DAVE'S DIARY - 11 /4/ 2022 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 7 - SERIES 51
BILLY STRINGS HEADLINES NU COUNTRY TV
Michigan bluegrass star Billy Strings headlines Nu Country TV on Saturday April 16 at 9.30 pm.
Louisiana born latter day Texas rodeo queen Kylie Frey returns to the show repeated on Wednesday at 11.30 pm.
South Carolina singer-songwriter-actor Josh Turner boomerangs to the program filmed and edited by our multi-talented lockdown producer-host Laith Graham.
West Virginian Charles Wesley Goodwin and Philadelphian Amos Lee appear on the show featuring Melbourne singer-songwriter Della Harris.
Nu Country TV is a highlight of C 31 streaming list on Digital 44.
Further info - https://www.c31.org.au/
BILLY HONOURS SHOTGUN WILLIE
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Grammy winner Billy Strings honours Shotgun Willie Nelson on the eve of his 89th birthday with his live revamp of Uncloudy Day.
Billy, 29, won acclaim for five albums and Uncloudy Day bonus track and appeared live with his hot band on this month's 64th Grammy Awards show.
Strings also fronted Nu Country with social comment video Watch It Fall from fourth album Home and In The Morning Light from fifth album Renewal released on September 24.
On November 8 he donated 208 guitars to Twin Rivers Elementary School in Muir, Michigan, from his tour bus and U-Haul truck.
All 208 students received a Fender guitar.
Billy, aka William Apostol, attended Twin Rivers Elementary where his music teacher Mrs. Mercer still works.
“I went to this school when I was your age. I started playing guitar, and the guitar has always been a really cool friend of mine,” Billy told the students.
“Even when times were really sad a guitar was my friend. So I wanted to give you guys some guitars that you can take home with you. Everybody gets one. The guitar has taken me places that I could only dream of. My hope is that one of these guitars does the same thing for one of these kids. I look forward to coming back and seeing how these future musicians progress for years to come.”
Billy released duet The Great Divide with North Carolina nouveau outlaw chart topper and 2021 CMA Entertainer Of The Year Luke Combs.
Further info - https://www.billystrings.com/
JOSH TURNER PRAISES SOLDIERS AND FAMILIES
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South Carolina singer-actor Josh Turner is a keen supporter of major charities.
He praised soldiers serving overseas as their families were home alone in latest video for Soldier's Gift from his 11 th album King Sized Manger.
Josh, now 44, dedicated his song to the Wounded Warriors support foundation.
Travis Hill and Tom Douglas penned Soldier's Gift.
“I loved what the song says and musically, it's laid back enough to where it grabs your attention, where you really focus on the words,” Turner revealed.
“At first, I thought “where's the song going?” But I just felt there are so many families and so many of our members of our military that could relate to this song. And it fit with all the other songs and added to the variety and subject matter on this record. The video was one of the coolest shoots I've ever been a part of. I was honored to have real life heroes featured in this video and telling this story. I made new friends that day in David, Sammy, Yolanda and Bill, and took with me an even greater appreciation for all those that serve our country. Thank you to all veterans for your service.”
The father of four sons takes wife Jennifer on tour as pianist and vocalist to promote his big selling country and gospel discs.
Josh fronted Nu Country with Your Man, Country State Of Mind and live gospel tribute I Serve A Saviour - title track of his 10th album - at Gaither Studio in Indiana.
Josh played George Beverly Shea in 2008 film Billy: The Early Years about evangelist Billy Graham and wrote 2014 book Man Stuff: Thoughts on Faith, Family and Fatherhood.
Josh and Jennifer live on their farm with log cabin where they retreat, write songs and record.
Turner recorded faith-based music on albums The Answer, For The Love of God and Me and God - collaboration with Ralph Stanley - midst country hits.
It featured Sonya Isaacs whose harmonies ignite classics I Saw The Light and How Great Thou Art and Bobby Osborne on I Pray My Way Out Of Trouble.
New song The River of Happiness was penned by his wife and oldest son, Hampton.
All four Turner children - Hampton, Colby, Marion and Samuel - sing on the track.
CLICK HERE for a Turner CD review from the Diary on December 11, 2007.
KYLIE FREY MARITAL DREAMS
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Louisiana born rodeo queen Kylie Frey acted out her dreams of being a bride in her new video I Do Thing.
Kylie, 27, is a third generation rodeo rider whose grandfather taught her to ride horses when she was aged five.
"The odds of anyone having the same story of a grandpa teaching them how to ride horses is not very common. The song was so personal to me that I didn't think anyone would relate to it," Kylie revealed.
"My grandpa was a really important person in my life and, and I wouldn't have grown up in the rodeo if it wasn't for him. My grandpa would always say one day, you're going to sing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo. He would tell me that's how I was going to get my start because that's how Reba McEntire did it and that's how I was going to do it."
I Do Thing is on her EP Rodeo Queen that also features Horses In Heaven she and Texan Randy Houser sang at National Rodeo Finals in Arlington, Texas.
Kylie released first album Cinderella Dreams in 2014.
Further info - https://www.kyliefrey.com/
AMOS LEE DREAMLAND
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Philadelphia raised singer-songwriter Amos Lee worked as a teacher and bar tender while chasing music dreams.
Lee, born Ryan Anthony Massaro in Philadelphia , graduated from University of South Carolina with an English degree.
Amos, now 44, headed to Nashville and wrote hits for peers while touring.
Lee covers folk, rock, soul and Americana and captures the soul of the city and its diverse denizens in his evocative new video.
Worry No More is on his 10th album Dreamland out in February.
Further info - https://www.amoslee.com/
CHARLES WESLEY GODWIN
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West Virginian Charles Wesley Godwin was well qualified to write his new song Lying Low.
He performed solo at his Morgantown home in iso during the pandemic with his wife and children.
Charles is son of an Appalachian coal-miner father and teacher mother and after university graduation studied in Estonia where he wrote songs and performed.
Lying Low is on his second album How The Mighty Fall .
Further info - http://www.charleswgodwin.com/
DELLA HARRIS TRUTH JUICE
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Melbourne singer Della Harris new song Truth Juice was inspired by a night out in a suburban pub with girls regaled by tales from a bar fly.
It was not Della's husband and father of their children.
The locale was a far cry from where Della was born in Bright and went to school in Chiltern, Seymour, Ingham and Nagambie.
Truth Juice is on her debut album she launched at 50th Tamworth country music festival and followed 2017 self-titled EP.
She also appeared on Nu Country with Next Life she wrote with producer Clive Young.
Her album features singles Must Have Been The Wine, Long As You're Lonely, Roll Of A Dice, My Turn Now and She Said What.
Further info - https://www.dellaharris.com.au/
WIN WAYLON, GEORGE JONES AND MERLE HAGGARD
Help us celebrate being Nu Country TV members and win albums by late Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, George Jones and Highwaymen by becoming a Nu Country member or renewing your membership.
George, Waylon, Merle and Willie Nelson were among country historian Barbara Dowling's favourite Texans.
The Waylon, Highwaymen , Merle and George discs were donated by Barbara who died at 77 in December, 2020.
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.