Online entries for the North West Victoria heat in Mildura, of the Telstra Road To Tamworth country music talent competition are now open and close on Thursday 31 August, and Australian Country Music star Adam Harvey has urged rising new singers to chase their dreams of stardom and possibly a trip to Nashville.

Multiple Australian Golden Guitar winner and three time CMAA Male Vocalist of the Year, Adam Harvey, who was the Male Vocalist winner at Mildura in 1994, is the official Ambassador of the 2007 Telstra Road to Tamworth.

The heat will be held at the Mildura Country Music Festival, Henderson Park, from 10.00am–12.00pm Monday 25 September. The Telstra Road to Tamworth competition is a nationwide talent quest that identifies heat winners from across Australia.

The heat winners qualify for the finals series which will be held at the Tamworth Country Music Festival between January 19 and 28 next year. Adam said, "The competition reflects the growth of country music as a popular genre and will help identify and foster aspiring country music artists."

"I think Telstra Country Wide’s support is fantastic as it is nurturing new country music talent in Australia and I am really excited about being involved in this year’s competition," he said.

The Telstra Road to Tamworth competition offers two trips to Nashville as part of the $80,000 prize package. One trip goes to the overall competition winner and the other to an aspiring writer through the Songwriters’ Encouragement Award.

Each winner of the heats staged across the country will receive a $1000 prize to assist in their travel to Tamworth for the 2007 Telstra Country Music Festival, recognised as the largest country music festival in Australia. The top eight finalists will each receive a MP-3 player valued at $500 and progress to the Grand Final.

The Songwriter’s Encouragement Award winner will receive a return economy airfare to Nashville, USA including living and accommodation expenses as well as 5 days of Songwriting appointments with top American songwriters.

This truly unique and outstanding package of prizes is designed to help launch the careers of the two successful winners, by delivering all the components required by any new artist, who dreams of launching a successful professional country music career.

"I am really proud to be the ambassador for this contest as country music can’t move forward without programs such as Telstra Road to Tamworth. I only wish this competition had been around when I was an unknown kid trying to make it in the country music game," Harvey said.

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS REACH NEW HIGH

2005 Winners pictured: Left to Right Royden Donohue, Stacey Morris, Tracy Coster, James Blundell, Shelley Evans, Travis Sinclair.

Organisers have just completed compiling a record list of nominations for the 2006 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars – the Australian Independent Country Music Awards.

The Awards are held in conjunction with the giant 10 day Mildura Country Music Festival, and Awards organiser John Arnold reports that a total of 275 individual nominations were received for the seven judged categories, representing recorded product from 116 individual artists and groups.

"The volume of nominations for this year’s awards reconfirms the strength and growth of the Independent segment of the Australian Country Music Industry," said Mr Arnold.

Entries for last year’s awards highlighted the emerging stars with record entries in the Male and Female Rising Star categories, but this year the emphasis is on the established artists with strong nominations in both the Male and Female Vocal sections. The Male category sees a 50 percent increase in 2006 with a total of 36 nominations.

The highest nominations were received in APRA/AMCOS Independent Single of the Year with 99 entries and One Stop Entertainment Independent Album of the Year with 46." The record number of nominations in Single of the year is testimonial to the strong part that these artists play in the industry," Mr Arnold commented. "Many of these songs achieved major national chart success during the past twelve months," he said.

The Australian Independent Country Music Awards are now in their 10th year, and are widely recognised as a major benchmark for independent country music artists. A significant number of winners and finalists at previous awards have gone on to further success in a variety of awards.

2006 Southern Stars finalists will be announced on Friday, August 11, with winners to be announced at a Gala Concert at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre on Saturday, 30 September.

Further details about the 20th Mildura Country Music Festival and the 2006 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars – the Australian Independent Country Music Awards are available freecall 1800 039 043.

MILDURA WINNER TAKES OUT NORFOLK ISLAND AWARD

Briana Lee

Talented young Victorian singer Briana Lee is the Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year.

Briana, who qualified to enter at the Mildura Country Music Festival, won the prestigous award and $10,000 in prizes when she visited Norfolk Island for the annual Norfolk Island Country Music Festival.

Briana, 18, of Shepparton, finished ahead of seven other performers from Australia and New Zealand to win the island's 12th annual Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year Award.

A graduate of Tamworth’s Camerata Music College, Briana started singing at the age of 10 and is keen to use her award as a springboard for a big career in country music.

Briana took out the top Norfolk Island award on May 23, and it includes $4000 in cash, $5000 in recording time at PVG Productions studios in Auckland and $3000 worth of publicity for the recording from new sponsor, ABC Music.

Norfolk Island Country Music Association President Jackie Pye said "she was delighted with support received from ABC Music, given its impact on music in Australia."

"Competition was again very stiff this year, but Briana was a stand-out talent and deserved the decision of our three judges – from Australia, New Zealand and Norfolk Island, " Ms Pye said.

Ms Pye said " next year’s Country Music Festival would be held on the tiny island, 1600km north-east of Sydney, from May 27 ­- June 4, 2007."

Details will be posted soon at www.nicma.nlk.nf or email Jackie Pye on nicma@norfolk.net.nf

2006 TALENT QUEST ENTRY FORM NOW ON-LINE

The entry form for the 2006 Top of the State Talent Quest is now available. The Talent Quest this year will be held at a new location, the popular CLUB DA VINCI in Deakin Avenue.

View the Talent Quest Entry Form

20th MILDURA FESTIVAL ON TRACK

Stuie French & Camille Te Nahu

Australia’s largest Independent Country Music Festival will celebrate its 20th birthday this year and is already well advanced with arrangements for 2006, with all indicators pointing towards another huge event.

Featuring over 100 artists appearing at 24 separate venues, the 20th Mildura Country Music Festival from 22 September to 1 October is on track to be the biggest ever, with most artist appearances already confirmed.

The popular open-air venue at Henderson Park will again have performances for nine days of the Festival and Country on the Darling at Wentworth continues as a feature of the Festival. There will be increased shows at many venues and a new daytime Walk Up hosted by IAN MUIR will be introduced, at the recently renovated and popular venue, the Merbein Citizens Club.

"We have eleven new artists at this years Festival and things are shaping up extremely well," said Festival Co-ordinator John Arnold. "The great co-operation from Tourism Victoria, Mildura Rural City and Wentworth Shire Councils, our sponsors, the accommodation industry and venues are vital factors in making the Festival such an ongoing success," he said.

The impressive artist roster includes 2006 Golden Guitar finalists CAMILLE TE NAHU & STUIE FRENCH, CARTER & CARTER, JOHN STEPHAN, AMOS MORRIS, DARREN COLSTON, GRAHAM RODGER and PAUL COSTA.

Hitmakers like TOM CURTAIN, JEANETTE WORMALD, ALEX WATT, SANDRA HUMPHRIES, JETTY ROAD, REBBECA LEE NYE, BILLY BRIDGE, CONNIE KIS ANDERSEN and PETER PRATT are on the bill. Perennial favourites like OWEN BLUNDELL, TERRY GORDON, POOLE REG, ALBY POOL, LAURA DOWNING and CRAIG GILES will be back, and the bush balladeers are again well represented with the likes of TRACY COSTER, KEITH JAMIESON, DEAN PERRETT and JULIE PERANDES joining the cast.

Entries for eight judged categories for The TELSTRA COUNTRY WIDE Southern Stars - The Australian Independent Country Music Awards close on June 30. There has been a tremendous output of recorded product from Independent artists in the last twelve months and there are already early nominations. The gala awards concert now in its 10th year will be held on Saturday September 30 at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre. Tickets $33.00 each will be available from August 1 2006.

For further information for accommodation or enquiries about the Festival, contact the Mildura Visitor Information Centre, 1800 039 043.

View the 2006 Program

2006 ON-LINE PROGRAM LAUNCHED

The on-line program for the 20th Mildura Country Music Festival has just been launched, and all indicators are pointing towards another huge event.

View the 2006 Program

Further information for accommodation or enquiries about the Festival can be directed to the Mildura Visitor Information Centre, 1800 039 043.

INDEPENDENT AWARDS ENTRIES OPEN

2005 Winners pictured: Left to Right Royden Donohue, Stacey Morris, Tracy Coster, James Blundell, Shelley Evans, Travis Sinclair.

TELSTRA COUNTRY WIDE SOUTHERN STARS
10TH AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT
COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

Saturday September 30, 2006
Mildura Arts Centre Theatre

Entry forms are now available for the Tenth Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars - the Australian Independent Country Music Awards - to be held on Saturday 30 September during the 2006 Mildura Country Music Festival.

Entries for the Awards, open to all CD product from independent Australian country music artists recorded in Australia and released in the period July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, close on June 30.

The awards cover eight nominated categories - Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Heritage Track of the Year, Rising Star Male and Female, Male and Female Vocalist of the Year and a new category this year, Group/Duo of the Year. A further award, Independent Artist of the Year, is judged from artists nominated in the above categories.

Widely recognised and respected as a benchmark for Australian Independent Country Music Artists, the 2005 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars winners (pictured above) included Royden Donohue, Stacey Morris, Tracy Coster, James Blundell, Shelley Evans, and Travis Sinclair.

Further information can be obtained from the Awards Co-ordinator John Arnold on 0418 303 206 or email jonarnol@bigpond.net.au.

Entry Forms for the Awards can be dowloaded by visiting www.milduracountrymusic.com.au/2006Entry.pdf.

FROM 2005

AWARDS TRIFECTA TO JAMES BLUNDELL

Photo (from left) Tracy Coster, Michael Bryers, Felicity Urquhart,
Donna Fisk, Michael Cristian, Daniel Thompson.

JAMES BLUNDELL was the big winner at the 9th Australian Independent Country Music Awards — the Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars.

James won APRA/AMCOS Independent Country Music Single of the Year and Male Vocalist with Postcards from Saigon, and Heritage of the Year with Nature’s Gentleman. It is a triumphant move into the Independent recording ranks for the former major label artist who has won 9 Golden Guitars.

TRACY COSTER continued her winning way when Coster Country won the coveted One Stop Entertainment Independent Album of the Year. The album has already attracted awards for 2004 Independent Heritage Track of the Year and a Golden Guitar (with Anne Kirkpatrick) for Vocal Collaboration.

Sydney vocalist STACEY MORRIS won the Female Vocalist category with Moonlight & Roses, SHELLEY EVANS took the Rising Star Female category with Aces From The Man, and ROYDEN DONOHUE won Rising Star Male with We’re Gone.

Young Victorian truck driver turned country music star TRAVIS SINCLAIR was named Independent Artist of the Year — an award which is determined by a separate panel and is judged on the artist’s full range of activities during the year including recording, performing, promotion and profile.

Since releasing his Rhythm Of The Highway Album and the current CD Rush, Travis has achieved major success including nine Top 10 chart singles, a Golden Guitar and two Australian Independent Country Music Awards.

Mildura Festival stalwarts RON and JUDY COLLINGBURN received the Barry Thornton Service Award for their tireless efforts.

The awards are held annually as a climax to the huge Mildura Country Music Festival. For further information, contact the Awards Co-ordinator John Arnold on 0418 303206. Full Awards details are on the Mildura Country Music Festival website at www.milduracountrymusic.com.au.

BRIANA A WINNER AT MILDURA

Pictured: Briana Lee

Briana Lee from Shepparton was a big winner during the 19th Mildura Country Music Festival.

In the Top Of The State Talent Quest, Briana was the Grand Overall winner as well as taking out the Senior Overall category.

The Karl Williams Memorial Trophy was won by Caillen Biggs from Merbein, Wonthaggi’s Nicholas Laing took out the Sommerville Family Trophy and Junior Overall went to Amber Wheatland from Merbein.

At the Victorian Champion of Champions quest, Briana Lee again scooped the pool, winning Senior Champion of Champions, the Tamworth 2006 Buttercup Showcase Invitation, and the Norfolk Trans Tasman Entertainer of the year Invitation 2006.

Other winners included Amber Wheatland from Merbein in the 13 Years and under heats, Tiffney Stroh from Mt Barker in the 16 Years and under heats who was also crowned Junior Champion of Champions, and Nicholas Laing from Wonthaggi in the Male heats.

The Sunraysia Toyota/Mildura Festival CMAA Country Music College Scholarship for 2006 was awarded to Rick Bartlett, and Rebecca Lee Nye won the 2006 Toyota Star Maker Qualifier.

And more winners are to come with the staging of the 2005 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars - the 9th Australian Independent Country Music Awards of Australia. Winners will be announced during the awards presentation concert at 5.30pm in the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre.

Visit www.milduracountrymusic.com.au for the full list of winners and placegetters.

Media enquiries to John Arnold on 0418 303206.

MILDURA SET FOR FESTIVAL SUCCESS

Pictured: Costa Brothers - Don & Paul Costa

The 19th Mildura Country Music Festival kicks off this Friday 23 September, and indications are that this year’s 10 day event will be another huge success.

Fans are already arriving in town for this year’s feast of country music with the spread of entertainment over 10 days through 24 separate venues involving over 100 artists and bands.

A notable addition as a major venue is Settlers Mildura which replaces Mildura Workers with the popular series of energy-charged night shows, the Poets’ Breakfast and Midnight Madness. Another significant change is the shift of one major open-air venue from The Crossroads to Henderson Park (site of the huge Last Roundup concert), the addition of three night shows at Gol Gol Hotel and the return of night shows at the Crown Hotel Wentworth.

A bonus for the festival is the announcement that the 2005 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars — the Australian Independent Country Music Awards, staged on Saturday 1 October during the Festival at the Mildura Arts Centre, will be broadcast on Country Music Radio (CMR) at 8.00pm through 30 commercial radio stations in NSW and South East Queensland on the Super Radio Network, and also live via satellite through NIRS (National Indigenous Radio Service).

John Nutting from ABC Radio will broadcast Saturday Night Country live from Mildura with all the awards highlights.

The awards concert is one of the festival highlights, and this year’s line-up features Golden Guitar winners JAMES BLUNDELL, TRACY COSTER and TRAVIS SINCLAIR, previous Independent Award winners MICHAEL KING and DANIEL THOMPSON, 2005 Toyota Star Maker SAMANTHA MCCLYMONT, and an impressive list of some of the cream of Australian Independent Country Music artists including TOM CURTAIN, CAT SOUTHERN, DARREN COLSTON, REBECCA LEE NYE, PETER PRATT, RONNI RAE RIVERS, PAUL COSTA, JEANETTE WORMALD, NATALIE HOWARD, CAMILLE TE NAHU & STUIE FRENCH, COL FINLEY, and STACEY MORRIS.

Now in its ninth year, the awards night is one of the guaranteed sell-out events of the festival. "We have already had a strong demand for tickets for the Awards Show," said Awards Co-ordinator John Arnold, "but tickets are still available through Mildura Visitor Centre on our booking hotline at 1800 039 043."

Accommodation for the 10 day Festival has been filling fast, but organisers have advised that some limited accommodation is still available. Accommodation enquiries, the festival program and Awards information can be directed to 1800 039 043. The Mildura Country Music Festival website is: www.milduracountrymusic.com.au.

Media enquiries to John Arnold on 0418 303206.

ENTRIES OPEN FOR TOYOTA STAR MAKER 2006

Pictured: Samantha McClymont - 2005 Toyota Star Maker Winner

Next year’s Toyota Star Maker — Australia’s most prized country music crown — will be decided on Sunday, January 22, 2006.

The annual star search, the country’s oldest and most successful, has been responsible for giving the nation many of today’s country stars.

In the current national singles chart — Country Tracks Top 30 — for example, no less than six of the entries are from former Star Maker winners — James Blundell, Beccy Cole, Travis Collins, Samantha McClymont and Australia’s own international superstar Keith Urban (who has two tracks on the chart).

When combined with the likes of Lee Kernaghan, Kate Ballantyne and Lyn Bowtell (now starring in Bella with Star Maker finalist Karen O’Shea), Darren Coggan, Gina Jeffreys and Brendon Walmsley, the star-making power of Australia’s most prestigious country music talent quest becomes clear.

So how does it all happen?

Each year, Toyota Star Maker invites aspiring country music stars to compete for a range of opportunities that will provide a substantial career boost for the winner.

Toyota Star Maker is not a talent competition, it is a search, through competition, for an individual who has the greatest potential to take advantage of the opportunities offered in the Toyota Star Maker prize package.

The message is — "If you are ready to take the next big step, enter and you could join previous winners of Toyota Star Maker on the ride of your life."

The Toyota Star Maker 2006 prize package includes use of the title Toyota Star Maker 2006, a big budget two-track recording session, distribution and promotion of those tracks to radio and other media, 250 copies of a CD featuring the two recorded tracks, production of a video clip of one of the tracks, media promotion including monthly exposure in Country Music Capital News, guaranteed performance bookings at a designated list of events including country music festivals at Tamworth, Gympie and Mildura, invitations to a designated list of industry events, a Toyota Star Maker winner's jacket, a special showcase performance following the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final in 2007, use of a fully serviced Toyota motor vehicle, a fuel card for the 12 months after winning Toyota Star Maker and a new BOSE Personalised Amplification System (PAC).

Artists seriously looking for a professional long term career in country music are invited to apply.

Toyota Star Maker is organised and promoted by Rural Press Events, publishers of Country Music Capital News.

Entry forms are available by writing to PO Box 3520, West Tamworth NSW 2340, by telephoning 02 6762 2399 or by emailing starmaker@ruralpress.com

Entry forms can also be downloaded from the Toyota Star Maker page at www.capitalnews.com.au

TELSTRA ROAD TO TAMWORTH HEAT ENTRIES CLOSE NEXT WEEK

Pictured: Aleyce Simmonds - 2005 Telstra Road to Tamworth Winner

Entries for the North West Victoria heat in Mildura, of the Telstra Road To Tamworth country music talent competition close on Sunday 11 September, and Australian country music star Beccy Cole has urged rising new singers to chase their dreams of stardom and possibly a trip to Nashville.

"The Telstra Road To Tamworth country music competition is an opportunity of a lifetime, " said Beccy. "There are only a few days remaining until entries close and I strongly advise aspiring singers, no matter what age, to drop everything and enter."

"I know first hand how important competitions such as the Telstra Road To Tamworth are in discovering new country music talent," added Beccy.

"Not only do winners qualify for the finals series at the Telstra Country Music Festival in Tamworth next January but they are in line to win one of two trips to Nashville. So if you dream of becoming a country music star, enter now as it may be a decision which will forever change your life," said Cole.

The heat will be held at the Mildura Country Music Festival, Henderson Park, from 10.30am–1.00pm Wednesday 28 September.

The Telstra Road to Tamworth is an initiative borne from Telstra’s sponsorship of the Telstra Country Music Festival in Tamworth and the national and international interest in contemporary country music.

Each winner of the 35 heats staged throughout the country will receive a $1000 prize to assist in their travel to Tamworth for the 2006 Telstra Country Music Festival, recognised as the largest country music festival in the world. The top eight finalists will each receive an Apple I-Pod Package from Telstra valued at up to $500 and progress to the Grand Final.

The Telstra Road to Tamworth Final and Grand Final will be staged during the 2006 Telstra Country Music Festival in Tamworth where contestants perform in front of an audience including a high profile industry judging panel and leading industry talent scouts.

The Telstra Road To Tamworth Grand Final winner will receive a package of prizes designed to help launch their singing career. They include:

• A single recorded and produced in Nashville through Sony BMG Australia including international airfare and accommodation.
• A Performance on the Riverstage at CMA Music Festival / Fanfair.
• Publicity of their performance in Nashville by leading PR company AristoMedia.
• Two Gold pass Tickets to CMA Music Festival / Fanfair 2006.
• One years membership of the CMA America.
• A video clip produced by and played on the Country Music Channel shown on Austar and Foxtel pay television.
• Two paid professional live performances organised through leading Country Music agency, Allied Artists.
• A Maton EM325C acoustic guitar, including case, with fitted AP5 professional pre-amp.
• A paid performance at FanFest during the 2006 Telstra Country Music Festival in Tamworth.
• A scholarship to either the CMAA College of Country Music Tamworth or the Camerata in 2007.

Apart from this comprehensive Grand Final winning prize package which includes a trip to Nashville, a second trip to Nashville, the Pub With No Beer Songwriters’ Encouragement Award, has been added to the $80,000 prize pool.

Telstra Country Wide Group Managing Director Doug Campbell said the Telstra Road To Tamworth continues to offer greater opportunity for singers in regional Australia.

"The competition demonstrates the commitment of Telstra Country Wide in providing opportunities to people throughout Australia to pursue a singing career," Mr Campbell said.

"Telstra Country Wide is about local management, local knowledge and local solutions. The Telstra Road to Tamworth competition is another way Telstra shows its support for the hopes and aspirations of local people,"he said.

The inaugural competition winner in 2004 was Jessica Mauboy of Darwin and this year’s champion was Tamworth’s own Aleyce Simmonds.

Heat entries are now available at www.telstra.com/countrymusic and close on Sunday 11 September.

SUNRAYSIA TOYOTA SUPPORTS FESTIVAL

Pictured: June Harrison (1999 College Graduate) and Rod Markwell (Sunraysia Toyota)

The 19th Mildura Country Music Festival has received a boost in support from Sunraysia Toyota for the Sunraysia Toyota/Mildura Festival scholarship.

As part of the Festival a young artist gains a scholarship to the CMAA Australian College of Country Music that is held in early January each year. The scholarship will be awarded in conjunction with the Victorian Champion of Champions on Monday 26th September at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre.

The scholarship has been sponsored by the Coomealla Sporting Club for the past six years and when the opportunity arose it was grasped by Sunraysia Toyota.

Sunraysia Toyota Dealer Principal Rod Markwell said "his company was keen to provide the scholarship which would enable a young person to graduate from the College greatly assisting their future in Country Music."

Mr Markwell said " that Toyota was a strong supporter of Country Music across Australia, with the Victorian Qualifying Round of the Toyota Star Maker also part of the Mildura Festival."

" Our Company is pleased to have this opportunity to support the Mildura Country Music Festival which is a major event in Mildura and District," Mr Markwell said.

Co-ordinator of the Festival John Arnold said "that the Festival Committee was delighted that Sunraysia Toyota was part of the festival with their sponsorship and this had ensured the continuation of scholarship for the College."

"The College has been conducted since 1997 and in that period almost 200 have graduated," he said.

The Mildura Country Music Festival runs for 10 days and commences on Friday September 23. The College scholarship will be announced on Monday September 26 at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre.

JAMES BLUNDELL HEADS INDEPENDENT AWARDS FINALISTS

Multiple Golden Guitar winner JAMES BLUNDELL leads the finalists for the 2005 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars - the 9th Australian Independent Country Music Awards of Australia.

Following the release of his new album Deluge, James scored four nominations in Independent Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Heritage Track and Male Vocal.

Fellow Golden Guitar winners JEFF BROWN, TRACY COSTER and TRAVIS SINCLAIR also featured strongly in the nominations with three finalist berths each. Jeff appears in Single, Heritage and Male Vocal, Tracy in Album with Coster Country, Heritage and Female Vocal, and Travis raises his hand in Album with Rush, Single and Male Vocal.

Talented newcomer DARREN COLSTON, a dual Toyota Star Maker Grand Finalist, also joins the three-time club with his debut album Come By Chance providing berths in Album, Heritage and Rising Star Male. Sydney band JONAH’S ROAD is the other multiple finalist in Single of the Year and Album with Hold On.

" It was a tough task for the judges in a record year for entries," said Awards Co-ordinator John Arnold. "255 individual entries were received for the seven judged categories, representing recorded product from 112 individual artists and groups."

The list of finalists also highlights an interesting trend with former major label artists returning to the Independent recording ranks. Both JAMES BLUNDELL and Female Vocalist finalist TANIA KERNAGHAN are prime examples, as was last year’s Female Vocalist winner FELICITY URQUHART.

" We are excited by the enormous wealth of talent in the Australian Independent Country Music industry," said Mr Arnold. "The established artists continue to produce great music, but the younger brigade are really lifting their profiles and providing some stiff competition. "

Full details of the finalists are on the Mildura Festival website at http://www.milduracountrymusic.com.au/2005awardsfinalists.html

The Awards are staged during the 19th Mildura Country Music Festival. Winners will be announced on Saturday 1 October 2005 at the awards presentation concert at 5.30pm in the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre. Tickets are available by calling 1800 039 043 ($30.00 including GST).

RECORD ENTRIES FOR AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT AWARDS

Record entries have been received for the 2005 TELSTRA COUNTRY WIDE SOUTHERN STARS THE AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS.

The awards are held in conjunction with the giant 10 day Mildura Country Music Festival. Awards organiser John Arnold reports that a total of 255 individual entries were received for the seven judged categories, representing recorded product from 112 individual artists and groups.

"What really excites us is the ongoing quality and depth of the Independent segment of the Australian Country Music Industry," said Mr Arnold.

"Established artists, previous Independent Award winners and Toyota Golden Guitar winners are well represented, but the new brigade is also making a big impact. 36 entries were received in total for the Rising Star Male & Female categories, and that is positive for the future of Australian Country Music," he emphasised.

The highest nominations were received in APRA/AMCOS Independent Single of the Year with 85 entries, One Stop Entertainment Independent Album of the Year with 58, and Independent Heritage Track of the Year scored 37 entries.

"The record number of entries in One Stop Entertainment Album of the Year is testimonial to the strong part that these artists play in the industry," Mr Arnold commented, "Another very significant factor is the all-time high in the Single of the Year category. Many of these songs achievd major national chart success during the past twelve months, and in many instances were real ground breakers for emerging artists," he said.

The Australian Independent Country Music Awards are now in their 9th year, and are widely recognised as a major benchmark for Independent Country Music artists. A significant number of winners and finalists at previous awards have gone on to further success in a variety of awards. At this year's Toyota Golden Guitar Awards, 2004 Independent Heritage Song winner TRACY COSTER won the Vocal Collaboration Golden Guitar in 2005, and other 2004 Southern Star winners FISK & CRISTIAN, FELICITY URQUHART and CARLA HERROD were finalists.

2005 Telstra Country Wide Southern Star finalists will be announced on Friday August 12, with winners to be announced at a Gala Concert at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre on Saturday October 1.

Further details about the 19th Mildura Country Music Festival and the 2005 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars - the Australian Independent Country Music Awards are available on the Festival website at www.milduracountrymusic.com.au or freecall 1800 039 043.

2005 ON-LINE PROGRAM LAUNCHED

The on-line program for the 19th Mildura Country Music Festival has just been launched, and all indicators are pointing towards another huge event.

Some new or alternate venues have been included for 2005, the most notable being the shift from the MILDURA WORKERS to the MILDURA SETTLERS. The Workers is carrying out extensive renovations and the Mildura Settlers will take a more predominant role encompassing all the shows that were previously held at the Workers.

The popular open-air venue at The Crossroads will shift to Henderson Park (site of the huge Last Roundup) and will have performances for nine days of the Festival. The Gol Gol Hotel on the Banks of the Murray will increase their shows, with three new night time concerts.

"We are in the final stages of planning and things are shaping up extremely well," said Festival Co-ordinator John Arnold. "The great co-operation from Tourism Victoria, Mildura Rural City and Wentworth Shire Councils, the accommodation industry and venues are vital factors in making the Festival such an ongoing success," he said.

Artists for the 2005 Festival includes a mix of perenial Mildura favourites, award winners, hit makers and many rising country music stars. 2005 Golden Guitar winner JEFF BROWN together with 2005 finalists CARTER & CARTER, PETER PRATT & TOM CURTAIN will be appearing. 2004 Independent Male Vocalist of the Year DANIEL THOMPSON will be returning, together with 2005 Toyota Star Maker SAMANTHA McCLYMONT.

Hitmakers at Mildura will include DONNA BOYD, COL FINLEY, ROB WILSON, RONNIE RAE RIVER, NATALIE HOWAR, SWEENEY KILLEEN, DAVE PRIOR and STACEY MORRIS. Favourites like OWEN BLUNDELL, TERRY GORDON, REG POOLE, LAURA DOWNING, PETER HORAN, CRAIG GILES, and CRAIG BYRNE will be back and the Bush Balladeers will be well represented by GLENN JONES, TOM MAXWELL, MELISSA BAJRIC, NATHAN CHARLTON, JEFF GIBSON, DEAN PERRETT and ANITA REE.

Entries for seven judged categories for The Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars - The Australian Independent Country Music Awards close on June 30. There has been a tremendous output of recorded product from Independent artists in the last twelve months and there are already record early nominations. The gala awards concert will be held on Saturday October 1 at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre. Tickets $30.00 each will be available from August 1 2005.

Further information for accommodation or enquiries about the Festival can be directed to the Mildura Visitor Information Centre, 1800 039 043.

TELSTRA COUNTRY WIDE SOUTHERN STARS
9TH AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT
COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

1 October, 2005

INDEPENDENT AWARDS ENTRIES OPEN

Photo (from left) Tracy Coster, Michael Bryers, Felicity Urquhart,
Donna Fisk, Michael Cristian, Daniel Thompson.

Entry forms are now available for the Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars - the Australian Independent Country Music Awards - to be held during the 2005 Mildura Country Music Festival in September.

Entries for the Awards, open to all CD product from independent Australian country music artists recorded in Australia and released in the period July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005, close on June 30.

The awards cover seven nominated categories - Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Heritage Track of the Year, Rising Star Male and Female and Male and Female Vocalist of the Year. A further award, Independent Artist of the Year, is judged from artists nominated in the above categories.

Widely recognised and respected as a benchmark for Australian independent country music artists, 2004 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars winners included Fisk & Cristian, Felicity Urquhart, Tracy Coster, Michael Bryers, Carla Herrod and Daniel Thompson.

Further information and entry forms can be obtained from the Awards Organiser John Arnold on 0418 303 206 or email jonarnol@bigpond.net.au.

For further information about the Awards and the Mildura Country Music Festival, visit www.milduracountrymusic.com.au.

FROM 2004

TELSTRA COUNTRY WIDE SOUTHERN STARS
8TH AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT
COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

2 October, 2004

UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF FISK & CRISTIAN

Melbourne duo Fisk & Cristian were the big winners at the 8th Australian Independent Country Music Awards – the Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars.

The duo (Donna Fisk and Michael Cristian) won Independent Album of the Year with Big Picture, and Independent Single of the Year with their smash radio hit from earlier this year, Under The Influence Of Love.

In addition, they were also named Independent Artist of the Year – an award which is determined by a separate panel and judged on the artist’s full range of activities during the year including recording, performing, promotion and profile.

Other winners at this year’s awards included Tracy Coster, whose Old Bush Barbeque song won Heritage Track of the Year, and Felicity Urquhart, who celebrated her return to the independent recording ranks with her recent radio hit Turn Out The Light (winning her the Female Vocal category).

Queenslanders took home both Rising Star awards – Sunshine Coast singer/songwriter Michael Bryers won the Male section with his Slim Dusty tribute Million Words, and Townsville’s Carla Herrod took Rising Star Female with Out All Night.

Daniel Thompson, the deep-voiced singer/songwriter from the NSW Central Coast, scored his second Independent Award, winning the Male Vocal award with his remake of the classic (I’m Just A) Country Boy. Daniel previously won Rising Star Male in 2001.

The Barry Thornton Memorial Service Award was presented to Ray Smith, a volunteer for the Mildura Festival since it started. Ray has assisted in the Mildura City Mall setting up each day and cheerfully doing anything asked of him.  He is a member of the Sunraysia Country Music Club and a past President and is also a volunteer who assists in most events that happen in Mildura.

The awards are held annually as a climax to the huge Mildura Country Music Festival.

For further information, contact Awards Co-ordinator John Arnold on 0418 303 206. Full Awards details are on the Mildura Country Music Festival website at www.milduracountrymusic.com.au.

INDEPENDENT AWARDS ON COMMERCIAL RADIO

The 18th Mildura Country Music Festival kicks off this Friday (September 24) and indications are that this year's 10 day event will be another huge success.

A bonus for the festival is the announcement that the 2004 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars ­ Australian Independent Country Music Awards ­ to be staged on Saturday, October 2, during the Festival, will be broadcast on Country Music Radio (CMR) through 21 commercial radio stations in NSW and South East Queensland on the Super Radio Network.

The broadcast, from the Mildura Arts Centre, will commence at 8pm on the night and be relayed through 2SM Sydney, 2HD Newcastle, Radio 97 Gold Coast & Tweed, 4WK Toowoomba/Darling Downs, 4GY Gympie/Sunshine Coast, 2LM Lismore, 2GF Grafton, 2RE Taree, 2MG Mudgee, 2PK Parkes, 2DU Dubbo, 2MO Gunnedah, 2VM Moree, 2NZ Inverell and 2AD Armidale.

"To be picked up by a major radio network further enhances the credibility that the Awards have achieved in their eight year history," said Awards organiser John Arnold.

"We have already had strong demand for tickets for the Awards Show, but limited tickets are still available through our booking hotline at 1800 039 043 or direct at the Alfred Deakin Centre," he said.

Accommodation for the 10 day Festival has been filling fast, but good news has emerged with an additional caravan/camping area being opened at the South Mildura Football Grounds.

The organisers have also advised that some motel accommodation is still available and enquiries for both types can still be directed to 1800 039 043.

NEW BLOOD DOMINATES INDEPENDENT AWARDS FINALISTS

Only three previous winners show up amongst the finalists for the 2004 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars ­ the 8th Australian Independent Country Music Awards of Australia.

"It certainly demonstrates the depth of emerging talent in the independent country music industry in Australia," said Awards co-ordinator John Arnold. "This year shows an excellent mix of established artists and relative newcomers, and really underlines the amazing diversity of our music."

FISK & CRISTIAN, DANIEL THOMPSON and BILLY BRIDGE are the only prior winners in the 2004 field which also includes a number of previous finalists together with the new brigade.

TRACY COSTER and PETER PRATT head the finalist nominations with three berths each. Tracy scored nominations in APRA/AMCOS Independent Country Music Single of the Year, Heritage Track of the Year and Female Vocalist with Old Bush Barbeque from her new Coster Country album. Peter's finalist nods include Independent Album of the Year with Ever True, Heritage Track of the Year for Tractor Pioneers and Rising Star Male.

Other multiple finalists are FISK & CRISTIAN in Album of the Year for The Big Picture and Single of the Year with Under The Influence Of Love, and FELICITY URQUHART celebrates her return to the Independent ranks with her recent single Turn Out The Light grabbing spots in Single of the Year and Female Vocalist.

DANIEL THOMPSON is another dual finalist in Album of the Year with The Richest Man In Town and Male Vocalist with Country Boy, and TIFFANY ECKHARDT has scored final berths in Album of the Year with Barefoot and Rising Star Female for He's Coming Home.

Twenty individual artists, duos or groups made the finals of the 7 judged categories of the 2004 Awards from a total of 100 artists and 230 entries overall.

The Awards are staged during the 18th Mildura Country Music Festival. Winners will be announced on Saturday 2 October 2004 at the awards presentation concert at 5.30pm in the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre. Tickets are available from 1 September by calling 1800 039 043.

Click this link for the detailed listing of finalists.

STRONG ENTRIES FOR INDEPENDENT AWARDS

Entries for the 2004 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars ­ the Australian Independent Country Music Awards ­ have now been collated and forwarded to the judges.

The Awards are held in conjunction with the giant 10 day Mildura Country Music Festival and Awards organiser John Arnold reports that a total of 230 individual entries were received for the seven judged categories.

"The number is in line with 2003," said Mr Arnold, "and reinforces the strong role that Independent artists continue to play in Australian country music."

The highest nominations were received in Independent Single of the Year with 73 entries, Independent Album of the Year with 48, and Independent Heritage Track of the Year scored 38 entries.

The Australian Independent Country Music Awards are now in their 8th year and are widely recognised as a major benchmark for independent country music artists. A significant number of winners and finalists at previous awards have gone on to further success.

At this year's Toyota Golden Guitar Awards, 2003 Rising Star winner DIANNA CORCORAN won the New Talent Golden Guitar, and other 2003 Southern Star winners CARTER & CARTER, DARREN COGGAN and BILLY BRIDGE were finalists.

2004 Southern Star finalists will be announced on Saturday, August 14, with winners to be announced at a Gala Concert at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre on Saturday, October 2.

Further details about the 18th Mildura Country Music Festival and the 2004 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars ­ the Australian Independent Country Music Awards ­ are available on the Festival website at www.milduracountrymusic.com.au or freecall 1800 039 043.

FROM 2003

MILDURA FESTIVAL LOOKS AT FURTHER EXPANSION

The 17th Mildura Country Music Festival has gone into the record books as the biggest ever, and already it's creating a few headaches (of the nice variety) for the organisers.

"The last 10 days have certainly been hectic," commented Festival Events Organiser John Arnold. "There is no doubt that this year's festival has attracted bigger crowds and more tourists than ever before."

With most venues operating at full capacity for the ten days, organisers are now looking at areas of expansion for 2004.

"Obviously the festival has been a major benefit to local businesses and accommodation establishments as well as the entertainment venues, and now we're looking at where we go from here," said Mr Arnold. "There are a number of options under consideration including additional venues, or increasing the number of daily shows at existing venues."

"This year free entertainment was available at 24 separate venues, with over 100 artists appearing during the festival, and most times it was standing room only.

"And the one major event with a ticket charge, the gala Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars ­ the Australian Independent Country Music Awards presentation and concert ­ was the hottest ticket in town on the last Saturday evening. The sold-out sign was up well prior to the event."

With council and local businesses universally hailing the 2003 festival as a windfall, it's back to the drawing board for the organisers. After evaluating the festival, the nine-member festival committee will meet with venue representatives and council before developing plans for next year's event.

2003 TELSTRA COUNTRY WIDE SOUTHERN STARS - THE 7th AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

CARTER AND CARTER IN SEVENTH HEAVEN

Victorian duo Carter & Carter were the big winners at the 2003 Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars ­ the Australian Independent Country Music Awards ­ announced during a gala concert before a capacity crowd at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre on Saturday 4 October.

The Awards, staged during the giant Telstra Mildura Country Music Festival, have become a focus of the year for Independent recording artists.

CARTER & CARTER took their career Independent awards tally to seven when they were named Independent Artist of the year for the third year running, won Independent Single of the Year for the second time with their chart-topping hit Lead Me Home, and also took home the Independent Album Of The Year title with Every Minute. The duo of David and Merelyn Carter have had a wonderful year, also winning the 2003 Golden Guitar for Group/Duo in January, scoring two number one chart hits and being voted Independent Entertainer of the Year by members of the Country Music Association of Australia for the second year running.

The Awards saw first-time winners in all other categories. Independent Male Vocalist went to DARREN COGGAN and the song If I Had My Time Again from his Balancing Act album, and KAREN LYNNE took home Independent Female Vocalist with her top five radio hit This Man I Love.

Veteran Victorian singer/songwriter GENE BRADLEY FISK celebrated his recent return to the recording studio with Independent Heritage Track of the Year for his highly descriptive ballad Kidman, and fellow Victorian BILLY BRIDGE capped a successful year following the release of his Post It Note Proposal album with the Rising Star (Male) Award for his current hit song Mallee Dust. Newcomer DIANNA CORCORAN had cause for more celebrations following her three finals nominations with the Rising Star (Female) award with I'll Fly Away.

The recipient of the Barry Thornton Memorial Service Award was BRONLYN LIND (known far and wide as PIXIE ANNE).

The award salutes the unsung heroes who quietly and passionately offer their support to others in country music. Pixie Anne is one of the Mildura Festival's greatest and most recognisable characters, who for many years has voluntarily staged fund raising activities during the festival.

For further information, contact John Arnold 0418 303206

Mildura Festival Website: milduracountrymusic.com.au.

COUNTRY LADIES LEAD INDEPENDENT AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Karen Lynne, Karen O'Shea and newcomer Dianna Corcoran head the finalist nominations for the Telstra Country Wide Southern Stars - the 7th Australian Independent Country Music Awards - with three berths each.

All received nominations in APRA/AMCOS Independent Country Music Single of the Year, whilst Karen Lynne also gained spots in Independent Heritage Track and Female Vocal from her latest album Second Wind; Karen O'Shea is a finalist in Album of the Year with Wish and Female Vocalist, and Dianna is a finalist in Album with Little Bit Crazy as well as Rising Star Female.

Other multiple finalists are Golden Guitar winners Carter & Carter and Darren Coggan who both received two nominations.

Twenty-one individual artists, duos or groups made the finals of the seven judged categories of the 2003 Awards from a total of 100 artists and 230 entries overall.

The list represents a mix of previous finalists together with previous winners Carter & Carter, Michael King, Travis Sinclair and Karen O'Shea, and a strong contingent of emerging talent.

"This year again demonstrates the strength of the Independent country music recording industry," said Awards organiser John Arnold. "It was another tough year for the judges, with plenty of established hitmakers and award winners vying with talented newcomers for the coveted four finalist positions.

"In fact, this year, competition was so strong in the Rising Star Female category that the judges couldn't split two of the finalists and we've ended up with five."

The Awards are staged during the giant Telstra Mildura Country Music Festival. Winners will be announced on Saturday 4th October 2003 at the Awards presentation concert at 5.30pm in the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre, Cureton Avenue Mildura.

Tickets are available from 1 September 2002 by calling 1800 039 043... $18.50 each including GST.

For general enquiries contact John Arnold on 0418 303 206.

A full listing of the finalists is now available.

MILDURA BOOST FOR BALLADEERS

Following last year's great success with the Telstra Mildura Country Music Festival highlighting it's Year of The Bush Balladeers, organisers have continued their strong support of this genre with the announcement of a number of major bush ballad concerts as part of the 2003 program.

"Bush ballads are an integral part of the Australian country music scene," said Festival Co-ordinator John Arnold, "and we've ensured that the performers are well represented again this year. The bush ballad has always been a vital part of our country music heritage and our festival has always strongly recognised this fact."

An additional incentive this year is the 20th anniversary of the passing of the legendary Tex Morton, the father of Australasian country music. In addition to daily bush ballad shows, two specific Tex Morton Tribute shows have been organised during the Festival by Noel Smith from Dingo Track Records, and feature Trevor Day, Slim (Redback) Newton and Lindsay and Gail Hammond with guest spots from Double Decker Dave.

Continuing the theme, the unique Tex Morton Touring Museum will be in Mildura during the Festival. The museum, a joint venture by Noel Smith and Trevor Day, showcases an amazing display of Tex memorabilia, and has been a popular attraction at recent festivals with country music fans.

In addition to the display of priceless relics, the museum also offers a variety of merchandise including Dingo Tracks albums from Trevor Day, Slim Newton and Lindsay Hammond plus Volumes 1 and 2 ­ a 93 track collection ­ of Tex Morton's Regal Zonophone recordings from 1936 to 1943 and the Tex Morton Rides Again video and soon to be released Tex Morton Tribute Album.

One of the festival's unique events will be at the Meringur Pioneer Park which presents a history of the pioneers of the Millewa, the farming and grazing area west of Mildura. They are holding their annual Working History Day on Sunday, October 4, and one of the highlights will be a special tribute concert ­ Tribute to Tex Morton in the Millewa.

More than 20 artists have been booked for the various bush ballad shows during the Mildura festival this year, presenting a broad cross-section from the pioneers to the new breed.

Joining Trevor Day, Slim Newton and Lindsay and Gail Hammond will be contemporaries like Reg Poole, Terry Gordon, Owen Blundell, Gavan Arden, Bob Easter, Glenn Jones, Warren Mahoney, Tom Maxwell and Tracy Coster together with an impressive list of younger balladeers including Bungendore winners Dean Perrett, Jeff Brown and Peter Pratt, Australian Bush Balladeers Association (ABBA) Star Quest winners Double Decker Dave, Nathan Charlton and Anita Ree and talented Drover Music artist Melissa Bajric.

Apart from the major bush ballad concerts during the festival, the balladeers will also be featuring at most venues around the area including the Bush Ballad & Poets Breakfasts and numerous individual performances.

The full program for the Telstra Mildura Country Music Festival is now available on the website ­ www.milduracountrymusic.com.au.

Accommodation and other enquiries can be directed to telephone 1800 039 043.

ENTRIES IN FOR INDEPENDENT AWARDS

Entries for the 2003 Telstra Countrywide Southern Stars ­ the Australian Independent Country Music Awards­ have now been collated and forwarded to the judges.

The Awards are held in conjunction with the giant 10 day Mildura Country Music Festival, and Awards organiser John Arnold reports that a total of 230 individual entries were received for the seven judged categories.

"The number is slightly down on 2002," commented Mr Arnold," but we have noticed that the nomination numbers tend to peak every second year. It's just an indication of the fact that most artists tend to leave at least two years before they issue another album."

"It creates a cyclical pattern, but despite many artists being in their 'off year' for recording, the numbers are still very healthy."

Again the highest nominations were received in Independent Single of the Year, with 63 entries, Heritage Track of the Year with 54 and Independent Album of the Year with 47.

"The number of new albums highlights the commitment and dedication of the independent Australian country music artists," said Mr Arnold. "You have to remember that most of these people fund their own albums, and it's a very significant cost when you take into account studios, producers and musicians."

But Mr Arnold was also quick to highlight the high quality of the product received for this year's awards.

"The general standard is really amazing. Many of the artists now utilise topline producers like Garth Porter, Rod McCormack, Herm Kovac, Lindsay Butler and Stuart French, to name a few, and the results sit proudly with anything you hear in the marketplace today."

"This has been amply illustrated in recent times by the number of tracks from independent artists featuring strongly in the national radio airplay charts against the major label competition."

"And by featuring, I mean all the way to the number one spot with hitmakers like Carter & Carter and Magnificent Seven," he added.

The other categories of Male and Female Vocal, and the Rising Star awards in both Male and Female also show keen competition.

The Australian Independent Country Music Awards are now in their 7th year, and are widely recognised as a major benchmark for independent country music artists. A significant number of winners and finalists at previous awards have gone on to further success at other awards including the Golden Guitars. This year was particularly gratifying for the organisers when two of their 2002 Independent Awards winners took home Golden Guitars in January.

Independent Artist of the Year, Carter & Carter, won the Group/Duo category, and dual winner in 2002 in Single of the year and Rising Star Male, Travis Sinclair, took home the New Talent Golden Guitar.

Finalists will be announced on Friday, August 15, with winners to be announced at a Gala Concert at the Mildura Arts Centre on Saturday, October 4.

Further details about the Telstra Mildura Country Music Festival and the 2003 Telstra Countrywide Southern Stars ­ the Australian Independent Country Music Awards are available on the Festival website at www.milduracountrymusic.com.au or freecall 1800 039 043.

MILDURA PROGRAMMED FOR SUCCESS

The program is now available for the 17th Telstra Mildura Country Music Festival being held from Friday 26 September to Sunday 5 October, and 105 individual artists together with a number of bands have been confirmed for the 2003 event.

Over 800 hours of free entertainment have been slotted during the 10 days, spread over 24 separate venues and the line-up is very impressive.

"As it is Australia's biggest showcase of independent country music talent, we endeavour to take into account a number of factors when choosing the roster," said Festival Coordinator John Arnold.

"We look at diversity as one of the key elements, and include as broad a country music spectrum as possible to suit all tastes. From traditional performers to those in the more contemporary mode, and from bush balladeers to line dancers, we try to provide something for everyone."

The 2003 list features an excellent cross-section. Golden Guitar winners Carter & Carter and Greg Champion, Australian Independent Country Music Award winners Donna Fisk & Michael Cristian, Michael King and Travis Sinclair and 2003 Toyota Star Maker Todd Williams are part of an impressive line-up. Also there are many of the current hit makers like Donella Plane, Donna Boyd, the Byrnes Sisters, Rod Esam, Craig Giles, Brett Goodwin, SweeneyKilleen and Mark Tempany.

"We try to vary our line-up each year," remarked Mr Arnold, "but are still very conscious of the crowd favourites and bring a number back for the fans' enjoyment."

And following last year's great success with the Festival highlighting its Year of The Bush Balladeers, organisers have continued their strong support of this genre with the announcement of a number of major bush ballad concerts as part of the 2003 program.

The Mildura Festival is always a good testing ground for the talented emerging stars, and this year is no different with Toyota Star Maker grand finalists Casey Watt, Billy Bridge, Nathan Charlton, Megan Laurie and Jake Nikolai amongst "the young guns".

The program of events is now available on-line at the Mildura Festival website www.milduracountrymusic.com.au or the printed program can be purchased by phoning freecall 1800 039 043.

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

NEW NAME - NEW SPONSOR

The Telstra Countrywide Southern Stars ­ the Australian Independent Country Music Awards ­ is the new name for the major independent country music recording awards presented in Mildura, Victoria,at the beginning of October each year.

President of the Mildura Country Music Festival Committee John Arnold, when announcing the changes, said it was now time to give the awards their own brand name.

"Over the past six years we have established our awards as a nationally recognised mark of excellence for country music artists not linked to a major record company, so we felt it should have its own name to stand out as a significant achievement for a winner."

Mr Arnold said his committee was also delighted the status of the awards had been further enhanced with sponsorship from Telstra Countrywide as part of that company's huge commitment to supporting country music. Telstra Countrywide has also become the major sponsor of the Mildura Country Music Festival.

"The name Southern Star has a very good ring to it," John said. "It links country's brightest stars with the clear star filled skies over Mildura in the heartland of southern Australia where country music is the centre of the universe for 10 days every spring."

The status of the Southern Star Awards is confirmed by the number of Golden Guitar final nominations that are coming the way of Mildura winners each year. Amongst the winners at this year's Golden Guitars were 2002 Mildura Independent Awards winners Carter & Carter (Artist of the Year) and Travis Sinclair (Rising Star Male and Album).

According to John Arnold, "a key aim of the Southern Star Awards is to lift the profile of independent recording artists, to recognise their efforts and hopefully see them achieve major star status in the years ahead."

The Southern Stars ­ the 7th annual Australian Independent Country Music Awards ­ will be presented at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre on Saturday October 4. Eight Southern Star awards will be presented... for Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Heritage Track of the Year, Rising Star Male, Rising Star Female, Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist and a major award for Independent Artist of the Year (for overall outstanding achievement during the year).

In addition, an award dedicated to the late Barry Thornton, is given for outstanding community service to country music.

The qualifying period for the Telstra Countrywide Southern Stars is July 1 2002 to June 30 2003. With only few days before the deadline for submission of entries for the 2003 Awards, organisers have been overwhelmed by the number of nominations already received and are predicting a record year.

Tickets for the Awards will be available from September 1 from the Mildura Visitor Information Centre or by phone 1800 039 043.

TELSTRA MAJOR SPONSOR FOR 2003 MILDURA COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

The 17th Mildura Country Music Festival, to be staged this year from Friday September 26 until Sunday October 5, will be sponsored by Telstra Country Wide.

Making the announcement, President of the Festival Committee John Arnold said the 2003 Festival would now be known as the Telstra Mildura Country Music Festival. This is the first time that the Festival, now the third largest in Australia, has had a significant major sponsorship.

Mr Arnold said that with the success of the Telstra Country Wide support for the Tamworth Country Music Festival he was extremely pleased to gain their support for the Mildura Festival.

The Australian Independent Country Music Awards would now be branded as the Telstra Country Wide Southern Star Australian Independent Country Music Awards. The awards are now in their seventh year.

Mr Arnold said he was pleased that a number of the winners at the Awards had gone on to feature strongly in the Golden Guitars in Tamworth this year. Carter & Carter won the Golden Guitar for Group/Duo of the Year, Travis Sinclair won the Golden Guitar for New Talent of the Year, and Karen O'Shea, after winning the Female Vocal in Mildura, was a Finalist in the Female Vocal category of the Golden Guitars in 2003.

The Telstra Southern Stars will be presented at a Gala Concert presented live to community radio from the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre on Saturday October 4. Entries for the Awards will close on June 30.

"The Festival this year will also introduce some morning country shows and will again have five country artists from the United States of America," Mr Arnold said. "There will also be a group of artists from New Zealand.

"The Committee is considering having some extra bluegrass shows to add a new dimension to the Festival," he said. "The Festival now has over 1,000 hours of free entertainment and we are presently working on extra accommodation for the fans that want to attend."

Details of the Festival are on the Festival Web Site www.milduracountrymusic.com.au

Accommodation and Enquiries are available by phoning 1800 039 043.

FROM 2002

WINNERS ­ 6TH AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

Victorians Carter & Carter and Travis Sinclair were the big winners at the 2002 Australian Independent Country Music Awards announced during a gala concert before a capacity crowd at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre on Saturday 5 October.

The Awards, staged during the giant Mildura Country Music Festival, have become a focus of the year for Independent recording artists.

Carter & Carter were named Independent Artist of the year for the second year running, and also won Independent Single of the Year for their chart-topping hit Easy Making Love. The duo of David and Merelyn Carter capped a sensational year which amongst many highlights saw them score two Number 1 chart hits, and being voted as Independent Entertainer of the Year by members of the Country Music Association of Australia.

Young truck-driving country artist Travis Sinclair, who is currently touring as Lee Kernaghan's understudy in The Man From Snowy River Arena Spectacular, won Album of the Year with his appropriately truck-themed Rhythm Of The Highway, and also scored the Rising Star (Male) award for his recent hit song Kick The Kenny.

Oberon (NSW) singer/songwriter Wayne Law picked up Male Vocalist with House Full Of Angels, and former Darwinian, now resident on the NSW Central Coast, Karen O'Shea, won Female Vocalist for She Broke Your Heart.

The distinctive bush band Terra Australis were the winners in Heritage Track Of The Year with their Darling River Darling, and NSW singer/songwriter Brooke Leal celebrated her return after three months on the road with the Brian Young Tour by taking out the Rising Star (Female) award.

2002 also saw the addition of a new award, the Barry Thornton Memorial Service Award in memory of the legendary country guitarist who died in July this year. The award commemorates the work that Barry and his wife Pauline have done and their tireless support of young people and country music clubs, and recognises the unsung heroes who quietly and passionately offer their support to others in country music.

The inaugural recipient of the Barry Thornton Memorial Service Award was South Australian photographer and writer Robyn McIntosh.

QUESTS HIGHLIGHT THE TALENT

October 2: There was an incredibly high standard of competition at talent quests run this week in conjunction with the Mildura Country Music Festival.

Laverton (Victoria) singer/songwriter Billy Bridge won the Victorian Star Maker qualifier which gives him automatic entry into the finals of the prestigious Toyota Star Maker quest held on the first weekend of the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January.

Winning from six other finalists at the event, staged on Monday at the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre, Billy also won a trip to the Norfolk Island Country Music Festival in 2003 to compete for the Trans Tasman Entertainer title.

Kirby Hensgen, winner of the Senior section of the Victorian Champion of Champions, also won the Coomealla Club-sponsored position to the CMAA's Australian College of Country Music in Tamworth next January.

Junior Champion of Champions winner was Victoria Baillie.

Leah Briggs from Beachport (SA) and Mildura's Rachel McGlashan were awarded scholarships to Camerata, the junior country music college, staged in Tamworth mid-year and supported by the Mildura Country Music Festival.

Other winners at the Champion of Champions included Penelope Somerville (13 & under), Shanna Zibell (16 & Under), Kirby Hensgen (Female), Lee Brocky (Male) and Jennifer Lloyd won the Carl Williams Memorial Trophy.

In the Top of the State Talent Quest, Grand Overall and Junior Overall winner was Victoria Baillie while Kirby Hensgen won Senior Overall.

NATIONAL BROADCASTER HEADS TO MILDURA

The Mildura Country Music Festival and ABC Mildura Swan Hill are thrilled to announce that John Nutting, host of the national flagship Saturday Night Country program on ABC Radio, will be attending this year's Festival.

ABC Mildura Swan Hill will be taking the broadcast van to Mildura City, Langtree Mall on Friday 4th October and John Nutting will be co-hosting the drive program with regular presenter Dave Lennon. This will be a great opportunity for locals and visitors to meet John and Dave and see a radio program going live to air.

In addition, Saturday Night Country will be broadcast from the ABC's Mildura studios on Saturday 5th October following the Australian Independent Country Music Awards.

John Arnold, President of the Mildura Country Music Festival said, "This is an historic occasion for The Mildura Country Music Festival that is now in its 16th year. The Festival features over 100 Independent Country Music artists and we are thrilled to have John Nutting here."

Victoria Adams, Manager of ABC Mildura Swan Hill said, "I am delighted that John is coming to Mildura and that the Country Music Festival is getting national recognition on the ABC radio network.

He has been inducted into the Australian Country Music Broadcasters Hall of Fame for his work in supporting country music in Australia and is a great promoter of young, upcoming talent.

For many years, John sat on the judging panel for the annual Country Music Awards in Tamworth.

His reputation, however, goes beyond Australia with the Country Music Association of America, based in Nashville, naming him International Broadcaster of the Year.

ABC Mildura Swan Hill can be heard on 104.3FM in Mildura and 102.1FM in Swan Hill.

THE MILDURA COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL ­ SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

The giant Mildura Country Music Festival celebrates its 16th year in this month when the music-filled event commences on Friday 27 September, continuing non-stop until Sunday 6 October.

It's one of Australia's big three country music festivals, with the largest showcase of talented independent Australian artists, and this year sees a special focus on the Year of the Outback with a major festival theme of The Year of The Bush Balladeer.

Some 130 artists have been booked for the 2002 event, and the music spreads over 24 separate venues in Mildura and the surrounding area.

With the spotlight on the bush balladeers, a list of many of Australia's finest exponents of this genre will be appearing.

The list of artists representing the bush ballad side includes Brian Letton, Glenn Jones, Tracy Coster, Reg Poole, Terry Gordon, Owen Blundell, Dean Perrett, Shaza Leigh, Lindsay Butler, Keith Jamieson, Dave McCallum, Sharon Heaslip, Tom Maxwell, Bob Easter, Ted Kittel, Bluey Francis, 2002 Bush Balladeer Star Quest winner Nathan Charlton and more.

The festival will feature at least two, and sometimes up to four special bush ballad shows each day.

Fans of other styles of country music are also well-catered for, with an impressive roster which includes an amazing and talented cast of Australia's leading independent country music performers. Multi award winners like Carter & Carter and Donna Fisk and Michael Cristian will be there, along with high profile artists such as Craig Giles, Michael King, Craig Byrne, Laura Downing, Peter Horan, Vanya, Rodney Vincent and Karen O'Shea.

Many crowd favourites will be returning to Mildura, but this year also sees 20 artists making their first trip to this amazing event.

A special feature this year will be the appearance of the legendary Arthur Blanch. The multiple Golden Guitar winner and inductee to the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown is celebrating 50 years of recording in 2002, and continues to amaze fans with his talent which still sees songs hitting the national airwaves and charts.

Following the success of the visit to the 2001 Mildura Country Music Festival by a contingent of Independent country music artists from the US, the organisers have just announced that this year's event will again include a talented international line-up.

Five American acts have been selected to perform together with, for the first time, a Canadian artist. Also adding to the international flavour will be up to six New Zealand entertainers, making Mildura a truly international festival.

A great value and attraction of the Mildura Festival is that most shows are free, and the program features many multi-artist shows. Crowd favourites will undoubtedly include the huge range of Bush Ballad events, and the variety of theme shows.

This year will also see the popular bush poets back, some special all-acoustic events, and plenty of action for the line-dancers.

Mildura is always a favourite time for artists to release albums, and 2002 is no exception. 12 new albums will be launched during the festival, including the special 16th Mildura Country Music Festival Souvenir Edition featuring 21 tracks from artists appearing at the 2002 Festival.

The Australian Independent Country Music Awards will be staged on Saturday 5 October, and the night not only recognises the achievements of the talented artists, but also features a gala concert during the evening.

This year's guest stars will include Arthur Blanch, Donna Fisk & Michael Cristian, Carter & Carter, Glenn Jones, Karen O'Shea, Shaza Leigh, Michael King, Brian Letton, Kieran Lancini, Peter Horan, Sharon Heaslip, Brooke Leal, Grant Richardson, Wayne Law, and Donella Plane with hosts Tracy Coster, Rodney Vincent and Mike Smith.

Talent Quests are another feature of the festival, with the prestigious Top Of The State Talent Quest from 27 to 29 September. Another feature is the announcement that the Star Maker qualifying round winner will be the Mildura Entrant in the 2003 Trans Tasman Entertainer of the Year at Norfolk Island.

The stayers are well catered for this year, with Workers At Midnight featuring music and pizzas from midnight to 3.00am with a variety of hosts and guest artists.

And just to rev things up on the last Saturday, there will be a new theme in Mildura City (Langtree Mall). The Mildura City Ute Show is being staged from 4pm to 10pm, featuring The Best Utes in Town.

There is certainly something for everyone at Mildura 2002. More details, including the festival program, can be obtained by phoning Freecall 1800 039 043 or checking the Mildura Festival website at www.milduracountrymusic.com.au

BUCKO AND TRAVIS HEAD INDEPENDENT AWARDS FINALISTS

Golden Guitar winner Colin Buchanan and newcomer Travis Sinclair head the finalist nominations for the 6th Australian Independent Country Music Awards with three berths apiece.

Both received nominations in APRA/AMCOS Independent Country Music Track (Single) of the Year and Independent Album of the Year, whilst Travis also gained a spot in Independent Rising Star (Male) and Colin scored in the Independent Male Vocalist category.

Other multiple finalists are Grant Richardson and Wayne Law who both received two nominations.

Twenty one individual artists, duos or groups made the finals of the seven judged categories of the 2002 Awards from a total of 120 artists and 260 entries overall.

Awards organiser John Arnold commented that the judges' task had been the hardest in the history of the Awards.

"Both the record number of entries and the high quality really put the judges to the test," said Mr Arnold. "It's been an outstanding year for independent artists with many achieving major radio success and sales, and emphatically stamping their mark on the Australian country music industry."

"There are a number of instantly recognisable names in the list as well as a talented cast of emerging talent, and it certainly demonstrates both the depth and variety that we have in the independent ranks."

The depth is further illustrated by the fact that only three previous winners appear in the final nominations this year.

The Awards are staged during the giant Mildura Country Music Festival. Winners will be announced on Saturday 5th October 2002 at the awards presentation concert at 5.30pm in the Mildura Arts Centre Theatre, Cureton Avenue Mildura.

Tickets are available from 2 September 2002 by calling 1800 039 043 for $16.50 each (including GST).

RECORD ENTRIES FOR INDEPENDENT AWARDS

Organisers of the sixth Australian Independent Country Music Awards have reported record entries.

The Awards, held in conjunction with the giant Mildura Country Music Festival, have grown in size and stature since their inception, with many winners and finalists gaining further recognition in other major events like the Golden Guitars.

This year, 120 artists entered the seven categories of the awards, with more than 260 individual nominations. The largest category is Independent Country Music Track of the Year with 80 entries, followed by Independent Album of the Year with 53.

"The increase in album nominations from 35 last year shows the incredible growth in the independent sector of Australian country music," said Awards organiser John Arnold. "We have been overwhelmed this year by the volume and quality of the entries, and it's certainly going to make some tough decisions for the judges."

Major increases were also evident in the Heritage Category with 49 entries, and the Male Vocal section which almost doubled to 46.

Finalists will be announced on Friday, August 16, with winners to be announced at a Gala Concert at the Mildura Arts Centre on Saturday, October 5.

Further details about the Festival and Awards are available on the Mildura Festival website at www.milduracountrymusic.com.au, or freecall 1800 039 043.

MILDURA WELCOMES INTERNATIONALS BACK

Following the success of the visit to the 2001 Mildura Country Music Festival by a contingent of Independent country music artists from the US, the organisers have just announced that this year's event will again include a talented international line-up.

President of the Festival Committee, John Arnold, said that this year five American acts had been selected to perform together with, for the first time, a Canadian artist. Also adding to the international flavour will be up to six New Zealand entertainers, making Mildura a truly international festival.

Mr Arnold said that discussions were continuing with a view to have an "Australian exchange" with the possibility of a mini-tour of New Zealand in the near future by some Australian independent performers. "We are working to provide international opportunities for Australian independent acts who are part of the Mildura Festival program, " he commented.

In 2002, two of the US artists return from last year, Woody Wills from Alaska and Sylvia Winters from Atlanta, Georgia.

New to the Australian audiences are Texan Paul Mateki, Larry Dean from Bakersfield, California, and a female duet Hart & Soul (Kimber Hart and Debbie Soul) from Oregon.

The Canadian member of the international cast is a real-life cowgirl and singer/guitarist Joanne Myrol.

Whilst the full NZ complement has yet to be confirmed, already on the list are Joy Adams from Hamilton and Margaret Bates from the South Island who have both appeared at previous Mildura festivals. Also already on the booked list are Graeme McCardle and newcomers Aroha Williams and Melissa Daisley who have been winners at the Nelson NZ Sun City Awards over the past two years.

2002 MILDURA FESTIVAL SHAPING UP AS BIGGEST EVER

Mildura Festival Committee President John Arnold is delighted that there has been a huge unprecedented enquiry for the 2002 Mildura Country Music Festival because of its focus on bush ballads.

Mr Arnold said that his committee was well advanced with planning for the year 2002 event, and that already some 15,000 brochures had been distributed Australia-wide to promote the festival.

"There has been a lot of enquiry already for accommodation and general information from people wanting to come here for the festival, now in its 16th year," he said. "There certainly has been tremendous interest in the bush balladeers.". The theme had been announced two years ago for the 2002 festival to coincide with the Year of the Outback.

Many acts have already been confirmed for the 2002 event. The list of artists representing the bush ballad side includes Brian Letton, Glenn Jones, Tracy Coster, Reg Poole, Terry Gordon, Owen Blundell, Dean Perrett, Shaza Leigh, Lindsay Butler, Keith Jamieson, Dave McCallum, Sharon Heaslip, Tom Maxwell, Bob Easter, Ted Kittel, Bluey Francis, 2002 Bush Balladeer Star Quest winner Nathan Charlton and more.

While bush ballads have an increased presence in 2002, the overall list of artists still includes an amazing and talented cast of Australia's leading independent country music performers. Multi award winners like Carter & Carter and Donna Fisk and Michael Cristian will be there, along with high profile artists such as Craig Giles, Michael King, Craig Byrne, Laura Downing, Peter Horan, Vanya, Rodney Vincent and Karen O'Shea.

Mr Arnold said that Mildura would retain its international status, and it had been confirmed that six independent American acts would be part of the festival.

"I have already spoken to our American promoter Gary Bradshaw, and between us we have selected the six artists who will be performing at Mildura.

Mr Arnold also confirmed that, following a recent invitation to attend the Nelson Country Music Festival in New Zealand, he had firmed up arrangements for the winner of the Sun City Country Music Awards, Aroha Williams, to make appearances at the Mildura festival. There will also be a number of other New Zealand artists performing.

To cater for the increased demand, negotiations are under way for the provision of additional visitor accommodation. "The Festival Committee has received excellent co-operation from Mildura Rural City Council Events Unit, Tourism Victoria and Mildura Murray Outback Tourism," said Mr Arnold.

The Australian Independent Country Music Awards, previously held on the last night of the festival, will move to Saturday night. He said the awards, now in their sixth year, would reach a new peak following the trademark registration for exclusive use of the name Australian Independent Country Music Awards.

Entry forms are now available for the Independent Awards with the closing date Sunday, June 30, and nomination forms for the Top Of The State Talent Quest also now available — both on Freecall 1800 039 043.

It has also been confirmed that Mildura would again host the Victorian qualifying round for the Toyota Star Maker competition.

Mr Arnold emphasised further good news with advice that the streamlining of administration will see the official program available in late June.

Information is now available on the Mildura festival Freecall number 1800 039 043. For further information and updates, keep an eye on the Mildura festival website at www.milduracountrymusic.com.au.

16TH MILDURA FESTIVAL COMING UP

The 16th Mildura Country Music Festival to be held this year from Friday, September 27 to Sunday, October 6, will feature the Year Of The Bush Balladeer as part of the Year Of The Outback.

A highlight of the festival will be a new show, Craig Giles And His Bush Balladeers together with the many other bush balladeer shows.

The Mildura area has a number of historic paddleboats on the Murray River, heritage parks and Aboriginal culture. There are also a number of wineries and great food so the visitor can have a great holiday as well as enjoying some of the best country music around.

Festival President John Arnold said there had been an unprecedented number of enquiries from artists and fans for this year's event. As a result, the Festival Committee will stage extra shows. In addition, the walkups at Hudaks and Mall concerts at weekends will operate for those not on the official program.

"The festival is growing substantially," John said, "and we have significant sponsorship which allows for more than 800 hours of free entertainment. It is important to remember that the concept of Mildura is built around the promotion of new talent and independent artists. It's a festival where you will see the big names of the future.

"We also believe that by offering free entertainment, it allows artists to make more product sales which is a pleasing result."

The sixth Australian Independent Country Music Awards will again be a major production with an assured future now the name has been protected by trademark.

The Awards will be conducted on Saturday, October 6, this year at the Mildura Arts Centre theatre. This will be the first time the Awards will be held on a Saturday night.

The Festival program is expected out by the end of June. Further information can be obtained by telephoning the toll free number 1800 039 043.

FROM 2001

THE FIFTH AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD WINNERS

Mildura, Sunday, October 7, 2001: This evening at a gala concert at the Mildura Arts Centre, winners of the fifth Australian Independent Country Music Awards were announced.

This year saw the Awards categories extend to seven with the addition of Male and Female Vocalist sections.

Hit-making Victorian duo Carter & Carter continued a hugely successful year of awards and chart successes when their album Dance Away The Night was named Independent Album of the year.

Victoria continued its successful foray into this year's awards when Donna Fisk and Michael Cristian won Independent Country Music Track of the year with their hit song Fear of Falling and Melbourne newcomer Nattasha Crestani was triumphant in the Rising Star (Female) category with her single Million Dollar You.

Popular balladeer Brian Letton won Independent Heritage Track of the year with his patriotic anthem The Land of Waltzing Matilda and Central Coast (NSW) talent Daniel Thompson was a happy winner of the Rising Star (Male) award with Rollin' With The Flow.

Brisbane's Rikki Chaplin won the inaugural Independent Male Vocalist award with You'll Never Know and Gold Coast singer/songwriter Vanya added to her 1997 Rising Star win with the 2001 Female Vocalist title with her recent hit single Eyes Open Wide.

After a hugely successful year, Carter & Carter were also named 2001 Independent Artist of the Year.

The Awards presentation ended another very successful Mildura Country Music Festival which drew dozens of acts to the 10 day event and thousands of visitors to the Victorian town.

Mildura 2002 will be staged from Friday, September 27, to Sunday, October 6, with the sixth Australian Independent Country Music Awards to be announced during the evening of October 6.

MICHAEL AND SHAYNE TRIUMPH

Michael Muchow and Shayne Parle are the big winners from talent quests finalised so far at the 2001 Mildura Country Music Festival.

Michael, from Brisbane, first won the overall junior category and also grand overall winner at the Top Of The State Talent Quest on Sunday night then, on Monday night, was named the Victorian Junior Champion of Champions.

Michael also won one of two scholarships to the Tamworth Camerata, the four day junior country music school in July 2002.

Shayne, from Nangiloc in Victoria, has won the Victorian Qualifying round for the Toyota Star Maker Quest in January 2002, providing him with automatic entry into Australia's most prestigious country music talent quest.

Shayne also won the Coomealla Club's sponsored entry into the 2002 Australian Country Music College run by the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) in January.

Shanna Zibell from Mildura won the second scholarship to the Tamworth Camerata while Kylee Ellis from Melbourne was named Senior Victorian Champion of Champions.

Joelene Mandrakas from Oxenford just south of Brisbane was the senior overall winner of the Top Of The State Talent Quest (click for a full list of talent quest results.

Winners from the Southern Australia One Day Talent Quests will be determined as the quest is run from Wednesday to Saturday at various venues.

15TH MILDURA FESTIVAL OFFICIALLY OPENED

MILDURA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28: The Mayor of the Mildura Rural City Council Councillor Ann Cox today officially launched the 15th Mildura Country Music Festival.

The 2001 Mildura Festival runs from Friday, September 28 for 10 days, culminating with the Australian Independent Country Music Awards on Sunday, October 7.

Billed as the third biggest country music festival in Australia and Australia's major Independent promotional country music festival, Mildura boasts 800 hours of free entertainment over the 10 days. Events including the One Day Talent Quests, the Top Of The State (Victoria) Talent Quest, the Victorian Champion of Champions and the Poets' Country Breakfasts are featured on the printed Mildura Program of Events.

Organiser John Arnold is confident that this year's event will surpass the record-breaking 2000 festival.

"Initial indications are that attendance will be bigger than ever," said Mr Arnold. "This year we have also introduced some new events including a series of International Showcases featuring Independent artists from the USA and the UK, and that, added to the incredible depth of talent with over 100 Australian Independent artists performing, means that the music on offer is even more diverse than in previous years."

Among the venues featuring entertainment this year are the Mildura Plaza, Wentworth Services Club, Red Cliffs Club, Mildura Workers, Buronga's Edge Hotel, Mildura's Grand Hotel, the Gateway Tavern, Coomealla Club, Merebin Citizens Club, Mildura RSL, the Irymple Hotel and the Crown Hotel Wentworth.

MILDURA TO HOST CMAA RADIO AIRPLAY SEMINAR

The first of a series of seminars run by the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) to help independent country music artists learn how they can gain radio airplay will be conducted as a part of this year's Mildura Country Music Festival.

Titled Why Should I Care? the seminar will also be staged at the 2002 January country music festival in Tamworth.

The Mildura seminar will be held at the Mildura Workingmans Club on Tuesday, October 2, from 9am to 11am.

In the first part of the seminar, a panel of three will answer questions on the topic with a group discussion to follow.

Seminars will be moderated by an industry specialist who has had direct experience in working in or dealing with radio.

Panelists will also be industry specialists with a direct relationship to the subject area and at least one artist who has had success gaining airplay for his or her product.

Registration fee is $10 for CMAA Professional Members, $15 for non-members (seminars will be followed by a light snack).

Bookings and enquiries can be made with the CMAA National Office on 02 6766 1577, email projects@cmaa.net.au, or, for the Mildura activity, with CMAA Independents sub-committee member John Arnold on 0418 303 206.

MILDURA GOES INTERNATIONAL

The Mildura Country Music Festival is to expand this year to include several other international independent artists following successful experimentation with visiting New Zealand acts over the past three years.

A number of New Zealand acts will be at Mildura 2001 together with Tony Goodacre from England who has appeared at an early Mildura country music festival. Several Australian artists have subsequently worked with Tony in England as part of a "network" of friendship.

From 21 applications from the USA, six have been selected for appearances. They will also be doing some promotional work elsewhere and then work at some gigs in New Zealand on the way home. The inclusion of the Americans follows additional promotional sponsorship from tourist quarters in return for raising the festival to "international status".

The American acts selected are Shelly Streeter, Woody Wills (from Anchorage, Alaska), Rusty Evans, Sylvia Winters (from Georgia), Taylor McKay and Jerry Hill, who hails from Mildura's Sister City region of Upland, California.

At least two International shows will be "created" for the festival and these will have Australian representation. The shows will be hosted by an Australian country artist. The American singers will perform normal spots and will be part of several showcases, but not always at the same venue. It is also anticipated  that, as a result of the international representation and ensuing friendships, Australian acts will get the opportunity to do some regional entertaining in America.

5TH AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS

Organisers of the Mildura Country Music Festival have announced the Finalists for the 5th Australian Independent Country Music Awards to be presented at a gala concert on Sunday October 7th at the Mildura Arts Centre on the last day of the Festival.

The finalists list highlights the strength of the Independent sector of Australian country music, and includes many who have attracted major radio and chart success in the last twelve months. The list includes three acts who have enjoyed Number 1 chart singles in recent times - Magnificent Seven and Carter & Carter who have both hit the #1 position twice in the last year, and Lyn Bowtell who also hit #1 back in January.

Popular LBS recording artist Brian Letton leads the finalist nominations with three finals spots in Single of the Year, Heritage Track of the year and Male Vocal from his album The Land Of Waltzing Matilda.

Other multiple finalists are Audrey Auld in Female Vocalist and Album of the Year with The Fallen, and Craig Byrne also scores a double with berths in Male Vocal and Album of the Year with his latest release My Girl.

Former winners, the Crosby Sisters and Vanya feature amongst the finalists, which also includes a significant number of Independent Award debutantes.

The judged Award categories have been increased this year to seven with the inclusion of Male and Female Vocalist sections, and a special selection award for Independent Entertainer of the Year is also announced on the night.

See the complete list of Indie Award Finalists.

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

WINNERS 2000

Winners of the fourth Australian Independent Country Music Awards were announced as the highlight of the 2000 Mildura Country Music Festival Sunday night, October 1.

And the winners are...

1. Independent Country Music Track (Single) of the Year

Rollin' Along, The Sparnetts

2. Independent Album of the Year

The Sparnetts, The Sparnetts

3. Independent Heritage Track of the Year - Traditional

The Last Of The Riverboats, Kate Ballantyne

4. Independent Rising Star Award (Male)

Big Old Things, Roo Arcus

5. Independent Rising Star Award (Female)

Ryleigh's Last Run, Elizabeth Lord

6. Independent Artist of the Year

Pat Drummond

MILDURA SUCCESS

ISSUED OCTOBER 1, 2000

The 14th Mildura Country Music Festival which wrapped up on Sunday 1st October has been the most successful date according to Festival organisers.

"Our estimates indicate that we have had around a 30 percent increase in the number of country music enthusiasts attending the event," said John Arnold from the Festival Committee.

"Reports from venues of full houses at many shows have confirmed that Mildura 2000 is the biggest on record."

From the independent artist's perspective (and there were more than 130 performing during the 10 day period), the Festival represented tremendous sales of albums which was strong testimony to the basic philosophy of the organisers to provide free entertainment for the full Festival period.

"The free concept means fans still have money in their pocket to purchase merchandise from the artists, and that is exactly the objective of this festival - to provide a major entertainment opportunity for Independent Australian country music artists," John said.

The 4th Independent County Music Awards were staged at the Mildura Arts Centre as part of a live radio concert on Sunday 1st October and Victorian group The Sparnetts were the big winners, taking home the Independent Album of the Year award for their self-titled release, and also Country Music Track (Single) of the Year for their Top 10 chart hit Rollin' Along.

Fellow ACMEC recording artist Roo Arcus won the Rising Star Male category with his popular single Big Old Things, and Byron Bay (Northern NSW) singer/songwriter Elizabeth Lord won the Rising Star Female award with her successful chart song Ryleigh's Last Run.

Star Maker '98 winner and Golden Guitar finalist Kate Ballantyne took out the last of the judged awards with her Last Of The Riverboats victorious in the Heritage Song of the Year category.

Outstanding singer/songwriter Pat Drummond was selected as Independent Artist of the Year in a popular decision which paid tribute to Pat's amazing recording output in the last 12 months with three solo or collaboration albums, a heavy touring schedule and a total commitment to the Independent sector of the Australian country music industry.

The night was also very significant for new Independent record company ACMEC with label-mates The Sparnetts and Roo Arcus successful in taking out three awards.

VICTORIAN CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS RESULTS

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 26, 2000

Results of the 2000 Victorian Champion of Champions, run as part of the Mildura Country Music Festival on Monday night (September 25) are...

13 Years & Under... Charlene Bailey

16 Years & Under... Joelene Mandrakas

16 Years & Under Gospel... Joelene Mandrakas

Junior Victorian Champion of Champions... Charlene Bailey

Open Vocal... Jake Nickolai

Senior Gospel... Andrew Sellars

Senior Victorian Champion of Champions... Jake Nickolai

Toyota Star Maker qualifying round for the final 20 in Tamworth 2001... Megan Laurie

TOP OF THE STATE TALENT QUEST RESULTS

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 25, 2000

The first of the major talent quests during the Mildura Country Music Festival was staged last night, and junior talent Charlene Bailey from Tamworth upstaged her more senior counterparts by taking out the Grand Overall trophy. A full list of winners is below.

Top of the State Talent Quest Results 2000

Tonight (Monday 25th) sees the staging of the Victorian Champion of Champions, including the Toyota Star Maker qualifying round resulting in the winner receiving an automatic entry into Toyota Star Maker 2001.

Results will be on the website Tuesday.

NEW ALBUMS TO BE RELEASED DURING MILDURA FESTIVAL

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 18, 2000

Over a dozen brand new country albums are scheduled for release at this year's Mildura Country Music Festival starting this Friday, September 22.

Two of the releases are from local Mildura singers. The new June Harrison album is produced by Roger Corbett and features some members of the Bushwackers and Pru Clearwater doing backing vocals.

The album is called The Heart of Saturday Night and features three tracks which June co-wrote. Two of these songs were written at the Country Music College in Tamworth this year. June was a Top 20 Star Maker finalist last January, having won the Victorian Qualifying round at the 1999 Mildura Festival. June's album will be launched at the Henderson Park Hoedown Sunday, September 24.

Fellow Mildura resident Gail Smith recorded her album The End of Time at the LBS studios in Tamworth earlier this year. It will be launched in the City Heart Mall on Wednesday, September 27 at 12.15pm.

Other artists to launch albums at the festival this year include Craig Giles with his new gospel album Try a Little Kindness; Craig Byrne My Girl; John Mathewson Now and Then; Reg Poole Cream of Australian Country; Stephen R Cheney Bush Telegraph; Gary Smith Country Revival and Colleen Honeyman Easy Listening Country and Yodelling.

Albury artist Korey Livy will launch his debut album on the City Heart Mall at 3.45pm on Thursday, September 28, and South Australian singer/songwriter and Country Music College graduate Alison Hams also releases her second album Hear From Me.

Victorian duo Carter & Carter, who are currently enjoying a Top 10 radio single with You Were There, will release their highly anticipated album Dance Away The Night produced by top Sydney studio man Herm Kovac.

Other albums to be launched include volume two of Country Tradition, a compilation of 20 tracks put together by Star Productions at Clunes. Several of the artists on the compilation--Steve O'Connor, Cheryl Lethlean, Chooka Williams and Norm Whitton--will attend the launch during the Victorian Showcase at the Red Cliffs Club on Thursday, September 28.

NEW JOINT HOST FOR BUSH POETS BREAKFASTS

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 18, 2000

Sydney poet John Ley, who in past years has shared the main host duties at the Poets Breakfasts during the Mildura Country Music Festival, is unable to attend this year.

He is recovering from a foot operation and this week found it impossible to fulfil his duties at the festival.

Neil McArthur of Ballarat, who attends similar breakfasts at Tamworth and Gympie, will join Mildura poet Danny O'Rourke as joint host of the poetry sessions at the Mildura Workingman's Club.

A comedy poet, Neil has recorded two cassette tapes and written two books.

The Poets Breakfast venue this year can accommodate up to 180 people each morning and is being held at the historic Mildura Workingman's Club.

INDEPENDENT AWARDS ON AIR

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 11, 2000

Radio listeners will have a double opportunity to experience the live broadcast of the 4th Australian Independent Country Music Awards on Sunday 1st October.

The CBAA (Community Broadcasting Association of Australia) will have the full show available live on their ComRadSat satellite network from 7.00pm to 9.00pm (Eastern Daylight Saving Time). N.I.R.S (the National Indigenous Radio Network) will carry a delayed broadcast from 9.00pm to 11.00pm (Eastern Daylight Saving time) due to a prior commitment to broadcast the Olympic Closing Ceremony. Enquiries regarding the NIRS broadcast can be directed to Nick Erby at 4AAA on 07 3892 0100 or nick@4aaa.org.au.

The Awards Concert and Presentations feature performances by some of Australia's leading Independent country music artists including Brian Letton, Pat Drummond, Karen Lynne, Angela Hayden, Carter & Carter, Keith Jamieson, Reg Poole, Dave Debs, the Sparnetts, Brendon Marolla, Kate Ballantyne, Roo Arcus, Royden Donohoe and Donella Plane. The evening is co-hosted by Star Maker winner and Golden Guitar finalist Lyn Bowtell and Mike Smith.

TALENT QUEST CHANGES

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 11, 2000

Following feedback from competitors, dates of the One Day Talent quest have been changed from last year at the Mildura annual Country Music Festival.

Last year the One Day talent quests followed immediately the main talent quest, which occupies the first four days of the festival (Friday September 22 to Monday September 25). The One Day talent quests have only two sections per day but the age groups vary. There is a $2 entry fee and a band is provided. Entry is by 10.45am on the day.

The Talent Quests will be held from 11am to 3pm on Wednesday September 27 and Friday September 29 at the Red Cliffs Club, Thursday September 28 at the Workingman's Club and Saturday September 30 at the Merlin Citizens Club. There is a leaflet available for the ONE DAY TALENT QUESTS and can be obtained by calling 1800 039 043. A separate leaflet is available for the main talent quest which has pre-festival closing date for entries.

COUNTRY MUSIC DOMINATES THE AIRWAVES

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 11, 2000

Country Music will dominate the airwaves at Mildura during the 14th annual Country Music Festival.

From September 17, the Festival Committee runs its own radio station on the frequency of 92.3 FM. This is a special event broadcast with Classic Country on the airwaves 24 hours a day. The station is unique in Australia. It only plays tracks from artists who are performers at this years festival.

HOT FM in Mildura, which plays 102 hours of country music 52 weeks a year will remain as the radio hub of the festival and broadcast daily interviews with the artists at the festival. It mixes festival artists with American country music. HOT FM has translators at Robinvale and Wentworth (90.7 FM) and a country music service will be provided for Coomealla/Dareton on 87.8 FM.

The AM station, 1359 Old Gold, has promised that 20 percent of its old tracks will be country hits from the fifties and sixties during the duration of the festival.

STRONG NEW ZEALAND PRESENCE

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 11, 2000

The New Zealanders are making a strong bid to promote their own music with a number of artists to appear at this years Mildura Country Music Festival.

The first is already in Australia - Marie Haslemore, who has just recorded a new album and performed at the start of the month up at Ipswich (Qld). Marie is staying with former Parkes Country Music Festival organisers Marilyn and Robert Dumesny at Ferny Grove, before trekking south to Mildura. Along with Marie, new to the Mildura festival will be Joy Adams from Huntly in the North Island of New Zealand. Joy has two very good albums out and will arrive two days before the festival starts to assist with festival pre-publicity.

Other New Zealanders to perform will be Margaret Bates, who has performed recently in Branson, Missouri in the USA, Graeme McCardle from Auckland and Heather Holland. Two shows featuring the New Zealanders will be held - the first on Friday September 22 at the Irymple Hotel and the second on Tuesday September 26, also at Irymple.

MILDURA TO HOST CMAA GET TOGETHER

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER, 2000

A number of Board members of the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) will meet with independent artists at the Mildura Country Music Festival.

Board members Meryl Gross, Pat Drummond and John Elliott will be at the festival to meet with independent artists and industry people. The meeting will be held at 8.15am at the Mildura Workingman's Club (upstairs), Tuesday, September 26.

The Festival itself will be represented by John Arnold, President of the Festival Committee. A full breakfast for $6.50 will be available.

After the meeting there will be a songwriters workshop with Richard Porteous of Adelaide, Golden Guitar-winning songwriter, record producer and radio presenter.

The workshop is free to all interested persons and will be held from 9.30am to 11am.

NEW VENUE FOR BUSH POETS

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER, 2000

A new venue will house the Poets Breakfasts at this years Mildura Country Music Festival.

The daily event will be held from 8am to 10am in the new bistro restaurant at the Mildura Workingman's Club.

Not only is it a first for the festival, but the first time in the history of the century-old club that a major breakfast event has been conducted there.

The new facility will accommodate around 180 people each morning.

Festival organisers have arranged for a full breakfast to be available for $6.50 (including unlimited tea or coffee).

Bottomless cups of coffee or tea will be $1.50 per person.

Any poet is invited to get up and perform. The mornings are hosted by either Neil McArthur or Danny O'Rourke.

A number of other poetry and storytelling dominated shows will be included in this year's event.

The popular Bush Ballad and Poetry Mornings with Stephen R Cheney and selected poets will be at Wentworth Services Club Bistro from 8am to 10am on both Tuesday September 26 and Friday September 29.

There will be an afternoon edition of this show at the Gateway Tavern from 3.30pm to 5.30pm on Wednesday September 27.

Pat Drummond, Karen Lynne and the Storytellers (poets) will be at the Coomealla Golf Club on Friday September 29 and a Laura Downing and Storytellers show will be at the Coomealla Golf Club on Sunday October 1 from 7.30pm to 10.30pm.

SPOTLIGHT ON BLONDES!

MEDIA RELEASE, SEPTEMBER, 2000

The spotlight will be on blondes this year at the annual Mildura Country Music Festival!

A few years ago, an abundance of lovely female redheads led organisers to formulate a "Rockin Redheads" show at the Mildura Workingman's Club.

Last year it was expanded to hold two shows of "Rockin Redheads and Bashful Blondes".

That show will be retained this year and has been set for Monday September 25.

The blonde performers are Angela Hayden from Sydney, Tori Vines of Broken Hill, Sandra Humphries of South Australia (lead singer of the band Crosswind) and Stephanie Burke (Queensland), while the redheads will be Alison Hams (Port Pirie) and Kylie Sackley (Brisbane).

On Wednesday night September 27 at the Workers the "Blonde Bombshells of Country Music" will be held.

Taking the stage will be Donella Plane (NSW Central Coast ), Lyn Bowtell (Toowoomba), Tracy Coster (NSW Central Coast), Tracey Faith (Sydney), Angela Hayden, Tori Vines and Stephanie Burke.

THE 4TH AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

2000 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2000

The Australian Independent Country Music Awards were instigated in 1997 by the Mildura Country Music Festival Committee to recognise the recording achievements of Independent artists in Australian country music.

The Awards are open to all CD product by Australian Independent country music artists recorded in Australia during the designated period (July 1st to June 30th of the applicable year) on labels other than those specified as Major Labels. The Awards comprise 5 judged categories as listed below, and in 1999 the Independent Artist of the Year Award was added with selection of the recipient from entrants in all of the judged categories.

The 5 judged categories are:

1. Independent Country Music Track (single) of the year
2. Independent Album of the Year
3. Independent Heritage Track of the Year (Traditional)
4. Independent Rising Star Award (Male)
5. Independent Rising Star Award (Female)

Selected Category:

6. Independent Artist of the Year

The acceptance of the Independent Awards has been immediate, with recognition from both the country music industry and fans. Independent Rising Star Award winners and finalists have scored numerous subsequent awards and nominations. Over the three-year life of the awards, fourteen Independent Award finalists including the Crosby Sisters, Brian Letton, Adam Brand, Lyn Bowtell, Tamara Stewart, Vanya, Red Rivers, Ian Quinn, Karen Lynne, Michael O'Rourke. Tamika Kellehear, Bill & Audrey and Carol Young have gained finals berths in the Country Music Awards of Australia (Golden Guitars). Adam Brand followed up his 1998 finals nomination with three Golden Guitars in 1999, and 1999 Heritage Song winner Brendon Walmsley snared the New Talent Golden Guitar in 2000.

The 2000 Australian Independent Country Music Awards have attracted record entries. 110 individual products were submitted, with 87 nominations in the Single of the Year category, 44 entries in Album of the Year, 58 in the Heritage Track, and the Rising Star Male and Female categories attracting 22 and 21 nominations respectively.

In her first appearance on the Independent Awards list, Byron Bay (NSW) singer songwriter Elizabeth Lord heads the nominations with her song "Ryleigh's Last Run" gaining three finals berths in Country Music Track (Single), Heritage Track, and Rising Star Female. Victorian group The Sparnetts, who won the Group/Duo Golden Guitar at the 2000 Toyota Country Music Awards of Australia have gained two nominations for the album category and the Single of the Year with their single "Rollin' Along". Central NSW Coast's Kate Ballantyne makes her third Awards appearance with two finals nominations in Album of the Year for "Flowers For Love" and Heritage Track with "Last Of The Riverboats".

The 2000 Independent Award finalists include a number of previous winners and finalists. 1997 Female Rising Star winner Vanya returns in the Album category with her new release "Naked heart"; Kate Ballantyne was an Album finalist in 1998 with her band Fandango, returned in 1999 with her Single of the Year contender "The Longest Time", and is back with final berths in Album with her "Flowers For Love" release, and Heritage Track for "Last of The Riverboats"; Lyn Bowtell makes her second appearance in the Album category with "Hearts In The Country", the follow up to her 1997 nominated release "Headed South"; Raebekah Roycroft is making successive appearances in Rising Star Female with her chart single "Driving You Out Of My Mind", and Brendan Marolla also makes it two finals berths in a row for Rising Star Male with his new entry "Highway To My Dreams".

New Independent Record label ACMEC, which launched seven albums at the 2000 Tamworth Country Music Festival, has scored five finals berths including three for Album of the Year with The Sparnetts, Vanya, Lyn Bowtell and Roo Arcus.

Fourth Australian Independent Country Music Awards — Finalists 2000

1. Independent Country Music Track (Single) of the Year

• Capricorn Rain - Terra Australis
• Ryleigh's Last Run - Elizabeth Lord
• Rollin' Along - The Sparnetts
• Yes Or No - Magnificent Seven

2. Independent Album of the Year

• Flowers For Love - Kate Ballantyne
• The Sparnetts - The Sparnetts
• Naked Heart - Vanya
• Hearts In The Country - Lyn Bowtell

3. Independent Heritage Track of the Year ­ Traditional

• A Sprig of Rosemary - Evelyn Bury
• Ryleigh's Last Run - Elizabeth Lord
• The Last Of The Riverboats - Kate Ballantyne
• I Felt Them Walk Beside Me - Ted Kittel

4. Independent Rising Star Award (Male)

• Drovers Heaven - Brett Goodwin
• Highway To My Dreams - Brendan Marolla
• Born To Be A Heartbreaker - Royden Donohoe
• Big Old Things - Roo Arcus

5. Independent Rising Star Award (Female)

• Ryleigh's Last Run - Elizabeth Lord
• The Days When We Were Young - Karen Lynne
• Remember The Dance - Donella Plane
• Driving You Out Of My Mind - Raebekah Roycroft

Details of the Independent Country Music Awards of Australia including past winners are available on the Mildura Country Music Festival Website: www.milduracountrymusic.com.au

Winners will be announced at a gala concert on Sunday 1st October as the finale to the Mildura Country Music Festival, with the entire Awards show incorporated in a live radio broadcast networked throughout Australia. Tickets are available from 1st September on 1800 039 043.

THE MILDURA COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL — PASSIONATELY INDEPENDENT

MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED MONDAY, JULY 17, 2000

When Australian country music fans talk of the festival "biggies", a country city in Victoria now rates a mention alongside the Tamworth Festival and the Gympie Muster as one of the big three. The major difference between the other two and the 14th Annual Mildura Country Music Festival that kicks off on September 22nd is that Mildura is Australia's biggest showcase of Independent entertainers. What that means in a nutshell is that you don't have the major, but the offset is that you get an unending cast of highly talented professional country music artists who aren't signed to major record label deals.

The Independent factor gives Mildura a very different complexion, and it's a successful formula that has worked admirably over the past fourteen years. In 2000 over 130 individual artists and groups will entertain over the ten-day period, and the roster comprises many award winners including Golden Guitar finalists and Star Maker winners. But then when you consider that the Independent artists make up probably ninety five percent of the performers in the country music industry, and the calibre and achievements of the artists is well documented, it strikes home that there is a huge well of talent out there. A large proportion of the artists performing at Mildura have highly successful recording and touring careers and big fan bases throughout Australia. With names like Brian Letton, Craig Giles, Peter Horan, Paul McCloud, Tracy Coster, Reg Poole, Pat Drummond, Elizabeth Lord, Mark Tempany, Lindsay Butler, Brent Parlane and Shaza Leigh, you can gather a truckload of chart hits, popular albums, and recording and songwriting awards.

What Mildura has steadily developed is something that draws thousands of fans on an annual pilgrimage that would make many non-music lovers scratch their heads in bewilderment. Often driving thousands of kilometres, the fans converge on this beautiful town on the banks of the legendary Murray River for ten days of virtually non-stop country music, and the Mildura Festival has steadily built is own culture through the years. It's become the Mecca for the "empty-nesters" - the mature age couples whose kids have flown the coop, the ones who have the time to set out for two or three weeks holiday, and most importantly, those who have a deep love of the music. The wonderful part about Mildura in September is that not only is it country music heaven, it's also a great holiday destination.

The fans love the freedom of Mildura, and the value-added factor. For a start, virtually all the musical entertainment is free, (for the statistically inclined that's over 800 hours worth), and the majority of the shows are multi-artist concerts. If you were paying, the value is certainly there, but in this free environment, everything's a bonus. The variety is amazing, with everything from high standard talent quests like the Victorian Champions of Champions, or the Star Maker Qualifier which provides automatic entry for the winner into Australia's most prestigious country music star search in Tamworth, to crowd-winners like the Rocking Redheads or the Bush Balladeers. The venues, 24 in all, spread from the City Mall providing all-day entertainment at central town venues in Mildura to outlying locations like Wentworth, Merbein, Red Cliffs and Coomealla. And for the players and stayers there's even the unlikeliest of late night country music venues - the local pizza parlour called Lauretz. From midnight til 3am it's the gathering place for singers, musos and resilient fans, and provides a great wind-down for the day.

The diamond in the crown for the past four years has been the live concert and radio presentation of the Australian Independent Country Music Awards that recognise the achievements of the independent recording artists during the past year, and this year's record entries endorse the status of the event. Many previous finalist and winners like Kate Ballantyne, Vanya, Tamika Kellehear, the Crosby Sisters, Michael O'Rourke and Brian Letton have gone on to snare finalist berths in the Golden Guitars, with some notable successes like 1999 Independent Award winner Brendon Walmsley taking out the coveted New Talent Golden Guitar during Tamworth 2000.

The culture of Mildura has built up on a real family factor, and that applies equally to the artists as well as the fans. There is a noticeable lack of urgency and panic during the festival, because if you miss a planned event on one day, you can usually catch up later in the week. The excitement factor is still there, but there's an element of control built in - and that's why the enjoyment factor is just as evident on day ten as the start. And the reason the artists enjoy it so much is that it's ten days of music, friendship and fun. Mildura is really a level playing field - no star billing, no support act tag, and certainly no room for egos.

The driving force behind the Mildura Festival is a small, overworked, and totally dedicated committee headed by President John Arnold, and Coordinator Max Thorburn. For the fans it looks easy, but the organisation of an event the size and duration of Mildura encompasses a full twelve months of planning, and an awesome array of tasks from booking, accommodating and placing the 130 artists, arranging venue rosters, dealing with a multitude of local suppliers, traders, council and government departments, and tourism bodies.

Underpinning the festival are local radio stations HOT FM 106.9 which broadcasts 19 hours of country music daily as part of its normal music format, and Festival Radio 92.3 which reverts to a 24 hours per day country music format during the Mildura festival, focussing on the music of performers appearing at the festival.

So why do they (the organisers) drive themselves into the ground each year to make the Mildura Festival such a successful music and tourism event? Simple - they do it for the love of the music, they do it for the Independent country music artists, they do it for Mildura, and they do it for the fans. It's a terrific combination that has created one of Australia's most unique musical events.

The 14th Mildura County Music Festival 2000 runs from Friday 22 September to Sunday 1st October, and further information and programs can be obtained from 1800 039 043.