Merle Haggard

There are at least two ways you can take the title of the latest from a country legend whose career spans more than a half-century.  You can hear it as a prideful declaration, a Popeye-style “I Yam What I Yam” or Sinatra-esque “My Way,” a chip that has been on the Hag’s shoulder since the days of “I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am” (not to mention “The Fighting Side of Me”).

But you can also hear it as an expression of profound humility, from an artist who long ago left behind any pretense and posturing, who acknowledges his failings and limitations but who has found comfort in his own skin. This is what I am, the title says. For better or worse. It’s an admission without apology, a lesson in perspective from what life, and especially love, has taught him.

Title aside, what’s truly special about the latest album from Merle Haggard is that there’s nothing truly special about it–no broadsides on the political state of the world, no startling changes of direction, no concept that fits on a bumper sticker. Instead, this is simply Merle Haggard, relaxed and intimate, up close and personal, doing what he does best. And what no one does better.

At the age of 73, the creatively vital artist has nothing to prove and nothing to hide.  Yet there is no sense here that his debut for yet another new label finds him going through the motions. Most of the songs are superior, the phrasing impeccable, the band an inspired blend of Haggard’s Strangers with guest musicians including Dobro virtuoso Rob Ikes and drummer George Recili (from the band of Bob Dylan, Haggard’s occasional tour mate, and sounding particularly jazzy with the light percussion touches here).

                                   Sara Storer

Talk to people about Sara Storer and the same words keep being used: ‘real’, ‘unaffected’, ‘authentic’. It’s partly a way of acknowledging that she’s lived the life she sings about – growing up on a farm in Victoria’s Mallee, her grandfather a pioneer of the district, then teaching in tiny bush towns in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
 

But authenticity alone doesn’t make a great artist. Sara has a hungry writer’s eye, her songs full of vivid, telling moments and narratives that seem to drop the listener into a freshly minted world. The voice that tells these tales is open and unguarded; the music seductive yet energised. Her songs speak with great directness and immediacy, as if we had found ourselves on the road, or round the campfire, with the characters of the song.
 

Some songwriters take their inspirations from other songs; with Sara, the starting point is more often a scene torn directly from life. Her first song, ‘Buffallo Bill’, is typical: the story drawn from a retired buffalo shooter she met when working in a truck stop in the small Queensland town of Camooweal. She gave him the song as you would a gift, saw the tears it brought forth from the old man, and started to understand the power of song.
 

Soon she moved to the Territory, teaching in Kalkaringi, an Aboriginal settlement 500km south west of Katherine. There she developed her songwriting and began to play for friends – at parties and around campfires. A friend encouraged her to enter a talent quest at the town of Adelaide River, a dot in the red dirt of the far north. The ‘encouragement prize’ was a workshop at the Australian College of Country Music, held in the weeks leading up to the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

There is a lot more to the Sara Storer story - you best get this cd - some new tracks but lots of traditional uncomplicated storer songs.

                                  McAlister Kemp

Money Isn’t Everything! That’s the premise of ‘It Don’t Buy Love’, the second single from McAlister Kemp’s debut album ‘All Kinds Of Tough’.

“This song was written with our mate Mike Carr. Lyrically it really pulls at the heartstrings. The premise of the song is simply that money isn’t everything,” says McAlister Kemp.

McAlister Kemp’s first single ‘All Kinds Of Tough’ was very well received. It topped the National Country Airplay charts as well as reaching #3 on the Country Music Channel’s Top 30 Countdown.

The single release coincides with the start of the ‘Guys, Girls, Guitars & Bars’ tour, featuring McAlister Kemp which kicked-off on May 8 in Sydney. Check McAlister Kemp’s website for tour dates. 

McAlister Kemp recorded their debut album in late 2009 with producer Matt Fell (Sara Storer, Butterfly 9, Damien Leith). It debuted at #8 on the ARIA Country Charts and is out now. 

                                  Emmerson Drive

RELEASE DATE JUNE 12TH 2010

With the release of their fourth studio album Believe, Emerson Drive has secured their place as the premiere band in North American contemporary Country music. The album, produced by Josh Leo and Teddy Gentry (of the legendary Country band Alabama) showcases all of the attributes that have fuelled the group's long, steady rise through the Country ranks.

"This is the album that will define Emerson Drive from this point on," says lead singer Brad Mates. "I think you can hear in each song the fact that we're at a very comfortable place in our career when it comes to knowing who we are as a band."

‘I Love This Road’ is the album’s opening single. It’s a fresh up tempo radio track – and already a top #10 track in Canada. We have added that track to our playlist - keep an eye out for this when its released in June You gotta add it to your cd list.

                                          Alan Jackson

Freight Train, Alan Jackson's 16th album, has none of the momentum of a locomotive but all of the reassuring sturdiness of a hulking piece of steel: this is music built for distance, not speed. Appropriately, not much on Freight Train moves all that fast -- there is a bit of a skipping gait to the title track -- and nothing hits that hard; it all rolls along comfortably, never pushing at the edges of Jackson's comfort zone. More than ever, the singer sounds like part of the old guard, willfully ignoring anything modern or rocking, preferring to sing swaying ballads and pay tribute to Vern Gosdin via a cover of "Till the End." As relaxed as this is, Jackson isn't necessarily coasting -- he wrote the lion's share of the 12 songs here, choosing his four covers wisely -- but his touch is so relaxed it sometimes it feels as if he is. Certainly, there's a fair share of charm to Jackson's cozy confidence, but Freight Train doesn't offer a sustained romantic mood along the lines of 2006's understated gem Like Red on a Rose. Instead, it's the sound of a major star gently easing away from the spotlight, deciding that he's so comfortable in his old clothes that there's no reason to try something new

                                  Tim McGraw

Based on title alone, it would seem that SOUTHERN VOICE picks up on the harder country edges of LET IT GO, but that's not the case: this is Tim McGraw's rockiest album yet, opening with a slow, spacy crawl called "Still" that would not be out of place on a record by a U2 knockoff and taking the occasional detour to Nickelback territory on the Chad Kroeger co-written "It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You." That tune bristles with Kroeger's barely veiled, unwitting hostility, something that the big-hearted McGraw doesn't wear well and it's something he wisely side-steps on the rest of the record, choosing to mine a sentimental, meditative vein, musing on major changes in his life and wondering what will happen after he's gone. Such big themes fit both the big, atmospheric rock sounds and the reflective acoustic ballads well, creating an inward vibe that is occasionally punctuated by a rocker, like the laundry list of great Southern names on the title track. And we cant wait to see him Rock North Queensland in September

Court Yard Hounds

 Sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, two-thirds of the Dixie Chicks, are spreading their chicken wings and dipping their pouty little beaks into a new feed trough of their own. Today, the pair released an album called Court Yard Hounds.

According to Billboard.com, Robison and Maguire first decided to record as Court Yard Hounds when Dixie Chicks lead vocalist Natalie Maines wanted to take time off and they were "itching to create some new music." "She was happy for us that we were able to find an outlet for the stuff that I'd been writing," Robison said.
The album includes acoustic, rock, country and folk influences. The Court Yard Hounds are even touring the U.S., doing the Lilith Fair, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and other shows.

 Paul Costa

The rising star of PAUL COSTA has burned brightly since 2004 with the release of his debut solo album Walkin’ In These Shoes.

The ground breaking album was a fresh and exciting debut that saw Paul jump emphatically onto centre stage with a string of Top 10 radio singles and a host of awards and accolades

In 2009 comes In This Life - our Ross Usher had a very long interview with Paul and found him so down to earth - and a guy that has a real passion for his music - this CD has lots of light and shade and some very amusing songs as well - look out for Paul Costa and the cd In This Life - the title track is a ripper we have been playing that a several tracks from the CD all year - jump on board the Paul Costa Train - enjoy the ride with the tallented and humble Australian country singer.

 Sarah Mcmonagal

Growing up listening to artists like John Williamson and Norma O’Hara Murphy, it’s no wonder Sarah McMonagle loves to write and sing songs about Australia.
Sarah first took to the stage to sing with her Dad and sister in her local country music festival when she was 8 years old, and she has never looked back.
Through years of involvement in her local country music clubs and competing in the Queensland talent quest circuit, Sarah has grown into the incredible entertainer that she is today. Sarah uses her rich, earthy voice and powerful stage presence to tell her stories and brings to life our favourite bush ballads of yesterday.  Now to her latest CD - we think that Sarah has finally come of age with this wonderful CD - jump online and visit her webpage - Laterst news tell us she has left Queensland for Sydney..

Click on the CD cover above and it will take you directly to her website.

 Lee Kernaghan

Planet Country is the lead single and title track from Lee Kernaghan's highly anticipated new album, which was released on November 6, 2009. The track was written by Kernaghan, and song writing partners Garth Porter, Colin Buchanan and Matt Scullion.

Planet Country is Kernaghan's first career album release since 2006s The New Bush. 2 years in the making, Planet Country features the world's finest country musicians with recording sessions taking place in Sydney and Nashville. Lee has delivered an album that is contemporary and totally tapped in to the pulse of Australian culture and way of life. With a bonus track of I Milk Cows prompted by a fan answering Lee's question after a concert "what do you do mate" the answer "I Milk Cows Mate" this CD has some rock moments and other times quiet sombre moments - a class act Mr Kernaghan - and a true mate of my105fm. Its a CD about Australian and if your a LK fan get it - if your not - get it cause you will be won over in a flash. Its in stores now - like we say if they dont have it DEMAND they get it in.

 Leanne  King                               

‘How precious is time?’ NSW Central Coast singer songwriter LeAnne King  asked herself many times in the last few years.

It helped when she faced uncertain factors surrounding the truly ‘long awaited release’ of her latest album ‘Make Time’. LeAnne’s recording project came together through sheer determination, endless trips and infinite access to some of the best musicians in Sydney  and the Central Coast, coupled with the belief of dedicated producers. But, mainly it was ‘time’ that proved the greater factor.
‘Time’ for songs to evolve, music to merge, time to expose the pure value
that only ‘time’ itself allows.  Aptly named ‘Make Time’, this second album took four years in the making. An emotive journey for the ‘lyrist’ she once described herself as, she now says ‘I am at a stage in my life that I realise the time is slipping away and you have to tell the people what you feel before it’s too late.’‘It’s about how we should stop for the seconds it sometimes takes to listen to someone instead of rushing off’ she added.

You can buy this online directly from her website - please go do that - we dont want to let this one get away - sublime.

Click on the CD cover above to be taken directly to Leanne's website

 Lou Bradley                                  

We have been admiring this delightful lady for a few years and now she has just released La La La Not Listening.  A great CD to play late at night - listening while you have a quiet drink - pondering the lyrics.  She calls it Hillbilly Pop - we dont care what she calls it - this CD has made it to our hot list and all we can say is look out for this in stores - and if you dont see it demand they get it in - its a must have in your selection of cd's and you will not be sorry for one minute that you decided to take our word and purchase it - the cover alone is enough but the music will really grab your attention and you wont look back.  Its got some up tempo catchy numbers liek La La La, but also a song she wrote some years ago called Cowboys - recorded in fine compnay of Kasey Chambers & Dad Bill with Hubby Shane this CD is going to become an aussie legend so grab yours now while its still around.

                                                             John Fogerty

There is no doubt that the master behind CCR is still raging hot.  This new CD is just the perfect cd for driving - or a great Christmas Stocking stuffer - he does a couple of Duets on this CD but the whole thing is all about the legend and his destinctive voice.

You wont be sorry to snap this one up and you will keep playing it.

 BOYS FROM THE BUSH

As the title of this cd says Boys From The Bush - Men of Aussie Country.

All the big songs are included on this CD and it would make a great stocking filler with meaning . Lee, Troy, Adam, Steve and many many more - its a cd packed with the best blokes from Aussie country.

A great CD for a party or when your driving - look out for th is one BOYS FROM THE BUSH

 Keri McInerney

Keri McInerney has found continued success in the Australian and International country music charts, and 2007 was no exception, with the Top 20 chart success of the collaboration single, Stuck in the Middle with You. This single also gave Keri three major award finalist accolades.
One of our listeners recently called the station to talk about Keri -  the listener said "I love her beautiful voice - you played Smile - but is that a country song?" well no its not a country song but it is a beautiful solo of a timeless classic.   Keri does cross the line with this CD - but we think you will love what she does - you can buy it online from her website and audition some of the tracks - Ross our arvo presenter immediatly fell in love with the CD when he previewed it prior to making it a CD of the week - and then after interviewing her he wanted more more more.  We think you will too - take a listen.

 Adam Harvey

One of the unextected cd's this year is the duets style cd from Adam Harvey - its called Both Sides Now and we have to admit from track one to the very end of this cd there is a kind of magic that wont let you turn it off. He has joined with some of the best this country has to offer - some from country and others not, there is no one stand out track on this cd but one we think is pure magic is a duet Adam does with the song bird Wendy Mathews - the old Lionel Richie song Easy, this shows how much Adam has grown.   When we asked him why he decided to do a cd with some of the artists he selected and his responce was "these are singers i admire and im hoping people will pick up this cd have a listen and hear me singing with John Williamson and say id like to hear more of this John Williamson" grab a copy this one is going to be around a long time - John Williamson, Troy even Guy Sabastian its a hit - take a listen.

                                                        Wynonna

 It took a year and a half for Wynonna, along with long time producers Don Potter and Brent Maher, to look back through the extensive musical landscape that has been her life in order to pick the 12 songs that made it on to her newest release: Sing.  Inspired by those legends and songs that have formed the soundtrack to her own life, Sing is a truly stunning anthology – a compilation of Wynonna’s diverse musical roots and a time capsule of some of the milestone moments from throughout her illustrious 25 year career.   Recorded in Sound Kitchen, The Blue Room Studios and East Iris Studios in Nashville, TN, and being released today by Curb Records, Sing captures a multitude of sounds: country, soul, blues and good ‘ol Rock’n’Roll, this album is an incredible mix of genres, with Wynonna’s powerhouse vocals transitioning effortlessly from each style to the next.   From the big band, swing feel of the opener “That’s How Rhythm Was Born,” to the swelling choruses on closing title track, “Sing,” to the Wynonna’s voice shines – a clear expression of the heart and soul she put into this record.   

 WHEN Troy Cassar-Daley came up with the title for his new album, I Love This Place, he was thinking more about a state of mind than any place you can find on a map.

Much as he loves hanging out with his wife and kids, or throwing a line in on his farm an hour out of Brisbane, the much loved and respected Aussie country musician more wanted to share a blissful time and place in his life. Rather than having a midlife crisis and buying a Harley on hitting his milestone 40th birthday, Cassar-Daley realised he was exactly where he wanted to be.

“I really wanted people to see just how happy you could be in one particular stage of your life,” Cassar-Daley says. “More people should just pull up and smell the roses sometimes.”

After six studio albums, 14 Golden Guitars, three ARIAs, countless tours across our wide, brown land and two stints on the top-rating Channel 7 show It Takes Two, Cassar-Daley has good reason to be content and wants to share that positivity. Rather than dwelling on the tough times of life , a point reinforced on a recent trip to Whittlesea to play for some of those affected by the recent Victorian bushfires, Cassar-Daley wants to let people know there are good days ahead too.

 Craig Morrison Little Cowboys

 Mark A. Hunter               

Mark A. Hunter and his new cd Songs From The Buffalo Country is a must have in your CD collection.  Mr Hunter was born in the top end and this CD is about living, laughing and singing in Darwin in 70's and 80's.  One of the most requested tracks from this CD is the classic RUMOR, but there are stacks of other songs like The Mary River and Lets Go Fishing.

Beautiful CD Cover adds to the appeal of this CD - the tracks all speak for themselves and we think you will keep playing this CD over and over cause its just infectious and represents the appeal of the top end.  Skinny Fish music sell the CD and its also distributed through MGM so next time your passing your favorite music shop call in and demand a copy of Songs From The Buffalo Country if you only buy one CD this year make it this - you wont be sorry.

 Brad Cole

Here is an artist is is prepared to stand out from the crowd - when Ross caught up with Brad for the Country Yarn he asked Brad about his genre of country the response was "he is not ashamed where he sits in country music, I beleive we have to grow country music in this country - pushing the envelope - we need to make music that appeals to younger people"  and in a way thats what this cd is all about - dont panic its not radical but its one of the strongest cd's that we have heard this year - there is that beautiful track Hold Me In Your Arms but some more up tempo songs. A Suprise CD and what a beaut bloke he is too - this is a cd you will want to have in your collection - its not the tradition Aussie country - but its country with a new twist - take it for a spin

 Clelia Adams

This CD is infectious - its a toe tapper - its good times and family its Clelia Adams Wildflowers CD - this cd has climbed international charts especially in Europe - and its full of songs from Clelias life - she started in music as a writer for the popular magazine from the 60's Go Set - from there she went to recording and writing - and hasnt looked back - This is what country music is all about - Born of Italian parents she tells stories of the family like My Mothers Wedding Band, the album cover is beautiful is was taken on the property where she lives on the North Coast of NSW - she is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of life - but there is a sense of good times from this very proud woman - this is one for your collection but also for some one as a gift - they will thank you forever - we have stamped this CD a must have you can buy it online directly from Clelia at her website just do a search for CLELIA ADAMS and it will take you there.