DAVE'S DIARY - 7 JULY 2021 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 7 - SERIES 48

ALAN JACKSON HEADLINES NU COUNTRY TV

Georgian born singer-songwriter Alan Jackson boomerangs to headline Nu Country TV on Saturday July 10 at 9.30 pm on Channel 31/Digital 44

Mississippi minstrels Charlie Worsham and Jameson Rodgers return to the show repeated Wednesday at 11.30 pm.

Montana singer-songwriter Tim Montana revisits the program edited by multi-talented lockdown producer Laith Graham.

Dandenong Ranges singer-songwriter tradie Benny Allen and Broken Hill born Raechel Whitchurch also appear this week.

Nu Country TV is a highlight of C 31 streaming list on Digital 44.

Further info - https://www.c31.org.au/

JACKSON TRIBUTE TO FAMILY AND HEROES

Alan Jackson honours his late father and weddings of his daughters on his live double shot from his chart topping 25 th album Where Have You Gone.

Jackson , 62, pays tribute to his dad Gene in Drive and his daughters on You Will Always Be My Baby on the 56 th Academy Of Country Music Awards.

He also mourned his mother Ruth who died at 86 on January 7, 2017 in her home of 70 years, in another new song Where Her Heart Has Always Been.

Jackson performed the latter at his mother's funeral and included her in his video and song - highlights of his 15 originals on his 21-track album.

Alan exuded passion for true country when I first interviewed him on a 1988 bus trip to a Vern Gosdin concert in civil war town Franklin, south of Nashville, when he was managed by expat Kiwi Barry Coburn.

The singer is also a major influence on guitar and didgeridoo playing Hawthorn football star Jarman Impey.

CLICK HERE for influence of Jackson and other country stars on AFL players in our Where Have You Gone feature in the Diary.

CLICK HERE for an Alan Jackson CD feature in the Diary on August 25, 2012.

CLICK HERE for another Jackson interview in The Diary on October 24, 2010.

CHARLIE WORSHAM FISTICUFFS

Charlie Worsham combines singing and acting in his career that includes stints with Old Crow Medicine Show and Australian tours with Georgian Kip Moore and South Carolina born Lee Brice.

Mississippi born Charlie, now 36, played Melbourne CBD Forum in 2018 after joining Moore and Brice at Way Out West festival at the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, Queensland.

This time he appears live on Nu Country on Fist Through This Town from his third solo album.

“There are so many things I remember about shooting the video for Fist Through This Town.” revealed Charlie whose acting career includes Fox TV series Bones.

“ For starters, the first location where we filmed is a little dive bar called Twin Kegs II , and they specialize in karaoke. I had only been there once several years ago on one of my first dates with my wife Kristen, and I got up to sang karaoke - I think I sang Rhinestone Cowboy . As we were filming there that morning with some musician buddies, we again sang a version of Rhinestone Cowboy . I also remember how good it felt to be in front of a crowd again. Everybody was masked up unless they were on camera, but it was a really cool feeling to be in a room playing live music. And it made think of my early days of gigs to sparse crowds like the one in the video. From reminiscing about my old attic apartment to that date with Kristen, there were a lot of great trips down memory lane on the day of the shoot.”

Charlie wrote the song with Jeremy Spillman and Travis Meadows.

"I think we all go through those times when it feels like the world is against us, and that's especially true for anyone who dares to chase down their dream,” he explained.

“ Fist Through This Town fell onto the page late one solitary night in a little house I used to rent on Lillian Street . It was fuelled by whiskey and a season of frustration, watched over by a painting of George Jones hanging on the wall, illuminated by the glow of hand-me-down lamps. 'Fist' was the first time I got that honest with myself about my anger. My hope is that this song can be rocket fuel for everyone else out there struggling to will a dream into existence."

Charlie emerged as mandolinist-singer in embryonic band King Billy who cut an EP in 2010.

CLICK HERE for our interview with Charlie in The Diary on July 16, 2018.

JAMESON RODGERS CANINE CAPERS

Fellow Mississippi born singer-songwriter Jameson Rodgers pays tribute to his late canine pals after debuting on Nu Country with chart topping North Carolina nouveau outlaw Luke Combs.

Jameson took Combs on a booze delivery run in his Cold Beer Calling My Name video after touring with Combs on his Beer Never Broke My Heart tour.

This time Batesville born Rogers , aged 33, exposes his love for trucking, women and pets in his Good Dogs video.

The song is on his second album In It For The Money that follows Top 5 hit Some Girls and two EPS.

Rodgers moved to Nashville in 2010 and co-wrote Florida Georgia Line's Top 10 single Talk You Out of It and Chris Lane #1 hit I Don't Know About You.

His song Camouflage Hat appeared on Jason Aldean's recent album 9 and he also wrote Luke Bryan's latest album Born Here Live Here Die Here title track.

Further info - https://www.jamesonrodgers.com/

TIM MONTANA HOME ON THE RANGE

Montana minstrel Tim Montana returns to a river near his hometown Butte with family and friends on his latest journey.

Tim, now 37 and father of four, explored hot bikes, cars and music in his nitro circus when he visited a car crematorium in his Do It Fast video on his EP Cars On Blocks.

This time he reaches back to his childhood with plentiful fishing and fun in his vibrant video for River Town from fourth album Long Shots .

There is no sign of actor Charlie Sheen and Butte sniper Rob O'Neill who were in his previous videos including Hillbilly Rich and Mostly Stoned .

O'Neill, 43, was the Navy Seal sniper who shot terrorist boss Osama bin Laden in Pakistan on May 1, 2011.

Tim was raised in a trailer without power in the Montana mountains.

His second album was Tim Montana & the Shred Necks .

Further info - https://www.timmontana.com/

BENNY ALLEN MIXES ROSE PETALS AND GUN POWDER

Dandenong ranges singer-songwriter-pianist and tradie Benny Allen brandishes different tools of trade as he reaches into the wild west of 1876 for a cowboy murder ballad on his return.

The salacious story of love, betrayal and mayhem features the tragic tale of a man named Desmond who finds his wife has been cheating, but not at cards.

Rose Petals and Gun Powder follows his debut CD Never Knew I Was Country.

Allen also appeared on Nu Country with videos for Lady Luck And Me and Places I've Never Been, Day One Of Missing You and his album title track.

Benny won most popular balladeer and album at 2020 Independent Country Music Awards and best video at Australian Country Music People's Choice Awards.

Further info - https://www.bennyallen.rocks/

RAECHEL WHITCHURCH MANSION MISSION

Broken Hill born Parkes raised singer-songwriter Raechel Whitchurch expands her popularity on her national tour with Geelong born trucking troubadour Adam Harvey.

Raechel's touring began in her family band The Lees who recorded three albums featuring several of her original songs

This week she takes a trip to an historic Federation house in inner western Sydney suburb Ashfield in her Don't Be Afraid video she directed with Chloe Mottau and editor Brad Spencer.

“I shot the music video for Don't Be Afraid in a beautiful old house in Ashfield,” revealed Raechel who also works as a booking agent.

“It's owned by close friends of my family, and my dad actually suggested that we shoot there. It felt like we were shooting in a mansion from another time, and that was exactly the sort of imagery I wanted to use for the song. Don't Be Afraid is all about taking a chance, chasing your dreams and not knowing what will happen next. Spending the day in this beautiful house and garden captured the essence of the song perfectly.”

Raechel enlisted dobro playing husband Ben, also in Harvey 's band, as co-writer for Don't Be Afraid - fourth single on Matt Fell produced album Finally Clear, released on April 16.

CLICK HERE for Raechel's Geelong live review in our Concerts Section on May 15.

WIN WAYLON, GEORGE JONES AND HIGHWAYMEN

George Jones, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson were among country historian Barbara Dowling's favourite Texans.

You can win Waylon Jennings, Highwaymen , Merle Haggard and George Jones discs donated by Barbara who died at 77 in December by becoming a Nu Country TV member or renewing your membership.

She co-hosted Long In The Saddle in our Nu Country FM era and was pioneer Australian and Victorian country music awards judge.

Barbara was admired for rising above losing her sight as a young woman and her country passion with annual trips to Waylon's birthplace in Littlefield, West Texas.

Waylon died at 64 on February 13, 2002, and is survived by singing spouse Jessi, now 77, and son Shooter, 41.

WIN KEITH URBAN CDS ALSO

We have expatriate Australasian superstar Keith Urban's chart topping 12th album The Speed Of Now - Part 1.

Also BR5-49 CD Big Backyard Beat Show and Billy Ray Cyrus's historic 1992 album Some Gave All that features his Achy Breaky Heart hit.

Join Watling & Bates as members and win their 13 track CD Small Town Tales.

We have other CDS by major artists you can win by becoming a Nu Country TV member or renewing your membership.

They include Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Kip Moore and late larrikin legend A.P. Johnson.

CLICK HERE for our Membership Page for details.

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