Tamworth Country Music 50 50

In this episode, which is published just days prior to the start of the rescheduled 2022 Tamworth Country Music Festival, we look at how the festival is shaping up in the changed environment. And we hear from Tamworth Country Music Festival Manager Barry Harley...

In this episode, we look in more detail at the overall program for the rescheduled Tamworth Country Music Festival and some of the permanent country music attractions in Country Music Capital...

In this episode, we look at the major Take Me Home To Tamworth exhibition at the Tamworth Regional Gallery.

In this episode, we talk about a major update to the official Tamworth Country Music Festival website.

In this episode, we look at updated entertainment programming for the major club venues in Country Music Capital during the rescheduled festival.

In this episode, we look in detail at the updated program of free concerts in Country Music Capital's Bicentennial Park... or Toyota Park as it is known during the annual festival.

In this episode, we provide an update of another major event held during the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival, the Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards which will be held on Tuesday April 19 during the rescheduled festival event.

In this episode, we look in a little more detail at the release of the substantially updated book STARS, HURRAHS & GOLDEN GUITARS, published to co-incide with the 50th Tamworth Country Music Fesival.

In this episode, we look at a number of the major events taking place during the postponed Tamworth Country Music Festival in April... the Golden Guitar Awards and the giant Anniversary Concert celebrating 50 Years of the Festival...

In this episode, we look at an especially innovative pre festival program activity running up to the new festival dates.

In this episode, we update news of Festival busking and discuss the significance of "the Boulevarde of dreams". We also have details of the new Community Saturday in the Park which was announced for January and will take place now in April. And finally, we have news of what is happening with the Official Festival Guide.

In this episode, we look at more of the traditional festival events and activities being organised for the postponed event… including free concerts in the park. We also cover news of the the annual Tamworth Songwriters' Association Awards which have been announced.

In this episode, we look at more of the events and activities rescheduled for the postponed festival in April, especially Country Music Capital's vibrant pub and club scene... 

In this episode, we announce a change of name for our on-going podcast series to reflect the fact that the series will continue through to the new April staging of the postponed Tamworth Country Music Festival... including an initial update of what is happening so far!

In this episode, we cover the announcement of the postponement of the iconic January country music festival to new dates in April due to increasing uncertainty surrounding live music restrictions and the current surge in the coronavirus which is having major impacts on almost every aspect of daily life in NSW in particular.

In this episode, we continue the current update to the festival now just a matter of weeks away. Despite growing coronavirus infection numbers, all is go for the major event with visitor numbers already beginning to build and fans arriving early for the biggest country music festival in Australia and one of the most significant of all Australian music festivals. As part of our coverage, we take a closer look at the Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards... one of the other major awards presentations held annually during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

In this episode, we provide more updates to the now impending festival including coverage of the major online resources tcmf.com.au and associated Facebook page. At this important point of the festival lead-up, we also feature a number of well-known artists and industry people looking ahead to a Tamworth festival in five years time... Ashleigh Dallas, Andrew Swift, Shane Nicholson, Hayley Marsten, Roger Corbett, Jasmine Rae, Angus Gill, Melody Moko, Casey Barnes, Felicity Urquhart, Kirsty Lee Akers, Adam Harvey, Travis Collins, Mollie McClymont and Festival Manager Barry Harley.

In this episode, we provide more preview to the upcoming 50th Festival, including the not so good news about the cancellation of the iconic Country Music Cavalcade for 2022. Despite this, and a number of other individual artist cancellations, the Festival is full steam ahead. We also cover the release of a special "T For Tamworth" CD and the involvement of a brand new sponsor and activities for the event.

In this episode, we look forward to the upcoming festival and cover in detail news of Toyota Park free entertainment which will run every night of the festival… including the giant opening concert on festival day one… Toyota Star Maker on the first Sunday evening… the huge Back to the Bush Concert mid week and the busking championships on the last Sunday.

In this episode, by popular demand, we play more of the historic audio from the very first Golden Guitar Awards in 1973.

In this episode, we take a listen back to the very first Golden Guitar Awards held on Sunday January 28, 1973. We also cover news of Golden Guitar Awards finalists announced for the 2022 Awards.

In this episode, we talk about a major event that took place in Tamworth in 1970 which in many ways was an important development for the country music activity to come, including an audio grab from the event. We also look at news of a special consumer promotion being oganised by the local chamber of commerce for the January 2022 festival.

In this episode, we talk with country music historian Max Ellis about later influences on the Tamworth Country Music Festival. We also look at some of the numerous activities that run annually during the January country music festival in aid of good causes.

In this episode, we look in more depth at how the Tamworth Country Music Festival was promoted so successfully in the early days. We also talk about Tamworth’s reputation as a launching pad for new and developing stars of Australian country music.

In this episode, Max Ellis, station manager of radio 2TM at the time the whole Tamworth country music concept was initiated and developed, talks about some of the key people involved in making it all happen in those early days. We also cover news of record entries received for the 50th Golden Guitar Awards.

In this episode, we talk about the increasingly important role played by the Tamworth Regional Council in Tamworth country music, including the annual January festival. We also talk about fund-raising for a John Williamson statue to be erected in the city and report on the official announcement that the 2022 Tamworth Country Music Festival is definitely going ahead and news of more major show announcements for January.

In this episode we talk about a special publication being put together for the 2022 Tamworth Country Music Festival. We also cover news of the official festival guide being published for the upcoming festival.

In this episode, we’re speaking again with country music historian Max Ellis about country music media then and now. We also report on the news of a facelift for Country Music Capital’s famous big Golden Guitar and of more major shows announced for the 2022 festival.

In this episode, we follow the stories of more of the early pioneers of country music in Tamworth and how a number of artists have used Country Music Capital as a stepping stone in their careers. We also look a little closer at busking in Tamworth during the annual country music festival.

In this episode, we talk in depth about Tamworth’s earliest pioneer of country music. We also look at the developing promotion of the 2022 Tamworth Country Music Festival, especially on social media.

In this episode, we talk with country music historian Max Ellis about his comprehensive website devoted to the history of country music in Australia… historyofcountrymusic.com.au. We also cover the news of a special funding boost from the NSW State Government to support the return of the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 2022.

In this episode, we get an overview of the many country music attractions that have developed in Tamworth over the years. We also report on accommodation options available in Tamworth for the annual January country music festival.

In this episode, we take a closer look at the Country Music Hands of Fame cornerstone in Tamworth. We also cover news of more artist announcements for a number of major venues in Tamworth in January 2022.

In this episode, we look at the local vibrant pub entertainment scene in Tamworth and how it has contributed to the success of the annual January country music festival. We also report on an announcement by the NSW State Government which gave great confidence to locals and visitors alike that major events like “Tamworth” would be able to go ahead in 2022.

In this episode we talk with original Golden Guitar Awards Chief Executive Max Ellis about some of the larger than life characters and how they interacted with what was going on in Tamworth in those early days. We also cover the news of a special  CD series release celebrating the 50th Golden Guitar Awards in January 2022.

In this episode, we go back to before the start of the January country music festival in Tamworth and how a number of major early concerts contributed to the ultimate marketing of the city as Country Music Capital. We also preview a special exhibition being set up for the January country music festival at the Tamworth Regional Art Gallery.

In this episode, we get the story of how the Walk A Country Mile Interpretive Centre was created and established in Tamworth. We also look at a number of important awards presentations and talent quests staged annually during the January festival.

In this episode we look at how the massive Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre came to be. We also look at how some of the towns and villages near Tamworth get involved in the annual January country music festival.

In this episode we look back at the early days of country music recording in Tamworth, Australia’s Country Music Capital. We also take a look at the city’s active registered club entertainment scene.

In this episode we look at the early ground-breaking research into the popularity of country music in Australia. We also take a closer look at the famous and historic Tamworth Town Hall in Country Music Capital.

In this episode, we look more closely at Country Music Capital's Pioneers Parade... a special avenue of bronze busts saluting a number of Australian country music's early pioneers. We touch on the statues in the city of pioneers including Smoky Dawson who, with his wife Dot, had a very strong connection to Tamworth. And we look at the upcoming 50th Golden Guitar Awards...

In this episode, our special guest again is country music historian Max Ellis discussing the equine industry in Tamworth and how it has evolved with the city’s country music promotion over the years. We also have details of the first major artist announcement for the upcoming 2022 Tamworth Country Music Festival.

In this episode, we talk again with country music historian Max Ellis about the establishment and early development of the Australian Academy of Country Music, originally the College of Country Music. Note, this episode is shorter than usual as we had planned to include a preview of Tamworth’s mid year festival Hats Off which was cancelled because of Covid19 within hours of the program being finalised.

In this episode, we continue our look at the early days of the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) and some of the ground-breaking activities launched to expand the reach and acceptance of Australian country music to a broader market. We also chat with CMAA Board member Rebecca Gracie about the 2021 Academy of Australian Country Music Junior course being conducted in Tamworth this June/July.

In this episode, we look more at the early days of the Country Music Association of Australia and it's major positive impact on the Australian music industry through the 1990s... and we talk about the return of Toyota Star Maker with organisers announcing the opening of entries for the 2022 event.

In this episode, we go back to the mid 1990s when the responsibility for various major Tamworth country music activities shifted from Radio 2TM to other groups and organisations. We also feature an interview with John Williamson following the official announcement of a fund-raising campaign launched to build a statue of the Aussie country superstar to be unveiled in Tamworth in January 2022.

In this episode, country music historian Max Ellis talks about how the Country Music Association of Australia was founded. We also learn about the brand new big blow-up Golden Guitar now being used to promote the 2022 Tamworth Country Music Festival and Golden Guitar Awards.

In this episode, we look at the famous 2TM radio program "Hoedown" in more detail, especially its earlier days and who was involved. We also preview this weekend's "Tamworth Comes To Town" promotion in Sydney.

In this episode, we talk a little more about the Star Maker quest, and especially some of the people who made it all work in the earlier days of Tamworth Country Music. We also get an update on plans for the January 2022 festival.

In this episode, we talk with country music historian Max Ellis about how a country music artist might progress their career through Tamworth country music, in what he terms the "Stairway To Stardom". We also look at Tamworth's dedicated Country Music Trail...