DAVE'S DIARY - 7 DECEMBER 2004 - BILLY WYATT

BILLY WYATT - FROM ARIZONA TO WEST TOORAK

Arizona born country star Billy Wyatt is jetting into Melbourne to be a special guest at the 10th Nu Country Christmas Party.

Billy Wyatt

Wyatt, 54 and a four album veteran, will strut his stuff at the famed Bush Inn, West Toorak, at the celebrity-studded soiree starting at 8 p m. The singer joins Louie & The Flies, former Goanna singer Suzie Dickinson, bluegrass band Barnlaid and Very Handsome Men on the surrealistic stage. Billy will be showcasing songs from his albums, available at our party. Ironically, former Nu Country DJ Erica Hammond met Billy on one of many overseas trips while working with John Nutting on ABC radio show Saturday Night Country. Ms Hammond was blown away by the talent of the baritone singer and invited him to visit down under. Erica steered Billy to the delights of Nu Country TV and he is the houseguest of his chauffeur Trudy Burke during his southern sojourn.

Trudy, a popular DJ and country music co-ordinator on WYN-FM - 88.9 FM - is a regular promoter of Australian tours by U.S. artists.

Among Trudy's fellow DJS at WYN-FM at Werribee are long serving Nu Country Vice President and drumming carpenter Rod Browne and John Worth.

Former 97.4, nee WRB FM, hosts Gerry Warren, Olga Klufinksi, Tony Slingsby and David Amos also present regular country shows on WYN-FM.

BILLY FOLLOWS KINKY

Billy Wyatt follows in the slipstream of famous singing Texan crime novelist Kinky Friedman and Little Jewford as international guests on Nu Country gigs.

He was born on June 2, 1950, and has entertained folks across the United States and Canada with his quick humour and heart-stopping baritone voice since his early teen years.

Wyatt's amazing stage show features a hot mix of original songs from his CDs and his unique mixture of cowboy, country, gospel, and southern fried rock and roll.
Billy soaked up the music of his staunch Southern Baptist family and their Bluegrass-gospel harmonies.

From those Sunday Singin' conventions and the Saturday-night dances, and onto every stage or platform, he could sing on, the on-going adventure has taken Billy to fairs, rodeos, and concert stages all across the western United States, Canada and Australia.
Billy toured here in August and played in the singer songwriter forum at Gympie Muster.
He also impressed at the Redcliffe First Settlement Festival on that visit.

Billy has shared bills with country music stars diverse as Johnny Rodriguez, Doug Stone, Shelley West, Tom Wopat, Skip Ewing, Lynn Anderson, Mason Dixon, Kenny Rogers, Statler Brothers, Roy Clark, Buck Owens, Buddy Allen, Merle Haggard and Red Simpson.

BUCK OWENS

Billy cut his On Dreams Alone CD at Buck Owens famed studio in Bakersfield,
California, and Fireside in Nashville.

When A Cowboy Dreams At Night was recorded at Soundsmith in Nashville.

Billy's songs can be heard on radio stations across Europe, the U.S., New Zealand and Australia.

Western Hearts Promotions and Gary Bradshaw distribute the singer's music to radio from Arizona.

Billy has a new live CD in the can and a new studio project completed in October.

Wyatt still lives in Arizona where his wife who owns a trucking company.

Catch him debut at the 10th free Nu Country Christmas Party at the Bush Inn, West Toorak on Saturday night.

Address - corner of Williams and Malvern Road, West Toorak.
Phone - 03 - 98273610.

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