McClymonts, Amber Lawrence and Dianna Corcoran (pictured above). Check the site later this month for the latest links to online Festival information and then in the following months check again for a roundup of links to all the post-festival photo albums and videos to be found at various sites.
Many of the artists appearing in Tamworth, both modern and traditional, have recorded their latest albums in the relaxed atmosphere of THE VALLEY STUDIO, located in the Blue Mountains. Under the watchful eye (and masterful ears) of producer Roger Corbett (The Bushwackers), performers such as Tracy Killeen, Nicki Gillis, Peter Pratt and Anita Ree having been making award-winning music. Now Roger and Amanda O’Bryan have founded a new company called Door2Door. Their aim is to promote country music artists and provide radio announcers with the latest country music tracks immediately as they are released. That immediacy is achieved by using the latest available digital music technology; high-quality downloads of the music combined with online press materials and a video message from the artist concerned. A worthy high-tech initiative for a brand new year.
Until next time, happy surfing!
Bob talked to Barbara Morison on 2SER 107.3 FM about this month’s column and more…
29 Dec 2007 - Barbara Morison of All Kinds Of Country on 2SER 107.3 FM spoke to Bob Howe about the highlights of the year at Canterbury Country and the 2007 Cowboys In Cyberspace columns .
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