Music News Australia

Eva Rinaldi Photography

Music News Australia

Thursday, 23 August 2012

A NEW BEGINNING FOR VANESSA AMOROSI

One of Australia’s most successful artists, Vanessa Amorosi, has decided it is time to start a new phase of her extensive and creative career by moving on from her six-year association with Universal Music Australia.

Vanessa thanks everyone at Universal Music for an incredibly successful six years and is looking forward to future challenges.

“Working with Universal Music has been an amazing experience for me and I would like to thank everyone at UMG for their talent, ability and energy in working with me over the past six years,” Vanessa says. “I am incredibly excited and confronted about the future but challenging myself is what propels me to the next level.”

Vanessa’s manager, Ralph Carr, says: “Vanessa Amorosi is an exceptional artist moving into the next phase of her career. Having iconic songs like ‘Absolutely Everybody’, ‘Shine’, ‘This is Who I Am’ and ‘Perfect’ – which still remains in the radio charts 122 weeks later – is a remarkable feat. She is incredibly driven to achieve further success and we will support her in doing so.”

With 11 ARIA Award nominations, an APRA Award, and multi-platinum albums and singles, Vanessa is one of Australia’s most talented singer-songwriters. She has sold more than 2 million singles and albums worldwide, topped both the singles and albums charts, recorded with some of the world’s biggest stars and toured the globe extensively, playing to more than a million people.

For career highlights please see here: https://vimeo.com/42672515

www.vanessaamorosi.com

Monday, 20 August 2012

Hilltop Hoods to headline Summernats 26

On the back of the highly successful 25th year, which affirmed the iconic Canberra car festival’s title as Australia’s biggest horsepower party, the Street Machine Summernats have stepped it up a gear, announcing multi-ARIA award winning Aussie hip-hop royalty the Hilltop Hoods as headliners for the 2013 event.

After attracting over 90,000 avid car enthusiasts to the 2012 festival, Summernats 26, to be held in the first weekend of 2013 from 3-6 January, has the Hilltop Hoods headlining the Friday night of entertainment.

“We’re really pleased to have the Hoods, Australia’s kings of hip-hop, at the Nats. These guys are genuine Aussie music royalty,” said Summernats co-owner Andy Lopez.

The Hilltop Hoods, who’ve just performed a sold out show at the ANU as part of a sold out Aussie tour, are just as happy to be at Australia’s biggest car festival.

“We can’t wait to get down to Canberra and kick off the New Year at the Summernats,” said MC Suffa of the Hilltop Hoods.

And there’s more to come at the Nats, with the Saturday night headliner and much more still to be announced.

Lopez says, “The Summernats is and always will be about the cars. Our punters loved last event’s concerts with Drapht and The Screaming Jets. This year, the Hoods and other artists are again a great added value for our loyal fans. People who love cars love music; that’s why they put stereos in them.”

Vehicle entrants for Summernats 26 from the Australian street machine community are currently at a record high, with more than twice the number of entrants as this time last year.

“These outstanding entrant numbers five months out from the event just goes to show that the street machine community is strong and vibrant. They’re out there in their workshops and garages all around Australia building cars to bring to Summernats,” said Lopez.

Tickets are currently on sale for Summernats 26, with this year’s festival offering more than ever for fans across Australia.

The best-priced tickets are available from the Summernats website www.summernats.com.au and all the Summernats’ entertainment and concert events are, as always, included in the ticket price.

Summernats 26 will be held at Exhibition Park in Canberra from the 3rd – 6th January 2013. For more information and ticket prices, visit the website at www.summernats.com.au

HANSON Announce Australian Release For Shout It Out

Ahead of their upcoming almost sold out Australian tour HANSON have announced their 5th studio album Shout It Out will be released digitally in Australia on the 7th of September 2012, preceded by the first single “Give A Little”, which will be released to Radio and TV on the 20^th of August 2012.

Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson are household names in Australia and it's no surprise - in 1997 one in ten Australian households owned a copy of the band's smash album Middle Of Nowhere and the nation's airwaves, hearts and minds resonated to the infectious sound of the band's smash hit MMMBop. Now, after a 7-year absence, HANSON are back with a brand new album and tour that is sure to capture the attention and imagination of a nation that has always embraced the band as their own.

Native sons of Tulsa, Oklahoma, HANSON have been making music together for nearly two decades. Thirteen years ago, their out-of-the-blue, soul-inspired brand of American pop-rock ‘n’ roll was introduced to the world. Unaffected by charts or fads, they’ve spent more than a decade building a community of fans connected to one another and fuelled by the energy and craftsmanship of three brothers and their music. On their fifth studio album, Shout It Out, released digitally in Australia on the 7th of August on the band’s 3CG Records label, they deliver a powerful group of soulful, melodic tunes that will leave you with a contagious sense of optimism for the future and welcomed reminiscence for American rock ‘n’ roll.

Shout It Out is a collection of finely crafted, R&B-flavored pop-rock, a homage to the music that inspired HANSON when they started out. The album produced and written exclusively by the band is augmented with special guests: Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt, who played on some of Motown’s greatest hits, and horn arranger Jerry Hey, who worked with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind and Fire and many more.

“The anatomy of our band is similar to a ‘70s rock band – white guys from the Midwest who grew up listening to ‘50s and ‘60s soul, who are mixing guitars, with vintage keys and melodic songs,” Taylor Hanson says. Adds Isaac, “We’ll always be a bit rootsy ‘cause it’s in the Oklahoma soil (the state is also home to artists like Bob Wills, Woody Guthrie and the versatile Leon Russell), but what we’ve never stopped aspiring to is the great songwriters and performers who struck a chord with us first, that early rock ‘n’ rock roll and soul music from Chuck Berry to Otis Redding. We’ve rediscovered that aspiration on this record. There’s a little more swing and a little more air.”

While Shout It Out looks back in time musically, it also represents forward movement for HANSON. “We love playing classic songs,” says Zac Hanson. “But we never sat down and wrote our version of what that sounds like until now.”

They’ve sold millions of records and reached a level of adoration that few bands experience, and have also faced career obstacles that would have broken many artist’s resolve. They waded through four years of struggle with a new corporate label made up of inherited executives in discord with the band, which eventually lead the band to leave the label (chronicled in the documentary film Strong Enough To Break) and launch their own independent record company, 3CG Records, in 2003. Amidst a crumbling industry, they built their own infrastructure around a DIY attitude and their commitment to their music and their fans.

Shout It Out showcases not only the music of HANSON, but the many aspects that have allowed the band to survive and stay relevant. “The album is about being alive, and the contrasts we are faced with,” Taylor says. “We’ve come from a generation leaving the analog world and moving into an interconnected culture at risk of forgetting where it came from. This album tries to put together those pieces, but with a bit of melody to back it up.”

HANSON’s Shout It Out is available digitally on September 7^th, 2012 on 3GC Records

Sunday, 19 August 2012

Ricki-Lee performs at Westfield, Parramatta

Popular singer Ricki-Lee Coulter performed at Westfield Parramatta this afternoon to an appreciative audience.

Coulter sung a number of her songs off her new album 'Fear and Freedom'.

The 26-year-old says she feels stronger and more confident than ever with the upcoming release of her third album Fear & Freedom.

"This is my best work because it has just come purely and completely from me," she says over breakfast at a cafe near her Sydney home.

"This is the most genuine and the most honest and the most free that I've ever felt writing and recording in the studio. I wasn't forced to work with anyone I didn't want to work with."

Fans enjoyed the opportunity to purchase copies of the CD at the event and have them signed by Rick-Lee.

Following this appearance in Parramatta, the singer will tour for her Fear and Freedom live tour in Melbourme, Sydney and Brisbane.

Websites

Ricki-Lee Coulter official website

www.ricki-lee.com

Westfield

www.westfield.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

Eva Rinaldi Photography

Music News Australia

Saturday, 18 August 2012

Celtic Woman performs at Macquarie Shopping Centre, Sydney: 'Believe'

Celtic Woman are down under in Australia to promote their current album 'Believe' and today they made a free public performance at Macquarie Shopping Centre.

'Believe' debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Classical Chart and includes some classic favourites like Bridge Over Troubled Water, Sailing, You'll Never Walk Alone and Ave Maria.

The group consists of Mairead Nesbitt, Chloe Agnew, Lisa Lambe and Susan McFadden.

Fans of Celtic Woman's genre of music continue to rejoice around Australia as the all girl group continue to garner strong reviews for that latest CD 'Believe'.

Believe Track List...

1. Awakening

2. Nocturne

3. Sailing

4. The Foxhunter

5. The Water Is Wide

6. Bridge Over Troubled Water

7. Black Is The Colour

8. Follow On

9. Ave Maria

10. Teir Abhaile Riu

11. You'll Never Walk Alone

12. A Spaceman Came Traveling

13. Songs From The Heart: Walking The Night/The World Falls Away

14. A Woman's Heart

15. The Parting Glass

Biography...

In just a few short years, the unique musical ensemble known as Celtic Woman has emerged as both a spectacular commercial success and a genuine cultural phenomenon. The beloved ensemble’s evocative, uplifting music has transcended national and cultural borders to touch the hearts of a devoted fan base that spans the globe.

DVD News...

Internationally acclaimed vocal phenomenon Celtic Woman announce their sixth new project, BELIEVE, an enchanting studio album and companion live concert DVD available in stores on January 24. Celtic Woman is the all-female singing sensation featuring vocalists Chloë Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Lisa Lambe and Celtic violinist Máiréad Nesbitt performing classic Irish songs ("The Water Is Wide," "Green Grow the Rushes," "A Woman's Heart," "The Parting Glass"), timeless pop anthems ("Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Sailing"), and inspirational songs ("You'll Never Walk Alone," "Ave Maria") with their signature Celtic Woman twist, under the distinct musical direction of Emmy-nominated music producer, David Downes. The live concert DVD was filmed for the first time in America in front of some of their most loyal fans during two sold-out nights at The Fox Theatre (Atlanta, GA) in Sept 2011.

Websites

Celtic Woman official website

www.celticwoman.com

Mairead Nesbitt official website

www.maireadnesbitt.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

Eva Rinaldi Photography

Music News Australia

www.johnwilliamson.com.au

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Country music legend Kenny Rogers performs State Theatre, Sydney; Australian music legend John Williamson supports

Kenny Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, photographer and entrepreneur.

He has been most successful with country audiences and has charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres and topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone.

Tonight Rogers performed to an appreciative Australian audience at the famous State Theatre in Sydney.

He was supported by Australian country legend John Williamson and I couldn't think of a better support in the world, but there can be little doubt that the majority of people were there to see Rogers.

Rogers is one of very few artists who have enjoyed successful careers in such a variety of genres - jazz, folk, rock, country and pop. Houston-born Rogers formed his first band while in high school in 1956 - a rockabilly group called The Scholars (they performed on American Bandstand) - and has never quit making music. He played stand-up bass in the jazz group the Bobby Doyle Trio, and later became a member of the popular folk group, The New Christy Minstrels. The spotlight started focusing on Rogers when his group, The First Edition, scored their first hit, "I Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In), which was followed by the pop and country chart success of "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town."

Rogers' solo career shot into the stratosphere with the #1 hit, "Lucille," which was named the CMA's Single of the Year and was certified Gold. "Daytime Friends," "Sweet Music Man," and "Love Or Something Like It" continued his run of success. Then came "The Gambler," a story song so vivid it not only delighted country and pop fans, it also became a TV movie, starring Rogers himself in the title role. The movie spawned four follow-ups, making it the longest running miniseries franchise on television. The five Gambler mini-series have attracted over 100 million viewers nationwide and launched a second career for Rogers as an actor on television and movies.

News...

Kenny Rogers autobiography out in October...

With Rogers 50 years of performing and 120 million album sales, there's a lot to write about.

He says "It stirs up certain emotions that you'd forgotten about. Particularly when your life has been as busy as mine - it's kind of hard to keep up with things"

"I must admit I enjoyed writing it. I enjoyed that process. I don't know that I'd want to do it again."

More News...

The pinnacle of his career is in the late 1970s to '80s and includes hits such as The Gambler, Lucille, Coward of the County and, with Dolly Parton, Islands In the Stream. He has had 24 No.1 hits.

"Once I started with Lucille [in 1977], it was like an indescribable career for anybody, so you have a look at that and say: how can you not have enjoyed that?" Rogers says. "But I have to tell ya: too much success is not good either. I'm at a great place right now where I sign enough autographs to satisfy my ego, but not so many that it invades my privacy."

In 2009 Rogers did widespread touring under the anniversary banner The First Fifty Years. He still performs or records about 100 days annually. But turning 74 next week, with a much younger wife and twin eight-year-old boys at his home in Atlanta, he expects his Australian concerts will be his last here.

"This is probably gonna be my last international tour," he says. It's because his family can't be with him. "So I think when I come back … that's gonna be it. I'm gonna stay home then.

"I'll continue to tour the States. I'd just like to be able to get home [more] so I can spend what I think is quality time with the boys … I really wanna be there for 'em instead of being gone all the time."

Rogers has said his one regret is the toll his pursuit of success had on his relationships. But "I don't want to go back and rehash things that I was honest about and paid the price for. I don't want to pay it again."

Kenny Rogers will also play at the State Theatre tomorrow night, again supported by John Williamson.

If Rogers other performances down under in Australia are anything like tonight's, fans are in for a massive treat from this true music legend, and his new Aussie legend mate.

Australian Tour Dates...

SYDNEY, NSW AUSTRALIA

August 16, 2012 9:00 p.m.

State Theatre

With Special Guest John Williamson

DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY AUSTRALIA

August 18, 2012 9:45 p.m.

Darwin Festival

George Brown Botanic Gardens

With Special Guest Sara Storer

PERTH, AUSTRALIA

August 21, 2012 9:00 p.m.

Riverside Theatre

Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre

With Special Guest Troy Cassar Daley

MELBOURNE, VIC AUSTRALIA

August 23, 2012 9:00 p.m.

Palais Theatre

With Special Guest Troy Cassar Daley

NEWCASTLE, NSW AUSTRALIA

August 24, 2012 8:00 p.m.

Newcastle Entertainment Centre

With Special Guest Lee Kernaghan

GYMPIE, QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA

August 26, 2012 8:00 p.m.

Gympie Music Muster

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

August 29, 2012 9:00 p.m.

Adelaide Entertainment Centre

With Special Guest Beccy Cole

John Williamson

Kenny Rogers

John Williamson

Kenny Rogers

Websites

Kenny Rogers official website

www.kennyrogers.com

John Williamson official website

State Theatre

www.statetheatre.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

Eva Rinaldi Photography

Music News Australia