DAVE'S DIARY - 23/8/11 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 12 - SERIES 16

MID PACIFIC BOB COOKS UP STORM

Seasoned chef Mid Pacific Bob Olson returns to Nu Country TV with a tasty coastal recipe this Saturday - August 27 - on C 31 at 10.30 pm.

The recently retired academic filmed his culinary clam chowder delight at Tura Beach on the Sapphire Coast of NSW.

Bob also welcomes back Melbourne band Bona Fide Travellers with a video revamp of a Merle Haggard classic.

Acclaimed New Zealand singer-songwriter Donna Dean, touring here this month, makes her debut on the show edited by Ashley Hall and repeated Friday at 2.30 a.m.

Teenager Georgia White debuts and Mittagong minstrel Steve Cheers and Fremantle born singer Rose Carleo return.

DONNA DEAN ACES

Donna Dean enjoyed a reunion with veteran U.S. country band Amazing Rhythm Aces, making their fifth Australian tour this month.

Donna recorded albums in Nashville with the Aces and joined them on the Troubadour festival last weekend at the Campaspe Downs resort near Kyneton.

She then heads north to Texas capital Austin for a gig at the famed Saxon pub.

But her own band backs her in the video for What I'm Gonna Do - title track of her fifth independent album.

They feature a double bass player with tatts on his knuckles and Janek "Buck" Croydon on a Jackson pedal steel guitar.

Bill Chambers travelled to Auckland to guest on mandolin and backing vocals on the recorded version of the title track - one of 10 songs penned by Dean.

The prolific writer penned the title track of U.S. bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent's Grammy nominated 2010 album Destination of Life.

Dean has made 12 European tours and supported artists diverse as Don Mclean, Jimmy Webb, Willie Nelson, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham.

Aces singer Russell Smith praised her original songs and suggesting she move to London where she lived for five years.

She opened in Europe for Austin singer-songwriters Catie Curtis, Eric Taylor and Terry Allen.

She returned to Auckland in 2005, opened for Eric Bibb and recorded her new album at Hill Street studio, Onehunga, before it closed in November 2010.

Donna grew up in the suburbs of Auckland.

Her family moved from Devonport on the north shore, where her father was based while in the navy, to the eastern suburb of Glen Innes before she started school.

Donna lived there until she was 15 when she dropped out of school and moved out of home.

She started writing songs around the age of 11 - some of her material is autobiographical.

Baby Doesn't Love Me is about losing someone to dementia, inspired by working in retirement homes and acute mental health wards.

Twister was written from a child's perspective after reading The Journey to Prison by New Zealand author Celia Lashlie.

It's a haunting tale of a child seeing his mother killed by a drunken, insecure lover.

Donna is open about having experienced addiction, depression, divorce and rehab - opportunities for honing her craft.

"Self help books recommend writing a daily journal," Donna says.

"That's what song writing is for me, it's therapeutic. I've written songs about domestic abuse, poor mental health, the long distance relationship, infidelity, co-dependency and falling short in the realm of love. I have people come up after a gig tell me I'm singing about their lives or about someone they know, that's when I feel most at home and connected in the world, when my life story and theirs merge in the brief moments of a song."

Further info - donnadean.vpweb.co.nz

GEORGIA WHITE

Leppington singer Georgia White, just 16, was not born when Crystal Gayle - younger sister of Loretta Lynn - toured here in the eighties.

But the starlet impresses in the video for Richard Leigh penned hit Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.

The tasteful band, featuring a double bass player, backs her in the video, replete with a Rolls Royce and candles.

Toowoomba born country queen Gina Jeffreys discovered Georgia at a talent quest and took her on the road with her.

Georgia has since recorded an album with Kaylah Anne, Hannah Smith and Makayle Foodey as The Apprentices.

Makayle, 18, is from Coonamble but now lives in the Hunter Valley - she has written with fellow Hunter singer Kirsty Lee Akers, Tamara Stewart, Rod McCormack, Lynn Bowtell, Drew McAlister and Roger Corbett.

Kaylah Anne graduated from Newcastle and Tamworth street busking to major concert stages and Hannah Smith, 18, lives in NSW Central coast country music mecca.

Further info - www.georgiawhite.com.au


BONA FIDE TRAVELLERS - NOT HAGGARD

Suburban saddletramps The Bona Fide Travellers supported Nu Country when they opened for U.S. comedienne, songwriter and producer Kacey Jones and Oklahoma star Becky Hobbs at The Noise Bar in Brunswick.

This time, with more than a little help from C 31 host and producer Russ Kellett, they filmed their new video at Tynong North.

Singer Snowy Townsend tries to hitch ride on a Gippsland lost highway near the killing fields 31 years ago for elderly women.

The bodies of four of six women murdered by a serial killer were found at Tynong North in December of 1980.

But this is a humorous video as fellow band members cruise on their cut of Merle Haggard classic Ramblin' Fever.

The lads honoured the septuagenarian former California convict country icon with their highway homage.

CLICK HERE for a Bona Fide Travellers story in the Diary on November 22, 2007.

Further info - www.myspace.com/thebonafidetravellers

THREE CHEERS FOR STEVE

Former Cowpoke singer Steve Cheers returns to Nu Country with the title track of his second solo album Speed Of Love.

The NSW Southern Highlands singer wrote the song about lost and found love at Mittagong RSL Club.

That's due north of his record label HQ at Bong-Bong Street, Bowral.

The senorita in the video walked right through Cheers to a steamy bridal bathroom scene.

Cheers theatrical background included producing, directing and acting in Little Shop of Horrors and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Steve moved from Sydney to Mittagong in 2000 and cut two albums with Cowpoke who split in 2008.

Cheers wrote 10 of 12 songs on his disc - also produced by Kovac who plays tambourine, claves, cowbell, shaker, bass, bodhran and brush snare.

Luke Moller is on fiddle and mandolin, Michel Rose on pedal steel and dobro and Gary Steel on piano and accordion.

Former Starmaker winner Travis Collins guests on acoustic and electric guitar and backing vocals.

Further info - www.stevecheers.com

ROSE WITH A SLAVE

Fremantle born singer Rose Carleo had a little muscle in the video of her new video That Season Again from second album Life Gets In The Way.

The bare-chested man perspiring in the rain while wielding a pick and axe was Perth born model Craig Barnett.

Rose's Romeo is best known here as the 2011 Tourism Victoria TV advertising poster boy.

In 2007 he was in the Manhunt Mr Australia title, a top 50 finalist in the 2008 Cleo Most Eligible Bachelor quest and also the face and feet of Zu Shoes Presidential Collection 2011 campaign.

The video is from second album Life Gets In The Way that she produced with Michael Flanders and Robert Mackay in Nashville and Hervey Bay in Queensland.

Rose, whose late mother Mary was a music promoter, wrote seven songs on the album.

They include five with Drew McAlister with whom she won a 2009 Tiara Award.

She also wrote with Tamara Stewart, Michael Fix and Allan Caswell.

Rose was born in Fremantle, moved north of the river to Perth when she was 12 and to Beenleigh in Brisbane about six years ago.

She performs at the 30th Gympie Muster this week - the same month she moves south to live in Sydney.

Rose released her debut album Everything I Need in 2007.

Further info - www.rosecarleo.com


JACKSON AND LAMBERT PRIZES FOR TOURS

There's great news for fans of Georgian born superstar Alan Jackson and quadruple CMA Award winning Texan star Miranda Lambert.

We have the duo's latest CDS as prizes for viewers who renew Nu Country TV memberships or become members.

Sony-BMG promotions chief Emma Smith also gave us Miranda's new DVD - Revolution: Live By Candlelight.

Alan's 34 Number Ones features his biggest hits including his duet with Zac Brown Band - As She's Walking Away.

The bonus tracks also include his cut of the late June Carter Cash-Merle Kilgore written Johnny Cash hit Ring Of Fire and rare track Look At Me.

Emma also donated the newly wed Miranda's huge selling 4th CD Revolution.

And as a bonus there is Miranda's new DVD featuring rare acoustic performances of six songs White Liar, The House That Built Me, Love Song, Heart Like Mine, Love Is Looking At You and Rolling Stones country classic Dead Flowers.

Jackson played Rod Laver Arena on Friday March 4 before headlining CMC Rocks The Hunter on March 5 and 6.

WIN KEITH URBAN CDS ALSO

Expatriate Australasian superstar Keith Urban returned for a triumphant tour with chart-topping mates Lady Antebellum in April.

And Keith's long time record company EMI-Capitol has great news for Nu Country TV viewers.

Promotions ace Bianca O'Neill donated autographed copies of his huge selling ninth album Get Closer.

She has also donated new compilation The Very Best Of Slim Dusty and CMAA Winners - 2011.

All you have to do to win Jackson, Lambert, Urban and Dusty CDS or the Lambert DVD is become a member of Nu Country or renew membership.

It costs just $20.

Please send a cheque or money order made out to Nu Country Music to us at P O Box 625 - Northcote - 3070.

We also now have electronic banking for membership payment and renewal.

But email us first at music@nucountry.com.au as stocks are limited.

Other prizes on offer include -
Taylor Swift - 2ND CD Fearless.
Tim McGraw Southern Voice Tour CD with 11-bonus video clips.
Dierks Bentley - Feel The Fire.
Felicity - Landing Lights
Slim Dusty Sittin' On 80 Boxed Set
The Very Best Of Slim Dusty
Steve Forde - Guns & Guitars
Catherine Britt - Little Wildflowers.
Mike Brady - Country To Country.
CMAA Winners 2011 and other compilation CDS.

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