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Once upon a time … Born in Tamworth Base Hospital and growing up in Kootingal, just up the road, as I grew so too did the concept of Tamworth as Country Music Capital. If I hadn’t stuttered when I first tried to speak perhaps I wouldn’t have discovered that I could sing – and that the only place I didn’t stutter (until I was 14) was on the stage. Kids can be cruel to someone who is ‘different’ and my early school years were filled with fear and the belief that I wasn’t as good as everyone else … a thought that even now creeps up on me from time to time. My wonderful Mum would drop me at school five minutes before classes started in the morning so the kids couldn’t tease me and she would (God bless her), deliver my favourite tomato and beetroot sandwich at lunchtime (so it wasn’t soggy) because I was too frightened to try to order my lunch. Even canteen mums are frustrated by a child who takes fifteen minutes trying to get her lunch order understood! My beautiful big sister, Lyn, went to high school after my kindergarten year and was no longer around at school to protect and fight for me… as she does to this day. Paul White became my self-appointed body-guard. He didn’t care if I couldn’t talk properly. He took me ferreting in the hills and threatened to bash up anyone who dared to torment me. Paul could be quite intimidating when he set his mind to it! The Whites had the best bonfire nights in the district and we’d spend months gathering mattresses, tires, and old bits of furniture, anything that would burn to make sure ours was always the biggest. Mum and Dad took me down to Sydney to see the Speech Specialist and he determined that as there was no physical reason for my stuttering that it was emotional. He suggested that they encourage me to find an activity I’d like to pursue to attempt to build my self-esteem. I announced that I’d like to learn to play the guitar and to ride a horse … and so began my musical and Dad’s and my equine careers. In the years to follow Dad and I had a string of horses and we travelled far and wide to gymkhanas, shows and horse events around NSW with great success. We had a special bond my Dad and me and our horses. I was struggling to play something on the guitar one day and my teacher Chris suggested that I try to sing it first – and sing it I did … When I rode a horse I didn’t have to speak. When I did talk to my horses I didn’t stutter and when I first stepped on a stage I didn’t stutter there either. Years later Dick Emery told me that he too stuttered as a child and that I’d be surprised at just how many world famous stars shared the same story … it was then that I decided I was in rather good company. My first stage appearance was at the Kootingal Town Hall. I was 10. It was a Johnny Ashcroft Concert and even the “Little Boy Lost”, Stephen Walls was down from Uralla. My very proud ‘Uncle’ Bill told the compere, John Minson that there was a little girl in the audience who could sing. When John invited me to the stage he asked me what I would like to sing and what key it was in. Not quite understanding the question I replied …”Do What You Do Do Well” and I start “well he couldn’t move a mountain…” From that night John “Mr Hoedown” Minson was a guiding light through my formative years and with “Gentleman” Geoff Brown (and Beryl) provided a safe and supportive environment for the little girl from a chook farm in ‘Kooty’ to begin her showbiz journey. My years on the road began with the Geoff Brown Showband when I was just 13… no wonder I’m tired now ! Gary and Rob Brown played in the band along with the hilariously funny Frank Jones, who was also Phil and Tommy Emmanuel’s school teacher. We would rehearse in the garage out the back of Geoff and Beryl’s and sometimes the Emmanuel boys would come to visit. Phil would sit in on rehearsals while younger brother Tommy would play outside on the lawn with Cheryl, Darryl and Greg. Later on we sometimes let young Tommy play guitar with us too … You never knew who would drop into the Browns for a cuppa or a beer. When Beryl got the good crockery out you knew that it must be someone famous and/or important and that we’d better be on our best behaviour … and we’d try to be good ! Mrs Brown may give a slightly different version of this story, mind you. Back then the only Country Music talent quest was the Capital Country Music Association’s Jamboree, which was the forerunner to the Golden Guitar Awards and the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Mum and Dad drove hundreds, possibly thousands of miles to take me to talent quests which were held in the licenced clubs around NSW. I think I was 16 when I won the female vocal section of the CCMA’s Jamboree, narrowly beating a talented young singer from Melbourne, Karan Johns. We became friends instantly and are still best buddies today – Karan reckons she’s STILL the bridesmaid ! As my musical director, harmony singer, bass and rhythm guitarist Karan has been my right hand girl (even though she’s left – handed I mean) throughout my career …oh the stories she could tell – but she won’t so don’t bother asking… My lifelong love affair with Jazz began around this time too, performing with Ron Hartman, Sandy McGilvray and the boys and the Johnny Muller Orchestra. What I learnt from my Jazz mates still influences my music today. There may be some Tamworthians who remember me and Peter Cousens performing together in the Tamworth Musical Society productions – my first taste of ‘treading the boards…” and the beginning of a wonderfully successful career on the stage for Peter. A young radio announcer, Alan Clement came to Tamworth to work at 2TM and gathered a few of us kids together to form “Teenage Country Style”. Lawrie Minson and Gary Brown were also members of this little troupe. This began Clem’s and my friendship and very long journey together through the highs and lows of the world of showbiz. When Max Ellis and the 2TM team staged the first Australasian Country Music Awards at the Tamworth Town Hall in 1973, “Teenage Country Style” performed along with Smoky Dawson, Shirley Thoms and Buster Noble. In the afternoon I helped put the programs on the seats and when the awards were announced that night as hostess I escorted the winners to the stage. Little did I know that the night of the first Country Music Awards would determine the direction of the rest of my life… I had just completed my HSC and was off to the University of NSW to pursue my dream of a career in journalism. The head of Fable Records, Ron Tudor travelled to Tamworth from Melbourne for the Awards and the next day I got a call from Max Ellis to join him and Ron for lunch. Max has watched over me throughout my career and has given me so many opportunities to ‘shine’ and to keep me headed in the right direction – and Heaven knows there were times when I needed watching… Next thing I knew I was signing a contract with Fable and releasing my first single “NO CHARGE”, produced by Doug Trevor. Molly Meldrum wrote in TV Week that “No Charge” was the worst record he’d heard all year, but it made the Top 20 of the Pop Charts of the day and I was pretty chuffed about that! Ron Tudor was responsible for so many of my ‘firsts’: - my first plane flight - my first stay in a flash city hotel. It was HUGE, with lifts and staff in posh uniforms. I was SOOO scared I’d do the wrong thing … - my first champagne - my first time eating frogs legs. To me they tasted like tough old pullets, but I didn’t tell Ron that, of course. I remember a magical day in the city with Megan, Ron’s daughter, taking me to the hairdresser, showing me how to do my make makeup and buying trendy clothes for my first photo shoot – I felt like a princess. I began my studies at Uni and in the holidays flew to Melbourne to record my first album “Denise Morrison”. Yes, that WAS the spelling of Deniese on the cover! It was decided that the public wouldn’t like the unusual spelling. I think most people are used to it today but there are still times when folks think I can’t spell my own name! While I was at Uni, Gary Brown and Phil Emmanuel were playing with Nev Nicholls and “The Country Playboys” at The Texas Tavern in Kings Cross. Every week I’d catch a bus to the Cross and wander down to sing with the boys until the early hours. Then I’d catch the bus back to Kensington. Nowadays I shudder at the thought, but back then I felt so safe. I got to know many of the characters of the Cross and they were always kind and protective of the little blonde who sang Country at the Tavern and Jazz up around the corner at the Bourbon and Beefsteak. The Australian Newspaper offered me a cadetship at the same time as Wally Bishop gave me the chance to tour Australia on “The Greyhound Country Music Express” with Johnny Chester, The Hawking Brothers and Lee Conway. Travelling around the country singing songs sounded MUCH more fun than spending my days in a newspaper office, so my dream of journalism succumbed to my need to perform. On the road … I am forever grateful that yet again God smiled upon me to put me in such amazingly talented (and extremely silly) company. Wal, Rosemary, Chess, Allan and Russ and Lee taught me how to survive both on stage and off. To work with such consummate professionals so early in my career was an opportunity not afforded to many. The most valuable lesson – how to laugh at myself and not take myself too seriously. There are certain things that a young aspiring ‘superstar’ must learn about how to survive on the road. One of the most important is how to find a great Devonshire Tea no matter where you are – Chess taught me this one! You see, Chess and the boys from Hotspur had T-shirts which read, “Official Devonshire Tea Tasting Team”. It’s amazing the lengths cooks will go to when they think a contest is involved… In years to follow on the road with John Williamson my education on this subject was broadened. JW reckons that it’s very important that the establishment providing the Devonshire Tea is also playing the correct music at the time of serving and that scones with butter first, then jam and cream are the best. I reckon he’s probably right too. After the Country Music Express returned home for the last time I continued touring with the Lee Conway Roadshow and teamed up again with Karan Johns. Enter Kevin O’Neil, my first manager and promoter Denis Smith who then guided me through he next phase of my career. Eric the Viking, our sound engineer, used to say that Kevin would throw darts at the map to plan our tours and there were times when I think he was right. They were however always great adventures. For the next ten years or so the Country Music Industry lost track of me. In fact some people thought I’d given up music. Little did they know I was busy learning my craft from some of the best performers in the world. They were heady days and I was hungry to learn and thankfully, I sang with entertainers who were more than happy to pass on their knowledge. I was staying in five-star hotels (again) – STILL trying not to do embarrassing things, making sure my luggage was outside my room by 4.00am for the roadcrew and then making sure I was in the lobby by 6.00am ready to catch the plane or the bus to the next gig. REALLY SCARY THINGS 1975 heralded my first performance at the Sydney Opera House – in the 2KY 50th Anniversary Concert. I thought I would die before I got on that stage… 1976 – The Prime Minister’s Command Performance before Malcolm Fraser in Canberra. As I tried to stay upright at side stage trembling from head to foot waiting to go on I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked up (quite a long way) to see the smiling face of Barry Crocker who said “take a deep breath. I know you’ll be great out there”. So I did – and I was, thanks to Barry. Nick Erby produced the Command Performance and gave me the opportunity to perform. Nick and I had become friends through Country Music and we would go on to do lots of projects together over the years. Life is full of twists and turns. We had no way of knowing then that many, many years later while I was hundreds of miles away Nick would meet and fall in love with my sister, Lyn. 1977-1978 – I accepted a contract to work six nights a week at Wrest Point Casino in Hobart as resident singer/compere in the VERY opulent Cabaret Room. Wrest Point was the only major casino in Australia back then so this was a VERY BIG DEAL. I had to leap out of my comfort zone BIG TIME to sing just about every music genre except Country – my early days of Jazz back in Tamworth certainly came to the fore. I was singing with an orchestra (with brass!) six nights a week and rubbing shoulders with stars and the rich and famous from all over the world. Stars like Manhattan Transfer, Diana Trask (a great girl) and Don Lane (one of the best showmen I’ve ever seen). It didn’t take long for the chook farmer’s daughter to feel right at home thank you very much! Superstars, stories and songs… The Sydney scene was buzzing when I finished my contract at Wrest Point so once again I headed north. Kevin and Denis introduced me to Lionel Abrahams and I began working with Regency Artists. Once again I had opportunities beyond my wildest dreams and the best people in the business to teach me more about my craft. Ken Jeacle and I still giggle about our experiences on the road with superstars from overseas and Oz, and no, I’m not telling any stories… We toured with:
Well, maybe just a FEW stories… There was the time I got to wear Gene Pitney’s shorts… One day I got a frantic call from Lionel to be at the airport in an hour to fly to the Gold Coast to work with Gene. Judy Stone had fallen ill at the last minute and couldn’t go. I packed hastily and made the flight. When we got to the motel Gene suggested that we all meet by the pool for a pre-show briefing and get together. It was a very hot day and when I opened my bag all I had to wear were my stage clothes and a pair of jeans. When I arrived at the pool sweating in my jeans, Gene, who was always a gentleman, went up to his room and retrieved a pair of his shorts for me to wear. I was much cooler and ever so proud! On tour with Chubby Checker, Chubby and I decided to embark on a fitness campaign which involved a run from the motel up the road a bit and back. Suffice to say this idea only lasted a few days as we quickly realized that besides the fact that it was too much like hard work we might be responsible for an accident as motorists craned their heads to check if that really WAS Chubby Checker jogging along the highway. Among my many mentors there were two I spent the most time with as they passed on their immense knowledge and wisdom to me. They were Dick Emery and Max Bygraves. Dick would always be teaching me something new about performance. I’d sit at the side of the stage and watch him put into practice the things we’d talked about. From Dick I learnt the about the complexities of comedy, communication, TIMING and how to move the furniture… I remember one afternoon in Hobart he summoned me to the theatre where for about three hours he showed me how to move and sit on a stool, move microphone stands out of the way and back again and how to take my guitar from it’s stand and replace it. Dick was not only a brilliant comedian but a classically trained opera singer so he knew a lot of stuff about a lot of stuff… Dick taught me that you can do just about anything on stage as long as you do it well. I swear that there have been many times since his death that when I do something on stage which has become instinct I catch a glimpse of Dick grinning cheekily from the wings and nodding his head with approval. Max Bygraves now lives here in Australia and is still as quick and clever and hysterically funny as ever. Max is the ultimate showman and I wonder if he remembers how much he taught me about the art of performance. On the road lots of meetings seem to occur around motel pools, particularly on days off. One such day Max talked as I took notes and ten foolscap pages later I had a lot of homework to do. I never tired of watching Max perform. Every night he would make me and every member of his audience smile throughout his entire show. It’s an interesting thing about show business … generally, the bigger the star the nicer they are and they are more than willing to pass on their knowledge and wisdom to the young entertainer who wants to learn. There are exceptions to this rule but they are few and far between – and thankfully I haven’t struck many. My Mum says of those days that she never knew who I was going to bring home next …and usually only at few days notice. Max Bygraves was keen to see the family farm I talked so much about so passing through Tamworth on tour I took him home for lunch. Mike Williams (Shirley) from the Mike Walsh Show spent an afternoon going ‘round and ‘round the paddock as Dad tried to teach him how to drive the buggy. Then there were the many musicians from the city who were given a taste of the country life by Mum and Dad. One of the more memorable days was with Malcolm Hamerston and the boys when Mum decided to take us up in the hills to see where she and her friends went ghost hunting … The weekend I brought Abigail and her manager Mark home was probably the most disconcerting for Mum, but not so for my Dad if I may say so. Mum agonized for days over what to feed them. She eventually decided on Shepherds Pie and Abby and Mark loved it! When word got out around the village who had stayed with the Morrisons for the weekend Dad was quite the celebrity himself with the Kooty menfolk. For a time Abigail and I were both managed by Mark and my stage name was changed to Denni Vallance’… but that’s another story… In 1976 I recorded “It’s Been a Long Time” and “Here We Go Again” with Phonogram and my producer was John Williamson. In February of ’79 while driving home from a show at the Mandarin Club in the city, I was run over by a semi-trailer carrying six cars. God must have decided at the last minute that He wasn’t quite ready for me and I lived to tell the tale. I did make the front page of the Daily Mirror though so that was a bonus ! The ‘80’s were full of new experiences and adventures and marked my return to the Country Music fold. Each year since 1973 I had ventured back to Tamworth for the festival to perform and to carry out whatever role had been planned for me at the Awards, and then off I’d go again. My roles have included lining up numerous times as a finalist, as a presenter, singing a song, as hostess passing Golden Guitars to presenters and helping Helen pass the sandwiches around back stage. The Awards were held in various venues in varying weather conditions through the years. When we held them the tent a gigantic storm blew up, in the shed at Taminda it was stinking hot and rained on the tin roof and at the rodeo arena it was a tad dusty. One year after the Awards at Calrossy Karan, Allan Caswell and I had to fly down to the Town Hall to do a spot at the CCMA Concert. It was 40 degrees and pouring with rain and afterwards we literally had to peel our stage clothes off. My favourite venue will always be the Town Hall, but thank God Max had the vision of TREC which these days makes the Awards a more pleasant experience for all! …perhaps not quite as exciting however… There were television shows with Mike Walsh, Don Lane, Ernie Sigley, Bert Newton, Reg Lindsay’s Country Homestead, Travelin’ Out West with John Williamson , Conway Country with Lee, Country Closeup with Nick and That’s Australia. Reg Lindsay, Anne Kirkpatrick, Wayne Horsburgh and I even appeared on Celebrity Family Feud – what a hoot that was! I also joined Nick on radio on his National Country Music Jamboree on as a regular guest presenter. Morrie Porter (Robbie’s Dad) sent me off on the road with Wayne Horsburgh, The Singing Kettles and Laurie Allen which marked the beginning of Wayne’s and my lifelong friendship and professional association. Each year I’d head to sea a few times performing on cruise ships with Sitmar and with the Russians on CTC Cruises – a great time was always had by all. Sometimes we could take family members with us and once I took Mum on a cruise on which Wayne and I were entertaining. Heather turned out to be a bigger star than both of us. Have a look at ‘Historical and Hysterical Documents’ for proof of this. Wayne and I have learnt many times over the years who the star REALLY is … Nick Erby’s Jamboree tour saw Nick, John Williamson, Allan Caswell, Pixie and I off around Oz again. I’d just formed the Deniese Morrison Band so they came too. BJ and JW hit it off instantly and BJ introduced JW to the music of Stan Coster and two great friendships were born. A feature of the tour (besides Devonshire Tea tasting) were the impromptu song writing sessions held on chairs outside motel rooms. Caswell wrote “Bald is Beautiful” much to Nick’s delight and JW perfected such classics as “Stuffed if I Know”. Alan Caswell produced “Shot Full of Love” for me which is still on of my favourite records and our first duet “That’s The Real Thing”. In 1982 Nick and I worked together promoting the Lone Star Café in the Sydney CBD playing live Country Music six nights a week in the heart of the city. 1983 saw the beginning of what was to be the journey to my first Golden Guitar. Out of the blue I decided to call my old mate Alan Clement who was working on radio at 5PI in Port Pirie. After a conversation which lasted several hours we decided that it was time we got together for a drink. Next thing we knew Wayne and I were off to South Australia to do some shows and to have that drink. In no time we were staging the first Port Pirie Country Music Festival. The night before Wayne was out in the shed sanding and varnishing the trophies and Clem and I were at the radio station frantically typing up judging sheets and running orders. Port Pirie was named South Australia’s Country Music Capital and the mayor made Wayne and me the “Ambassadors at Large”. Clem talked a group of local businessmen and women into establishing the Country City Music record label and they also became our roadcrew when we toured . It was a very steep leaning curve for all but we had the best times together. Jim and Gaye, Ivan and Heather, Pete and Trish, Dasher, Wayne and Meryl and Peter Jones became our South Oz family and I share all my Golden Guitars with them and Clem. The wonderful Miller Band toured with us and I called in Doug Trevor to produce our albums so the ‘family’ was complete. Later we added to the extravaganza by taking Aubrey and Martin along for the ride. In 1985, Nick Erby took over the reins at Radio 3UZ in Melbourne and I was back working with 'himself' to promote Country Music - this time in Victoria. MORE SCARY THINGS In 1986 I sang before 100,000 people and Pope John Paul 11 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground – it was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. Now there was a man who knew who to command a stage! Max Ellis called me in April of 1986 to ask me to perform “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” at the 60th Anniversary APRA Awards at The Hilton in Sydney. Eric Bogle was getting the Special Gold Award and I sat on a stool feeling very alone with my guitar in front of a full house of the Australian Music Industry elite’ and sang the song. I swear, the things that man has made me do… I returned to Tamworth for the 1987 festival and lined up yet again as a finalist in the Country Music Awards. My first finalist berth was back in 1974 and I was beginning to think that I’d NEVER win a Golden Guitar. In the early stages of pregnancy and with the Tamworth heat really getting to me I felt like sh** and for a moment didn’t realize that it was my name announced as Female Vocalist of the Year. As I stumbled onto the stage my proud producer Doug Trevor smiled up at me from the orchestra pit where he was conducting and I tried to pull myself together. Not well enough as it turned out as I forgot to thank Clem in my acceptance speech! Also that year I was offered the lead role of Janet in “The Rocky Horror Show” to tour Australia with Glenn Shorrock, Ken James and Victoria Nichols. That I turned down because at the time it was just too scary. It’s a shame I’m too old for the role now – I’d love it! Something I couldn’t possibly turn down was an invitation to perform with Slim and Joy, Heather and Anne, Gordon Parsons, Mary Schneider and Syd Heylen on the Slim Dusty Show at Mike Walsh’s Regent Theatre in Richmond. What an honour and a thrill. I was SO excited, which was a bit of a worry because I was six months pregnant with Dan. These days we often pop over to Richmond to go to the movies at the Regent. Tamworth’s Bicentennial Park was officially opened in 1988 and I was invited home to perform at the celebrations. I’d performed to so many people in so many places over the years but to sing for my home crowd on such an important occasion was really daunting. In 1989 Johnny Chester and I got the call from Nick Erby and Jim Hynes to host the 17th Country Music Awards live across Australia on Channel 7. To have Chess by my side was comforting and we pulled it off with teamwork, our inherent trust in each other’s abilities and LOTS of laughter. I was almost too busy compering to take in the fact that I won my second Golden Guitar that night too. I joined forces with Allan Caswell again in 1990 when he produced “Unfinished Business” for me. He also wrote most of the songs and duets for us to sing together. Caswell writes the best love songs, particularly when his heart is broken, and as a song stylist I just LOVE to sing them. At the 1990 and 1991 Country Music Awards I was on my own – hosting 1½ hours of live television in front of an audience of my peers. There are many stories about how we managed it but one of the best is how, in the dressing room poor James Blundell had to witness Karan and I gaffer taping feminine hygiene pads under my arms to stop the perspiration showing through my badly chosen frock for such an event – it gets very hot in Tamworth in January and under TV lights it’s absolutely deadly! Ever the professional, James took it in his stride and not a drop of sweat showed on the tele. When I won my third Golden Guitar in 1991 I was REALLY surprised! We had rehearsed the Awards show for days and one of the most important things when you are doing live television is to be the right place at the right time for the camera shot which has been planned. Because I was a finalist, unbeknown to me when I was sent home early from rehearsal on Friday night the crew remained behind to rehearse every possible camera angle in case I won. When I did win my stage instinct instantly kicked in and all went to plan. I stayed in camera shot and I’m sure I caught a glimpse of Dick Emery smiling from the wings… Wayne and I were on tour when we won our ‘MO’ Awards in1990. It was a great thrill to have our stage performances recognized as we both work so hard at it. Even though we missed the Awards night it was significant that we both won while we were out on the road together doing our job. THE 1990’S WERE A TIME OF CHANGE, NEW BEGINNINGS AND TIMELY REUNIONS FOR US ALL IN THE AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC INDUSTRY. I teamed up again with Karan Johns who with her brother Mark, and the beautiful and talented Stui Lees and Leo Dalton became The Palace Gypsies, my backing band. One of our more memorable gigs was the Frontier Ball at Collingwood Town Hall where Mark was paid $50 by a male member of the audience to sing “Stand By Your Man” – he did and got the fifty bucks! I also joined forces with Leo and the “Dalton Gang” with Stui and Helen Stewart. We made some great music together and as Stui and I just LOVE to cook our rehearsals were always extremely well catered. Leo and I supported Leo Sayer at the Palais Theatre in Melbourne all on our own with just Leo’s brilliant guitar playing as backing – we were VERY brave and we reckon we were pretty good. So did the audience so that was a bonus! I began working with BP Australia opening their new truckstops around Australia and we decided to record an album as part of the project, “SINCE I FOUND YOU”. I called Wal Bishop to pull it together as the executive producer and it turned into a collaboration of some of Melbourne’s musical elite’. Scott Hunt from Hotspur produced the album, with a lot of help from his best friend Kenny Dog Wonder. David Briggs, Little River Band’s original guitarist engineered, Steve Housden, LRB’s guitarist at the time played and from John Farnham’s band we borrowed Steve Williams on harmonica and Lyndsey Fields and Wendy Stapleton for the backing vocals. We were opening the Truckstop in Adelaide when I first heard the voice of a very young Beccy Sturtzel singing with her mum, Carol. I gave Beccy my card and said that if she ever wanted to come over to the east to pursue her singing career to give me a call. A year later, my mates Peter and Margi Miller called from Adelaide to ask if I’d take Beccy under my wing. A very shy, confused and frightened Bec came to stay with us in Melbourne. The first thing we had to do was find her a new stage name and after days of watching old cowboy movies, Beccy Cole was born. Bec became my “potergee” as she used to call herself, and it was a very proud and teary manager who watched her win Star Maker in 1993 and her first Golden Guitar in 1994. She continues to make me proud to this day. In 1993 at the Adelaide Music Fiesta the ‘Schnitzel Sisters’ were created. The founding members are myself, Beccy, Margi Miller and Tracy Coster. Later my sister Lyn was added to this auspicious little secret society and the bond remains today. In 1992 when those who sat in the seats of power decided to dismantle the Country Music Awards and present the Golden Guitars at various locations and times during the festival we singers and musicians got a bit cross! We loved our big night. It was the one night of the year when we could ‘frock up’, get together and pat each other on the back. Slim, Joy, JW, Phil and Max gathered a group of us together and we put on a concert to raise money to form an association and to get our “DO” back ! Everyone, and I mean everyone donated their time and talent to the event. There were so many of us we could only sing one song each and the show went on for hours… The rodeo arena was packed to the rafters and we made enough money to kick start the Country Music Association of Australia (the CMAA) and we got our Awards night back. As a founding member of the CMAA I sat on the board from it’s inception in 1992 until 1996. From time to time those who sit behind desks to administer our industry need to be reminded that without the singers and musicians who work on stage, those behind the desks wouldn’t have a job in Country Music … In 1995 Wal Bishop called to book me to perform with Don Williams on his two shows in Melbourne. The next day he called back and said I couldn’t do the Don Williams gig because he needed me to go on tour with Freddie Fender, Johnny Chester, Augie Meyers, the Alan Rich Band and Mick Hamilton . At the last minute Jeannie C. Riley couldn’t make it out to Australia for the tour which was leaving in… four days! What fun it was to get back together with my old travelling companions … Alan Rich is Charley’s son and he played on the original recording of Desperado with The Eagles so it was unbelievable to sing it with him playing it so beautifully. All the guys in the band were such great players and great fun. They surprised me with cake and far too much tequila on my birthday too. August 1995 saw the official opening of the first stage of the Peel Street Beautification Project. That’s all the trees and seats and things that are there today. I wrote and performed with Peter Johnson for the occasion the song “The City of Light” about my hometown of Tamworth. LESSONS AND LIASIONS… In 1997 we held the first College of Country Music under the guidance of Peter Winkler, who I’m very pleased to say returned to the College this year (2006). For the next four years I was both tutor and the College ‘Mum’. It was without doubt one of the most rewarding and exhausting experiences of my life. I’ve been loving following the progress of the students ever since. I find myself filling with pride when Brendan Walmsley wins another ‘gong’ or writes yet another killer song, or when I read of Kylie Sackley’s songwriting success in Nashville, see Sara Storer’s rise to fame or when I see Sweeney Killeen (Tracey & Nikki) strutting their stuff on stage. It was a huge thrill to have Chris Staff playing guitar with Wayne and me in Tamworth this year. Wayne Horsburgh and I got 'together again' at the Tamworth Festival this year. It was great to catch up with our friends from all over Australia who came along to our show. Greg Hooper, on keyboards and vocal, Bob Howe on guitar, harmonica and vocals, Rod Coe on bass and Pete Figures on drums made our show complete and great fun for all. The festival in Tamworth gave me the opportunity to catch up with lots of the "Stagecoach" family and be a very proud 'Aunty Dee' watching them perform. Dan is back at Uni in Sydney studying Media Arts Production. Zak (the one-eyed wonder dog) and I have moved back to Tamworth. 2007 heralds different roads and new adventures for us all. And so begins the next chapter of my journey … Everything I’ve learnt about performing in the last 38 years (how scary is THAT!) I’ve put into the curriculum of STAGECOACH, my performance tuition and workshop program. It is a privilege and a joy to work with talented young Australians in the Country Music Industry sharing the knowledge and 'secrets' which were so generously passed down to me. I’m constantly being asked if I’ll record again. Well, you just never know where the next 38 years in showbiz will take me… |
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Copyright ©
Deniese Morrison 2007. All Rights Reserved. |
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