Kirsty Lee Akers is the only artist in history to have won three of the major prizes in Australian country music - Toyota Star Maker, Telstra Road to Tamworth, and a Golden Guitar - and she’s done it with a combination of great songs and high-energy live performance. Her most recent album, Wild, took the #1 spot on the ARIA Country chart, it was the fourth highest-selling country record in 2022 and received two Golden Guitar nominations. Kirsty also launched a new band, Rhinestoned, and she’s performing at the Gympie Music Muster with that band as well as under her own name. Her first Gympie was at the age of 13, when she was in a talent quest, and she’s returned as a performer several times since.

Growing up in a musical family, Akers was immersed in the world of country music from a young age and started performing at the age of three. Her mother and aunts were avid competitors in the local talent quest circuit, and Akers followed in their footsteps.

This experience of competitions helped her hone her skills as a performer, leading to her winning the Telstra Road to Tamworth at the age of 16. One of the prizes was a trip to Nashville, where Akers began her songwriting life. She’s written many songs since, and returned to Nashville several times.

In addition to songwriting, singing and performance, Akers has produced her last two albums, Wild and Under My Skin, and there’s no doubt that the knowledge and skills she has been developing since that very early start are the reason why she has accomplished so much.

Moving away from music, Akers and her husband, Jesse, appeared in a season of the popular TV show The Block, and they are now also making music together in the trio Rhinestoned, with the third member being Akers’s longtime guitarist Dan Ebbels.

The story of the formation of Rhinestone is unexpected, as Akers is frank about the reasons behind it, as she is about every facet of her career that we discussed. It’s a long conversation and it could have gone for much longer because she has such a rich career and background that there is a lot to talk about. What came across throughout the interview is her passion for music and her determination to connect with others through music. It is clearly in every fibre of her being, so intrinsic to who she is that she seems to exist almost permanently in creative flow. It was so interesting to talk to her, and I hope you find our chat interesting too.

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Ashleigh Dallas has won five Golden Guitars and that’s because she is an artist of considerable talents as a singer, songwriter and musician. It’s those same talents that see her invited to perform in festivals such as Red Country in the Pilbara, where she’s just visited, and the Gympie Music Muster, which is coming up in late August. She’ll be taking her new single, ‘Love Still Has Something’.

Recorded in her father Brett's studio, ‘Love Still Has Something’ delves into Dallas's experiences with anxiety and depression. While recording the song she tapped into the raw emotions she felt when first writing the song during the pandemic, as she recounted during our recent interview.

‘I really wanted to tap into the heart and the sentiment of these lyrics,’ Dallas says. ‘I remember that feeling when I first finished it, writing it in this home space, and I wanted to capture that in the studio.’

The song's layered production, featuring Dallas's evocative fiddle playing, further enhances the emotional depth of the lyrics.

‘It's really purposely layered because the topic of this song is quite layered, and we, as humans, are layered,’ says Dallas. ‘Young 18-year-old Ash used to say it was about a friend of a friend, whereas now I would look down the barrel and say, “Love Still Has Something” exists because I wasn't okay. I was struggling with my mental health.’

This openness has been transformative, fostering deeper connections with her family, partner, and creative team. ‘It's been really great now that I think I'm in a place where it does start conversations with my parents, with my partner, my friends and family, and even my band,’ she says.

Dallas now nurtures the next generation of country music artists through her involvement with the Academy of Country Music. As both a graduate and now the assistant director, she is passionate about creating a supportive environment where young artists can authentically explore their craft and find their voice.

‘It's really lovely to be a part of it,’ she reflects. ‘Even though you might be tired and life is busy and you travel and you come in and you go, “Okay, shift gears. And we're here now.” It's just really refreshing being around that energy.’

Dallas herself has a knack of reinvigorating her audiences, bringing her whole heart and considerable skills to her performances, as she will at the Muster from 22 to 25 August.

For more about Ashleigh Dallas: https://ashleighdallas.com.au/

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Brad Butcher is a two-time Golden Guitar winner from the central Queensland coast who has released five albums – the latest being East of Everything – and one compilation, Storyteller. He writes with clarity and insight about life and love and family, and has a habit of creating unforgettable songs. He’s about to take some of those songs to the Gympie Music Muster in late August.

In this interview Butcher reflects on his early days as a ‘green, naive songwriter’, and shares how he found his storytelling voice and developed his singing voice. Since he’s been studying a Bachelor of Music, Butcher has embraced the creative potential of technology which has also allowed him to refine his approach, giving him greater control and flexibility.

In East of Everything, Butcher decided that instead of making a ‘sad sack album’ he would instead focus on positivity, because, as he says, ‘the future’s bright’. The album is, accordingly, expansive in scope and uplifting in outlook (read my review here).

After first appearing at the Gympie Music Muster in 2013, Butcher prepares to return to the Amanpoor State Forest for this year’s festival, which runs from 22 to 25 August, where he will reconnect with old fans who have long appreciated his craft and his way of connecting with them, and no doubt to make new ones who will discover that his songs have knack of getting a hook in you and never letting go.

In addition to his live performances and degree studies, Butcher is recording new material, soon to give us more of the songs that are all about ‘conversations and complications’ (listen to the interview for that discussion!).

For more about Brad Butcher: https://bradbutcher.com/

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Helen Townsend is an artist from Fremantle in Western Australia whose music is a fusion of roots-rock, blues, country, and folk. With her band the Wayward Hearts she’s on tour in New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria throughout August and September, with her new album, Take It or Leave It, released on 2 August.

Townsend's musical life began at the age of 40, although she had long been keeping a journal and writing poetry. Songwriting came as a natural evolution, and Townsend’s songs reflect her personal experiences as well as seeking to understand or assist others.

It became clear during our conversation that Townsend is deeply connected to and appreciative of her musical community. Take It or Leave It is the result of collaborations with other songwriters – although most songs were written by Townsend alone – and the musicians in the Wayward Hearts. Townsend takes none of it for granted and although she says she’s a ‘love junkie’ she seems more like a heart, soul and truth seeker, and this is what she brings to her songs.

See Helen Townsend and the Wayward Hearts live:

Saturday, 3 August | Gasoline Pony, Marrickville *

Saturday, 3 August | The Merton Hotel, Rozelle *

Sunday, 4 August | The Camden Hotel, Camden

Wednesday, 7 August | The Midnight Special (duo show), Newtown *

Saturday, 10 August | Wild West Weekender, Burlington Hotel, Bunbury, WA

Thursday, 15 August | Freo Social, Fremantle, WA

Saturday, 17 August | Coolgardie Rodeo, Coolgardie, WA

Friday, 6 September | The River Hotel, Margaret River, WA

Saturday, 7 September | Nannup Brewery, Nannup, WA *

Friday, 13 September | The Eastern Hotel, Ballarat, Vic

Saturday, 14 September | The Gem, Collingwood, Vic *

Sunday, 15 September | The Lomond Hotel, Brunswick, Vic

*Free entry

For more on Helen Townsend: https://helentownsendmusic.com/

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Born and raised in Gympie in Queensland, Linc Phelps released his debut EP in 2022 and since then the single ‘Sing a Little Louder’, which came out earlier this year. His latest single is ‘Hundred Percent’.

Growing up Phelps was immersed in the music of Australian artists such as Graeme Connors, John Williamson, and Colin Buchanan, then subsequently gravitated towards American country stars like Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Clint Black, and Diamond Rio. He picked up guitar at ten years of age and by fourteen was playing local gigs, adding talent quests and Camerata (as the Junior Academy of Country Music was called at the time), where he studied alongside Ashleigh Dallas, amongst others.

While he began as a solo songwriter, recently Phelps has embraced co-writing, with fruitful results – he wrote ‘Hundred Percent’ with Gavin Carfoot, one of several they’ve created together. Phelps says that the song represents a reminder to keep chasing your passion and giving it your all, even when times get tough. Certainly he has committed himself to chasing his passion for music, with an album on the horizon.

Phelps will be appearing at this year’s Gympie Music Muster on 22 August, and it’s far from being his first appearance, as he started competing in the Muster talent quest around the age of eleven. He’ll also be playing at Oodies in Bundaberg on 7 November.

For more about Linc Phelps: https://www.lincphelps.com/

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Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and raised on the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, Holly Arrowsmith released the album A Dawn to Remember in 2018. She has won several awards for her songwriting, including most recently the APRA Amcos NZ Country Song of the Year for ‘Desert Dove’, which is a single from her sublime new album Blue Dreams, which was released on 26 July.

Our wide-ranging conversation covered Arrowsmith’s songwriting process, musical influences and touring. She shared insightful perspectives on crafting personal yet universal songs, the importance of connection through music, and finding inspiration in poetry and the natural world. We also discussed specific tracks from Blue Dreams, including ‘Something Small’ and ‘Womb of Venus’, as well as ‘Neon Bright’, which she has described as a danceable song about depression.

Arrowsmith is frank about the experiences that have led to the creation of particular songs, and it is clear from our conversation as well as her music just how thoughtful and insightful a songwriter she is, quite apart from being a wonderful singer who delivers her lyrics straight to the heart of the listener.

Arrowsmith has shared stages with CW Stoneking, Marlon Williams and Tami Neilson, and performed at SXSW in 2020, and she’s headlining her own tour in Australia and New Zealand in support of Blue Dreams. The album is available on vinyl and CD, as well as on streaming platforms

ALL TICKETS AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS LINK: https://linktr.ee/holly_arrowsmith

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AUSTRALIA

17 August - Castlemaine, VIC - the Taproom

18 - August - Melbourne, VIC Wesley Anne

AOTEAROA

12 October - Christchurch, Saint Michael and All Angels with Jessie Shanks

27 October - Wellington, Meow with Michaela Tempers

2 November - Auckland, Tuning Fork with Arahi

3 November - Waiheke Island, Artworks Theatre with Marmalade

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Jen Mize is a singer, a songwriter, a producer, a mentor and a great collaborator, having created music with her band The Rough N’ Tumble as well as writing songs with other artists in addition to releasing solo music. Her latest solo song is ‘My Buzz’.

‘I wrote “My Buzz” after realising I can sometimes be a total Debbie Downer when I'm talking to people,' says Mize. ;The song calls me out for always wanting to discuss depressing things instead of just having fun.’

This interview is a long one but here’s the thing: Mize is funny and smart and thoughtful and one doesn’t rush through a chat with a person like that, because as soon as she’s offered one nugget of gold it’s reasonable to expect another one. That’s because Mize’s energy is expansive as well as inclusive, so it never feels like there won’t be gold. And that’s also how she creates music, with that voice that expands to fill spaces in your heart and mind, while wrapping itself around you at the same time.

That expansiveness also takes in other artists: at the time we spoke, Mize was not long returned from The Song Muster in Gympie, where she taught songwriting and practised collaboration, as is her wont.

‘I focus on writing new songs, recording a lot, and collaborating with other inspiring artists,’ explains Mize. ‘That keeps me energised and in a musical zone.’

We talked about that, about her band The Rough n’ Tumble, and about her first tattoo. So settle in and enjoy listening to Jen Mize just as much as I did.

For more about Jen Mize: https://www.jenmizemusic.com/

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Nathan May has been a musician since childhood and over the past couple of years has been releasing singles such as ‘Fix It Up’ and ‘It’s Gotta Start Somewhere’ that showcase his wonderful voice as well as his storytelling. In 2019 he won the award for Young Aboriginal Artist of Year in 2019 and in 2022 he won the Creative Young Achiever.

May’s latest single is ‘Love From Me’, which tells the story of his great-grandparents – his great-grandfather arrived in Australia from England to work on the Ghan railway line and met his great-grandmother, an Arabana woman from Marree in South Australia. They went on to have 13 children at a time when their relationship faced, as May says in our recent interview, judgement from both sides.

The song was written with beloved singer-songwriter Kevin Bennett and features a guitar solo from the great Troy Cassar-Daley. It was produced by James Gillard, who has worked with May on all of his singles.

In the interview May talks about the story behind the song as well as his experience of co-writing and how his perspective on it has changed – he used to be, he says, protective of his music and unsure of how collaboration would turn out, but now he loves working that way and just wants to do more of it.

That shift says much about how May opens himself up to new experiences and ways of telling his stories, and is no doubt part of why he’s found himself touring Europe lately and also performing in Hawaii. If you’re heading to the Gympie Music Muster between 22 and 25 August you’ll be able to see him there.

For more about Nathan May: https://linktr.ee/nathanmaymusic

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