Author: Mallory Arbour

A reminder that Americana is very much alive and thriving in Australia

It was roots’ music night of nights celebrating the First Annual Australian Americana Music Honours Night at Thornbury Theatre in Melbourne on October 2nd. Performing was Kasey Chambers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Valerie June with Busby Marou, Shane Howard, Bernard Fanning, Catherine Britt, Kevin Welch, Henry Wagons, Emily Barker, Ruby Boots and Jordie Lane & The Sleepers.

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Live Review: Casey Donovan shines in the spotlight of Melbourne’s Toff in Town

It’s exciting to see how far Casey Donovan has come! If you’ve read her autobiography, you’d know of her struggles and journey she’s taken over the last twelve-years of being in the spotlight. After her recent I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! win; she’s on the road with her Off the Grid…

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Interview: Casey Barnes on new music & the change in direction of the Gympie Music Muster

It feels like only yesterday I was talking to Australian country-pop, singer/songwriter Casey Barnes about his latest release – but here we are again. His latest single, the catchy “Keep Me Coming Back” was written with MSquared Productions’ Michael Payter and Michael Delorenza; the team behind his two previous hit singles – “Just Like Magic”…

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Interview: Casey Donovan talks about her new EP after life in the jungle

Earlier this year, 2004 Australian Idol winner, Casey Donovan survived the jungle in I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! Now she’s released her crowd-funded EP, Off the Grid & Somewhere in Between and its singles “Lonely” (her first in seven years) and “The Villain”, and is later set to tour this October.

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Interview: Adam Brand on his anticipated return to the Gympie Music Muster

The Gympie Music Muster kicks off this Thursday through to Sunday, celebrating mates, music and making a difference. Now in its 36th year, it boasts an all-Australian line-up featuring hundreds of performances across five stages, covering genres such as country, bluegrass, folk, blues and rockabilly. Golden Guitar winner, Adam Brand returns.

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Interview: Damien Leith returns with his cabaret The Parting Glass – An Irish Journey

There seems to be a running joke between Irish-born, singer-songwriter, Damien Leith and I, because whenever we chat, it’s due to one of his shows being brought back by popular demand. This time around he revisits his cabaret, The Parting Glass – An Irish Journey.

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Live Review: Shane Nicholson impresses at the beloved Caravan Music Club alongside Imogen Clark

It was a bittersweet night for Shane Nicholson at the Caravan Music Club last Friday night, with the venue announcing its closure after a decade of providing an iconic venue for bands and artists to play. Always a highlight venue on the Victorian leg of his tour; singing songs from his twenty-year career repertoire and…

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Interview: Travis Collins and Amber Lawrence on Our Backyard, Gympie Muster and 2017 milestones

 For the first time, country music singer/songwriters Travis Collins and Amber Lawrence have collaborated on their debut seven-track EP, Our Backyard. Friends since 2004, when they met at the College of Country Music (now Academy of Country Music), it’s been eight years since the duo hit the road together. With cemented solo careers and album…

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Interview: Shane Nicholson takes us through his new release, Love and Blood

Singer, songwriter and producer, Shane Nicholson has just released his new studio album, Love and Blood. Following that Americana-influenced, Country sound, it’s a follow up to the ARIA-award winning, Hell Breaks Loose released in 2015. About to kick off on a national tour, we sat down to discuss the process of writing the new album…

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Live Review: Jon Stevens + Kate Ceberano – The Palms, Melbourne (14.07.17)

Jon Stevens kicked off his Starlight Album Tour at the Palms in Melbourne, with special guest, long-time friend Kate Ceberano. Opening the show with some classic covers, Phil Ceberano and band brought a level of excitement and intensity often lacking by opening bands.

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Interview: Jon Stevens opens up about recent shows in London & his Starlight tour

Hot on the heels of his UK tour, Jon Stevens is hitting the road around Australia for a national tour to celebrate his latest album release, Starlight. The tour, which will see him rock into six states and territories, will also feature very special guest and Jon’s long-time friend Kate Ceberano. He has fronted some…

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Caitlyn Shadbolt takes us through her debut album, Songs on My Sleeve

Australian singer/songwriter, Caitlyn Shadbolt’s career has gone from strength-to-strength since competing on 2014’s The X-Factor. After a strong EP release in 2015; she released her debut album, Songs On My Sleeve earlier this year. The album debuted at number one on the country ARIA Chart, and featured its infectious, fun, runway smash hit single, “My…

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Drew McAlister on his upcoming album and Broadbeach Country Music Festival

Drew McAlister has long been recognised as one of the nation’s premier songwriters and performers. A singer from the age of 7, he’s worked as a commercial composer for TV and radio, performer, recording artist and songwriter.

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Casey Barnes (QLD) on his new single, “The Way We Ride”

Following the success of his last single, “Just Like Magic” off his 2016 release, Live As One; teetering on the edge of commercial pop and rock, with that blend of American, modern-country, Casey Barnes has once again teamed up with Michael Paynter and Michael Delorenzis from MSquared Productions with the equally catchy, follow-up single, “The…

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Tom Wolfe of The Wolfe Brothers on new music and the 2017 Broadbeach Country Music Festival

This week, country music favourites, The Wolfe Brothers‘ latest single hit #1 on CMC, coinciding with the one year anniversary release of their third studio album, This Crazy Life. Gearing up to grace the stage alongside over 25 acts during the July 28-30 free Broadbeach Country Music Festival; I caught up with Tom Wolfe to…

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Troy Cassar-Daley on Queensland’s Broadbeach Country Music Festival

Troy Cassar-Daley has had one mammoth year! Continuing the success of his 2016 release, Things I Carry Around and the autobiographical book of the same name; he took home the Golden Guitar for Album of the Year and was named the 50th inductee into the Australian Country Music Roll of Renown, Australian Country Music’s highest…

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Ian Moss on heading to Queensland for Blues on Broadbeach 2017

Blues on Broadbeach is one of the largest free music events in Australia. Held on May 18 to 21st, the festival is celebrating its 16th year, having started in 2002. Cold Chisel guitarist and successful solo artist, Ian Moss is one of almost 70 acts to perform over the four day festival including: Bonnie Tyler,…

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Harrison Craig on his Kings of Vegas album, the influence of the city & his Aussie tour

Harrison Craig has been wowing audiences with his voice since 2013. With the release of his third studio album Kings Of Vegas (featuring new interpretations of classics such as “Almost Like Being In Love”, “She’s A Lady” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”) displaying a mature sound with swing-inspired direction, this platinum-selling artist (and…

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Adam Harvey on the release of The Great Country Songbook Volume II

Charismatic, multi-award winning, singer/songwriter, Adam Harvey, alongside poster girl Beccy Cole, have recently released The Great Country Songbook Volume II album, with a tour soon to follow. Following the success of the original 2013 release of The Great Country Songbook and tour with Troy Cassar-Daley; the 2017 release pays homage to some of the greatest male/female…

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Simply Bushed on the significance of ANZAC Day and their experiences in the Middle East

Paul Grierson and Chris Rieger form the duo, Simply Bushed. Their songs are powerful and emotive, and their dance nights are as famous as their epic performances themselves. Having released the single, “Raise Your Glass” on Remembrance Day last year; the single, as well as their EP Military Issues, is a tribute to those who…

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Adelaide’s Thom Lion on a love for piano and new music

Currently working as a radio producer by day and touring with his band, The Tamers, by night – I caught up with Adelaide-based singer/songwriter, Thom Lion.

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MICF Review: Grant Busé’s The Birds and the Beats is lovingly fair (performances until April 23rd)

SEX! Now that I’ve got your attention – imagine a darkened room, an empty stage, when suddenly a 27-year-old, self-described as the love child of Kurt Cobain and the Paddle Pop Lion, demonstrates his conception and birth using various props and an amply-placed curtain. The man is Grant Busé and it’s the intro into his…

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Christie Lamb takes us through her new album, Loaded

Let me give you a bit of a rundown on Country Music multi-instrumental, award-winning, singer-songwriter, Christie Lamb. She has been hailed as ‘one to watch’ by Country music legend, Lee Kernaghan. She’s toured with Jon English, Amber Lawrence, Aleyce Simmonds, The Wolfe Brothers, and performed a duet with Keith Urban at last year’s Deni Ute…

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Getting to know Newcastle country rock band, Hurricane Fall

Hurricane Fall is an Australian four-piece country rock band, comprising of Jesse Vee on lead vocals and guitar, Pepper Deroy on lead vocals and bass, Jimmy Hick on lead guitar and Lachlan ‘Dusty’ Coffey on skins and percussion. I spoke to Jesse, Pepper and Dusty about the band and its future.

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Mark Gable of The Choirboys on new music, touring and the magic of AC/DC

Mark Gable is the front man and founding member of the Australian hard rock band, The Choirboys. Formed in 1978, with Mark on lead vocals, Ian Hulme on bass guitar, Brad Carr on lead guitar and Lindsay Tebbutt on drums. He also penned the classic Australian anthem, Run To Paradise..

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Lee Kernaghan on an impressive 25 year milestone ahead of a huge run of live shows

In 1992, Lee Kernaghan released the Outback Club, which not only won ‘Best Country Album’ at the ARIA Music Awards and ‘Album of the Year’ at the Golden Guitar Awards, but also made him a household name. With 25 years in the industry, Lee has sold over two million album sales, 34 number one hits…

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Ainslie Wills chats international touring and new music ahead of her UK return

Ainslie Wills has been pegged as one to watch in 2017. Not only has she played Queenscliff Music Festival, Falls Festival, WOMADelaide and Splendour in the Grass, just to name a few, as well as a successful run opening for Grouplove in the UK last year; she, and key collaborator Lawrence Folvig, have signed on to…

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Adam Brand on breaking that ‘Country’ stigma and the evolution of the genre

Adam Brand‘s career spans close to 20 years, with multiple ARIA Award nominations, Golden Guitar wins and half a million CD and DVD sales, he’s one of Australia’s most successful and highly respected singer-songwriters. His recent feel good release pushes the boundaries in the country music genre, touching on elements of pop and rock, and…

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Destrends discuss their new EP Lousy Lover & eccentric costume choices

Mallory sat down with Melbourne-based trio Destrends at this year’s St Kilda Fest to discuss their new EP Lousy Lover and eccentric costume choices.

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Damien Leith talks music legends and similarities between Irish & Country music

Singer-songwriter Damien Leith is about to hit the road with his huge 25-date Roy – A Tribute to Roy Orbison – The Hall of Fame Tour. With two albums in the works; I caught up with Damien to talk about Roy, Elvis and how he’s making an impact in the country music world.

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