DAVE'S DIARY - 8/9/2014 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 2 - SERIES 24
EXPAT TEXAN DOUG BRUCE HEADLINES NU COUNTRY TV
Expat Texan Doug Bruce headlines Nu Country TV on Thursday September 11 at 10. 30 pm on Channel 31, Digital 44, with a video filmed on a farm near historic gold mining city Bendigo.
Irishman Derek Ryan, also playing Bendigo on his tour this month, holds onto his hat with Sharon Shannon, as he debuts on the show repeated Monday 5.30 am and 2.30 pm and Thursday 2.30 am.
Canadian chanteuse indie Lindi Ortega also returns to the show on the eve of her second Australian tour that features a major festival at Williamstown.
And famed septuagenarian singer-songwriter Bill Anderson debuts on Behind Bars with another hat song tribute to a World War 11 veteran.
Alabama singer Ashton Shepherd returns to the show filmed and edited by Laith Graham and Port Macquarie born Aleyce Simmonds shares her new video with Mornington Peninsula singer singer-songwriter Lachlan Bryan.
Nu Country TV is a highlight of the C 31 streaming list on Digital 44.
Just follow this link on your computer or mobile phone - http://www.c31.org.au/program/view/program/nu-country-tv
DOUG BRUCE CURES BROKEN HEART AT HEATHCOTE
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When Doug Bruce decamped Texas for Heathcote he created more than a fertile font for song-writing.
The singer-songwriter also built a home studio where he recorded aptly titled fourth album Somewhere Better To Be with local musicians.
It's a far cry from small north Texas town Aubrey where two generations of his family still lives.
Doug, now 44, wife Jodie and their two children have a cottage industry that enabled to film new video Broken Down Heart not far from home.
The singer, whose dad Dale toured here with fellow Texan Red Steagall & The Coleman County Cowboys in 1979, launched his album at Gympie Muster.
He is touring to promote his acclaimed disc.
CLICK HERE for an exclusive interview with Doug in The Diary.
INDIE LINDI RECALLS CIGARETTES & TRUCKSTOPS
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Canadian chanteuse Indie Lindi Ortega performs this week in the organic video for the title track of her third album Cigarettes & Truck Stops.
Lindi also promotes new album Tin Star on her second Australian tour in less than six months.
She performs Out On The Weekend festival at Seaworks in bayside Williamstown on October 18 with Justin Townes Earle, Ryan Bingham, Robert Ellis and a brace of other artists.
CLICK HERE for a Lindi feature in The Diary on July 7.
CLICK HERE for Tonkgirl's Gig Guide for all her tour dates and complete festival line-ups.
DEREK RYAN HANGS HIS HAT AT THE CELTIC CLUB
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When Irish tourist performs his song Hold On To Your Hat at the famed Celtic Club in Queens St in the Melbourne CBD it could be an apt comment on the historic hat rack at the popular venue. In days of yore the club was frequently the drinking haunt of judges, barristers and journalists from newspapers diverse as the long defunct Argus and Truth . Hats, like coats and jackets, once disappeared from their respective racks as the nights wore off. Derek is joined by fellow Irish singer and frequent tourist Sharon Shannon on the video for Hold On To Your Hat from his fifth solo album. He graduated from The Ryan Brothers with sibling Adrian before a pop music career in D-Side . His fourth album Country Soul in late 2013 reached #2 on Irish country music charts and featured hits 100 Numbers, Raggle Taggle Gypsy and his cover of Avici hit Wake Me Up . |
Ryan's tour also features a gig in Bendigo where Doug Bruce and The Davidson Brothers hang their hats.
Further info - http://derekryanmusic.com/
WHISPERING BILL ANDERSON WEARS OLD ARMY HAT
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South Carolina born Bill Anderson has seen plenty of wars and worn many hits in his colourful career that has spanned six decades. Bill, 76, performs This Old Army Hat - his tribute to a World War 2 veteran - on this week's show. It's on Anderson 's 51st album Life that also features Shotgun Willie Nelson and Vince Gill . His seven #1 hits include Mama Sang a Song (1962), Still ( 1963), I Get the Fever (1966), For Loving You with Jan Howard, 1967, My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To ) (1969), World of Make Believe (1974), and Sometimes with Mary Lou Turner, 1976). Anderson earned the nickname Whisperin' Bill for his soft vocal style and occasional spoken narrations. His band The Po Folks inspired a restaurant chain. |
Bill's song City Lights was a #1 hit twice - for Texans Mickey Gilley and the late Ray Price.
Wanda Jackson, Connie Smith, Lynn Anderson, Jim Reeves, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney and George Strait also scored #1 hits with his songs.
His TV career includes two stints as game show host: The Better Sex with co-host Sarah Purcell in 1977, and country music-themed quiz show Fandango (1983-1989) on The Nashville Network.
He also hosted interview show Opry Backstage and was producer of talent show You Can Be a Star , hosted by fellow Grand Ole Opry member Jim Ed Brown.
Anderson 's autobiography, Whisperin' Bill , was published by Longstreet Press in 1989.
His second tome I Hope You're Living As High On The Hog As The Pig You Turned Out To Be , was published in 1993 and is in its fourth printing.
Bill has been a member and performer on the Grand Ole Opry since 1961.
The video for his song Whiskey Lullaby won video and Vocal Collaboration of the Year in 2004 when cut by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss.
Further info - http://billanderson.com/wired/
ASHTON SHEPHERD PICKING SHED
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Alabama singer-songwriter Ashton Shepherd also honours her country's heroes and heroines in her video for This Is America - title track of her third album on her indie Picking Shed label.
Ashton lives near small town Coffeyville , population 340, and not to be confused with Coffey Road - locale for a Texas video by Doug Bruce.
Ashton writes in The Picking Shed on her farm at Leroy in Alabama - same home state as Jamey Johnson.
Another new tune Seventeen Again - reflects her life.
"I'm 28. I have two children, and I've been married since I was 18 years old,” Shepherd revealed recently.
“I find myself thinking, ‘who made these rules I live by?' I'm excited to share this story with my fans. I really do write from a place I am in life and it transpires to be where they are, too. That's what makes it so special.
"I still call myself ‘too serious.' That's why I wrote Seventeen Again , I find myself being like, ‘geez, Ashton, let it go. Go have a good time somewhere. Quit being so serious.”
“Everything is serious to me, especially when I was little. I knew I wanted to have babies and be married. I knew I wanted to be in country music. There was never any doubt there. At 17 I was fun because reality hadn't hit me hard enough yet to maybe realise some thing. But I always knew what direction I wanted to take."
The decision to release Seventeen Again came after a text conversation with Josh Turner.
"I sent him and his boys and his wife my album,” Shepherd explained.
“We were texting each other one day, and he told me that his favourite song on the album was Seventeen Again . He told me, ‘I can relate to that so much.' It just really shocked me for him to say that. Then, I thought, ‘maybe it is as relatable as I think it is.' Sometimes, it's hard as a writer to know that for sure."
Shepherd broke with debut single Takin' Off This Pain from her 2008 album Sounds So Good.
She is acclaimed for her traditional sound - her debut disc featured a raft of songs she wrote before she turned 21.
But Ashton split with MCA after two albums and recorded belated third album with Shenandoah drummer Mike McGuire.
She delivered summary justice to a lying, cheating ex-lover in a previous video for Look It Up from second album Where Country Grows .
She wrote it with Angaleena Presley and Robert Ellis Orrall whose songs are published by expat Australasian Barry Coburn and ex-wife Jewel Blanch Coburn.
Ironically, Fawkner singer Jasmine Rae also recorded Look It Up during her sojourn in Nashville .
CLICK HERE for an Ashton feature in the Diary on December 23, 2008.
ALEYCE SIMMONDS DRIVEN TO DRINK
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Port Macquarie born singer-songwriter Aleyce Simmonds teams with Lachlan Bryan in her video that dispenses advice on love and booze. My Life Drives Me To Drink is on her second album Believe. She wrote it on the drive home after an afternoon of swapping life stories at the pub with friends. Aleyce says it's a simple song about a simple fact of life. "We all have our vices or things that we use/do to help us get through situations" says Aleyce, "for me - that is usually a nice glass or two of red wine. It has become clear to me out on the road that this song is a crowd favourite. Maybe we're all united by our weaknesses?!" She previously appeared on Nu Country with The Keeper from debut album Pieces Of Me. Her recording began with EP Mighty, Mighty Love - her prize for winning 2005 Telstra Road To Tamworth . |
Aleyce then had a two year stint in Sydney , followed by relocation to the NSW Central Coast , then a return to Tamworth, before settling in Sydney .
She toured with Parkes born singer Dianna Corcoran and Mascot minstrel Amber Lawrence in Chic Frontier and worked in a duo with younger sister Karlee.
Aleyce also wrote Dreams Are Not That Far with former Nu Country TV host Cameron Cusack whom she met in Tamworth .
Cusack grew up on the Sapphire Coast of NSW where he filmed a video clip and hosting roles with our former editor Peter Staubli.
Further info - www.aleycesimmonds.com
HOW TO KEEP NU COUNTRY ON AIR
We need your support as we celebrate our 24th series of Nu Country TV .
Australian record companies and artists have joined forces to ensure our survival.
We have new CDS by major artists you can win by becoming a Nu Country TV member or renewing your membership.
They include singing actors Willie Nelson and Tim McGraw, Voice judge Blake Shelton, Ashley Monroe, Brad Paisley, Gary Allan, Toby Keith, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Carrie Underwood, Chris Young, Charley Pride, Slim Dusty, Kacey Jones, Rosanne Cash and more.
We also have the John Denver all-star tribute album and DVDS by Lady Antebellum.
CLICK HERE for our Membership Page for full details.