Songversations Podcast: Recent Episodes
Enrico Crosina
Ever wonder how singers, songwriters, musicians approach their work and their craft? Who and what inspires and drives them to compose, what music means to them, their dreams, their challenges, their struggles and wins, and the message they want to deliver? Inviting artists from the music world, we want to give give you an intimate insight into the artists’ world behind the scenes. This is what Songversations Podcast is about, a bi-weekly podcast about music and songwriting. Follow us on https://songversationspodcast.com https://instagram.com/songversationspodcast https://facebook.com/songversationspodcast
Our guest today is Kate Westwood, a Melbourne Australia based is an independent singer-songwriter in her own right, radio announcer and owner of music management entity, Westwood Management, founder of the Indie Musician Summit, Kate Westwood began her inspirational journey out of a wish that there was more help available for emerging artists.
Founded in 2018 and working with a wide range of artists, all around Australia and the world in a broad range of genres and music niches, Westwood Management provides accessible music management and coaching for emerging artists through free resources, paid training and 1 on 1 coaching.
Our guest today is a duo from Philadelphia, The Mack Brothers, who took the indie rock sound of the 2000s, the ego of 90s Brit Pop, and the honesty of today’s music to create their own blend of alternative rock.
Real life siblings, John and Matthew, started writing music at the ages of 16 and 13, after putting out multiple records, sound tracking independent films, and touring the east coast with their former band “The 1940s,” John and Matthew decided that forming “The Mack Brothers” was the best and next step in their evolution as artists.
They have released multiple singles under the new name including single “Cup of Coffee,” charted on the College Radio Charts in America beating out some of their idols in the process and their latest single “4th of July”
The two siblings have also started the “The Mack Brothers Podcast,” which shines a light into the life and attitude of the musicians while they’re on their way up.
Check out The Mack Brothers on all streaming platforms including Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and many more.
We love to give space to new independent artists and our guest for this episode is
We love to give space to new independent artists and our guest for this episode is Gracie Jean,
an up and coming alt-country/folk independent artist, new to the music scene that has been playing around the Sydney area.
She is releasing her first album “Romance is Bad” today the 16th of September 2022.
We love to give space to new independent artists and our guest for this episode is
We love to give space to new independent artists and our guest for this episode is Gracie Jean,
an up and coming alt-country/folk independent artist, new to the music scene that has been playing around the Sydney area.
She is releasing her first album “Romance is Bad” today the 16th of September 2022.
Our guest today is Madi Colville-Walker, an exciting talent that defies musical boundaries and a proud Yorta Yorta indigenous woman who is taking the Australian music scene by storm.
Madi is catching the attention of a number of major artists including Paul Kelly, Archie Roach, Fanny Lumsden and Darlinghurst.
She was a finalist for the 2021 Music Victoria Archie Roach Award for Emerging New Talent and draws much of her inspiration from her Grandfather and Yorta Yorta elder, Archie Walker, along with other musical members of her family.
Her first single “Less Than A Man” was published at the beginning of 2022 and her new single “Vain” will be released on Friday 5th August, 2022, both produced
produced by Jason Resch of the Golden Guitar Award winning group, Darlinghurst.
Our guest today is Steve Lucas a singer/songwriter, producer and the co-founder of the legendary Australian punk/rock band X.
Grown up in Sydney Steve got his first guitar at 12 and after a single guitar lesson decided to teach himself how to play.
In his career has shared stage with acts like Iggy Pop, The Cramps, The Stranglers, Dr Feel Good, Sonic Youth, Henry Rollins, Rob Lowe and many more.
Steve has been an ambassador for Child Wise since 2012 and performed in Kathmandu alongside the likes of Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats) and Glen Tilbrook (UK Squeeze) to raise money for a local children’s hospital.
His new band Steve Lucas & The Rising Tide, and have just recorded and released a brand new album of Lucas-penned songs called “Cross That Line”.
Our guest today is Cush Ryder, a singer/songwriter based in Melbourne, Australia.
Cush’s love of music started at a very early age.
After picking up a guitar, something clicked and his passion for entertaining people was born.
He headed off overseas for what was meant to be a six month trip to see the world - but after what became 17 years abroad playing bars, pubs and music festivals from New York to Rio de Janeiro - Cush is now back home in Melbourne with a hot new band and ready to take on the local country rock scene head on.
Cush recently signed with Country Rocks Records label and under his new label released his first single “Ride Me”, written after seeing the rodeo bull riders at the Deni Ute Muster back in 2018.
New singles release, and album and a tour in the US in 2023 are on the coming future for Cush Ryder.
Our guest today is Jamey Foxton.
Jamey is I’m a film maker and sponsored skateboarder from Sydney Australia that arrived on the music scene seven months ago with his beautiful debut single “You Rang My Bell”, recorded at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis.
Jamey is the result of a fascinating story weaving the life experience of a world class skateboarder and film producer turned music maker, whose golden tone truly sounds from a different era.
His music has been described as “cinema for radio” by an LA film director.
Jamey also produced a documentary series in the USA, chronicling the unlikely story of Steve McQueen's long-lost Bullitt Mustang.
Wesley Dean, widely known as Wes Carr, is an Adelaide native singer songwriter that for more than a dozen years has been one of Australia’s best-known artists.
Wesley’s journey began when he was 8 years old as a gifted vocalist that started by singing along to The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson classics at a young age, before to became a fixture on Sydney's barroom stages as Wes Carr, before he could legally drink.
Appearing on and winning the sixth season of Australian Idol made Wesley a household name across the continent and after that he released two gold-certified singles along with a studio album that peaked at Number 2 on Australia’s charts.
After more than a decade of performing and touring he left Sydney for the Sunshine Coast in Australia to pursue a quitter and simpler life.
In this place he rediscovered his love for song writing and a new spark that re-ignited his music career and that saw him in early 2021 boarding on a plane with his wife and two sons at his side toward their new home in Nashville.
Wes just released the incredible album new, “Unknown” with sonorities and collaborations of his new musical hometown but with a deep grasp on his personal life and story.
Our guest today is Alan Fletcher.
Alan is one of Australia’s most instantly recognisable and loved actors of stage, television and film and a musician.
After 28 years of actin Alan Fletcher also lead singer of the band 'Waiting Room' in the early 2000, just released today Friday 24th June 2022 his anticipated new Americana EP studio album – ‘Dispatches’
Fletcher is also an ambassador for 'Blue September', a charity that raises awareness of all cancers that can affect men.
Our guest today is one of my personal guitar heroes, Dave Hole.
Dave Hole is Australia’s premier internationally successful bluesman and highly acclaimed slide guitar virtuoso.
He first burst onto the international scene in 1991 with, “Short Fuse Blues”, the first of his seven albums released on the prestigious Alligator records label. He is widely regarded as one of the all time slide guitar greats whose playing is infused with the spirit of such legends as Elmore James, Duane Allman and Johnny Winter.
Nine successful albums and countless tours of the U.S. and Europe have solidified Hole’s stature as one of the very best slide guitarists playing today.
Metallica's Kirk Hammett names Dave Hole as one of his favourite guitarists and when veteran rock and blues guitarist Gary Moore heard SHORT FUSE BLUES he was so impressed that he sought out Dave to invite him to do two European tours together. They played stadiums and arenas and concluded with two memorable nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Dave played on stage with some of his heroes Otis Rush, Buddy Guy and Albert Collins to mention some.
Our Guest today is Tom Curtain.
Tom is an entertainer, musician, horseman, businessman, entrepreneur and family-man living and working in the outback of Australia.
Tom discovered his passion for song-writing while working in the stock-camp of Mt Sanford Station, 500kms south of Katherine, NT. What started as some fun singing around the campfire, lead to the release of his first award-winning album ‘Smack Bang’ in 2004.
Following this, he split his time touring with some of Australia’s biggest country music artists.
In 2013 Tom launched the ‘Katherine Outback Experience’, a tourist venture on his property that celebrates life on the land through real horse-starting and working dog demonstrations entwined with live music and humorous bush tales.
After a decade away from the music industry, in November 2017, Tom released his third album 'Territory Time' which debuted at No. 1 on the Australian iTunes Country Music Charts.
'Never Never Land', a duet with Luke O'Shea, went on to win two Golden Guitars at the 2018 Tamworth Country Music Awards for CMC Video Clip of the Year and Toyota Heritage Song of the Year.
Tom also won the prestigious Australian Independent Artist of the Year at the 2018 Southern Stars Australian Independent Country Music Awards in Mildura, together with Album of the Year, Single of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.
His first single “Why We Live Out Here” from his 5th, highly anticipated album has been released in on June 3rd and has been cowritten with Garth Porter and Matt Scullion.
Our guest today is Sidney Mays, an emergent and very talented 24 year old alternative guitar player and songwriter from Nashville.
Sidney grew up with music all around and become so infatuated with it that decided to learn guitar at a very early age and have been a persistent and reliable professional musician for the past 10 years.
His First Ep “Escapism” was released in December 2021 and since then Sidney has released three more singles “Help me”, “Heal” and “Talk of the city
Our guest today is Ella Powell.
A rising young artist Ella Powell has already made an impressive mark in the Australian Music Industry at the tender age of seventeen, creating a unique blend of Country, Pop and Folk.
Ella’s passion for Country Pop was cemented after winning People's Choice Award at the prestigious Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2019.
In 2020, Ella’s sold-out headlining concert followed by the release of her debut single ‘Watching Over Me’ gained international attention, being streamed in dozens of countries and radio stations nationwide.
Ella’s single ‘Paper Town’ was selected in 'High on Country's' top 22 of 2021 alongside some iconic Australian artists as well as being added onto ABC Country Radio.
Our guest today is Kevin Sullivan, an Australian country singer-songwriter based near Kiama in South coast of New South Wales.
Kevin has been a professional musician for five years and prior to that was a forensic crime scene detective.
The exciting evolution of the NSW South Coast singer/songwriter with his music and sound is evidenced by his 20/21 Australian SULLI-VAN tour, where despite the Covid pandemic, Kevin took his family on the road travelling 40,000 kilometres and performed over 140 shows, assisted on stage by all three talented children, KJ aged 11, Cha Cha aged 9 and Jet aged 6, all doing distance education, while wife Belinda is backstage manager keeping the show on the road.
His last release “The Sulli-Vans” is a covers album featuring the harmonic voices of the Sulli-Van kids.
His much anticipated second original album, ‘Against the Tide’, recorded in both Nashville and Australia is due to be released in 2023.
This episode wants to be a celebrations of our first 99 Guest Artists, a compilations of moments with the first 99 guests we have had on the show.
It’s a way to celebrate their wisdom, their friendship and their diversity. All the questions and answers are totally random and in no particular order.
It’s a long episode, unedited, unpolished but we hope you will enjoy it.
Thank you to all of you for listening, for your support and the love you sent in this first year, we couldn’t did it without you!!
Thank you
Our guest today is the duo Piperlain.
Formed by singer/songwriters Benjamin Knight and Rebecca Voorn-Knight the duo combines the sounds of acoustic, indie alternative folk/rock/pop and electronica with emotive, passionate vocals.
Originating from The Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, their sound is heavily influenced by music from the 90s has been described as “poetic” and “quirky” by The Grove Studios and “emotive” with “layers of depth” by Sony.
Piperlain made the finals of the B&T Mad week Battle of the Bands where they received commendation from Sony on live performance and song writing talent.
In 2017 Piperlain released the concept album “Mother Mourned”, which recounts the personal and emotional journey of two people growing up with and caring for mothers with serious illnesses.
This year tier released an Ep album “Time”that is the first release for Piperlain since Mother Mournedin 2017.
Featuring songs written during the early stages of collaboration between Piperlain artists Ben and Bec, was originally scheduled for release in 2019 but delayed due to the pandemic.
Our guest today is the Melbourne based indie rock band Junior Bones.
Drawing influence from psych-rock, indie-pop, post-punk, and new wave, songwriter Ryan Temby draws you in with imagery and storytelling exploring themes of reflection, experience, morality and existentialism.
Temby’s long-time friend Paul Inglis (guitars/keys), Gavin Kerr (drums), Tom Bullock (bass) and John Baxter at Small Sanctuary Records are the members of Junior Bones.
They release this year their first EP ‘ Late Night Luxury’
Our guest today is Sam Buckingham, a highly regarded, independent artist and songwriter based in Byron Bay, NSW Australia.
Recently signing to Alberts Music for worldwide publishing, Sam has traveled to Nashville and New York on song-writing tours, played alongside artists such as Angus & Julia Stone, Washington, Lior, Matt Corby, Katie Noonan and Jordie Lane, and at renowned Australian festivals Peats Ridge, Blue Mountains Folk and Nannup.
She has also written songs for The Voice 2012 contestants, and has worked with highly regarded US songwriters Bruce Wallace, Kim Richey, Jasmine Ash, Marc Copely and Jordan Lawhead.
After releasing two albums 'I'm A Bird' in 2013 and ‘The Water’ in 2017 Sam has just release her third album ‘Dear John’ that represents a rebirth for Buckingham, not only as a woman but as an artist.
Her past work has been centred around acoustic guitar, and is best described as acoustic folk or Americana. But this time she threw out the rulebook and experimented with new sounds and influences to create a 10-track album of hook-heavy alternative pop that makes you hang on to every single word.
Our guest today is Sarah Leete.
Sarah is a singer songwriter Raised on the beautiful Central Coast of NSW, Australia.
Inspired by Cat Stevens, Patty Griffin and Neil Young, she started playing guitar in high school at age 13.
After winning the Moree Superstar competition in 2015, she won a scholarship to the CMAA Academy of Country Music in Tamworth and won a financial grant from Create NSW.
Sarah enlisted the help of Golden Guitar-winning songwriter Catherine Britt to produce her debut self-titled EP, released in 2017. Her self booked four-week tour to support the EP helped Sarah to get supporting slots with The Viper Creek Band, Bill Chambers and Fanny Lumsden.
Locking herself away in a room during the 2020 pandemic, she emerged with a batch of fresh songs. The first of these songs, ‘Nothin’ Special’ in March 2021 and ‘One That Got Away’ in July 2021, were recorded in Brisbane with producer Michael Muchow (Catherine Britt, Melody Moko) at 'The Moon Room' between border closures.
Sarah just released her latest single and a new album is set to see the light of day later in 2022.
Are our guests today are well known in the music universe.
Josh Cunningham (as a member of The Waifs), and Felicity Urquhart in her own right, have both enjoyed long, successful, and enduring musical careers.
A collective haul of Golden Guitars, ARIA Awards, multi-platinum album sales and extensive touring over nearly three decades, supporting Australian acts as Troy Cassar-Daly, Slim Dusty, John Williamson, Kasey Chambers, Keith Urban, John Butler Trio, Paul Kelly, John Williamson, and International as Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kenny Rogers, Don Maclean, just to mention some.
That altogether forms a body of work that serves as a definition of success.
Today Partner in music and in life they just released an incredibly beautiful album together “The Song Club” that brig us stories of new beginnings, new journeys, new colours, and a sense of freedom and love.
Our guest for this episode is Colin Buchanan
Born in Dublin in 1964, Colin Buchanan is a storyteller to a generation.
He is a nine times Golden Guitar winner, both as an artist in his own right and as collaborator with the cream of Australian country music, penning hit songs for the likes of Slim Dusty, Troy Cassar-Daley, Adam Harvey, Adam Brand, Beccy Cole, Amber Lawrence and a host of others, and his most substantial single contribution as co-writer remains his work with Lee Kernaghan.
Colin is an ARIA and multiple APRA award winner, and has achieved gold and platinum sales on multiple album releases. And has released 27 children albums.
He is a beloved ABC TV Play School (and later Playhouse Disney) presenter, for 10 years hosted the nationally syndicated Toyota Outback Club radio show and he continues to appear as a regular panelist (and impromptu songwriter) along with the cream of Australia's comedy community on ABC Sydney Drive’s top-rating “Thank God It's Friday" with Richard Glover.
Since 2006 Buchanan has established a formidable place as one of Australia’s most successful and prolific children’s picture book authors with nearly 20 releases through Scholastic Press totalling sales of over 250,000. His work for adults includes a credit as co-author on Lee Kernaghan’s vivid 2015 memoir, ‘Boy From The Bush’.
With a long-awaited country album set for release in 2022, Colin Buchanan returns to his roots with a collection of remarkable songs inspired by the people, places and stories of everyday Australia.
The first single, “In Real Life”, is released through Compass Brothers on February 25th, 2022.
Our guest today is Nick O’Mara
Nick O'Mara is a multi instrumentalist, singer and song writer from Melbourne.
His songs are a mixture of acoustic, fingerpicking guitar with sonorities creating an atmospheric alt-country.
Regarded as one of Melbourne’s most talented & intuitive guitar players and something of a master at creating mood and atmosphere.
Nick O’Mara won hearts far and wide with his former band Raised By Eagles, and with his critically acclaimed pop-folk duo Amarillo with partner Jac Tonks.
His work has also seen him win the Music Victoria Awards 2015 as Best Emerging Artist and Best Country Album and 2017’s Best Country Album.
Nick’s first solo album, “Overland”, has been released yesterday March 25 2022.
Copperline is a Sydney/Blue Mountains alt-country four-piece that have lived and breathed the highs and lows of the rock and low life, and that experience can’t help but find its way into their music.
After decades touring as hired guns for Aus music royalty including Steve Kilby (the Church), Jeff Duff and Peter Fenton (Crow), they launched their debut record Rusty Fords and Weatherboards (produced by Shane Nicholson) in 2018.
While the long COVID hibernation might have interrupted touring plans, it also gave Copperline time to work on a second record. The band returned to the studio in 2021, again with collaborator Shane Nicholson, with a brand new batch of songs. The result is a body of work that builds on the band’s trademark blend of story telling and twang, while also exploring broader and richer soundscapes and moods.
Our Guest today is Jerry Salley, is one of the most recognised and appreciated American country, bluegrass and gospel songwriters legends. Based in Nashville his songs have been recorded by artists like Sir Elton John, Reba McEntire, Wade Hayes, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Travis Tritt among other and has been referred to by Billboard Magazine as "One of Music Row's greatest veteran tunesmiths," and has had over 500 songs recorded (selling in excess of 18 million records worldwide) in his multi-award winning songwriting career.
Salley was named the 2003 SESAC Country Songwriter of the Year, the 2018 IBMA Songwriter of the Year and was a 2019 Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame nominee.
As an artist, Jerry has released 5 solo albums and has performed on numerous stages and shows, including the honour of performing as a soloist many times on the world famous Grand Ole Opry.
Our guest today is Raechel Whitchurch.
Raechel is an incredibly talented Australian alt-country singer-songwriter who grew up in regional NSW performing in her family band The Lees.
In April 2021, she released her debut album ‘Finally Clear’ on Compass Bros Records, featuring the hit singles ‘My Father’, ‘You Ain’t One of Us’, and ‘I Used To Think I Was An Outlaw’.
It debuted at #1 on the ARIA Australian Country Album Charts and #3 on the AIR Independent Album Charts.
It has also been nominated for 2 Toyota Golden Guitar Awards, New Talent and Traditional Country Album of the Year.
Raechel is currently on the road with Adam Harvey on a 50-date national tour, and is also a guest on Fanny Lumsden’s Country Halls Tour. She is appearing at several music festivals in Australia like the Gympie Muster, Savannah in the Round and Groundwater Country Music Festival.
Our Guest today is Hello Jane.
Hello Jane is a Queensland based emerging singer/songwriter that travels the country with her guitar and a unique blend of folk storytelling, pop melody, with a splash of country.
In 2021 she performed alongside Golden Guitar Winner, Melody Moko award-winning songwriter Karl S. Williams, and Golden Guitar nominated songwriter, Camille Trail at sold out shows across her hometown, and will bring in 2022 with a brand new single, ‘Never Alone’.
Co-written with her brother, award-winning performer Bradley McCaw, The single was brought to life by award-winning Producer and Engineer Michael Moko (Catherine Britt, Melody Moko, Natalie Henry), and Mastered by Jeff McCormack (Kasey Chambers, Shane Nicholson).
Hello Jane won ‘The Songwriting Prize 2020’ at the Tablelands Folk Festival for her single 'Something Else', while also getting into the ‘Top 30 songs of 2021’ for Emerge Radio Queensland.
Hello Jane also placed as a finalist in the Listen Up Songwriting Prize 2020 for her debut single ‘Everything’s Alright’, and became a finalist for Brisbane City Council’s QUBE Effect program 2021.
Our Guest for this episode is Bill Chambers, an Australian multi-instrumentalist country musician & producer that has been for decades a prominent figure of the music industry both in Australia and internationally.
Bill Chambers grew up in a small town in South Australia fascinated by American music. As a teenager he played any stringed instrument he could get his hands on. While his children were still toddlers, Chambers moved with his family into the Australian outback for few years.
During this time of living off the land, the Chambers family spent many nights singing country classics around the campfire. In 1987, he returned to music invigorated and formed the Dead Ringer Band featuring daughter Kasey Chambers. For the next several years the band toured all over the world.
By 2000 daughter Kasey had established herself as a successful solo artist with Bill playing a prominent role both in the studio and on the road.
In 2002 Chambers set up his own studio, the Boneyard, and finally began working on his first solo release, Sleeping with the Blues. The album is a showcase for Chambers’ dedication to American country, folk, and blues. Frozen Ground in 2006, Drifting South in 2009, Live at the Pub Tamworth in 2013, Cold Trail 2016 and 1952 in 2019.
For this episode I was lucky enough to have as guest an incredible Canadian folk artist singer/songwriter, Julian Taylor.
Julian Taylor is a Toronto based singer/songwriter and winner of the Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2021 as Solo Artist of the Year for his album ‘The Ridge’.
Born of West Indian and Mohawk descent, Taylor was raised in Toronto by his grandmother in a predominantly white environment that left him feeling out of touch with his Indigenous and Black roots. Growing up Julian Taylor struggled to belong but music has always persisted as a way to connect with those around him.
With ‘The Ridge’, Taylor has tapped into his roots and most intimate relationships more than ever before, resulting in arguably the artist’s biggest release in his 25 year career.
Our guest today is Ray Jones.
Ray is an established singer songwriter from the quiet Western Australia coastal hamlet of Myalup Beach.
Influenced by the country Americana and folk movement Ray turns his song writing to deeply personal life experiences and hard-hitting social issues.
Ray has been songwriting and recording over the past couple of years with Bill Chambers that recorded and produced Rays debut album Sleeping Rough which was released February 2020.
In recent times Ray has teamed up with Aria Hall of fame member and Australian music heavyweight Kerryn Tolhurst that produced and played on Rays new music that will be released in 2022, and they plan to collaborate further in the future.
Ray has been nominated for several country music awards, album, single and songwriter of the year for the 2021 WA country music awards, yet to be announced.
We Write About Music in Los Angeles listed ‘Sleeping Rough’ at number 12 on the academy of world artists.
Our guest today is Connor Frost.
Connor is a Musician and Educator, hailing from just outside New York City.
He has toured extensively both as a solo act and with his band, Dizzy Bats, throughout the US, as well as internationally, and has self-released eight albums over the last decade.
In 2017 he officially started his education company, FrostForward Learning, which reached an all-time total enrollment of sixty-five students by fall 2019.
At the end of 2019, Connor launched his online mentoring business, where he helps hidden musicians tap into their most creative and musical selves, by guiding them on their respective journeys to writing and releasing their debut albums, and effectively launching their Artist brand.
Our guest today are The Wonderful Nobodies (Seth Taylor, Lacy Green, and Aaron Williams) a Nashville-based trio of singers, songwriters, and multi-instrumentalists hailing from the Appalachian region of Virginia and North Carolina.
Individually, they've written hundreds of songs and have played on stages from the Grand Ole Opry to Carnegie Hall.
However, it was a Friday night jam that made a band out of the long-time friends.
Aaron and Seth have been roommates for a couple years and in an attempt to capture that initial magic, they converted a room in the shared house to a studio. When Green brought in the beginnings of “Saviorville”, Williams saw the band's sonic and lyrical identity start to take shape.
What results is a debut album confidently blending their country, rock, and pop sensibilities. The title, A/B, speaks to their album era influences, trial and error process, and the dual nature of the band and it’s songs.
The trio is actually finalising their second album that will be launched in in March this year, 2022.
Our guest today is Jack Lorry.
Hailing from sunny Queensland, Jack Lorry has been singing country and western songs inspired by the rural Australian life for years and by countless country road-trips.
His music varies from traditional country through to western swing and ventures into up-tempo bluegrass numbers.
Jack’s music has been featured on TV on the CMT Australia Channel as well as on various Country Music radio stations, as well as helping him make the finals in his first attempt at the Ekka Country Music Showdown with his debut single “I Won’t Be Coming To Your Wedding” in 2019.
Inspired by the likes of the great Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams as well as modern legends Old Crow Medicine Show, Colter Wall and Ryan Bingham, Jack Lorry’s music will make you feel like you already know all the words.
Our guest today is Ben Smith.
Ben is best known for his work performing live and in studio with the Hall of Fame rock band HEART from 1994 to 2017 and is one of the most respected and talented rock musicians in the world.
In addition to HEART, led by Ann and Nancy Wilson, Ben has worked live and in studio with countless other gifted artists including Taj Mahal, Cyndi Lauper, Lovemongers, Pete Droge, Don Gilmore, Tracy Nelson, BoyMeetsGirl, Deniece Williams, Peter Frampton, P.F. Sloan, Cornelius Bumpus, Danny O’Keefe, Sugar Pie de Santos, and with Jazz, Blues, and New Age legends such as Nancy Wilson, Ernestine Anderson, Glenn Alexander, Phoebe Snow, The Songcatchers, Kenny G, and banjo prodigy Danny Barnes.
Ben over the years has been also involved in television and film music being part of multiple projects and soundtracks .
With his love of music working it’s magic, Ben is ready to share his passion on tour and through his work with artists in the Ben Smith Music Company recording studio.
Our guest today is Matt Scullion an Australiana Folk singer songwriter that is known in the industry as a songwriter to the stars having his songs recorded by the likes of Lee and Tania Kernaghan, Sara Storer, Adam Harvey, Jayne Denham, Amber Lawrence and Cold Chisel to name but a few with 22 of those going to the NO 1 spot on the country music charts.
Songwriting has always been a passion of Matts
Growing up in the small south coast country town of Ulladulla Matt joined his first band at 16.
The transition to country music was a progressive one that would take Matt from Darwin to Tamworth and eventually lead him to Nashville where he spent years living out his songwriting dreams and learning from the best Music City had to offer.
Hayley Marsten is a Golden Guitar-nominated Queensland country-pop singer songwriter.
Her album 'Spectacular Heartbreak', Published in 2019, received national airplay all around Australia and over half a million streams on Spotify.
In early 2020, “Spectacular Heartbreak” was nominated for Alt-Country Album of the Year at the Golden Guitars Awards and its title track was nominated for Country Song of the Year at the Queensland Music Awards, both prominent awards music awards in Australian Music.
Hayley’s latest single”Drowning Myself” come out on October 8th 2021 and is her most personal song and her first time as a co-producer on one of her songs.
Our guest today is Jody Martin one of Australia’s most talented singer songwriters.
Jodi Martin began spontaneously composing songs at the age of three and at four, her mum, a schoolteacher, had taken notice of Jodi’s compositions and suggested Jodi record the songs on her cassette machine.
At the age of sixteen Jodi met Kasey and Nash Chambers and the Dead Ringer Band at the Victor Harbour Country Music Festival. Nash asked Jodi to send him a recording of her songs, which culminated in Kasey recording Jodi’s song “Why” for the Dead Ringer Band’s ARIA Award Winning album “Home fires” the following year.
At 19, playing a last-minute set on the stage of the Lismore Festival’s Unplugged, a tour promoter asked Jodi for a recording to send to an international artist that he planned to bring out to Australia the following year. That artist turned out to be Arlo Guthrie, that invited Jodi to be the opening act for his national tour of Australia the following year, and became a significant mentor to Jodi.
Jodi subsequently released the rootsy albums “Water and Wood” in 2001, and “Fifteen Minutes Out to Sea” in 2006, as well as 2011’s “World Turning” EP.
Jodi has had the privilege of touring with international folk rock icons, such as Arlo Guthrie (US), Luka Bloom (IRE), Bruce Cockburn (CAN), The Frames (IRE), The Waifs (Aust) and Richard Thompson (UK).
In 2011, Arlo Guthrie and Jodi embarked on a songwriting road trip from Florida to New Your State, and several songs from this journey appear on Jodi’s album “Saltwater”, released in 2016 that include the lead single, “Saltwater in My Hair”.
Her songs, stories and humour authentically celebrate life in all it’s richness, and draw the listener in to what is an inspiring and uplifting experience.
Our guest today is Katie Brooke, a very talented Australian independent singer songwriter that is rapidly building a loyal following and that has spent the past twelve years making her mark in the Country Music industry, continuously gigging throughout NSW and QLD, as well as supporting artists and bands such as Shannon Noll and The Black Sorrows.
Katie has had the opportunity to perform alongside Australian Country Music icons such as James Blundell, Adam Harvey and Gina Jeffreys, as well as hosting and performing on the ever popular Jim Haynes Breakfast Show at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The Australian Academy of Country Music graduate after the release of her Number 1 charting debut self-titled EP featuring the ever-popular ‘Home Town Song’ is set to release her debut album early 2022, featuring nine new original tracks.
An artist absolutely to follow in 2022!!
Hello and welcome to the latest episode of Songversations Podcast, a journey to the heart and soul of songwriting and music.
Our guest today is Queensland based singer songwriter James Johnston.
His debut hit, ‘RAISED LIKE THAT’ took off like wildfire connecting with audiences around the globe.
It became the fastest single by an Australian based country artist to hit the million streams’ milestone and, to date, has over 4 million streams with no sign of slowing down taking the number one spot on country radio and clocked up over 7500 TikToks using the track and fans all over the world are using the song for dance routines and video content.
This is just the beginning of what’s to come from this future global superstar.
Our guest today is Hanna x Madge, a Nashville based indie pop duo comprised of sisters Hanna and Madge Ross.
Musically Influenced by Ed, Taylor Swift and Joni Mitchell, Hanna x Madge combine witty storytelling and catchy melodies to produce their singular sonic magic.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, music found the Ross sisters at an early age. Madge began learning the piano at age 6 while Hanna picked up her grandfather’s guitar in middle school.
Hanna x Madge have played hundreds of shows all over the world, from performances in Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe and Listening Room Cafe to the historic Crane Bar in Galway, Ireland and venues in Dublin, Ireland; Brighton, England; Estes Park, Colorado; Dallas, Texas; Bozeman, Montana; and more.
In 2020, Hanna x Madge took the opportunity to learn how to produce their own music at home, writing songs inspired by their favourite books and publishing their first EP “Whimsy”. They also started a weekly Instagram livestream series “Tea Time & Tunes.”
The show, which airs every Sunday at 6pm CT, has featured New York Times bestselling authors like Marissa Meyer, Jenna Evans Welch, Rae Ann Parker and Cat Bock as well as country singer-songwriter Allie Colleen and folk musician David Wilcox.
Our Guest today is Talon David
Talon grew up in a musical household just outside of Nashville, TN. Her parents, retired performers themselves, introduced her to a vast array of musical styles including Journey, the Eagles, the Beatles, Cindi Lauper, Barbra Streisand, and the original Broadway cast album of "Wicked".
During her high school senior year, she got a call that she had won the GRAMMY Foundation’s Teens Make Music Contest with her song “Deep Snow” and got to attend the GRAMMY Awards in LA that year.
This solidified her decision to study popular music performance at Belmont University.
During those four years, her musical vocabulary expanded again with the addition of Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Mozart, and Debussy, among others.
In late 2021, Talon released her first full length album, completely written, sung, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by herself. Genre-less and personal, she likes to call it Miscellaneous.
Our guest today is Al Gammie, a singer songwriter form Melbourne, Australia.
Relatively new to the music world his distinct, emotive, and raw voice is product of his many years fronting mostly heavy rock bands.
Making himself heard over Marshall amps set to 11 and thunderous drums developed a natural power and robustness in his voice making it a point of difference as he now enters the Americana/folk and country arena.
Through a difficult time in his personal life and dealing with depression, during the height of the pandemic, Al reconnected with his passion. Through many muses, mentors and inspiration, he was compelled to draw out everything he was feeling, telling universal stories through his songs with an organic honesty he had never explored.
Al worked with collaborators around the world, exchanging audio files from Nashville to London to Los Angeles and beyond. Before he knew it, he had a complete album recorded.
Our guest today is Ashleigh Dallas.
3rd Generation in a Country Music Family Dynasty and multipleGolden Guitar Winner Ashleigh Dallas was born in Australia’s Country Music Capital Tamworth NSW.
Ashleigh grew up listening to the musical sounds of her family – Roll of Renown recipient and Golden Guitar Winner Rex Dallas, and Golden Guitar winner, producer, multi instrumentalist father Brett Dallas.
With four studio albums under her belt, and her award winning album “Lighthouse” which debut in 2017 at number #2 on the ARIA Country Chartsjust below Keith Urban, Dallas latest album REFLECTIONreleased in 2019 showcases another Level of her craft. Ashleigh has cemented her own footprint in the industry with her songwriting and unique sound .
With her music taking her all over Australia and Overseas, Ashleigh has been proud to be a part of music festival Tunes In The Tropics held on Fiji’s Coral Coast since the age of 16, and is thrilled to be the ambassador.
In this episode we are happy to introduce you to Stewart Barton, a young talented - singer, songwriter and guitarist from Camberra that has already made a huge impression on the music community in Camberra and wider Australian music community.
Stewart drawn influences from many Country and Rock artists such as Keith Urban, INXS, Brooks & Dunn, Bruce Springsteen, Brian Adams & Luke Combs.
Stewart signed with Country Rocks Records to start his recording career, and has released his debut single “Your Are Beautiful’ with the multi awarded producer Matt Fell at Love Hz studios in Sydney.
Stewart has a massive future in the music industry and this is only the beginning of something huge.
Our guest today is Katelann Maree
“Different Kind Of High” maybe Katelann Maree’s debut EP but she was born into a country music-loving family.
Her mum Sharon Grealy is also a singer/songwriter and her grandfather Jimmy Grealy, remembered for his fingerpicking playing style, was the inspiration behind the EP’s first single, ‘Grandad’s Guitar’
From the age of seven, when Jimmy’s guitar was handed down to Katelann, she’s been singing and performing at festivals across QLD and NSW.
In 2015 after being asked by a town local if she would teach her daughter to sing and play guitar, Katelann once again thought about her own solo career.
In no time, Katelann was inspiring the next generation of singers and performers and at her mum’s insistence finally applied and was accepted into the CMAA Academy Of Country Music in 2020.
Her Debut EP "Different Kind Of High" has been published this year and Grandad’s Guitar’ single peaked at #2 on the iTunes Australia Singer-Songwriter Chart.
Our guest today is Jennifer Lauren leader of the
award-winning band Diamonds & Whisky.
North Carolina native Jennifer Lauren is a multi‐talented musician, vocalist, and songwriter.
Starting with piano at age 4 and discovering her vocal abilities at age 8, she began her early days exploring traditional hymns and receiving classical training as a first soprano.
Taking influences from a multitude of artists and genres, such as Dolly Parton, Heart, Tori Amos, Rob Thomas, and even Eminem, she has cultivated a sound and style that is as unique and refreshing as the woman herself.
Her award winning band “Diamonds and Whiskey” debut album “Heartbreak Queen” made big strides across the globe with airplay in Europe, New Zealand, and the United States.
The 2019 Carolina Music Awards Band of the Year winner has shared stages in support of many great acts, including Brantley Gilbert, Little Texas, Darius Rucker, Ashland Craft, Filmore, Sammy Kershaw, Love and Theft, Midland, Dustin Lynch, Thomas Rhett, Lee Greenwood, Diamond Rio, and Lonestar.
Production is underway for Diamonds and Whiskey’s sophomore release, with award-winning Producer Eddie Z leading the way. Titled “Blonde Ambition”, that full-length effort is scheduled to reach Diamonds and Whiskey fans by early 2022.
Our guest today is Adam Harvey.
Adam Harvey is an Australian country artist that started musically learning country classics on the guitar as a small boy.
With a career spanning over twenty years, half a million album sales, gold and platinum albums, and eight CMAA Golden Guitar awards, Adam Harvey is one of Australia’s most popular and enduring recording artists.
Adam Harvey was presented with the CMA Global Country Artist Award in 2007 and has been awarded a Centenary Medal for his charity work.
Harvey is also an Ambassador for the Fred Hollows Foundation, and the McGrath Foundation.
Our guest today is Piper Butcher, a 16-year-olds singer-songwriter from Newcastle NSW that she has no doubts about what she wants to do – make music.
Highly motivated, resilient, wise with influences from the likes of Lukas Nelson, Chris Stapleton, and Stevie Nicks Piper has been already supporting acts such as Diesel, Kasey Chambers, Richard Clapton, Thirsty Merc, Josh Pyke, Andrew Swift & Gretta Ziller among many other
Piper was born with a cleft palate and, in January, she had to undergo a third surgery after she experienced some problems and had to face the scary reality of not knowing if, or when, she could resume performing.
She Just released her first EP 'September' that include her last single 'Before the Thunder'.
Our guest today is Natalie Henry a singer-songwriter from Newcastle NSW Australia.
Henry commenced her music career in 2015 at the age of 34.
She and her then husband Brock released Cold Love as The Wayward Henry in 2016.
Just after releasing the album the couple split and in 2018 Natalie released her debut solo album Apple & Pride addressing her marriage breakdown and emotional renewal.
In 2021, Henry signed with Catherine Britt’s Beverly Hillbilly Records and last September released her second album, White Heat that debuted at number 34 on the ARIA Chart.
Our guest today is Della Harris.
Born in the heart of rural Victoria Australia – Della Harris – is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller.
Her stories come from real life – highlighting the joys to heartbreak – and it’s that alone that makes her songs so authentic and relatable.
Della has been performing and touring most of her life, but it was only in recent years that her passion and desire to tell her own stories lead her into her own original music career.
While still a relatively new name on the scene, Della already has a number of smash hit singles to her credit including the number one hits, “Must’ve Been The Wine” and “She Said What?”
Her tracks have also been play-listed on the highly sought curated lists on Spotify (Fresh Country) and Apple Music (Aussie Country).
Della’s latest chart outing was with Sydney’s Andy Penkow on the stellar duet, “How Many Times”. It peaked at #2 across a number of charts across the country and took Della into the ears and hearts of a whole new audience.
Over the years she’s shared the stage with country luminaries including Golden Guitar winners Kristy Cox, The Weeping Willows, Brad Butcher, and Aleyce Simmonds along with mainstream acts such as Jon Stevens (Noiseworks) and Michael Spiby (The Badloves).
Our guest today is Sam Hawksley.
Sam is an Australian born singer-songwriter now based in Nashville, TN, that loves music, loves writing it, performing it, and producing it.
Sam originally went to Nashville to perform and tour with Adam Brand
and after coming back to Australia to perform in Tamworth, and act as musical director for the Toyota Star Maker final and grand final he decided to take the challenge and moved to Nashville.
He has recorded 8 albums of his own material in between playing for and producing countless artists.
A gifted guitarist and Sam has performed and recorded with the likes of the BoDeans, Sixpence None the Richer, Paul Brandt, Olivia Newton-John, Charlie Worsham, Adam Brand, The Whitlams, John Farnham, Richard Clapton, Ian Moss, Wendy Matthews, Vanessa Amorosi, Richard Clapton and many more…
An incredibly talented singer-songwriter and guitarist well-known for his introspective ballads is also becoming an in-demand producer and one of the nicest and most humble artists in the industry.
Our guest today is Elisha Francesca.
Elisha is an honest singer-songwriter and musician currently based in Melbourne, Australia, considered one of Australia's most promising singer-songwriters.
While in the U.S from 2015 onwards she had many opportunities to perform on stage at B.B Kings Blues Club in Memphis or the jazz club Bamboulas in New Orleans, leading Christian churches/conferences in praise and worship across California and supporting Christian artists such as Jadon Lavik and Bill Welsh.
In 2018 Elisha applied for and was accepted into the CMAA Academy of Country Music in Tamworth for 2020. The Academy introduced Elisha to the Australian Country music industry, performing for artists such as Kasey Chambers, Lyn Bowtell, Carter & Carter and a very special moment performing for Australia’s very own Queen of Country Joy McKean.
Elisha's influences include Patsy Cline, The Wailin' Jennings, Dan Tyminski, Gillian Welch and Kristy Cox, Alison Krauss & Union Station.
She writes from the heart, revealing a message of hope to those who need it. She wants to bring back sincerity, grace, and artistry to country music.
With her EP titled, Thoughts & Feelings, producer by Damian Cafarella (Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, Kasey Chambers), Elisha’s desire is that her message will encourage her listeners in their day-to-day life as she shares just that – thoughts and feelings.
Our guest today is Camille Trail.
Camille was introduced to the joy of music at an early age.
She learned piano from the age of 8 and was soon writing her own songs.
After high school, she committed to her musical ambitions and studied songwriting at the JMC Academy in Brisbane.
While attending the Academy Camille would study by day and play as many gigs as possible at night – honing her craft, testing her songs on audiences, and finding a community of peers while writing the songs on her forthcoming album.
Camille sent a demo to Shane Nicholson asking if he’d be interested in producing her album.
Nicholson responded enthusiastically and the album was recorded in three weeks in 2019.
Since graduating from JMC with a Bachelor of Music, specializing in songwriting, in April 2019 Camille’s sultry melting pot of country, folk, blues and gospel have earned accolades far and wide as well as three top 30 singles on the Music Network Country Airplay chart. Her single Devil’s Drink peaked at #19 on that chart and its follow-up Little History featured on Spotify’s Country Chill and Apple Music’s Southern Craft playlists with over 130, 000 streams to date.
Camille's new single Holding Pattern, a duet with Brad Butcher, was written by Shane Nicholson with Matt Benbrook (Dido, Lana Del Ray) and Amy Lawton on a writing trip to London in 2019. It brings the two gifted Queenslanders together for the first time and there was never any doubt that the extraordinary Shane Nicholson would produce the track. The single skyrocketed on the charts landing at #6 on the Music Network Charts.
Camille has just released the haunting new single ‘I Know I’m Hard To Love’, one of the most personal and vulnerable releases to date.
Our guest today is Angus Gill
Angus is an Australian singer-songwriter, comedian, and producer.
Gill was named the Male Rising Star at the 22nd Australian Independent Country Music Awards.
In November 2019, Gill became one of the youngest Australian artists to debut on the 'Grand Ole Opry' in Nashville.
Gill received a scholarship to attend the CMAA Academy of Country Music in Tamworth in 2012 and released his debut EP Livewire in 2014.
On 15 September 2017, he released his self-produced debut album “Nomad” via Checked Label Services.
The album features collaborations with Adam Harvey, Gina Jeffreys, Kevin Bennett, Luke O'Shea, Bill Chambers, Drew McAlister, Troy Kemp, Mike Carr, Amos Morris, and others.
In 2019 Origin Music Publishing released his second studio album ”Welcome to My Heart” which debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Country Albums Chart and was nominated for 'Traditional Country Album of the Year' at the 2020 Country Music Awards of Australia.
In 2020, Gill released his third studio album 3 Minute Movies on Rivershack Records/MGM that including a duet with US singer-songwriter Steve Earle and a guest appearance from Mark Lizotte.
In October this year, Gill released “The Scrapbook” which became his highest ARIA chart peak debuting at number 19.
Our guest for this episode of Songversations Podcast is Kristy Cox
4x Bluegrass Recording of the Year Golden Guitar winner, Australian native now living in the USA.
From a young age, Kristy has captured attention with her distinct singing style and positive outlook, seeing her go on to open shows for major acts and appearing on Television and major Festivals across Australia, Europe, and the USA.
Adored for her youthful, energy-infused bluegrass, Kristy Cox has been awarded radio success and accolades for her talent.
Having signed with bluegrass label Mountain Fever Records, Kristy released her brand new album ‘No Headlights’ in February 2020, following her #1 Billboard Charting album ‘Ricochet’.
Kristy was awarded the ‘Bluegrass Recording of the Year’ in the 2020 CMAA’s (Golden Guitar Awards) in Australia for her track ‘Yesterday’s Heartache,’ the first single from her forthcoming album, making this her 4th win in the category.
Credited for her performance and songwriting capabilities, Golden Guitar winner Kristy has been shortlisted in the International Bluegrass Music Awards for the past four years for Emerging Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year and was a finalist in the 2019 IBMA Momentum Awards for Vocalist of the Year.
Our Guest today is Raymond Hayden, a fixture of the Pacific Northwest music community with a resume as extensive and diverse that reaches into just about every corner of the music industry, and spans over thirty-five years and two continents.
Hayden's career as a touring musician began at age 9, traveling in a drum and bugle corps around the US. West Coast and Canada. In 1986, he began playing keyboards in his first rock band, while serving in the U.S. Army in Mannheim, West Germany.
In the decades since, Hayden has cemented a strong reputation back home in the States as a progressive rock musician, with forays into jazz, adult contemporary, pop-rock, country, and blues.
Over the years he has had the opportunity to play support slots for legendary acts, including April Wine, Blue Oyster Cult, Jonny Lang, Nazareth, Drowning Pool, Berlin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Trace Atkins, Sawyer Brown, Diamond Rio, and even comedians Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy.
Hayden has also had a hand in the success of a host of other artists, via his boutique label Maurice the Fish Records, as an artist manager for Nolan Garrett, and as a concert promoter for countless shows including his collaborative Evening of Keys series. He is also a podcast host and blogger, creating content for Shure, Gigs4U, Seattle Wave Radio, NWCZ Radio, and others.
His broad industry experience enables him to be a valuable mentor for up-and-coming artists, and he is passionate about doing so. In addition to personally taking young artists under his wing, Hayden also served as board president for the Ted Brown Music Tacoma's outreach organization, and as a music mentor for their “Live It Out Loud” rock band summer camp program.
Our guest today is Felicity Urquhart
With 13 Golden Guitars Awards, 7 studio albums, and 2 ARIA nominations, Felicity has long been one of the best-loved and most decorated singer-songwriters in Australian music. In a career encompassing seven studio albums, two EPs, and countless sold-out headlining shows and capacity festival appearances.
Felicity’s Golden Guitar Award tally now sits at thirteen. Her seventh solo studio album 'Frozen rabbit', collected 5 GG’s at the 2019 CMAA’s and was also nominated for a 2019 ARIA Award in the Best Country Album category. These accolades acknowledge the strength of the album, Felicity’s first stand-alone album release in over a decade, and her first since signing a new record deal with ABC Music.
Our guest today is Jayne Denham.
Three-time Golden Guitar nominee, Jayne Denham is one of Australia's most admired and sought-after country-rock performers.
Her impressive energetic live shows have earned her countless opportunities to perform for VIP crowds at Keith Urban's Sydney shows in conjunction with appearing as a featured artist at all of the major Australian country music festivals including CMC Rocks, Deni Ute Muster, Gympie Music Muster, and the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Jayne has written and recorded with some of the biggest names in the business including producer Brian White, and writers Jerry Salley, Phil Barton, and Jennifer Schott, Jayne recorded her most recent album, Calamity, in the home studio of Rascal Flatts’ Jay De Marcus, who played bass on the album.
With her ability to tell a story that captures the imagination through her songs, Denham has scored four #1 hits in Australia, six Top 10 songs in the National Country Charts, 12 videos that have reached the Top 30, including a number 1 placement for Hung Up on You, which garnered a million streams within 6 months of release. Jayne has also been nominated for six Country Music Channel (CMC) and Three Golden Guitar Award finalist placings.
Our guest today is Andy Penkow.
Andy Penkow is an award-winning alternative Country Singer-Songwriter with a unique sound and powerful voice.
Studying music at JMC Academy, Andy completed an advanced diploma in popular music and performance.
He was a member of the SBS Choir and a regular member of the southern school's regional performing ensemble.
In 2001 he appeared on the Australian Television show Pop Stars making it to the top 20.
Andy’s debut album Sad Love Songs was recorded & mixed by Rod Motbey and mastered by Steve Corrao at 'Sage Audio Nashville, TN, and was released in December 2018.
Andy has had 8 top 20 singles on the "Country Songs Top 40 Australian Airplay charts". "Before I Go" was Andy's first #1 single, spending 2 weeks at the top of the charts, which also reached the top 50 on the Music NetWork Charts. And got some great air play in the USA.
Andy has worked with Australian Country Music Royalty, co-writing with multiple Golden Guitar-winning artists Lyn Bowtell and Allen Caswell. mentoring with Golden Guitar-winning duo Carter and Carter.
Andy's EP "Chasing the Sun" was produced by ARIA and Golden Guitar-winning producer and artist Shane Nicholson and was released on the 27th of July 2020.
Andy was nominated for the 2020 APRA AMCOS TSA-NEW SONGWRITER of the YEAR AWARD.
“Drowning in the Whisky” won the 2019 Purple Guitar Award for best single. Andy also won the judge's pick at the 2019 Australian busking championships at Gundagai.
Chasing the Sun was a top 30 finalist in the 2021 Australian Songwriter Association awards for Country song of the year. Andy was also a finalist for the Peoples Choice awards male artist of the year and most promising new star and Tamworth songwriters association semi-finalist for country song of the year and blues song of the year.
A finalist in the 2020 In-dependent Country Music Association Awards Nominated for Male artist of the year, single of the year, New male artists, music video of the year, winning his second purple guitar as Best EP with his EP Chasing the Sun
Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Mitch Dean.
Mitch is an independent singer-songwriter from Melbourne, Australia that started his musical journey with acoustic guitar sessions with his dad, in the shed of their Mornington Peninsula home.
That experience piqued his curiosity and led to the realization that he could write and primitively record his own early attempts at songwriting.
From there the world opened up as Mitch dove headfirst into the heady rush of rock ’n’ roll, initially with the garage-rock band The Marzies and then, in 2005, a swing down the dusty road of country-rock with The Distance – the band in which Mitch would find his feet and gain his alt-country bearings over the ensuing decade.
After the success of his 'Suburban Speakeasy' EP (2017), Mitch has delved deeper into his creative well and crafted an album that blends soulful Americana from its key components of country, folk, and the blues, Mitch published his latest album Holding 'Back The Levee' in 2020.
This album with evocative storytelling, rich musicality and heartfelt lyrics, sounds like an album that has been crafted by a songwriter who knows the importance of allowing songs the space to breathe and their melodies and phrasing to shine and had the honour to have one of his heroes, Kevin Bennett, to sing as guest vocals on the album title track.
Our guest today is Michelle Little.
Originally from the Central West of NSW, Michelle has been performing for over 25 years. The artist who is influenced by the likes of Patsy Cline and Loretta Lyn has graced stages from the Sydney Opera House to The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.
The singing-songwriting schoolteacher now lives in Sydney’s Inner West, where her love of country music – influenced and nurtured by her parents - continues to be at the heart of Michelle’s albums.
“Hear Me Now” was Michelle’s first full studio album, having previously released an Ep called “That’s What I Like”. These recordings were received enthusiastically by the country music community in Australia and the release of a live recording from her Patsy Cline tribute show in 2015 sparked interest from international listeners.
As is the case in everyone’s life, Michelle’s story includes many setbacks and challenges. However, inspired by the strong female country singers she grew up listening to such as Patsy Cline and Loretta Lyn, Michelle continues to use her life experiences as fuel for her songwriting.
Michelle’s new album “Invincible”, produced by Michael Carpenter, of Sydney’s ARIA nominated and Golden Guitar winning studio, Love Hz, is out now and is a collection of songs that reflect her challenges and personal journey of the last few years.
Our guest today is Matt Joe Gow.
Born in New Zealand in what is known colloquially as the “deep south”, Matt was encouraged to pick up a guitar at an early age.
After traveling the world, Matt moved to Melbourne, Australia, drawn by its culture and vibrant music scene. He formed a band, The Dead Leaves, and in 2009 released his debut record ‘The Messenger’, produced and recorded by multi-Aria award-winner Nash Chambers at the legendary Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne and released on Liberation Records. The album is featuring Jim Moginie of Midnight Oil and iconic Australian country artist Bill Chambers,
and introduced Matt, and in many ways alternative country, to many people for the first time in Australia.
As Alternative Country and Americana continued to grow in popularity, Matt steadily toured and supported acts such as Chris Isaak, The Jayhawks, Justin Townes Earle, James Reyne, Kasey Chambers, Marlon Williams, Jimmy Barnes, and John Butler.
It was however Matt's 2018 self-produced album, ‘Break Rattle And Roll ‘, which ranged from Stones-Esque blues rock and roll to hushed heartbreak that truly resonated with fans and critics alike and went on to win the prestigious Music Victoria Award for Best Country Album. Revered Americana blog ‘Post To Wire’ describing the album, as “one of the finest alt-country albums of the year, full of consummate songwriting and life-affirming rock ’n’ roll.”
Matt went back into the studio In early 2020 with the guiding concept of making a stripped-back and self-produced record. after recording on the album had finished, the world was hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
With Matt touring overseas and the Melbourne studio under strict lockdown, the choice was made to continue work on the record remotely over the following year.
The result is a unique record which, although laborious to make during a dark and difficult time, is the purest and direct expression of Matt's songwriting and artistic vision of his career.
Our guest today is the Australian singer/songwriter Georgia Delves.
The stage moniker of Georgia Delves, Georgia State Line blends both vintage and contemporary sounds to craft songs steeped in Tennessee sunsets.
Honest, agile, and refreshingly self-assured, Georgia State Line’s unique brand of country-infused melancholy yields music that’s equal parts heartsick and hopeful.
Born and raised in the regional Victorian town of Bendigo on a balanced diet of guitar, voice and classical violin, Georgia Delves sang in Catholic school choirs by day and cut her teeth on the local pub music scene by night.
It was her grandparents who introduced Delves to her beloved American country music of the 1960s and 70s. In this, Georgia Delves had met her match. Armed with her guitar and a book of lyrics heartfelt and resolute, she moved to Melbourne and started a band.
September 24th is the day of her debut album “In Colour”
Recorded by James Cecil (Architecture in Helsinki, The Orbweavers) at his studio, Super Melody, and that documents Delves’ journey ever since.
Shining with empathy, creativity, and courage, it’s a release that will further cement Georgia State Line’s place at the centre of exciting Australian music-making.
She has appeared at festivals across the country including Tamworth Country Music Festival, Australian Music Week and Out On The Weekend, and opened shows for country-music heavyweights, Eileen Jewell (USA) and Justin Townes Earle (USA).
Our guest for this episode is the duo ‘Eagle & The Wolf”.
Symbiosis, that innate interaction between two people that results in creative sparks, new life, and artistic reward, is at the core of the personal and artistic relationship that Sarah Humphreys & Kristen Lee Morris have formed and nurtured together. In life as in music they’ve trodden their own successful paths, but together – that’s where a unique type of magic happens.
Individually, Morris has made his mark with his solo albums Ruins (2014) and Hillbilly Blues (2018) while Humphreys achieved national recognition with four indie-folk albums, most recently Strange Beauty in 2019. When the Blue Mountains duo released their debut self-titled album in 2016 they received widespread acclaim for the way they interlaced their vocal harmonies with deep and heartfelt resonance, across sonic landscapes of folk and country music.
Outside of the studio, Eagle & The Wolf took their music to the people, over the last five years sharing stages with the likes of The Blind Boys of Alabama (USA), Phil and Dave Alvin (USA), Kasey Chambers, Charlie Parr (USA), Kim Richie (USA), Archie Roach, Katie Noonan, and Kevin Bennett.
Their new album ‘Two Lovers’ is a collection of songs that sigh and swoon with stark honesty and romantic optimism. Inhabiting the world of atmospheric folk, primal blues and the shimmer and sway of the best kind of country music, these vignettes portray the trials and tribulations of life. With their sublime voices leading the dance, the music of Eagle & The Wolf possesses a direct line to a kind of earthly gospel that makes it inherently soul music.
Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Michael Waugh.
Michael is an Australian songwriter’s songwriter, a compelling live performer, and an extraordinary storyteller. Among his admirers are the legendary Eric Bogle, alt. country luminary Shane Nicholson and country hitmakers The Wolfe Bros. His 2019 album The Weir received two Golden Guitar nominations in 2020 - Male Artist of the Year and Alt-Country Album of the Year – as well as a nomination at the 2020 Victorian Music Awards.
Michael Waugh’s insightful tributes to friends, family and parenthood are simultaneously deeply personal and nationally recognizable; we see our own brothers, parents, pubs, rivers, struggles, and joys reflected in the faces of those characters who live large in Michael's songs.
Our Guest for this episode is the trio 'The New Graces'
The New Graces have stormed the Australian music scene, with their album “Seasons” peaking at #1 on the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart, plus 4 Golden Guitar nominations at the 2021 Country Music Awards of Australia.
Melanie Horsnell, Kate Burke, and Robyn Martin are all seasoned musicians in their own right. Songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, their music is flavored with guitar, double bass, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and three-part harmonies plus a little desert heat-haze that could only be Australian.
Their most recent releases, ‘The Open Heart Sessions’ were recorded with Shane Nicholson with production and all instrumentation by The New Graces. An intimate window into the hearts and lives of The New Graces as women, mothers, and regional artists.
They paint life’s joys and struggles, and while there is no sugar-coating, they have an authentic whack of compassion, hope, and sweet, sweet harmony.
Songs that feel like a walk along a dusty country road – evocative, warm, connected with the land and its people.
Melanie Horsnell has released over 10 albums and has toured with Glen Hansard and the Frames, Jason Mraz, Bernard Fanning, Lou Rhodes, Slaid Cleaves, and Sarah Blasko as well as touring solo throughout Europe and Australia. Melanie has written songs with Wendy Matthews and Catherine Britt and for film and television. She has just returned from showcasing at the International Folk Alliance in Montreal.
Kate Burke is a multi-instrumentalist singer songwriter that has won much acclaim as a member of the folk duo Kate and Ruth and Irish/Australian traditional band “Trouble In The Kitchen”. Geologist, science communication expert, session guitarist, producer, and composer of music for film and television, Kate brings a swag of experience to the trio. She has performed at festivals and venues across Australia and internationally alongside artists such as Andy Irvine and Luke Plumb (Shooglenifty).
Robyn Martin grew up in the remote coastal desert town of Ceduna. Like all her siblings, Robyn was called Spin by her teachers at Ceduna Area School after her father's nickname. She started playing bass at age 13 in the family band Spineffex. The band played country festivals and SA pubs and clubs. At age 16 Robyn found herself adjusting to culture shock in the alternative culture hub of Lismore, taking time off school to tour with her sister, Jodi Martin, opening for The Waifs, Wendy Matthews, Arlo Guthrie, Glen Hansard, and The Frames. Robyn is a sought after session bass player who has worked with UK bluegrass outfit Flats and Sharps, Claire Anne Taylor, Heath Cullen, Jodi Martin, and Kate Fagan.
Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Courtney Keil.
Courtney is becoming one of the most exciting talents in Australian country music.
Born on a working deer farm in the Adelaide Hills and now living in Melbourne Courtney Keil graduated from CMAA Senior Academy of Country Music in 2016. She has been vocally trained by Lyn Bowtell (9x Golden Guitar Winner) and Renee Grant-Williams (Keith Urban/Garth Brooks) and was the recipient of multiple awards at the 2016 Australian Songwriters Conference taking out Song of the Year and the top awards in both Pop & Country Categories.
This year she has continued to add to her catalog of songs, writing with her mentor Gina Jeffreys, her producer Rod McCormack, Templeton Thompson, and Sam Gay and following the success of her debut release ‘I Just Wanna Hold You’ in August 2020, Courtney launched her sophomore single, ‘Hummingbird.
Both singles reached #1 on the iTunes Country Australia Chart.
Courtney performed a capella at the National Australian Anthem at February’s opening race of the 2021 Supercars Championship at Bathurst, reaching a tv audience of 1.64 million across the day.
She was invited to perform as June Carter in the “Johnny Cash The Concert” tour in Melbourne in April 2021 resulting in being booked to complete a further 14 appearances for the remainder of the year as part of their national tour.
Our Guest for this episode of Songversations is Lucie Tiger.
Born and raised in the Sydney region, country life on horseback became a notable part of what has formed her identity thus far.
Her life as a roving musician has taken her across multiple states of the USA, playing her music and also pursuing the talents of some of the best people and studios in the business to assist her in recording her songs.
Lucie possesses something of a magnetic quality in both her music and personal charm.
She is the embodiment of a Southern infused, Country Rock singer, colored with a hefty dose of good old Americana charm, to create an infusion of Southern Rock, Blues, and Country that draws on Lucie’s heavy influences including The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as more modern touches of Rae Lynn and Miranda Lambert.
Following two USA tours and two EP releases, her latest single, ‘Found My Home’, received notable acclaim in February ‘21, reaching no. 20 on the Music Network CountryTown Hot 50 chart and spending 8 weeks (so far) on the Nashville Music Row charts.
Lucie’s most current offering comes in the form of a classic break-up song ‘Midnight Goodbye’’.
Written by Lucie, the song features the talents of Bob Wray (Ray Charles), Will McFarlane (Bonnie Raitt), and Justin Holder (Jason Isbell) and was produced by John Gifford III and Don Srygley (GRAMMY nominees for Gregg Allman’s final album ‘Southern Blood’)
Our guest for this episode is Shane Nicholson, multi Golden Guitar winner, widely regarded as a major player in the Alternative Country field in Australia but also in the USA, having been nominated multiple times at the Americana Music Awards in Nashville. Shane has explored everything from folk to country, bluegrass, and rock, picking up 12 Golden Guitars, APRA, and ARIA Awards along the way and has established himself as one of the country’s most in-demand record producers for other recording artists and as a talent scout for Lost Highway Australia.
A great Songversation not to be missed!!
Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Riley Catherall
Riley Catherall is an Americana influenced Singer-Songwriter based in Melbourne whose graceful trajectory into the Australian Alt-Country Music world has not gone unnoticed. Working with some of the industry's finest (Bill and Kasey Chambers) for his first EP, Venture In Vain, Riley has built a credible status as one of the country’s most promising songwriters.
Riley appeared at the Maverick Americana Festival in Suffolk, the UK where he was listed as a festival favorite alongside Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes, Chance McCoy (Old Crow Medicine Show), and Hannah Aldridge.
Riley is set to release his debut full-length record this year, featuring singles Leave Me Out To Dry, and his newest release Vacant Lot, for which he is touring Australia 2021.
Cielle Montgomery and James Church are Montgomery Church - a blend of acoustic folk, Americana, and bluegrass influences, grown and distilled in the Snowy Mountain ranges of NSW.
With their organic union of dobro, guitar, and harmony vocals, this captivating duo is breaking ground in the contemporary folk-country music scene through the masterful control of their instruments, inspired songwriting, and magnetic live performances.
They have toured far and wide and graced the stages of many iconic festivals including Nannup Music Festival, Queens cliff Music Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, National Folk Festival, Groundwater Country Music Festival & Americana fest in Nashville.
Our guest today is Ben Ransom
Born and raised in Sydney, Ben Ransom, started playing guitar and writing songs at the age of fifteen.
Growing up, he was constantly exposed to a broad range of music that strongly influences his own original writing style. It has allowed Ben to draw the listener in on many different levels and connect in a more personal way.
In 1999, Ben left Australia to spend time in Europe, essentially to hone his skills and develop his musical style. He cut his teeth in the heart of London’s West End with a permanent residency in one of the most happening venues at the time.
Ben’s down-to-earth personality and ability to deliver live saw him become one of the hottest, most sought-after artists in that scene, bringing “the spirit of a B&S Ball to the heart of London”.
Ben toured extensively throughout the UK and Europe before returning to Australia where his passion in music held root.
In 2010, Ben completed his first album, “The Long Way”.
The first single, “Bourbon & Sunsets”, was a runaway hit – peaking at #2 on the Hot Country Top 50 chart and as a solid performer on the CMC Top 50.
In 2012 he was a finalist in the coveted Toyota Star Maker competition and completed the album, “Slow Burn”, with Matt Fell and Glen Hannah.
The first single, “Truck Stop Honey”, received national airplay and earned him a nomination for Contemporary Song of The Year at the TSA Awards.
The album was released in 2013 to rave reviews and continued to produce hit singles in the form of “Big Country Sky” and “You’re On The Top of My To-Do List”.
Ben has been named a finalist at the 2013 Southern Stars Awards for Best Male Artist and Best New Talent.
In October 2013, Ben was introduced to international hitmaker and multi-million record selling producer, Rob E.G. Porter. This resulted in the collaboration on the Jackson Browne classic, “Somebody’s Baby”.
Released under Porters’ famous Wizard record label, the track was launched at the 2014 Country Music Festival and entered the charts at #10.
In 2017 Ben joined Country Rocks Records as their first signed artist to their newly formed label.
Earlier in the year he performed daily in the main arena at the 2017 Sydney Royal Easter Show and had the pleasure of supporting iconic artists including Jon Stevens, 1927, and James Blundell.
January 2018 saw the release of the album – “101”
Ben has gone on to play every major country music festival in Australia and was selected as an opening performer for US superstar, Tim McGraw, at the Deni Ute Muster.
One thing is for certain, Ben Ransom is the real deal and is destined for very big things.
Our guest today is Melody Moko.
Melody is one of emergent stars of Australian Country Music and one of those artists whose style is a natural and heartfelt extension of her personality and perspective on life. Her heroes and contemporaries include Brandi Carlile, Tift Merritt, Kathleen Edwards, Fanny Lumsden, and Brooke Fraser.
Growing up with a father who was a passionate and encouraging music enthusiast, Melody knew early on that she “wanted to sing like Linda Ronstadt, and write songs like Bob Dylan.” The allure of international travel took her to the USA where she had the honor of performing at iconic country music venues such as Nashville’s famous Bluebird Cafe, The Continental Club in Austin, Texas and Hank William's favourite hangout, Tootsies.
As a critically acclaimed songwriter, she’s taken her music to the world since the release of her debut album "The Wreckage" in 2017.
The album established her as a songwriter and performer and she undertook a national tour, received a CMC New Artist nomination, played shows with Fanny Lumsden, The McClymonts, and Catherine Britt, and appeared at high profile festivals including Groundwater Country Music Festival (2018), Gympie Music Muster (2019), and Spunk Record's Thirroul Music Festival in 2019.
In 2019 she embarked on another successful USA tour, with Catherine Britt, and traveled to Nashville, TN to record her second album – “Two Kids and A Radio”
Off the back of the album, Melody entered the ARIA Australian Country Albums Chart at #1, #3 ARIA Country Albums, #9 ARIA Australian Albums, #40 ARIA Albums Chart and #1 AIR 100% Independent Albums.
She also earned three nominations at the 2021 Golden Guitar Awards – Alt-Country Album of The Year, Female Artist of The Year, and New Talent of The Year. Melody was awarded the Golden Guitar for New Talent of The Year for the song, “Like Hank Would”. She was also named a nominee for the prestigious Australian Music Prize, named iHeart Country’s Artist of the Week, and a finalist for the Q Music Awards.
Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Gareth Leach.
Gareth is at the forefront of contemporary country music in Australia. He’s a performer and songwriter who understands and respects the tradition, whilst giving it a contemporary edge.
Raised on the muddy banks of Echuca’s Murray River, songwriter Gareth Leach draws inspiration from the introspective and reflective lyrical concepts of his outlaw heroes, tinged with guitar-riff driven hooks that have remained in his blood since he was a young kid growing up with a background in punk-rock.
As a record producer/engineer with diverse tastes and influences, Gareth has also collaborated with musicians from the rock, country, folk, punk, and pop industries to further refine and realize the ideas of the songwriter.
The self-produced and engineered sophomore album of the hard-hitting Australian outlaw country singer/songwriter “Trigger”, debuted at #2 on the iTunes Country and #4 Overall charts and #2 on the Official Australian ARIA Country Charts.
Introspective lyrics and a powerful vocal performance are met with traditional folk and country instrumentation across this exceptional album, featuring guest performances from Ewen Baker (Shane Howard Trio) and Aussie bluegrass legend and Golden Guitar slinger, Hamish Davidson.
Our guest today is Catherine Britt.
Catherine come through in our Sonversasion in many ways but above all as someone deeply in love with music in all its faces, an incredibly talented and prolific singer/songwriter, a cancer survivor, a real power of nature, strong, resilient and determined. But also a vulnerable and down to earth woman, that acknowledges and takes responsability of her choices, decisions, and life experiences as part of her journey.
Over the course of her career, Catherine has collected a host of accolades, a legion of fans, and a mantel of awards including the country industry’s highest honors, touring, performing and recording with some of music’s most respected names including Kasey Chambers, Paul Kelly, Sir Elton John, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton, Don McLean, Chris Isaac, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Guy Clark and Keith Urban to name but a few.
To this day Catherine remains the youngest Australian to ever perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville at the age of 17.
Today Songversations Podcast is landing in Texas to have a chat with Justin Ross.
Fort Worth Texas Native, Justin Ross is a delectable hybrid of Rock, Soul, Roots, Blues, Swamp Rock, Texas Music, and much more.
Ross started his career at age 6 when his mother (Molly Jo) started teaching Ross how to sing.
Soon after Ross started playing guitar, and the rest is history.
Working every day to be a better performer and musician, Ross challenges himself every time he plays and always tries to outdo himself.
Ross has been in the music business long enough to know that you have to work hard and make every day count to get respect from not only the fans but as well as the clubs and venues.
Ross delivers heat, fun, excitement, energy, and great showmanship to every stage he walks upon.
Now at 40 years old, Ross is still going strong. Writing music every chance he has and still working to be the best he can be as a musician, writer, and man.
In his words “This is the life that I have chosen, music is my life, and the rest is to be heard”.
Our guests today are the Vixens of Fall.
Queensland Music Award finalists Vixens of Fall as an Australian trio of singing sisters. They started their professional singing career in 2016 at the Urban Country Music Festival and have since made an indelible impact on the Australian Country Music scene, with regular appearances at the Gympie Music Muster and the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
They have been touted by some Country Music industry insiders as the freshest, most exciting act to hit the Country Scene in many years. Following the success of their debut EP “A Love Like Ours”, they have used the lockdown, enforced by Covid 19, to work with country music greats Gina Jeffreys and Rod McCormack to develop and record several new singles.
“The Long Game” which was released in September 2020, has over 236,000 streams on Spotify over 87,000 views on Facebook, made number #1 on the iTunes Country Charts, played on 75 stations around Australia, and has been played in 92 Countries around the world. In December 2020 they were named Australia’s Most Popular Independent Country Band for 2021 by the Independent Country Music Association of Australia.
Vixens of Fall sassy attitude and outstanding performance, combined with stunning family harmonies have lifted their game to the next level with the release on February 19th, 2021, of their latest single “Break it Easy”. Number 3# on the Australian Country Charts, in the top 10 for 7 weeks and in the top 20 for 13 weeks, this is just a taste of the country-rock legend emerging as the Vixens of Fall.
Follow your heart and you to will fall in love with the Vixens of Fall.
Now is the time, Australia, get Vixenated!
Our guest today is Jessica Lynne Whitty.Jessica Lynne is a Nashville recording artist, born in Denmark, that at the age of thirty, betting on herself and her love for country music, moved to America to follow her dreams.
Once settled in Tacoma, Washington State, Jessica wasted no time adjusting to Seattle’s musical landscape.
With her impressive vocal skill, warm personality, and a rare gift for writing songs that are both catchy and honest, she became an instant favorite with Seattle’s country music promoters, musicians, and fans alike.
She has opened for stars like Dustin Lynch, Diamond Rio, Keith Anderson, Trace Adkins, Sawyer Brown, and Jeff Foxworthy featured at festivals alongside Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Billy Currington, and Little Big Town, and graced legendary stages like the Gorge Amphitheater and Seattle’s Triple Door theater.
Her first Nashville album, Catch Me If You Can, was released in 2016, followed in 2019 by “Warning Label”, both albums recorded with Larry Beaird.
Jessica is nominated for 9 awards at the 2021 International Singer-Songwriters Association Awards and her new album is due to be released at the end of 2021.
Our guest today is Kora Naughton.
At just 19 years of age - Kora Naughton - is proving herself as an artist with drive and determination.
In 2015, she was forced to give up her passion of cheerleading and was during this time that she turned to music. Kora taught herself to play guitar, write songs and sing. This gave her the freedom to channel her emotions through music.
In January 2017, Kora attended her first Tamworth Country Music Festival and from that moment she found a new passion in life and realized that music was what she wanted to do.
She has performed live alongside artists including Bill Chambers, James Blundell, Tania Kernaghan, Christie Lamb, and Amber Lawrence.
In early 2018, she collected her songs and commenced work with producer/musician, Rod Motbey, on what would become her debut album, "Ride or Die".
In March 2021, Preceded by four hit singles, Kora released her anticipated second album, “Nineteen” that she says, “is a celebration of her final teenage year.
Our guest for this episode of Songversations Podcast is Drew Mcalister.
Drew needs little introduction to those who love the Australian Country Music scene. A firm feature of the last generation of singer-songwriters, Drew’s career has been prolific. A loving father of two and a much-adored, heartfelt friend to his fans, he is something of an icon of his time. His catalog includes five number one hit singles on the Country Music Chart as well as an Aria Award nomination, 4 Golden Guitar Awards, and an APRA Song Of The Year Award. He has worked with some of the world's most internationally recognized names in Country Music, amassing a total of five albums under EMI/ ABC/ Universal and now Checked Label Services.
Based in Australia’s Blue Mountains, Drew began singing at just seven years old and has featured in Broadway hit musicals, renowned tribute shows, television appearances, and ongoing festival slots across Australia. He has shared the stage with countless top billing acts including Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Alan Jackson, and Big and Rich
‘When This Is All Over’ is Drews latest offering in 2020. An upbeat fun message about getting two the other side of a situation that doesn’t seem to have an end. Very much a Covid anthem!
For this episode of Songversations Podcast I had the great pleasure to interview Andrew, an old friend that I met the first time 16 years ago in Italy, and his wife Laura.
2021 CMAA ‘Golden Guitar’ award winners, The Weeping Willows (Laura Coates and Andrew Wrigglesworth) are a couple of old souls, steeped in Bluegrass tradition and draped in Gothic Americana imagery.
2017-2020 saw The Weeping Willows nominated for 8 x CMAA ‘Golden Guitar’ awards, 4 x Country Music Channel (CMC) awards, Live Act of the Year (Country) in the National Live Music Awards (NLMAs),
performing at AmericanaFest (USA),
Folk Alliance International (USA),
Maverick Festival (UK),
Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival,
Out On The Weekend and the Australian Americana Music Honours.
In recent years they have supported Lukas Nelson & POTR (USA), Hayes Carll (USA), Iris DeMent (USA), Eilen Jewell (USA) and Willie Watson (USA) and completed national and international tours in support of their sophomore album, Before Darkness Comes A-Callin’, which received four-star reviews in Rolling Stone, The Australian and The Music.
A Weeping Willows performance, whether live on location or caught on tape will always delight.
Our guest for this episode of Songversations is Brittany Elise, a vibrant powerhouse singer-songwriter, that has already had many successes in 2021 with the release of new music. Find Your Music continually echoed round the summer airwaves, having remained in The Music Network Australian Country Hot 50 Chart for 3.5 months, peaking at #16. The track, debuted on the iTunes charts at #4, received full rotation on Country Music Television (CMT) and regular airplay on radio across the country.
Her new single ‘House a Home’ is a tender reflection on all the things that remind us of home, irrespective of where you are in the world. It is a song that deserves a home in your heart.
Brittany Elise has since been chosen as a Finalist at the 2021 Gympie Music Muster and nominated in four categories at the 2022 Australian Independent Country Music Awards for Female Artist, New Female Artist, Single of the Year, and Film Clip of the Year. Find Your Music and House a Home are the first deliveries since her #2 debuting album Something More featuring charting songs Another Day, Something More, Pit Stop, A Simple Plan, and Dorothy May.
Brittany Elise has performed in Nashville Tennessee, as well as various festivals around Australia. Not only is she a graduate of the Junior and Senior Australian Academy of Country Music but her powerhouse voice and storytelling lyrics have seen her open shows for Lee Kernaghan, Graeme Connors, Tania Kernaghan, Lyn Bowtell, and Melody Moko, as well as work with Amber Lawrence, Kevin Bennett, Fanny Lumsden, David Carter, and Luke O’Shea.
Combine this success with a love of sport and charity, Brittany Elise will be coaching at the school girls' state hockey championships in July, hoping to follow on from her Bronze Medal in 2020, as well as working closely with the R U Ok Campaign for mental health.
Brittany Elise is set to release her second album later this year.
Our guest for the latest episode of Songversations Podcast is Katrine Burgoyne.
With a goal to become the first Australian female artist to make an impact on American Country Music in the last three decades. Katrina Burgoyne, following the footsteps of Keith Urban and Morgan Evans, took a massive leap of faith and flew to Nashville, USA. With just a suitcase, a guitar, and her little Aussie battler spirit.
After releasing her debut album in 2011, Katrina has secured four top 10 singles, a top 10 ARIA charting album, and two CMAA nominations. As a songwriter, Katrina has collected indie and major label cuts across three continents (North America, Australia, and UK) and four countries (Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Ireland).
Katrina has seen her songs top the iTunes Charts in New Zealand & Australia. Additionally, topping the mainstream Shazam charts in Northern Ireland and gaining a feature on Fresh Country and New Nashville Spotify playlists & Today's Country Apple Music playlist.
Our guest today is a royalty of Australian Country Legend.
Hailed as an Australian country music legend Cheshire is already receiving praise for his latest release for its authenticity and genuine candour.
At the tender age of 69, Cheshire has been a songwriter since 1966, when he was inspired by the great British pop music explosion of the 60’s along with the influx of American rhythm & blues to pen songs for his school band. In 1971 he went pro with his band Nimbus, sharing the bill with Thin Lizzy among many great acts of the era.
During the 1980s, Cheshire hung up his guitar and became a music manager, but he was called to go back to his singer-songwriter roots by Sydney alternative country pioneers The Danglin’ Brothers and with the help of producer Mark Moffatt the band released a few rare tracks with ABC Records, and Cheshire made his first venture to Tamworth in 1986.
There, a few years later, an up-and-comer named Keith Urban would dedicate his first Golden Guitar to The Danglin’ Brothers, citing them as inspiration.
At the invitation of guitarist Rod McCormack, Cheshire found himself the frontman-songwriter of an even more celebrated Australian roots-country institution. The Wheel recorded their self-titled debut album with producer Garth Porter.
Twice ARIA nominated, they won back-to-back Golden Guitars for Best Vocal Group in 1996 and ’97.
With its iconic guitar, crisp vocals, and southern-roots harmonies, Kim Cheshire’s latest single ‘Have Mercy’ is out now and is a must-listen for any aficionado of Australian Country Music.
Darlinghurst, composed by artists Jason Resch, Pagan Newman, Cassie Leopold, and Matt Darvidis is a new Melbourne based country group that’s redefining Australian contemporary country music.
Darlinghurst’s music is certainly proving to be infectious and with five from Top 5 Country Hot 50 chart positions to date, including three #1’s, their debut single ‘Sorry Won’t Get You Back’, ‘Gotta Go Rodeo’ and the recent ‘Where Do We Go’.
Darlinghurst were nominated for 'New Talent of the Year' at the 2021 Golden Guitar Awards.
Their new album “Darlinghurst” is due for release 27th of August this year.
Our guests today are Roxanne Kiely and Steven Kiely.
Our guests for this episode are Roxanne Kiely and Stephen Kiely.
Roxanne, vocal coach, songwriter, mentor, and poetry and children’s stories writer, is the director of the ever-expanding music school ScoopFX Music.
Roxanne's artistic practice focuses on nurturing emerging Australian talent and strongly emphasizes mentoring and developing the talents of younger artists, and her talent is demonstrated through the success of the stellar list of students she has developed, among them; Delta Goodrem, Bec Hewitt, X-Factor 2014 winner Marlisa, Ella Hooper, Hayley Warner, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Ivy Adara.
Stephen Kiely, Stephen is a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, bass, drums, organ, ukulele, and harmonica.
He is a singer-songwriter, producer and performer, website designer, multi-media and digital creative director, and co-songwriter with his wife for the Busy Izzy and Friends series.
Two of the songs from the Busy Izzy and Friends catalog, “Busy Izzy Says” and Sometimes A Friend”, co-written with her husband Stephen Kiely, recently won 1st Place in the Australian Songwriters Association song competition, songs for children.
He has written and produced film soundtracks, advertising jingles, and songs covering genres as diverse as rock and country, through swing and jazz.
Further, Roxanne and Stephen are is the co-founder and President of the not-for-profit songwriting organization; Songsalive! Australia, which supports Australian songwriters.
Our guests today are the group Storm & Stone.
Storm & Stone is not your average family band. The three siblings (Auriel, August & Hallelujah) came from humble beginnings in the Blue Mountains.
Their parents were teenage sweethearts and were really the backbone of their start in music, something that was always a part of the family life.
Raised on Dolly Parton and Led Zeppelin, instruments were always left around the home for anyone to play.
The girls during to Europe met fellow musician and collaborator Yambi, and with the Icelandic DJ and their producer Matt “Xiro” Fioravanti.
While recording the album they met the founders of Glasshouse Productions, who were pulling together their debut feature film, the much anticipated Australian Feature Film “Love You Like That” which is premiering in 2021.
Not long after, the band gave a sneak preview of the album they were recording for the film and soon found a number of the album's tracks placed into the film's soundtrack.
They’ve gone from strength to strength ever since.
Their debut single ‘Bad’ was released independently earlier this year, showcasing the band's talents and garnered over 37k streams on Spotify and a new following growing internationally.
Our guest today is Sharna Burcher.
From wanting to be Suzi Quattro when she was a child, Burcher has grown into an artist whose music is influenced by Slim Dusty to Loretta Lynn to Tammy Wynette and, more recently, Kasey Chambers and US folk singer Lori McKenna.
It was her musician father who gave her the inspiration to take the stage for the first time, though, when Sharna was just five years old, at his wedding where she sang the Slim Dusty classic, Duncan.
This soon grew into spending weekends watching her father’s country band and learning her craft, but it was Kasey Chambers’ honest lyrics that enticed Burcher to put pen to paper to tell her own stories.
A graduate of the 2016 CMAA Academy of Country Music, Burcher has released two albums of original
material, both produced by Bill Chambers - the first, Livin’ On Closing Time, in 2013 and the latest, Backwards Town, recorded in Nashville with Nash Chambers.
Life experience and the stories she tells from it, is what keeps Broken Hill singer-songwriter Sharna
Burcher producing her brand of country music and playing it across Australia and beyond.
Gretta Ziller is our guest for this episode of Songversations, one of the most appreciated songwriters by many of her peers in the industry, I loved this real and honest Songversation.
Gretta isn’t just a one-trick pony, If you’ve been foolish enough to think you’ve nailed down her sound then prepare to have the rug pulled out from under you. Ziller's roots span jazz, blues, rock, pop, and classical, and that eclecticism is reflected in her songwriting. Her sound may bear the hallmarks of classic Americana music but its essence is far more diverse.
She started her career as an Opera singer and Bagpipe Teacher, her vocal style has changed somewhat since then, she does on the odd occasion incorporate bagpipes into her set ... after all, there aren’t many folks that can sing AND play Long Way to the Top !!
Her 2017 debut album ‘Queen of Boomtown’ received critical acclaim, it was long-listed for the Australian Music Prize in 2018 and received a Golden Guitar and an Age Music Victoria Awards Nomination. In 2020 Gretta received her second Golden Guitar nomination for Vocal Collaboration of the year, she also received an AIR Women In Music mentorship.
2020 also saw Gretta release the first single from her forthcoming album from a new home, signing to ABC Music.
Gretta Ziller is returning in 2021 with a sophomore album scheduled for release in September, her participation in the Global Music Match program through Sounds Australia, and most recently the announcement of her supporting of Ian Moss & Troy Cassar-Daley on their national tour.
Our guest for this episode is Billie-Jo Porter.
Growing close to the nation's country music capital Tamworth, it seems appropriate that Billie-Jo felt drawn to the influences of songwriters like Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Shania Twain, and the Waifs.
Growing up in a music-loving family Billie-Jo has been immersed in the songs of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, John Williamson, and Carol King.
After starting singing when in primary school years she discovered her passion for the guitar and the lyrics in her 20’s.
When on a working holiday in Canada and North America Billie-Jo discovered her calling, and her writing has been prolific within the 15 years of her songwriting.
With numerous live performances under her belt, most notably including the Summer Street Fest in Canada, Bello Winter Music Festival, and Tamworth Country Music Festival, 2021 is a year to bring her growing fanbase a taste of the recorded music, with her first single ‘Feels Like Us’ just release, a number of follow up singles due, before the release of her debut album, released with the ARIA award-winner producer and singer-songwriter Nicholson, at his Central Coast Studio ‘The Sound Hole’.
Her outstanding talent as a songwriter has been evident through not just her own music but in her co-writing as well with collaborations with other artists like the band Quasi Dada, the result of which was an EP, Kevin Bennett in co-writing a duet, Andrew Swift’s latest single ‘Head Full of Honey’ and Kyle Gale’s single ‘Upside Down’.
Our guest today is Cass Hopetoun.
Growing up Idolising the likes of Delta Goodrem as a child, Cass began to learn to play the piano and take up regular singing lessons.
Her voice is one that bears traces to the likes of some of the great country singers like Dolly Parton and Brandy Clark.
Her debut single ‘Shots’ was released in late March 2020, co-written with Country artist Blake Dantier and produced by Matt Fell reached #4 on the Australian Country Music Airplay Charts and has been streamed over 130 000 times on Spotify.
Her sophomore single ‘Typical Bride’ toppled Taylor Swift off the top spot of the Australian Country Airplay Charts, claiming the #1 spot in late 2020. One year post her first release Cass has released a new single ‘Who Needs Hawaii’
She attended the 2021 Tamworth Songwriters Association Awards and won ‘Best New Talent’ and ‘Best Ballad’ with songs co-written with fellow country music artist Blake Dantier.
In 2021 less than 12 months after her first commercial release, she was almost nominated for her first Golden Guitar for ‘Best New Talent’ -
An artist with a firm message about resilience and aiming for your dreams in spite of what adversities life might throw your way are the messages Cass is conveying.
Our guest for this episode is Sally-Anne Whitten was born and raised in Tamworth NSW on a healthy dose of blues, rock, and country music. Her father, guitarist/piano/bass player Barry Whitten saw a young Sally-Anne was immersing herself in all things music taught her to read and write music.
From the age of 15, the singer-songwriter was working as a session player (bass and guitar) alongside her dad. Over the years the artist has honed her very own style of ‘funky country’.
2009 was the year of her debut album “Blurring The Lines”, and three years later her second album “Sell My Soul” was born, produced by Sally-Anne’s guitarist/Golden Guitar winning producer and husband Alwyn Aurisch.
Over the next couple of years, music was put on the back burner while Sally-Anne dealt with some of life’s twists and turns, and Dealing with personal hardships and bouts of depression.
Sally-Anne’s musical heroes include John Hiatt & Rodney Crowell and she’s been blessed to share the stage with many big name acts but no more rewarding that Keith Urban. Sally-Anne was invited to open the show on Keith’s 2000 Australian tour in her hometown.
In 2004 she won the TIARA Awards with ‘The Love He Wants Most’ (which can found on an early EP) co-written with Alwyn Aurisch.
In October 2016 she released a single, ‘The Life You Left Behind’ written following the very unexpected and sudden loss of her 19-year-old nephew.
2018 is the year of her third album “Burgundy Street” inspired by a life-long dream visit to New Orleans in 2015. In this album, Sally-Anne has yet again embraced her unique blend of swampy blues, R&B, southern rock, and West Coast country.
In 2019 the single ‘You Can’t Hide From A Broken Heart’ (co-written by fellow Tamworth artist, Allison Forbes and explores grief and loss) followed the Indie Country Music Australia awards where she was awarded as Most Popular Female Artist, Most Popular Independent Album and producer/husband Alwyn Aurisch was awarded as Most Popular Producer.
Sally-Anne is currently the Breakfast Host at Tamworth’s 2TM
Our guest for this episode is Troy Kemp.
With multiple Australian Country Chart and CMC #1 singles, a Golden Guitar, 3 CMC/ Country Music Channel Awards, 3 People’s Choice Awards, a Frank Ifield International Spur Award and almost a decade of touring under his belt, Troy Kemp is one of Australia’s most recognisable country music talents.
As one half of award winning duo McAlister Kemp that folded in early 2015, late 2015 saw Troy’s debut solo album, "Against The Grain".
Since then Troy voted by fans was the 2016 Planet Country Radio Awards “Male Artist” and “Australian Artist” of the Year before picking up the "Rob Potts New Talent Of the Year Award" at the 2018 CMC Awards with his side, duo project, “Tailgate Drive”.
March 2019 saw Troy again hit the #1 spot on the CMC Chart with “Hung Up On You”, his catchy duet with fellow Aussie country rocker, Jayne Denham.
Now living in Nashville, Tennessee, with the industry gone quiet due to the coronavirus pandemic, Troy is working hard, songwriting, recording and regularly releasing new music to all streaming platforms.
Our guest today Kelly Brouhaha.
Kelly is an award-winning songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for having an extraordinary rare voice.
The South Australian Award Winning Songwriter is one of those artists whose unique style simply cannot be put into a box, Kelly is an artist you simply need to hear.
Living full-time out of her 92 Toyota Hiace Campervan and touring the country, in her music the audiences get a sense of the down to earth country kid and the stories she’s collected on the road after leaving a mortgage and marriage behind to pursue a minimalist lifestyle, enjoying the simpler things in life.
From big blues to soulful country, it is music that is real, raw, and vulnerable, and her captivating live show will have you giggling one minute and in tears the next as she tells stories about her travels and her family.
Our guest for this new episode is Lachlan Bryan.
Lachlan is a singer-songwriter, producer, and musical director. He first emerged as frontman and songwriter for alt-country band The Wildes in 2009 and together the band has released 4 critically praised albums, toured the UK, Europe, and The USA many times, and opened for artists ranging from Justin Townes Earle to Shawn Colvin and John Hiatt.
They won The Age Music Victoria Award for Best Country Album in 2014 and won The Golden Guitar for Best Alt-Country Album the same year. They’ve been ARI Awards nominees and twice shortlisted for The Australian Music Prize.
Lachlan has been the Musical Director for ‘Zevon: Accidentally Like a Martyr’ (starring Henry Wagons) and can be regularly found on festival stages playing piano for and musical directing other acts. He has collaborated with the likes of Tim Rogers, Kasey Chambers, and Henry Wagons as well as Americans Hannah Aldridge and Amelia White.
After two records with ABC, Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes signed to Social Family Records in 2020 and with the new label are expected to publish two albums in 2021, including Nearest Misses Live and a studio album.
Our guest today is Clint Wilson.
Singer/ Songwriter from Melbourne Clint Wilson possesses that rare and special something in his songwriting, that makes his fans instantly connect to his story.
He is a singer and songwriter who obviously feels a deep connection to his role as a storyteller.
Appropriately compared to the likes of Paul Kelly and Crowded House, Clint’s nostalgic Folk, Alt-Country music is an enjoyable amble through the tradition of storytelling in song.
No stranger to the Australian circuit, Clint has played at events including the legendary Tamworth Country Music Festival and supported fellow musicians Kevin Bennet and The Flood, and Andrew Swift.
With two albums published, ‘Dark Water’ in 2018 and ‘Another Death in the Family’ in 2020 Clint’s passion for his music is something that is felt tangibly in his performance and writing style.
Our guest today is Kere Buchanan.
Mainly drummer but multi-instrumentalist Kere started to play drums on gigs around Christchurch New Zealand with his dad when he was 12 and at the young age of 13 was the winner of ‘Most Outstanding Young Musician of the Year’ for drums @ the Tauranga Jazz Festival NZ.
From that moment the list of collaborations, recording sessions, music projects, and productions he has been involved with is incredible, a career that took him to play around the world while keeping receiving acknowledgments and performing requests by a long list of artists including David Campbell, Margaret Urlich, Louie Shelton, Chris Lloyds, Shania Twain, Marcia Hines Wendy Matthews, Tina Arena/ Human Nature/ Kylie Minogue, Dionne Warwick, Felicity Urquhart, Karen Lynne, Grace Knight, Simon Bruce, Bella and has been in tour with many artists including a decade with Marcia Hines, but also with Tina Arena, Grace Knight, Doug Parkinson, Steve Clisby, Jeff Duff just to mention some.
Our guest today is Allison Forbes, one of the best emergent talented singer-songwriters of Australian Country Music.
Tamworth’s rebel child is a new-age outlaw of country music,
Allison Forbes has secured her spot tightly in Australia's alt-country scene. Brave and authentic, will insightful lyrics and addictive melodies, her stories will hit you deeply.
She is an honest and inspiring performer, her voice soars easily through any style with strength, warmth, and consideration.
This is Part 2 and the conclusion of our Songversation with Gina Jeffreys, a royalty of Australian Country Music.
Star Maker multi Golden Guitar winner in Australian Country Music and first ever Australian has been touring around the world with touring Australia with music greats like Lee Kernaghan, Kenny Rogers, Guy Sebastian, Kris Kristofferson, and the most famous of all – Johnny Cash.
After stepping out of the music scene for several years Gina come back in 2019 with the new album "Beautiful Tangle".
Our guest for this episode of Songversations Podcast is Gina Jeffreys, a royalty of Australian Country Music
Star Maker multi Golden Guitar winner in Australian Country Music and first ever Australian has been touring around the world with touring Australia with music greats like Lee Kernaghan, Kenny Rogers, Guy Sebastian, Kris Kristofferson, and the most famous of all – Johnny Cash.
After stepping out of the music scene for several years Gina come back in 2019 with the new album "Beautiful Tangle".
Our guests today are The French Family, Camille, Stuie, and Sonny. Australian country music multi Golden Guitar winners as the duo "Camille & Stuie", they now live in Nashville and added a new member, their son Sonny, transforming the successful duo into The French Family.
Our guest today is Melody Pool, a singer-songwriter that critics have considered as one of the best songwriters in Australia and that wrote some songs that still today bring me to tears for their intensity and deep emotions.
A profoundly emotional and talented artist that struggled with the pressure of mental health that threatened more than her budding stellar career. After being the support act for Australian tours by the Eagles and Rodriguez among many others, in 2017 following the release tour for her second acclaimed album "Deep Dark Savage Heart", she decided to step out of the music business and put her career on pause to take care of her own self first.
In 2021 she announced her return to music with a new album and live shows.
This is Part 2 of our Songversation with Kevin Bennett,
a prominent singer/songwriter in Australian Country Music highly respected by his peers.
Multi Golden Guitar winner and Aria nominee He 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.
It speaks to and is informed by the Australian landscape and the people of this wide, brown land, Australia.
In 2005 he discovered that he had Aboriginal heritage and belonged to the Kamilaroi tribe of Northern New South Wales. Since then he has been involved in several Indigenous Songwriting / Musical Skills and Mentoring projects with Tamworth Regional Council, APRA, and lately with the Jimmy Little Foundation.
In 2011 was asked to be an indigenous ambassador for Apra.
Was a fantastic and extended Songversation with our guest that we decided to spit it in two episodes and this is part #2.
Our guest today is a prominent singer/songwriter in Australian Country Music highly respected by his peers.
Multi Golden Guitar winner and Aria nominee He 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.
It speaks to and is informed by the Australian landscape and the people of this wide, brown land, Australia.
In 2005 he discovered that he had Aboriginal heritage and belonged to the Kamilaroi tribe of Northern New South Wales. Since then he has been involved in several Indigenous Songwriting / Musical Skills and Mentoring projects with Tamworth Regional Council, APRA, and lately with the Jimmy Little Foundation.
In 2011 was asked to be an indigenous ambassador for Apra.
Was a fantastic and extended Songversation with our guest that we decided to spit it in two episodes and this is part #1.
Mark Cryle is an Australian singer/songwriter that Courier Mail’s Noel Mengel once described as “one of the best songwriters in Australia”.
Mark has tended to avoid the typical path of the solo singer-songwriter. Instead, he is something of a musical chameleon who enjoys the craft of writing for a variety of ensemble projects. Most recently, these have included the Celtic-flavoured band Asleep at the Reel and a duo with Richard Evans, his old friend from Spot the Dog days, called The Mystery Dogs. Most recently Mark has been working on a project centered on songs about Australian history with nationally and internationally acclaimed guitarist Michael Fix.
Our guest today is Amber Lawrence, an Australian singer-songwriter. 2015 ‘Female Artist of the Year’
and winner in 2018 of three Golden Guitars, as APRA Song of the Year, Single of the Year, and Vocal Collaboration of the year, for the song ‘Our Backyard’, a collaboration with Travis Collins.In 2019 Amber Lawrence launched her 6th studio album, Spark – nominated for CMAA Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Contemporary Album of the Year.
Amber is also a mentor to young artists in the Australian Music Industry and has provided free entertainment and mentoring in over 300 schools Australia-wide, as part of her ‘Be Your Own Superhero’ program.
Our Songversation today is with Andrew Swift, often referred to as one the hardest working country artists in Australia.
He has been on tour with the Wolfe Brothers, Felicity Urquhart, Shannon Noll, numerous festival appearances & Swift’s own shows including his ‘Caravan Park Country Music Showcase’.
2 x Golden Guitar Winner, he has gone from strength to strength since finding his feet in the Australian country music scene as a Toyota Starmaker grand-finalist in 2017.
At the 2019 Golden Guitar Awards, the country music industry recognized his relentless hard work and saw him takehome the awards for Qantas New Talent of the Year & Alternative Country Album of the Year.
Our Songversation today is with Cassandra Campbell, a fingerstyle guitarist who writes, perform and record music for relaxation and meditation purposes.
With a Bachelor of Music and an AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) accreditation for classical guitar, her soothing melodies, subtle harmonies, and sonic pulse take people on a journey that helps them explore and create space within themselves – inviting a sense of peace, relaxation, and connection.
Our Songversation today is with one of the emergent and best talents of Australian country music, Max Jackson.
Max hit in 2020 the #1 on the Australian iTunes Country Chart with multiple singles and her debut album “LIFE OF THE PARTY”.
Max is unlike any other young Australian country artist,
creating her own unique blend of Country and Pop.
The Songversation today is with a real legend for any singer/songwriter in Australia and internationally, Allan Caswell.
With more than 800 songs published and 500 recordings, is the most published songwriter in Australia and he is the go-to cowriter for many of Australia’s top artists.
Our Songversation today is with the very talented Australian singer-songwriter, multi Golden Guitar winner, and rising star of Australian country music Brad Butcher.
In this third episode of Songversations Enrico Crosina is joined by a very special guest, Michael Fix, acclaimed as one of the world's finest acoustic guitarists to have a conversation about his music, and his Instrumental Story Telling
In this second episode of Songversations Enrico Crosina is joined by a very special singer and songwriter, Luke O'Shea to discuss his music, the connection with his land, Australia and its traditions, the beginning of his career, and more
In this first episode of Songversations Enrico Crosina is Joined by one of the best singer/songwriters in Australia, Lyn Bowtell to discuss her musical style, the beginning of her career, and more
In this introduction episode to Songversations the show's host Enrico Crosina will talk about what this podcast about and its structure.