PREVIEW OF EPISODE 4 - 2004 SERIES

CATS SLAP BACK ON FIDDLERS GREEN

Shipwreck Coast rockabilly rebels Slap N The Cats and Springhurst trucking troubadour Travis Sinclair prove you don't have to live in the big smoke to impact. The bush-bred boys are among headliners on the fourth episode of the second series of Nu Country TV on C 31 at 8 p m on Saturday. Slap N The Cats, celebrating 13 years on the roots circuit, were one of the highlights of the recent 28th Port Fairy folk festival.

The Highway One trio's two albums have won healthy sales in Scandinavia, Europe and the U.S. and won them a song on an international compilation disc.

They perform their trademark tune - Rockin' At The Palais (celebration of a now defunct Warrnambool dairy belt dance hall from the fifties) - live at Fiddlers Green opposite the equally famous Star Of The West hotel.

Nu Country video camera crew Carol Taylor and Heather Rutherford filmed the trio in the shadows of the historic Port Fairy pub once owned by Collingwood footy star Ronnie Wearmouth and eulogised in the Mick Schack song performed by the Dead Livers.

Producer-director Peter Hosking, now wearing a hard hat purloined from the construction worker in the Village People, steps out from behind the renovations of his inner suburban dance hall to host the show.

The altruistic actor fronted the mike after a trip to the leafy East Burwood suburb that Nu Country TV editor Michael Wormald calls home.

CLICK HERE for a story on Slap N The Cats.

LUCINDA WILLIAMS - MOVIES AND POETRY

Louisiana born singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams has sparked a flood of email to our web page after cancelling her tour after her mother Lucille died at 73 on March 7. Although Williams, 51, cancelled her sold out tour she is about to be reunited with her father - Professorial poet Miller Williams - at a joint U.S. concert. Long suffering Richmond fan and TAFE lecturer Lawrie Weir had his visa stamped for the trip from the Golden Mile in Brighton to East Burwood Chicken Ranch to ask Guru Dave questions about Lucinda and her dad. Weir also asked about the singer's songs performed in a string of movies and musicians who inspired them. CLICK HERE for a Lucinda Williams story from the Diary on March 11.

TRUCK STOP TRAVIS SINCLAIR

Travis Sinclair was raised in the tiny Highway One truck stop town of Springhurst just down Highway 31 from Chiltern - launch pad of AFL stars Nigel and Matthew Lappin and ABC TV host Barrie Cassidy. Sinclair, a graduate of the CMAA College class of 2000, sings of his diesoline dreams of his trucking trips from the town that has now buried in a bypass. The singer released his trucking album Rhythm Of The Highway on Shock Records and performs his tune We're From The Country. Sinclair made the finals of the 2004 Australian Country Music Gold Guitars with Sara Storer for their duet on I'll Be Home Soon. "My family has been in the transport industry for some 75 years so it was natural that I would follow," says the white line warbler.

"My love for country music has always been strong and the desire to perform grew day by day. Growing up as a Sinclair meant 22 wheels, country music and daily injection of diesoline. Life was tough from a family point of view. Dad is a trucker and seemed to be away most of the time so Mum and my grandfather Cannonball did what they could to help me grow."

Sinclair, understudy to Lee Kernaghan in The Man From Snowy River musical, wrote 8 of the 13 songs on his Garth Porter produced 2001 debut disc.

Further info - visit www.travissinclair.com

RHONDA VINCENT REV UP BLUEGRASS

Missouri minstrel Rhonda Vincent has long been one of the hottest belles in bluegrass. The 11 album veteran performs a duet of Cash On The Barrelhead with Joe Nicholls on the Louvin Bros tribute disc Livin' Lovin' Losin'. Vincent, mentor for Alison Krauss, began her career in a family band with brother Darrin who performs in Ricky Skaggs band Kentucky Thunder. Rhonda and Darrin collaborate on the video for You Can't Take It With You When You Go from her acclaimed Rounder album One Step Ahead for Nu Country. CLICK HERE for a Rhonda Vincent review from the Diary.

BRAD PAISLEY HAS LITTLE MOMENTS

West Virginian chart topper Brad Paisley returns to Nu Country with a video of his tune Little Moments from his 16 track third Arista album Mud On The Tyres.

Paisley doesn't have to bend it like Beckham to amuse actress wife Kimberley Williams.

CLICK HERE for a Diary review of Paisley on March 30.

CYNDI BOSTE INTO THE FLAME

When Cyndi Boste was a teenager she booted the footy with bassist brother Rory at the Batterham Reserve in The Basin at the foot of the Dandenongs. Now, one the eve of the launch of her third album, Scrambled Eggs, she performs a live version of Into The Flame from her Kerryn Tolhurst produced debut disc Home Truths. CLICK HERE for launch details from our GIG GUIDE or visit www.cyndiboste.com.au

SHARON BENJAMIN HIDES IN THE LIGHT

Riverina romper Sharon Benjamin debuts on Nu Country TV with the video of her tune Hidden In The Lights from her EP As The Crow Flies.

Sharon has cut a new video in Canberra - further info www.sharonbenjamin.com.au

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