DAVE'S DIARY - 31/10/2016 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 7 - SERIES 31
BUSHWACKERS AND COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER HEADLINE NU COUNTRY TV
Veteran country folk band The Bushwackers and truck driving sixth generation coal-miner's daughter Gemma Kirby headline N u Country TV on Channel 31/Digital 44 on Saturday November 5 at 9.30 p.m.
Kentucky born singing actor Billy Ray Cyrus also resurrects Elvis Presley in the show hosted by Mid Pacific Bob Olson and repeated on Monday at 2.30 a.m.
Prolific singer-songwriter Brandy Clark also performs live in Behind Bars in the program filmed and edited by Laith Graham.
Georgian Cole Swindell honours his father who died in a freak accident at 65 in the video of the title track of his second album You Should Be Here.
And Arkansas star and two time Australian tourist Joe Nicholls is joined by colourful cast in his latest video from his eighth album Crickets.
Nu Country TV is a highlight of C 31 streaming list on Digital 44.
Just follow this link on your computer or mobile phone - http://www.c31.org.au/series/487
BUSHWACKERS URGE COALMINERS TO FRACK OFF
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Northcote bon vivant and Bushwackers lead singer Dobe Newton join a growing band of local artists using their music to protest against coal seam gas mining on local farm land.
They used a collage of local imagers in their video for Leave It In The Ground from their 24th studio album The Hungry Mile in a 45 year career.
The Bushwackers have won three Golden Guitar Awards and many bush music trophies.
Newton, a NMIT lecturer, joins Sydney school teacher Luke O'Shea and former jillaroo Harmony James in the vanguard of local acts telling miners to frack off.
But, unlike O'Shea and his dad, the affable academic Dobe has not been arrested for his pro-active protests.
Further info - http://thebushwackers.com.au/
TRUCKIE GEMMA SWAPS COAL RIG FOR FASTER WHEELS
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Sixth generation miner's daughter Gemma Kirby swapped her rig for a flash set of wheels in her video for Coal Truck from her debut album Semi Precious. Gemma Louise, 23, hails from Bunbury in our wild-west but works as a truck driver near Ralston in Central Queensland to fund her music. Kirby headed south to the Gold Coast to find a clearing to strut her stuff after shedding 54 kg as she pursued her music. For seven days out of 14 Kirby sleeps in a donga on the mine site near Ralston and plays music only to her co-workers when she's not behind the wheel. “I love the job but it's very restricting in terms of lifestyle,” revealed Kirby who spent her childhood moving around Australia with her mining family. |
Kirby proved her stamina in a male dominated work environment and spent five years sourcing songs for her album.
“They didn't believe I was a singer when I first went there,” Kirby joked, “but they didn't believe I was a truck driver either.
“Once I'd dropped the f-bomb a few times they believed me. I'm one of two women on my crew and you work with 70 men every day, so you have to be strong.”
Gemma said her album is about asserting herself and breaking conservative traditions of Australian country music.
She scrapped an album that was too formulaic two years ago.
“I don't see myself as fitting in,” she said.
“We already have an image of what an Australian country artist should look like. It's very safe.
“Two years ago I was going into the studio with these beautiful songs that were very poetic, written with a lot of people.
“I realised it didn't represent anything about me and I can't be fraudulent to myself and go in and do what other people want me to do. This album is a true reflection of me.
“Although it's a little bit outrageous, I think it's safe enough for people to enjoy.”
Kirby also worked on her image.
Two years ago she weighed 125kg. Today she's 71kg.
“I started in the music business a little naive about image and marketability,” Kirby explained.
“I didn't lose weight for that reason, although I was sick of being seen as the fat girl of country music. Every woman should embrace how they look, but I worked hard on my weight loss.”
Her album also features Porn Star, Fallen Soldier and topical third single Deceiving Eyes , accompanied by a video released in September.
The clip tells of a young girl exposed to ICE (Methamphetamine) while in high school, the decision process of trying the drug for the first time and allows viewers to choose their own ending to this story.
It also incorporates the story of Gemma's younger sister who got caught up in the wrong circle of friends at 15 and made life altering decisions for her and her family.
Further info - http://gkofficial.com/
THE CYRUS VIRUS RESURRECTS ELVIS
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Kentuckian Billy Ray Cyrus had plenty of material for his hilarious video for Hey Elvis from his 14th album Thin Line.
Billy Ray, 56 and father of six, is rolling in the dough with his Burnin Vernon role on his CMT-TV show Still The King that begins its second series in 2017.
The show follows Cyrus' character Vernon Brown ( Burnin' Vernon ), a one-hit wonder-turned-Elvis impersonator who has struggled with scandal and, after drunkenly crashing his car into a church sign, is sentenced to perform community service at the scene of his crime.
Brown pretends to be the church's new minister and reconnects with a former one-night-stand but comes unstuck when he learns he has a teenage daughter he's never met.
“Working on the series has been a career highlight,” revealed Cyrus of the show that also features cameos by Randy Travis and Darius Rucker.
Cyrus first heard Hey Elvis , written by Bryan Adams and Gretchen Peters, almost 20 years ago.
Billy Ray, grandson of a former Kentucky senator, sings on his version with Adams and former Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes.
Thin Line , released on Blue Cadillac Music on September 9, features Cyrus children Miley and Braison, Shooter Jennings and Aerosmith star Joe Perry.
His acting career included the title character in PAX TV Doc before he starred with daughter Miley in Disney Channel Hannah Montana, Mulholland Drive and also played Billy Flynn in the Broadway version of Chicago.
Cyrus is no newcomer to the Presley industry - he appeared in 2004 movie Elvis Has Left The Building.
And he included a 1992 note from the late Johnny Cash in the entree to his autobiography Hillbilly Heart.
“Thirty-six years ago I was working with Elvis and saw him take the same kind of flak you're taking now. Congratulations on the way you're handling it all. In your case, as in Elvis', the good outweighs the bad. Let 'em have it. I'm in your corner.” - Johnny Cash.
CLICK HERE for a Cyrus feature in The Diary on June 16, 2009.
COLE SWINDELL HONOURS DAD
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Georgian Cole Swindell honours his dad in the video for the title track of his second album You Should Be Here.
Cole, 32, wrote the song about his dad William who died in a freak accident at 65 in 2013 and included footage of the final phone call to his dad before his career took off.
Cole explained his dad endorsed his desire for a music career but died shortly after he was signed to major label Warner.
"He supported me and was so proud,” Swindell recalled.
“That's what chokes me up today, hearing other people say, 'God, you have no idea how much he talked about you.' That chills me."
William missed Cole's rise to fame after selling merchandise for fellow Georgian Southern University graduate and chart-topper Luke Bryan.
"The fans know I love fun and I love to be on that stage, but amongst all that fun I lost my dad a couple of years ago in a freak accident, not expected,” says Cole.
“It was a tough time for me - right when I got my record deal, everything was happening and this is my chance to show that side of me. You have your own opinions about music, but there's a lot of folks out there that don't know you personally and this is very personal to me. I hope they don't relate to it from having lost a parent, but I think anybody can from just the way we miss folks and how lucky we all are to do the things we do.”
CLICK HERE for a Swindell feature in The Diary on July 25, 2016.
JOE NICHOLLS RETURNS
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Arkansas star Joe Nichols performs with a colourful cast as he gets animated in his video for Yeah from his eighth album Crickets . Arkansas born Nichols, now 40, won an enthusiastic following on Australian tours and duet with Fawkner singer Jasmine Rae on I'll Try Anything. Nichols debuted in Australia at CMC Rocks the Snowy at Thredbo in 2009. He and Jasmine also played the historic Forum in our CBD on his 2011 tour CLICK HERE for an exclusive Nichols interview in The Diary on November 18, 2009. |
BRANDY CLARK COMES OVER
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Brandy Clark used piano to drive her video for her live version of You Can Come On Over from her third album Big Day in A Small Town.
Prolific hit writer Clark, 41, hails from Washington-state logging town Morton.
Brandy recently appeared on Nu Country with her video for her collaboration with Lori McKenna on Three Kids No Husband that they wrote for McKenna's eighth album Numbered Doors in 2014.
It also appeared on Brandy's album that features with 11 dynamic originals.
The dual Grammy nominee reaches back to her roots to source vibrant vignettes that peel back the veil on the vices and virtues of small town trivia.
CLICK HERE for a Brandy Clark CD feature in The Diary on July 12
HOW TO KEEP NU COUNTRY ON AIR
We need your support as we celebrate Nu Country TV's 31st series with Australian record companies and artists teaming to ensure our survival.
Warner Brothers promo wizard Tony Midolo has given us Blake Shelton's 12th CD If I'm Honest and Sony has donated the latest CD and DVD by Georgian star Jason Aldean.
We also have Angels And Alcohol - 20th album by fellow Georgian superstar Alan Jackson.
Also CDS by major artists you can win by becoming a Nu Country TV member or renewing membership.
They include singing actors Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw and Toby Keith, Ashley Monroe, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Charley Pride and more.
CLICK HERE for our Membership Page for full details.