Music News - Country music award finalists announced
06 May 2008 - 0 Comments
Country music hits the headlines this month with the announcement of the finalists for the Best Country Album of 2008 and the APRA Best Country Song of the year.
Both awards are to be presented at the perennial New Zealand Country Music Awards on May 30 at the end of New Zealand Music Month.
Finalists for the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) Country Music Album Tui are Jackie Bristow for ‘Crazy Love’, Melissa Partridge for ‘Melissa’ and The Cattlestops for ‘(Back to) Rosetta Road’.
Dunedin-based Melissa Partridge also features in the APRA Best Country Song Award for 2008 in partnership with co-writer Gordon Jones for ‘I’ll Be On My Way’. The other two finalists vying for the best song are Red McKelvie for ‘Ridin’ On Trains’ and Bruce Dennis with ‘Ain’t Gonna Run’.
A guitarist and vocalist, Melissa Partridge is a multi-award winning performer with gongs from several Golden Guitar awards and the Trans Tasman entertainer of the year at Norfolk Island.
Melissa and Gordon Jones are 50 per cent of Dunedin-based band U4EYA where Gordon is musical director, plays guitar and keyboards and is both lead and harmony vocalist.
Melissa and Gordon united for their APRA Country Song of the Year finalist track ‘I’ll Be On My Way’ which has been receiving international praise. The National Traditional Country Music Association Inc. in America said about the song: "I must say it's as good, and in my opinion much better than most of our contemporary country music in the USA right now."
Gore-born and Los Angeles-based, Jackie Bristow moved to the West Coast of the United States from Australia to record ‘Crazy Love’, her second album. The recording features some big name musicians and tracks for the album have been used on Air New Zealand international flights and on the hit TV show ‘Outrageous Fortune’.
Based on the Kapiti Coast north of Wellington the Cattlestops are a five-piece band founded in 2004. ‘(Back to) Rosetta Road’ is the group’s second CD and six songs from it have been chosen for the soon-to-be-release New Zealand film ‘Second Hand Wedding’.
Red McKelvie’s ‘Ridin’ On Trains’ vindicates the South Canterbury-based artist’s return to writing in 2000 after cajoling from old mate Grahame Lister. Surprisingly for such a versatile and respected studio musician with more than 40 years in the music business, Red’s Ridin’ On Trains album is his first.
‘Ain’t Gonna Run’ by Hamilton-based Bruce Dennis is from the album ‘All Our Days’ which the artists describes as “10 short stories”. Bruce’s passion for ‘roots’ music coupled with his emergence as a songwriter have led to him becoming an in-demand opening act for international and local artists.
New Zealand Music Awards spokesperson Campbell Smith says country music has never been stronger.
“This year’s group of finalists once again shows the depth and talent of the New Zealand Country Music scene. It’s fantastic to be able to present our Tui at the biggest Country music festival in New Zealand. It’s a great occasion which draws well-deserved attention to our local- and offshore-based Country artists.”
Ant Healey, Director of New Zealand Operations for APRA says, “If country music lacks exposure in New Zealand, these songs should fix the situation. They are world class.”
The winners are announced at the New Zealand Country Music Awards on Friday May 30 in Gore.
Attracting more than 5,000 country music fans during the festival, Gold Guitar week is in its 35th year. For more information visit: www.goldguitars.co.nz
More information about the Country Music Album of the Year Award is available at www.nzmusicawards.co.nz
About RIANZ: The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand Inc (RIANZ) is a non-profit organisation representing major and independent record producers, distributors and recording artists throughout New Zealand. RIANZ works to protect the rights and promote the interests of creative people involved in the New Zealand recording industry.
About APRA: The Australasian Performing Right Association Limited is a non-profit service organisation, established in 1926, administering the rights of the world’s songwriters, composers and publishers in New Zealand and Australia. APRA represents over 50,000 Australasian members and over 2 million writers and publishers throughout the world under reciprocal, bilateral contracts with similar overseas service organisations. APRA administers the Performing Rights in music: that is, the right of performance in public and communication to the public.
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