Category: ZFM Country Rock

Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, Chugg Entertainment and Foxtel’s Country Music Channel (CMC) are thrilled to announce that American superstar TOBY KEITH will be making his first ever concert appearances in Australia in 2014, bringing his Hammer Down Under Tour to Australia for a series of massive arena concerts next March. Keith will also headline the 2014 CMC Rocks the Hunter festival at the Hope Estate in NSW’s beautiful Hunter Valley.

Joining Keith on the tour will be special guest international stars ELI YOUNG BAND (USA) and KELLIE PICKLER (USA).

CEO of Entertainment Edge, Rob Potts said, “The Outlaws of country music have always been huge with Aussie fans. No surprise this country started out as a convict settlement. So we know why the fans are so excited about Toby’s first ever tour here. They love his larrikin outlaw attitude and the fact that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. We’re super excited to have him touring in March and know the fans will go wild when he rolls out his incredible catalogue of hits. It’s also terrific to welcome back Eli Young Band and to have Kellie Pickler on her first visit down under”  

Executive Chairman of Chugg Entertainment, Michael Chugg said, “Toby Keith is one of the biggest artists in modern country music. We’ve been hearing about his rowdy, rockin’ live show in this country for many years. One of the biggest songwriters in any genre, Aussie audiences have really connected with his irreverent humour. We still think “he’s as good as he once was”- and with three international heavyweights on one bill, this is going to be the country tour of the year –  my mate Jimmy Buffett said he is not to be missed!”

Singer/songwriter TOBY KEITH is one of the most consistently successful artists in country music history, with over 35 million album sales and 31 US No. 1 singles in two decades of recording, including Should’ve Been A Cowboy, How Do You Like Me Now?!, Beer For My Horses, I Love This Bar, As Good As I Once Was and Red Solo Cup. Winner of multiple CMA, ACM and American Music Awards, the Billboard Country Artist of the Decade is renowned throughout the globe for his swaggering party songs, soulful ballads and rowdy, high-energy live performances.  Toby will also be performing songs from his new album, Drinks After Work, which will be released in Australia on 1 November, 2013.

The ELI YOUNG BAND honed their skills as an Eagles-esque live force in the Texas Red Dirt scene, building up an enviable fan following, before breaking into the mainstream country scene with their album, Level, in 2005. The Southern quartet blew us away in 2012 on their first trip down under and they’ve since moved into an even higher gear, with hits including the monster smash Crazy Girl, Even If It Breaks Your Heart and their latest release, Drunk Last Night.

Since rocketing to fame on American Idol, KELLIE PICKLER has been charming the public with her inimitable twang, cheeky charisma and powerful country pipes. Her hits include Red High Heels, I Wonder, Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful and Best Days of Your Life, and she has run the gamut from soul-baring vulnerability to girl power anthems and she constantly reaches for more honest, powerful and dynamic ways to tell her story. The CMT Music Award winner and ACM and CMA nominee, Pickler has also triumphed on television, as the 2013 winner of the US Dancing with the Stars.

LADY OF THE LAND – A TRIBUTE TO JOY McKEAN LUKE O’SHEA RELEASES FIRST SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM

Long before two likely lads from the country came along and stole the hearts of Joy and Heather McKean, the sisters were superstars. Hosting their very own Melody Trail radio show on 2KY every Saturday night for over eleven years, the girls bravely followed the ‘stars in their eyes and the songs in their hearts’ blazing a trail, that went on to establish the very corner stones of the Australian Country Music Industry.

As was the time, with love and marriage, when Reg Lindsay and David Gordon Kirkpatrick locked into their passion and vision of the world – both women put themselves and their careers behind their men. As expressed in my song “The Drover’s Wife”, I’ve long been fascinated by the strength and resourcefulness of the Australian woman; pioneering women that had multi-functioning tasks as tough and as integral to that of the pioneering man.

Joy McKean is one such woman and after reading her book, I’ve Been There (& Back Again), I was incredibly inspired to ‘sing her up’. Using her words and utilising the titles of some of her original songs I’ve attempted to tell her story in a cryptic, poetic way that will hopefully take the listener a few times around to figure it all out.
As I do with all my songs, I played “Lady of the Land” to my wife in a very early and raw format, and she made me swear that if I ever had the opportunity play the song to Joy live, I should. As the universe conspires, I ended up having the chance a few short weeks later, in the beautiful Tamworth Town Hall during the 2013 Roll of Renown concert. I was understandably nervous for a few reasons; I was about to sing a song that I felt was still evolving, I was also singing as Joy, using her words and her song titles telling her story, back at her. What if I got it wrong? What if she hated it?
Anyway, it was a sold out show, but as far as I was concerned, there was only one woman there. Afterwards, Max Ellis came up and asked me to wait around after the show, for Joy had asked to meet me. Thankfully, she enjoyed the song and was touched by the sentiment but also, as expected, asked for a copy of the lyrics. After explaining a few of the more cryptic lines and expressing my intentions with the song, Joy gave me her complete blessing and has also allowed rare archives of her personal and musical journey to be used in a powerful video to marry the song visually.
Joy McKean; writer of some of Slim Dusty’s biggest hits, winner of the very first Golden Guitar, manager, agent, promoter, multi-instrumentalist, author, co-driver, offsider, cook, mother, grandmother, matriarch and still to this day – a powerhouse in the establishment of the Slim Dusty Centre. Enough about the fella, I want Joy McKean’s story to be told, and I strongly urge all who wish to be astounded and inspired to purchase and read her book I’ve Been There (& Back Again) – and true to Joy’s nature it’s the one that features Slim on the front cover. – Luke O’Shea

The Coleman Brothers are gearing up for the release of their new music video for “Back on the Farm,” making its official debut in September. The video was filmed in the Colemans’ home state of Texas, and is a reflection of family, friends and life on the road.

Directed by Michael Walters of HD Texas Video Productions, “Back on the Farm” will include several special people in the lives of brothers Greg and Denny Coleman, including their parents, as well as good friend and Texas legend Larry Butler. The single is the third release from The Coleman Brothers’ second studio album, Keepin’ It Reel.

“All the footage in this video was done here at home on our friends’ properties, and it’s just the real deal,” notes Greg Coleman. “There was no faking involved with the making of this video. We took it right back to our roots … keepin’ it real,” he adds with laughter.

Just two weeks after being leaked to country radio, “Back on the Farm” has already charted on Music Row, this week coming in at No. 68. The song will officially impact radio following Labor Day.

Previous singles from Keepin’ It Reel include “Ghost Town” and “Lonely in the Lonestar State,” which respectively hit No. 23 and No. 27 on the Music Row chart. The tunes were the highest charting independent songs on the elite chart during that time.

The Coleman Brothers is comprised of brothers Denny and Greg Coleman, as well as Don Hutchko. The band formed in 2009 and have released two studio albums. For more information on the Coleman Brothers, visit their official website at www.thecolemanbrothers.com.