DAVE'S DIARY - 21 SEPTEMBER 2005 - CAMILLE TE NAHU & STUART FRENCH

CAMILLE AND STUIE - NO MUSIC IS AN ISLAND

She's appeared on prestige Texas TV show Austin City Limits with Kasey Chambers and also toured the U.S. with Sydney's famed Feral Swing Katz

And she cut a self-titled indie solo album in 2002 and duet disc with singing spouse-guitarist Stuie French.

So why is Polynesian Camille Te Nahu virtually unknown in her adoptive homeland Australia since arriving in 1999?
Well, it's not just because she and French hail from large islands - New Zealand and Tasmania.

You guessed it - the couple are indie country artists and treated like kryptonite by our commercial radio.

But they have followed in the slipstream of peers and used ABC and community radio and Pay TV network CMC to launch their invasion.

The title and entree track of their album Not Without You (camilletenahu.com) is the not so secret weapon for their lunge at success.

And for good reason - the tune penned by Wynyard born French and Emily Taheny has an aural accessibility.

So does biographical Nahu-Kevin Bennett tune Maori Woman tracing Camille's roots to idyllic New Zealand seaside town Gisborne and Ruru Karaitiana penned finale Blue Smoke.

The singer impresses on a powerful version of Eliza Gilkyson tune Walk Away From Love and mentor Audrey Auld Mezera single Love You Like The Earth.

MERLE HAGGARD & CHET ATKINS


Camille Te Nahu & Stuart French
French, who supported Merle Haggard on his 1996 Australian tour while with Troy Cassar-Daley, also bares his influences.

Ode To Roy and Chet is a tribute to Haggard's late guitarist Roy Nicholls who died @ 68 in 2001, and Chet Atkins.

The couple even named their son Chet after late legend Atkins.

Their revamp of Storms Never Last also eulogises the writers - Jessi Colter and late husband Waylon Jennings - and French tune Since You Walked Out The Door is a stone country weeper.

One of the many disc virtues is its eclectic nature - the duo exudes humour on a duet on late Randy Vanwarmer swing tune Wives Don't Like Old Girlfriends and There'll Be Some Changes Made.

Also effective is rollicking Chain Me, whose writers include Danni Leigh and Monte Warden, Mark Erelli's evocative My Love and Where Does A Little Tear Come From.

It's wondrous to discover an unsung gem whose substance far exceeds much-hyped one trick pony mainstream and alternacountry releases.

French produced it at his Swingin' Door studio with seasoned session pickers adding tasty fiddle, dobro, accordion, organ and guitar.

The duo also made a video for the title track that aired on PAY TV show CMC and Nu Country TV on C 31.

CAMILLE AND KASEY

When Camille travelled across the Pacific Ocean to Sydney in 1999 she landed the support on Kasey Chambers' The Captain tour as well as singing backing vocals in Kasey's shows in Australia and the U.S.

By 2001, Camille was touring with Gina Jeffreys and Rick Price whilst being one of the most in-demand session singers in the industry.

She performed on Kasey ARIA chart topping hit Not Pretty Enough and sang backing vocals for multi-award winning artists, Troy Cassar-Daley, Beccy Cole and Sara Storer.

STUIE - VAN DIEMEN'S LAND REFUGEE

Stuart French has been a long time member of the country music scene since he first picked up a guitar in his hometown of Wynyard, Tasmania at the age of nine.

He became a full time musician and moved to Sydney to form the infamous Feral Swing Katz with Michel Rose.

They became regulars at Tamworth Country Music Festival and The Gympie Muster.

Stuart has played with a vast variety of artists.

He toured with Troy Cassar-Daley for eight years and five years in Gina Jeffrey's band whilst dabbling in his other love of producing.

In 2000, Stuart started his own studio, Swingin' Doors.

He co-produced Felicity's New Shadow album and Camille's 12 track self-titled disc as well as other independent artists in between touring commitments.

Stuart's career highlight was jamming with his all-time hero Merle Haggard in 1995 and 1996 both in the US and Australia when Merle was touring.

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