DAVE'S DIARY - 30/8/2021 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 1 - SERIES 49
CATHERINE BRITT HEADLINES NU COUNTRY SERIES #49 PREMIERE
Novocastrian singer-songwriter Catherine Britt headlines our Series #49 premiere on Saturday September 4 at 9.30 pm on Channel 31/Digital 44.
Brunswick balladeer Riley Catherall debuts on the show hosted by our multi-talented lockdown host-producer-editor Laith Graham.
Texan troubadour Rodney Crowell and fellow Lone Star State singer-songwriter Vincent Neil Emerson return.
Port Macquarie singer-songwriter Blake O'Connor and New England duo Presley and Taylor appear in Behind Bars .
Nu Country TV is a highlight of C 31 streaming list on Digital 44.
Further info - https://www.c31.org.au/
BRITT EXPLORES HOME TRUTHS
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Catherine Britt showed why she is a true survivor in her triumphant Nu Country TV return.
Britt, now 36, has conquered breast cancer she suffered at 30.
She was joined by fellow Novocastrian co-writer Melody Moko in her Jazmyn Bowman produced Home Truths video.
It's fifth single and title track of her ninth album on her Beverley Hillbilly record label.
Britt wrote it with Melody during writing sessions for Moko's album but decided it was better suited for her album.
“We felt it was more in the direction of how my record was heading - it's more like the Dixie Chicks sort of vibe - that late 90's country feel,” Catherine said.
“It was inspired by Melody's and her husband, Michael's relationship and how their dynamics are. He can tell her something that would be hard to take but with love she takes it on board. To me, this song is what country music is all about. It's telling the hard truths but it's being sung by someone like Hank Williams so you listen”.
Catherine says Home Truths is about love.
“A love that understands who you are and loves you anyway. A love that can gently guide you - with words, kindness and understanding - into the light and keeps you on a true path. Everybody needs some Home Truths every now and again from the right person”.
Catherine was discovered by South Australian born troubadour and co-writer Bill Chambers whose pedigree includes daughter Kasey and producer brother Nash.
Britt was 14 when Bill produced her debut 1999 EP In The Pines that preceded first album Dusty Smiles And Heartbreak Cures.
She left for Nashville at 17 to record and wrote with major artists including Pistol Annies pal Ashley Monroe, Chris Stapleton, Jedd Hughes, Morgan Evans, Bobby Pinson, Rory Lee Feek, Brett Beavers and Jerry Salley
Catherine had a hiatus during her breast cancer battle but beat the disease and gave birth to son Hank on Christmas Eve, 2017, with husband James Beverley.
She also published Rhythms Magazine and hosted ABC Saturday Night Country radio show.
Catherine performed Whiskey Lullaby and Too Hot To Just Quit on Nu Country during her recovery album with The Cold, Cold Hearts.
CLICK HERE for a Catherine CD feature in The Diary on January 25, 2021.
RILEY CATHERALL LIVE IN BRUNSWICK
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Brunswick alt country artist Riley Catherall took his band to a vacant warehouse to film his new live video.
Riley was raised in Yass Valley near Canberra and urged his piano teacher mum not to wait up for him in his youth.
“We had bit of an unspoken tradition that when I first got my Ps and I had a bit of independence and freedom, I'd always be out into the middle of the night doing whatever P-platers do," Catherall revealed of his song Mother Please.
"Because we lived on a dirt country road, Mum would always wait up for me and make sure I got home safe. When I moved to Melbourne , I obviously wasn't coming home every night so I wrote the song for her. It's definitely an important one for me and an important one for her."
Mother Please is on his debut album When I Go, released on July 23 that follows EP Venture In Vain and singles Leave Me Out To Dry and Pray That I Won't Be Long.
Further info - https://rileycatherall.com/about
RODNEY CROWELL SINGS TRANSIENT GLOBAL AMNESIA BLUES
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Texan singer-songwriter-producer Rodney Crowell opened our show with a cosmic trip through his joyous journey.
Crowell performed Transient Global Amnesia Blues from his 22nd album Triage released on July 25 that followed his previous Nu Country video Something Has To Change.
Crowell, now 70, toured here in 2015 with Emmylou Harris and was married to fellow singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash from 1979-1992
Rodney and Rosanne have three daughters - Crowell has another daughter from marriage to Martha Watts in 1975.
Crowell wed fellow singer-actor Claudia Church, 59, in 1998 and produced her self-titled debut CD after she appeared in his videos.
During a brief break-up Crowell wrote Please Remember Me - a hit for Tim McGraw.
He also wrote Making Memories of Us for Claudia as a Valentine's Day gift - a major smash for expat Australasian star Keith Urban.
CLICK HERE for a Rodney Crowell-Emmylou Harris CD review in The Diary on June 16, 2015.
VINCENT NEIL EMERSON LEARNS TO DROWN
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Crowell's fellow Texan Vincent Neil Emerson returns to Nu Country by popular demand after debuting with his unique tribute to Lone Star state mentor Willie Nelson, aged 88.
His Willie Nelson's Wall video was on his 2019 debut album Fried Chicken And Evil Women.
Emerson, 29, hails from Myrtle Creek in East Texas where he first took to water.
This time he was live in his livery near Nashville for Learning To Drown video from his self-titled second album.
It was produced by Crowell and released on La Honda records on June 25 with other singles High On Getting By and Texas Moon.
“I got drawn into this project as a producer because I was immediately drawn to the poetry of the songs that Vincent writes,” Crowell revealed.
“To me it's in that Texas folk-singer tradition of Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Ray Wylie Hubbard, myself and Steve Earle. When I heard Vincent's songs, I said, ‘I get this. I understand it. I want to be a part of this.' It's really exciting to me that there's another generation coming up with the sensibilities of really good, strong language and a respect for the tradition of poetic folk-singing and songwriting.”
Further info - https://vincentneilemerson.com/
BLAKE O'CONNOR SOAPS SONGS IN LAUNDRETTE
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Port Macquarie singer-songwriter Blake O'Connor debuts live in Behind Bars.
Blake showcased his love of soul music when he and his band soaped up for a cool free concert in a local laundromat just days before it was renovated.
Their Soul Feeling video was directed by expat Kiwi and former Hi-5 member Tim Maddren of Got Ya Back Productions.
“I wrote Soul Feeling right around the time when I was heavily listening to a lot of soul-inspired music and watching a bunch of old videos of the Muscle Shoals Swampers who were the original rhythm section for Sound Studios,” Windsor born Blake revealed.
“That whole era of music is very inspiring to me, from the musical approach to the way they got their sounds in the studio. And when I sat down to write this song, all I could think about was how the upbeat soul songs of that era made you feel."
O'Connor also cleaned up when he won his Golden Guitar in 2020 for best new talent after being 2019 Toyota Star Maker winner.
Further info - https://www.blakeoconnormusic.com/
PRESLEY AND TAYLOR BEHIND BARS IN THE DESERT
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New England born sister duo Presley and Taylor debut Behind Bars in a romantic romp as they leave a mechanic behind in their desert video.
Don't Even Know Your Mama is title track of their second album on White Mustang Records.
It details an unstable relationship and if it should be pursued.
“From the production to the music video to the cover art. We are really proud of it and we can't wait for everybody to see it,” Taylor explained.
“Shooting this video with Gus Black was an unforgettable experience. We shot for two days straight in the desert. Everything about it came together beautifully, from the team that was there helping us to the magnificent sunsets and scenes that God provided. Gus could not have portrayed the message of our song more perfectly. The desert portrays the vast loneliness one might feel being in a relationship with someone who cares more about themselves than the person they are with. Gus truly brought all our visions to life with this video. We were completely blown away when we first saw this video. We feel it has such a cinematic touch thanks to Gus's incredible talent. We could not be more excited to share it with everyone.”
The duo, 22 and 23, were reared in Middlefield , Connecticut , and released their first EP aged 14 and 16.
“It's so unexpected, two girls from Connecticut singing country,” said Taylor.
“But it's our roots - it's who we are.”
“Our grandpa was in the Navy and was around a bunch of people from down south and what they played was country music,” Presley recalled.
“After that first experience at ages, 14 and 16, we started coming to Nashville , back and forth,” Taylor added.
“After I graduated high school we switched to online college and we moved to Nashville full-time.”
They have been there four years and released Everybody Sees It and Where You Belong .
Further info - https://presleyandtaylor.com/
WIN WAYLON, GEORGE JONES AND HIGHWAYMEN
George Jones, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson were among country historian Barbara Dowling's favourite Texans.
You can win Waylon Jennings, Highwaymen , Merle Haggard and George Jones discs donated by Barbara who died at 77 in December by becoming a Nu Country TV member or renewing your membership.
She co-hosted Long In The Saddle in our Nu Country FM era and was pioneer Australian and Victorian country music awards judge.
Barbara was admired for rising above losing her sight as a young woman and her country passion with annual trips to Waylon's birthplace in Littlefield, West Texas .
Waylon died at 64 on February 13, 2002, and is survived by singing spouse Jessi, now 78, and son Shooter, 42.
WIN KEITH URBAN CDS ALSO
We have expatriate Australasian superstar Keith Urban's chart topping 12th album The Speed Of Now - Part 1.
Also BR5-49 CD Big Backyard Beat Show and Billy Ray Cyrus's historic 1992 album Some Gave All that features Achy Breaky Heart .
Join Watling & Bates as members and win their 13 track CD Small Town Tales.
We have other CDS by major artists you can win by becoming a Nu Country TV member or renewing your membership.
They include Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Kip Moore and late larrikin legend A.P. Johnson.
CLICK HERE for our Membership Page for details.