Category: Radio16

Announced today, INTRODUCING NASHVILLE is the brand new international artist touring series, presented by the Country Music Association of America. A four-artist bill featuring some of North America’s most exciting established and up-and-coming artists – Brandy Clark, Devin Dawson, Lindsay Ell, and Tenille Townes – will take in five intimate venues across Australia, kicking off at Lismore’s City Hall on Monday 18th March, and continuing through Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

Designed to introduce current artists from Nashville to music fans around the world, the two-hour seated show will present artists on stage together, in a rare stripped-back environment. Mirroring a quintessential Nashville writers round, Introducing Nashville will see artists take turns to introduce their songs, sharing the stories behind the tracks, along with personal life and career experiences; these shows are an opportunity for Australian audiences to catch a unique glimpse into the lives and art of some of their favourite Nashville artists.

Punctuated by unrehearsed banter, and with each of the artists featured occupying different lanes musically, music lovers will come away from the evening having experienced a true cross-section of what is coming out of Music City right now.

“We are excited to invest in artists who are building international careers and to help place them in front of fans in multiple cities who seldom experience Nashville artists live,” said Milly Olykan, Vice President, International Relations and Development. “Launching the first Introducing Nashville tour with these distinct artists, each of which occupy such different lanes musically, illustrates the broad range of sounds coming out of Nashville and the Country genre.”

Hailing from Nashville, BRANDY CLARK received her first of an impressive six career Grammy nominations in 2013 in the Best Country Song category, co-writing the Miranda Lambert No.1 hit ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’. Shortly thereafter, Clark independently released her debut album, 12 Stories, which was embraced by music lovers and critics alike and garnered two Grammy nominations, along with Best Album commendations from the likes of The Boston Globe, New York Magazine, NPR, New York Post and more.

2016’s sophomore album, Big Day In A Small Town, garnered two Grammy nominations for Best Country Album and Best Country Solo Performance, once again topping critics’ Best Of lists for the year, including NPR, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and Billboard, cementing Clark as one of Country Music’s most talented artists, beloved by fans, critics and fellow entertainers alike.

Breakout artist DEVIN DAWSON released his debut album Dark Horse, earlier this year, landing Top 5 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart on release. The record features Dawson’s current single ‘Asking For A Friend’, which he has recently performed on US television programs TODAY and Late Night with Seth Meyers.


Dawson has been recognised with multiple nominations this year including ACM’s New Male Artist, CMT’s Breakthrough Video of the Year and Radio Disney’s Best New Country Artist, among others. The Californian has received critical praise from outlets such as Billboard, Huffington Post, Entertainment Weekly, People, ELLE, The Tennessean, AXS, HITS and more, recently touring with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, along with labelmate Brett Eldredge. His first headlining run, the Stray Off Course Tour, began in November and continues into 2019.

Lauded as one of “the most exciting and talented young artists in country music” (Forbes), LINDSAY ELL is a star on the rise. The Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has toured alongside the likes of Luke Bryan, Buddy Guy, The Band Perry and Keith Urban, as well as impressing audiences as Carrie Underwood’s guitar player live on The 50th Annual CMA Awards and holding her own alongside icon Melissa Etheridge on Skyville Live. This year alone, Ell exhilarated audiences as part of Brad Paisley’s Weekend Warrior World Tour, Sugarland’s Still The Same Tour and select dates of Keith Urban’s Graffiti U World Tour. 


Ell’s first full-length album The Project debuted at No.1 on the Nielsen Soundscan Country Albums Chart, and was named Billboard’s Best Country Album of 2017. Her current single ‘Criminal’ was the most added song at U.S. Country radio upon release, becoming her first Top 20 hit in the US.

Up-and-comer TENILLE TOWNS is paving ground all of her own, touted as having the lyrical fortitude of Griffin or Lori McKenna, the soulful nature of Chris Stapleton or even Adele. Working on her debut album with acclaimed US producer Jay Joyce, Townes started her journey to becoming one of country music’s most promising new artists in her native rural Canada. Once settled in Nashville, Townes spent her days songwriting and her nights at guitar pulls or at the Bluebird Café, studying everything she could. Eventually, she scored a publishing deal with Big Yellow Dog and headed into the studio. Together, they tapped into her organic nature and her sheer ability to tell a story and emote it through the visceral range of her vocals – tender, bluesy, wise and full of wonder but never naive.

2019 Toyota Starmaker Top 10 Finalist, Lizzie Steadman, an Aboriginal singer/songwriter has an ability to tell a story through her song writing and empowering vocals. she incorporates soul, folk, blues and country into the music she plays and writes.

She grew up in a small country town, near Tamworth NSW and was introduced to Country Music by her dad who always played and sung with the children when they were young. As an example of her determination, she taught herself to play guitar & it has always been her constant companion wherever she has been, in her life adventures.
Lizzie has had a varied life from living in Far North Queensland, to being a Jillaroo on some of Northern Territory’s largest cattle stations, an Aged Care Nurse at Mutitjulu (Uluru), Nursing at Tamworth and now working as a Caseworker assisting with disadvantaged youths. These life experiences have taught Lizzie how to relate to people and care for people despite their different backgrounds and ways of thinking. She has translated her life experiences into her songs and is able to comfortably sing a wide selection of genres.
Lizzie was awarded the Troy Cassar-Daley Indigenous scholarship to attend the CMAA Academy of Country Music in January 2018.

Lizzie was a finalist in the Indigenous women category for the ZONTA international women’s day awards, and has continued to inspire, empower and give strength to women through her music.
She attended the DAG sheep station at Nundle NSW, for a songwriter retreat in July 2018 and was mentored by Luke O’Shea, Shane Nicholson, Aleyce Simmonds, Kevin Bennet, Jeremy Edwards, Jeff Gibson and Brad Butcher. She performed on stage with Shane Nicholson, a song they wrote together at the retreat.
People who have influenced her music greatly have been artist such as Eva Cassidy, Patty Griffin, Bob Dylan and Paul Kelly among many others.
Life’s journey has allowed the singer to portray a resilience learnt and this heard through her music.

‘Here We Go Again’ was co-written with the amazing Shane Nicholson, when Lizzie attended The Dag Sheep Station Songwriters Retreat, in July this year.
The song tells a story of how after a breakup and/or a betrayal, it can be soothing for some to listen to old country love songs, have a drink or two and reminisce on what once was, or could have been. For Lizzie, listening to old songs can be a reminder of those relationships that seem to go around and around, like the song says, ‘Over and over again.’

The song was recorded and produced by Steve Newton in Tamworth at Enrec studios.

Allan Caswell’s latest bush ballad Feeding The Crew has been chosen as a finalist in the 2019 Bush Ballad Golden Guitar.

In the tradition of where a lot of Slim Dusty’s songs came from … people sending him poems and Slim carefully turning them into songs, Feeding The Crewcame to life in much the same way.

Kathy Berzinski lives in Far North Queensland and, when her husband was alive, they would do the grey nomad thing in outback Queensland … during the ‘boring bits’ Kathy would write bush poetry. Caswell was given some of her poems via a mutual friend, well known guitar builder Allan Tomkins and he loved them. One, in particular was the poem that became Feeding The Crew.

Allan Caswell recorded Feeding The Crew in Melbourne with producer Damian Cafarella after they had completed his MEXICO album, so the song was released separately.

So, here’s the story … a retired lady in Far North Queensland writes her first ever song … it gets recorded by a veteran country singer and goes on to be a finalist in the Golden Guitars … it sounds like a bush ballad itself.

Being the versatile songwriter, he is, Allan Caswell has long been known to explore all the different strands of the country music genre and his recordings reflect this. “I love the bush ballad because it is country music in its purest and most Australian form” Caswell has been a finalist in this section a number of times and won the Bush Ballad Golden Guitar in 2016 with Manfred Vijars for One Last Muster.

This is Kathy Berzinski’s first ever Golden Guitar final nomination … and Caswell’s 40th.

Yesterday, at the official nomination announcements event for the Country Music Awards of Australia, MONTGOMERY CHURCH were named 2 x FINALISTS for their stunning debut album – In The Shadow Of The Mountain.

The current single, I’M GONNA LOVE HER ALL THE TIME was announced top 5 finalist for Bluegrass recording of the year and the incredible instrumental track, MIDDLINGBANK ROAD was announced as a finalist for Instrumental Track Of The year.

Winners will be announced at the pinnacle event of the Tamworth Country Music Festival on Saturday the 26th January.

Country Rocks Records proudly congratulates label artist – Kristy Cox – on the announcement of two finalist nominations for the prestigious Toyota Golden Guitar Awards of Australia.

Yesterday at a special ceremony held at ABC Studios in Sydney, Kristy was announced as a finalist in Female Artist of The Year and Bluegrass Recording of The Year for her internationally acclaimed album, “Ricochet” .

“I’m still a little lost for words in excitement!” said Kristy from Nashville. “The ongoing support from my music family is incredible. I am a lucky girl to be part of such a great community – thanks everyone!”.

Michael Bond from Country Rocks Records echoed Kristy’s excitement following yesterday’s announcement. “For an independent label which has been operating for a year, to score two finalist berths in the Golden Guitar Awards is a great honour. Working with Kristy and her US label this year has been a wonderful experience. We are so proud of her and the major goals she is kicking. We have our fingers crossed for her for the awards and extend our thanks to the CMAA, judges and congratulations to the other finalists on their nominations also”.

Kristy returns to Australia in January for the Tamworth Country Music Festival and her latest single, “Right Where You Left It”, is at radio now.

2018 ACHIEVEMENTS
•#1 US Billboard Bluegrass Albums (“Ricochet”)
•#31 US Billboard Country Albums Chart (“Ricochet”)
•#1 Bluegrass Today Chart (“Ricochet” & “I Can Almost Smell The Smoke”)
•#1 AusCountry Top 10 (“Ricochet”, “I Can Almost Smell The Smoke” & “Right Where You Left It”)
•#3 AusCountry Top 10 (“Sweet English Rose”)
•Top 10 Female Artist nomination at International Bluegrass Music Awards
•Finalist Independent Female Vocalist of Year Southern Stars
•Finalist Female Artist & Bluegrass Recording of The Year Toyota Golden Guitar Awards of Australia