Canberra Country Music Festival 2012 Set For 16-18 November 2012

EMBARGO 10pm 24/01/12 AEDST

TSA veteran George Dasey of Chips Rafferty - The Overlander and They’re A Weird Mob fame shares Songmaker Award with his daughter Coral Dasey and fellow songwriter Ray Rose.

In a night of nights suitably reflecting Tamworth’s 40^th anniversay celebrations and festival theme this year  of Looking Forward, it seemed befitting that one of the major Salute Awards should go to not one but three incredible writers who have shared many moments in history paving the way for the future, and to later in the evening mark a tribute in the recent passing of another pioneer.

Three of these writers honoured earlier tonight with the presentation of the prestigious Songmaker Award at the Longyard Hotel, will have their names forever preserved in the grounds of the Tamworth Tourist Information Centre at the city’s TSA landmark.

The first of the accolades belongs to George Dasey.  It is because of George that many Australians may recall two very rare moments in history.  Both of them in a different era, one of them in a time of cultural change, and both of them in a time when movies and song would become folklore and the talk of the nation.  The first of these belongs to a film which starred iconic actor Chips Rafferty, The Overlanders filmed in 1946.  It gave veteran George Dasey one of our pioneer writers his first big break when Ealing Studios conducted an Australian songwriting competition and George’s song of the same name was selected from some 600 entries, to take home the Fifty Guinea prizemoney.  The song was used in Australia and overseas as an overture to the screening of the film and was recorded on Columbia Records by Ron Jackson and Abe Romain’s orchestra.  Many other songs followed, none more recognised than in 1958 when George penned They’re A Weird Mob and it became the first hit for Johnny Ashcroft.  With over 60 releases of his work through the decades, George’s songs have been performed and recorded by more than 20 artists. 

The award combines a preceding link to the talents of a father-daughter writing team, with it Coral Dasey.  George’s daughter Coral inherited her father’s song writing talent.  Along with her own recordings, she has had many an artist record her songs including Buddy Williams and Reg Poole.  George and Coral co-wrote Buddy Williams at the Opera House, with Eric Watson as well as songs like The Land Where Whitey Has gone, and Vietnam Lullaby.

Notably it is the contribution made to the TSA that most brings George to the fore.  It was he who in January 1978 when he attended the inaugural meeting of the TSA, who presented the Association with its now infamous slogan ‘First the Song!’

The second award went to Ray Rose, posthumously to his family and accepted by recording artist Tom Maxwell who recorded a full album of Ray’s songs on LBS.  Tom’s version of Kings Without Crowns was a top 5 finalist in the Golden Guitar Bush Ballad awards in 2011, with another, West of Winton released on Slim Dusty’s 101st album of the same name.

There are two major awards in the Salute format - The Songmaker Award decided on votes by TSA’s members and The Tex Morton Award which recognises someone who has made a lasting contribution to the cause of Country Music in Australia.  This year, presented to Lorraine Pfitzner.

Special Guests:  O’SHEA – Mark & Jay

Guest artists:  Tamara Stewart;  Dean Perrett;  Runaway Dixie;  Virginia Coad (presenting a tribute to Shirley Thoms);  Greg Bain;   and up & coming singer songwriter Amelia Richards; artists supported by Steve Passfield and his band Hand Picked PLUS *a surprise appearance by a mystery guest Golden Guitar Winner *

Hosts: Peter Leslie & Amber Lawrence

2012 APRA|TSA NEW SONGWRITER AWARD

APRA/TSA NEW SONGWRITER AWARD WINNER

Sponsored by APRA Australian Performing Rights Association and TSA

‘RSVP’ – Melody Feder

ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD

Sponsored by Daryl Kirkup CRS Publicity

(New Award this year from the New Songwriter Section)

Winners are a duo called ‘The Long And The Short Of It’

2012 TSA SONGWRITER’S SALUTE AWARDS

TRADITIONAL BUSH BALLAD OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Britton Morrison

‘Son Of The Red Dirt Country’ Graham Rodger

CONTEMPORARY SONG OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Southern Cross University

‘The Road That Brought Me Here’  Karen Lynne & Allan Caswell

COUNTRY BALLAD OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by John P Toomey

‘A Garden Full Of Roses’ Peter Coad

COMEDY/NOVELTY SONG OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Duncan’s Fuel & Country Store

‘The Kid On The Kangaroo’ Peter Coad

CHILDREN’S SONG OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by the Australian Children’s Music Foundation

‘Tony’s Farm’ Brothers 3 & Alita Fahey

GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Orana Country Music Club Dubbo

‘There’s Room At The Cross’ Dean Perrett & Sherry Foster

COUNTRY SONG OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Scoop FX

‘A Garden Full Of Roses’ Peter Coad

TEX MORTON AWARD

Sponsored by Daryl Kirkup CRS Publicity

Lorraine Pfitzner

SONGMAKER OF THE YEAR (2 plaques handed out this year)

George Dasey & Coral Dasey