Scroll below to see who is performing in 2019.
Euripi
Brief Bio
Euripi is a Mudgee based, original, folk and cover duo, composed of husband and wife team, Glenn and Emily Van Reason. Although coming from different musical backgrounds in Classical and Music Theatre and Aussie Rock, they share a love of an eclectic range of music which transverses many genres.
Euripi draw inspiration for their unique style and harmonies from the musical artists they admire, particularly singer/songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Paul Kelly, Rodriguez, Debra Conway and Damien Rice. They can be found performing through out the Central West at pubs, clubs, weddings and functions, markets and festivals.
When not performing Glenn and Emily are busy raising their four children on the family farm, growing organic vegetables and fruit and tending to their increasing menagerie of animals.
Nick Charles
Brief Bio
Performing on average 150 shows a year across Australia, New Zealand and the USA Nick Charles is known internationally as “Australia’s virtuoso of acoustic roots and blues”.
He has released a dozen albums on Australian and US labels including his latest “The River Flows” which saw him awarded the 2016 “Album of the Year”, “Song of the Year” and “Solo Performer of the Year” in the Melbourne blues scene. He was named “Port Fairy Folk Festival Artist of the Year 2014” (Australia’s highest folk accolade) and is a twice winner of the Australian Song Contest.
A recent accolade is the 2016 “Age” Blues album of the Year, the most prestigious album award in his home state.
He has toured with and supported artists including John Hammond, Guy Clarke, Ralph McTell, Robyn Ford, Junior Wells and BB King and toured the US eleven times in recent years.
This recognition has succeeded in having Nick signed to the Grammy Award winning label, Solid Air Records USA (“Home of the World’s Finest Guitarists”). The only other Australian recognized by the label being Tommy Emmanuel.
This is dazzling fingerpicking roots music magic and a lifetime’s stories and songs from the world’s musical highways.
"ELVIS" AKA Royden Donohue
Brief Bio
NAMED 2005 TIARA AWARDS MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR - 2005 NATIONAL COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS BEST NEW TALENT OF THE YEAR - 2005 GOLDEN SADDLE AWARDS FINALIST
Royden Donohue is already a familiar name in Australian country music. Over the past few years, the 24-year-old has released no less than four independent albums — Born to be a Heartbreaker, Rope the Moon, Solitary Man and Kentucky Rain. He’s enjoyed considerable radio airplay, and gained the respect of the whole country music industry, as well as building a large and solid fan base around his home town of Nyngan in western New South Wales.
His third album, Rope the Moon, took him into the finals of the Australian Independent Country Music Awards in Mildura in 2000. He’s twice been a Star Maker grand finalist — in 1999 and 2000 — and graduated from the prestigious CMAA College of Country Music in 1999.
But during his time in the desert over the past couple of years, Royden came to the realisation that it was time to take the next step forward with his career. So he contacted award-winning producer Rod McCormack — who’s been responsible for the success of artists like Beccy Cole and Adam Harvey, amongst others — to produce his new single.
Royden was keen to capture the quality of his live performances on the new tracks. “I wanted songs that were positive, that reflected my musical style — which is influenced by people like Dwight Yoakam and Elvis — and that would appeal to a mixed audience,” he said.
Under Rod’s guidance, Royden selected three songs to record: “We’re Gone” “Call It What It Is” and “Is It Love?”
The songs are all pure country, and reflect Royden’s deep country roots as well as showcasing his powerful voice and dynamic style. “I’ve gone that extra step with these songs, and given them everything I’ve got. Working with Rod has made the world of difference, and I’m really happy with the result,” Royden said.
The catchy single “We’re Gone” is extremely radio friendly – and was a Top 20 hit on the Australian charts.
Chris Newman
Brief Bio
Initially I began playing in1972 after purchasing Neil Diamond's "Hot August Night", having fallen in love with the music. Then in 1976 along with my two brothers formed a band called "High Tide", we performed popular middle of the road popular music and worked the RSL clubs, hotels and weddings and various other functions.
In 1995 I decided to go solo performing the songs of the 50's through to the 80's concentrating on Rock n Roll, Country Rock and Country and Western and especially the songs of Neil Diamond.
In 2001 I joined up with Dave and Janet Ashby to form the trio "Sapphire" and later continued performing solo; formed another band in 2006 with Wayne Higgings called "YesterYear".
The Jam Tarts Trio
Brief Bio
Take three dazzling women with big personalities– add a guitar, a dash of ukulele, some gorgeous harmonies and mix in some quirky songs from the 50’s through to the 90’s – and there you have The Jam Tarts Trio… a lot of fun, a little bit naughty but very, very nice. The Jam Tarts Trio began in 2009 when three new friends began to sing and harmonise together around a campfire at Newstead. We discovered a mutual love for the music of yesteryear and a return to the glamour and pizzaz of this time.
Band Members include Heather Anstey, Kaz Mackay and Lorraine Marsh.
Pete Denahy
*with Aron McLean
Brief Bio
Pete Denahy is perhaps best known as the person responsible for “Sort of Dunno Nothin’ “ the song about teenage disinterest that went viral on Youtube, with more than 1 million plays to date. The song has been played on TV shows such as Spicks and Specks, Rage, Today and The Morning Show.
The multiple guitar winner, Pete first came to the attention of the music world as a member of Slim Dusty’s Travelling Country Band.
As well as being an accomplished and highly regarded fiddle player, guitarist, singer and song-writer, Pete is also one of the industry’s true characters. His off-the-wall, fly by the seat of your pants comedy adds another, truly hilarious dimension to his shows.
The Davidson Brothers
Brief Bio
The Davidson Brothers are considered two of Australia’s most highly driven and well-respected bluegrass musicians. Hamish and Lachie were raised in the rural Victorian town of Yinnar and began performing and recording in 1998. Since then, they’ve toured the United States, Europe, appeared on the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and toured their band extensively across Australia.
Mostly self-taught, multi-Instrumentalists, both Hamish (fiddle, banjo, guitar, dobro, vocals) and Lachlan (mandolin, fiddle, guitar, vocals) became in-demand session musicians before they finished high school and as competitive teenagers they both went on to win National Bluegrass Championship titles. Together, the Davidson Brothers have had top 10 Country Radio Singles, reached the ARIA Country Albums Chart and established the Australian Bluegrass Scholarship in 2011 to enhance a young culture and encourage acoustic musicians.
After eighteen consecutive years performing the Tamworth Country Music Festival, three Golden Guitar Awards later, Hamish and Lachie return with their eighth studio release in April 2017, All You Need Is Music, which was recorded in Nashville and features 12 new original Bluegrass & Country tracks.
Recently, the boys were inducted by the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame into Tamworth’s prestigious Hands of Fame monument and in 2016 they teamed up with legendary rocker Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows to collaborate in the studio and on stage, opening sold out shows in both Melbourne and regional Victoria.
The brothers have a uniquely Australian light-hearted outlook on life which they use to showcase their musical ability to all unsuspecting audiences. Well known for their contemporary acoustic style the Davidson Brothers are destined to have a long-standing career on the Australian music scene.
Leroy Johnson
Brief Bio
Between working as an advisor for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and meetings of the Mutawintji Land Council, the husky-voiced Leroy Johnson, eyebrow ring hanging above his left eye, manages to occasionally get in a strum or two of his guitar.
For Leroy it's a seat by the campfire at Wilcannia or out at Mutawintji National Park where you're most likely to find him playing.
"Just get around the campfire where you can hand the guitar round and listen to different people play".
At this festival in 2019 I’ve been asked to do a workshop on playing the didgeridoo. Then later in the weekend I look forward to doing what I love best; playing around a campfire with everyone joining in and having a good old sing-a-long.