TWELFTH AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT
COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS
THE SOUTHERN STARS - THE AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS
Presented by Neighbourhood Cable & Grapevine
Mildura Arts Centre 6pm - 8pm Saturday 4th October, 2008
2008 F I N A L I S T S
1. APRA/AMCOS AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC SINGLE OF THE YEAR
SOMEBODY STOLE MY HORSE |
Harmony James |
GONNA FLY |
Amber Lawrence |
TOO FAR GONE |
Lou Bradley |
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE |
Carter & Carter |
2. ONE STOP ENTERTAINMENT AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR
THERE TO HERE |
Drew McAlister |
RAINDANCE |
Markus Meier |
THE MILE |
Amber Lawrence |
REBEL WITH A CAUSE |
8 Ball Aitken |
3. AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT HERITAGE TRACK OF THE YEAR TRADITIONAL
SONS OF THE SNOWY |
Peter Pratt |
A SADDLE FOR A THRONE |
Graham Rodger |
RED DIRT COUNTRY |
Markus Meier |
THE SADDLE |
Matt Manning |
4. CAPITAL NEWS AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT RISING STAR MALE
ADAM JAMES |
The Country Singer |
8 BALL AITKEN |
Cyclone Country |
DANNY HOOPER |
Already Gone |
BRAD COLE |
Lovin' Man |
5. CAPITAL NEWS AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT RISING STAR FEMALE
JAYNE DENHAM |
Cousin Jude |
KELLY LLEWELLYN |
Done a Lot of Livin' In These Shoes |
ROSE CARLEO |
Til I Find Me Again |
KELLY HOPE |
You're Not My Ute |
6. AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
MARKUS MEIER |
Walk In The Rain |
COL FINLEY |
Get Your Country On |
DREW McALISTER |
Part of the Family |
TOM CURTAIN |
Wearing Out Leather |
7. AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
LOU BRADLEY |
Too Far Gone |
AMBER LAWRENCE |
Gonna Fly |
TRACY KILLEEN |
All Kinds Of Beautiful |
HARMONY JAMES |
Somebody Stole My Horse |
8. AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR
JONAH'S ROAD |
All Mine |
CARTER & CARTER |
The Best Things In Life Are Free |
JETTY ROAD |
I Wanna Go Home |
CAMILLE TE NAHU & STUIE FRENCH |
All I Ever Need Is You |
9. AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR
No Finalists. To be announced on the night.
Winners announced on Saturday 4th October 2008 at the awards presentation concert at 6pm in the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre.
Tickets are available by calling 1800 039 043 ($33.00 including GST)
ABOUT THE FINALISTS
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8 Ball Aitken  |
8 Ball Aitken is authentic – a real deal Aussie character who rattles the roof, stomps
the planks, and gets his audiences whooping and hollering along in a frenzy of fun. A
2008 Toyota Star Maker grand finalist and 2007 CMAA Australian College of Country Music
graduate, he has become Far North Queensland’s best loved banana picker (turned full-time
guitar picker). His new album, Rebel With A Cause, was produced by Garth Porter, and his
latest single Cyclone Country is set to give him his first Top 10 chart success. |
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Lou Bradley is bursting onto the music scene with a vitality and originality
that blows you away. Lou's experiences have an authenticity that's reflected in memorable songs
sweeping across a vast terrain of life, love and friendship - she’s a genuine storyteller and
one of the brightest new Australian singer-songwriters to emerge in years. Her debut album
Love Someone has already created an enormous vibe, combining Lou’s
unique vocals and songs with superb production by multi-award winning Rod McCormack. She followed
the radio success of her debut single Love Someone with the wonderfully
poignant and compelling One Shoe, a sad but also uplifting tribute to her late sister. |
Lou Bradley  |
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Carter & Carter  |
Golden Guitar Winners Carter & Carter have created history as independent artists with their
multi-award winning albums and chart topping hits. They received honours in 2004 with the APRA
Most Performed Country Work. Carter & Carter have been voted CMAA Independent Entertainers of
the Year and Australian Independent Country Music Artists of the Year at the Southern Stars
Australian Independent Country Music Awards three years running, plus numerous other awards for Single of the
Year, Album of the Year and more. They have released 11 singles, all of them making the National
Top 10, including six #1's, and four albums to date, Dance Away The Night,
Every Minute, Acoustic Gospel and their latest Leap Before You Look.
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The 2007 release of Rose Carleo’s debut album Everything I Need produced
by Brendan Radford, highlights her powerhouse vocals and opens our eyes to Rose Carleo the
songwriter. A 2007 Toyota Star Maker finalist and winner of the Silver Medallion at the
2007 Queensland Gold Medallion Awards for best new talent, Rose has been described as
one of the brightest new success stories in Australian Country Music. Rose was a 2008 CMAA
Golden Guitar finalist and won the TIARA for Vocal Collaboration of the Year with
Sometimes You Just Know, with Drew McAlister, a song that also gave Rose her first
top 10 hit on the country charts. |
Rose Carleo  |
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Brad Cole  |
Brad Cole delivers a broadly appealing, melodic and polished brand of contemporary
country/rock/pop. His well crafted songs and distinctive sound are being embraced
not only in Australia but also overseas in Canada where he is represented by one
of Canada’s major country music promoters. His debut album, Icebreaker, was
released in August, and his two radio singles, Lovin’ Man and
Hits Me Like Lightning, have received strong national airplay. |
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Tom Curtain jumps from one saddle to another as he juggles his horse-breaking
and country music careers, and does it admirably. Following the enormous success of his
debut album Smack Bang which grabbed two Golden Guitar nominations and four
hit singles including the #1 smash hit Smack Bang, Tom once again teamed up
with multi Golden-guitar winning producer and writer Garth Porter and was
back in 2006 with his new album Heatwave. All four radio singles,
Born Out Here, Chew Like Hell, Wearing Out Leather and
Heatwave continued Tom’s amazing chart success. |
Tom Curtain  |
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Jayne Denham  |
Jayne Denham, first known across Australia for her debut single Chick Ute
has gained further attention with the release of her truckin’ favourite
Cousin Jude. This has brought invitations to perform at truck shows and
Festivals around Australia. Jayne has had fantastic reviews and appeared
on The Best of Country Music Channel DVD, CMC’s Gympie special Rollin with
the Muster, Songs For My Ute Vol 5 and Bundy Country 2. Golden Guitar
and ARIA award winner John Kane, of the Flying Emus and Mark Walmsley
produced Jayne’s debut album Sudden Change in Weather. Jayne’s latest release
from the album, Country Girl with a Rock & Roll Heart, is attracting a
wide audience throughout Australia.
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Col Finley’s single Get Your Country On debuted on the ARIA singles
charts in January 2008. Col is held in high regard by his peers and fans, with
a string of successful albums in his wake and the creative expertise and
talent of his band and Tommirock Records, you can expect to hear bigger
and better things as Col and his music continue to grow and evolve.
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Col Finley  |
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Danny Hooper  |
Multiple award-winner Danny Hooper has fast-tracked a strong profile within the Australian
Country Music industry with the release of his debut CD The Legacy in 2007. With his
first two radio singles, Every Reason and Already Gone reaching Top 40 chart
positions, and two video clips, Every Reason and Heartache reaching Top 40
on the Country Music Channel, Danny has secured his future on stages across Australia.
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NSW Central Coast-based Kelly Hope released her self-titled debut album with the first single
Heartbreak Road making both the top 30 and top 100 country charts. She completed
her first US tour including studio time with one of Nashville’s most prestigious
producers Bill Warner (Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Jewel and Natalie Imbruglia). Kelly recorded
You Make Me Wanna Cheat, a song written by legendary country
songwriter Jim Owens. In January 2007, Kelly graduated from the CMAA Australian College
of Country Music. Her current single You’re Not My Ute has again hit
the mark with radio gracing the top 25 on the Top 100 Country Hits chart.
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Kelly Hope  |
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Adam James  |
Brisbane based Adam James is one of the most exciting new singer/songwriters in Australian
country music. He was a grand finalist in the 2008 Toyota Star Maker Quest and also launched
his debut album Messages & Memories during the 2008 Tamworth Country Music Festival. This bright new
star has already performed at a number of major music festivals including Urban
Country Music Festival, Toyota Country Music Festival at Gympie, Tamworth Country Music Festival, The
Dreaming and Woodford Folk Festivals. His music is honest and heartfelt and has the
ability to deeply move the listener in the way music should.
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Harmony James’ EP was launched in January 2007. The high-charting debut,
Tailwind, was nominated for the 2008 new talent Golden Guitar Award and became the
first ever Australian winner of the country division of the International Songwriting
Competition. Her second single Somebody Stole My Horse was a #1 smash
and the videos charted in CMC Top 40. She receives many accolades and nominations
as a writer/performer and her songs are included on best selling compilations.
A regular at Festivals as demand increases, Harmony is preparing for the
release of her highly anticipated full-length album.
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Harmony James  |
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Jetty Road  |
Since debuting at Tamworth in 2005 Jetty Road is fast establishing itself as one
of Australia’s premier live acts. Twin sisters Lee and Paula Bowman as lead
vocalists and multi-instrumentalists Julian Sammut and Simon Ross are receiving
recognition for their exceptional performance and songwriting abilities. In
2008 Jetty Road achieved a Golden Guitar finalist nomination, and went on to
claim the best group TIARA as well as the coveted Victorian Album of the Year award
for Dirt Roads ~ City Lights at the Victorian and National Country Music Awards.
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Country pop trio Jonah’s Road is going from strength to strength with the second
album Counting Down The Days. Released in early 2007, the multi award winning band has
had radio and TV success with the singles from the album and recently picked up best
country artist in the 2007 National Musicoz Awards, best Independent release at the
2008 National CM Awards, and best country album in the 2008 US Independent Music Awards
People’s Choice as well as nominations for the 2008 Golden Guitars, People’s Choice and
TIARAs. |
Jonah's Road  |
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Tracy Killeen  |
Tracy launched her debut solo album Back There at the 2007 Toyota Gympie
Muster and was an instant hit with Country Music fans, achieving the # 1 selling album at the
Muster and then starred on One Stop Country’s Top 20 highest sellers list. Tracy has
appeared at Australia’s top festivals including Tamworth, Mud Bulls & Music, Mildura
and the Gympie Muster, and has been a finalist in the CMAA Golden Guitars, Golden Saddle
Awards, TIARAs and People’s Choice Awards. Her recent radio hit All Kind Of Beautiful
gave Tracy her first Top 5 solo chart hit. |
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After releasing her long awaited debut album The Mile in July 2007,
things have gone from good to great for singer/songwriter, Amber Lawrence.
Amber hit #1 on the CMC charts with her clip Things That Bring Me Down
as well as securing #3 on the Country Tracks Top 30. She also had huge
radio and video hits with follow up singles Gonna Fly and Good Girls.
Amber was a 2008 Golden Guitar finalist in two categories - Female Artist
and Maton New Talent of the Year. From entertaining the troops in East Timor
to shows with Chic Frontier and The McClymonts, 2008 has seen Amber tour extensively
and grow her fanbase. |
Amber Lawrence  |
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Kelly Llewellyn  |
Kelly Llewellyn is one of the new breed of talented rising stars on the country scene who
are taking our music forward into the twenty-first century by attracting a passionate new
audience. Her acclaimed album Me has already given her three strong radio singles,
Easy Me, Done A Lotta Livin’ In These Shoes and Nathalie, and attracted widespread
enthusiastic reviews with Kelly’s distinctive, husky voice, great songs, slick
production standards and exciting sounds.
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Based in the Northern Rivers of NSW, Matt Manning is a young
upcoming bush balladeer who was the 2004 Bush Balladeer Star
Quest winner. Following the success of Matt’s debut radio single
You’ve Got To Go West Young Fella,
he appeared at major festivals around the country during 2004,
and released his debut album New Wave
Balladeer in October 2004. |
Matt Manning  |
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Drew McAlister  |
Drew McAlister, is a rising star on the Australian CM scene. In 2007 he picked up his first
Golden Guitar award for vocal collaboration for A Little Bit of Country In Us All with
Allan Caswell. In 2008 he won the TIARA with Rose Carleo for Sometimes You Just Know,
which was also nominated for a Golden Guitar. His debut album, There To Here was
released in January 2008 via Compass Bros distribution and has already produced two
hit singles, Somewhere Somehow and Part Of The Family.
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Markus took out three sections at the 2006 Adelaide River CM Festival, NT
and when representing the Territory at the CMAA Australian College of Country Music, his talent
caught the eye of Garth Porter. In January 2007 his EP Matilda Road was released
with the single and video clip gaining much attention. In August his debut album
Raindance followed with three singles reaching the top 10. He was named
Capital News Male Rising Star at the 2007 Independent Country Music Awards at Mildura and was
the ambassador at the Urban Country Music Festival in May 2008. |
Markus Meier  |
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Peter Pratt  |
Peter Pratt has been songwriting and performing professionally since 2001 when he graduated
from the CMAA Australian College of Country Music. Peter has numerous award wins and finalist berths,
including CMAA Independent Entertainer of the Year and three Golden Guitar finalist placings. He
has scored two top 10 hits, and his vocal style is reminiscent of the early western crooners,
with an unmistakable Australian quality, Peter Pratt has created his own unique sound drawing
from his love of music, the land and country lifestyle around him. |
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Graham is a multi-award-winning songwriter and recording artist. Among his
many wins have been 15 TSA awards, two TIARAS, and Heritage Song of the Year in the
2007 Australian Independent CM Awards at Mildura. He has also received 100-plus
finals nominations, including five in the Golden Guitars. Recently Graham had
his first hit single with Woman On The Land, from his sixth album, Thunderbolt.
He has released seven albums and two DVDs. His latest album is
The Fire Within Me. Already one of the songs, A Saddle For A Throne, took out
the 2008 National Songwriting Contest of Australia, and the radio single
Give This Hug To Daddy became another Top 30 chart success. |
Graham Rodger  |
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Camille Te Nahu & Stuie French  |
Award winning duo Camille Te Nahu and Stuie French have reaped plenty of
success with their two albums, Without You and Recovered. Camille’s superb vocals and
the brilliant musicianship and production talents of Stuie have garnered a series of
chart hits including the #1 smash Wives Don’t Like Old Girlfriends,
and a host of awards and nominations along the way including 3 TIARA Awards,
2 Golden Guitar nominations and a win for Group/Duo in the 2006 Australian
Independent Country Music Awards, and 2 finalist nominations in the same awards in 2007.
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2008 |
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