Hello Everyone
Well along with all our balladeer artists and all our country music supporters the current world-wide events have brought great change.
As we are all based at home now for some time and not travelling, we are missing meeting up with you around the country and being a part of festivals and musters but keep positive and let’s hope that it won’t be too long before we are all out and about again. I now have time for gardening and Pete has time for playing guitar (not that he didn’t before) and we are catching up on all those little tasks that have been put off for so long.
The Tamworth CM Festival was once again very enjoyable for us and we really felt that the festival had a great atmosphere even though the crowds were impacted by the drought and bushfire conditions that were happening at the time. A highlight of the festival was the Concert for Joy celebrating Joy McKean’s 90th birthday. On the show, my cousin Anne Kirkpatrick and I wore actual dresses of Joys from the 1960s and we sang a McKean Sisters Medley on the show. With some family members in the audience, including Mum, there were a few tears shed by many. Another highlight for us was to present the Bush Ballad of the Year award at the Gold Guitars.
The Back to the Bush Spectacular held in the Toyota Park during the festival once again was supported by a large crowd and this year the weather was good. Several young up-and-coming artists were included in the show and all showed much promise. Thank you to all who support that concert, artists, band and crowd alike. It shows that bush ballads and traditional style country are still a favourite of many. At the concert a bucket run was again conducted with around $2,400 donated to the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame.
The week before heading to the festival we held a concert at Dora Creek (Central Coast) with the help of Peter Coad, Coad Sisters, Jim Hermel, Greg Bain and several other artists. Around $2,5000 was raised as a contribution to the next Bronze Bust to be unveiled in Tamworth. Thank you to all concerned.
At the Peoples’ Choice Awards at the Tamworth Festival Peter and I were thrilled to be named ‘Most Popular DJs’ with our radio program and were also finalists in the Bush Ballad of the Year and I was a finalist in the Female Vocal. A big thank you to all those who support us throughout the year, we couldn’t do it all without you.
Bungendore was our destination right after Tamworth and, as always, it was a great weekend and I was pleased to be a finalist in the Female Vocal Award, always lovely to have a nod from your peers.
In February we had a trip to Tasmania for the Primrose Sands Festival and met some wonderful people there including some folk from the FM radio station, tasmanfm, from Nubeena. Their station is now broadcasting our bush ballad radio program on Saturdays at 8am.
We entertained at the Willaston CM Club (Adelaide) in March. This was a new venue for us and were very pleased to be invited back again next year to this very well supported club.
Many festivals have been cancelled this year including Mildura, Kempsey and the Gympie Muster but we are looking ahead and planning major bush ballad concerts to promote Aussie bush ballads and our bush ballad artists once this health crisis is over.
Even though we cannot see you at the moment, you can listen online to our weekly Australian Bush Balladeers Show – stream on www.todayscountry94one.com every Thursday night at 10pm and Sunday mornings at 7am when we present an hour of Aussie bush ballads.
Until next time, stay well and keep smiling. Yours in country music
Dianne Lindsay and Peter Simpson
