Songversations Podcast

Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Michael Waugh.

Michael is an Australian songwriter’s songwriter, a compelling live performer, and an extraordinary storyteller. Among his admirers are the legendary Eric Bogle, alt. country luminary Shane Nicholson and country hitmakers The Wolfe Bros. His 2019 album The Weir received two Golden Guitar nominations in 2020 - Male Artist of the Year and Alt-Country Album of the Year – as well as a nomination at the 2020 Victorian Music Awards.

Michael Waugh’s insightful tributes to friends, family and parenthood are simultaneously deeply personal and nationally recognizable; we see our own brothers, parents, pubs, rivers, struggles, and joys reflected in the faces of those characters who live large in Michael's songs.

Our Guest for this episode is the trio 'The New Graces'
The New Graces have stormed the Australian music scene, with their album “Seasons” peaking at #1 on the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart, plus 4 Golden Guitar nominations at the 2021 Country Music Awards of Australia.

Melanie Horsnell, Kate Burke, and Robyn Martin are all seasoned musicians in their own right. Songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, their music is flavored with guitar, double bass, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and three-part harmonies plus a little desert heat-haze that could only be Australian.

Their most recent releases, ‘The Open Heart Sessions’ were recorded with Shane Nicholson with production and all instrumentation by The New Graces. An intimate window into the hearts and lives of The New Graces as women, mothers, and regional artists.

They paint life’s joys and struggles, and while there is no sugar-coating, they have an authentic whack of compassion, hope, and sweet, sweet harmony.
Songs that feel like a walk along a dusty country road – evocative, warm, connected with the land and its people.

Melanie Horsnell has released over 10 albums and has toured with Glen Hansard and the Frames, Jason Mraz, Bernard Fanning, Lou Rhodes, Slaid Cleaves, and Sarah Blasko as well as touring solo throughout Europe and Australia. Melanie has written songs with Wendy Matthews and Catherine Britt and for film and television. She has just returned from showcasing at the International Folk Alliance in Montreal.

Kate Burke is a multi-instrumentalist singer songwriter that has won much acclaim as a member of the folk duo Kate and Ruth and Irish/Australian traditional band “Trouble In The Kitchen”. Geologist, science communication expert, session guitarist, producer, and composer of music for film and television, Kate brings a swag of experience to the trio. She has performed at festivals and venues across Australia and internationally alongside artists such as Andy Irvine and Luke Plumb (Shooglenifty).

Robyn Martin grew up in the remote coastal desert town of Ceduna. Like all her siblings, Robyn was called Spin by her teachers at Ceduna Area School after her father's nickname. She started playing bass at age 13 in the family band Spineffex. The band played country festivals and SA pubs and clubs. At age 16 Robyn found herself adjusting to culture shock in the alternative culture hub of Lismore, taking time off school to tour with her sister, Jodi Martin, opening for The Waifs, Wendy Matthews, Arlo Guthrie, Glen Hansard, and The Frames. Robyn is a sought after session bass player who has worked with UK bluegrass outfit Flats and Sharps, Claire Anne Taylor, Heath Cullen, Jodi Martin, and Kate Fagan.

Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Courtney Keil.

Courtney is becoming one of the most exciting talents in Australian country music.
Born on a working deer farm in the Adelaide Hills and now living in Melbourne Courtney Keil graduated from CMAA Senior Academy of Country Music in 2016. She has been vocally trained by Lyn Bowtell (9x Golden Guitar Winner) and Renee Grant-Williams (Keith Urban/Garth Brooks) and was the recipient of multiple awards at the 2016 Australian Songwriters Conference taking out Song of the Year and the top awards in both Pop & Country Categories.

This year she has continued to add to her catalog of songs, writing with her mentor Gina Jeffreys, her producer Rod McCormack, Templeton Thompson, and Sam Gay and following the success of her debut release ‘I Just Wanna Hold You’ in August 2020, Courtney launched her sophomore single, ‘Hummingbird.
Both singles reached #1 on the iTunes Country Australia Chart.

Courtney performed a capella at the National Australian Anthem at February’s opening race of the 2021 Supercars Championship at Bathurst, reaching a tv audience of 1.64 million across the day.

She was invited to perform as June Carter in the “Johnny Cash The Concert” tour in Melbourne in April 2021 resulting in being booked to complete a further 14 appearances for the remainder of the year as part of their national tour.

Our Guest for this episode of Songversations is Lucie Tiger.
Born and raised in the Sydney region, country life on horseback became a notable part of what has formed her identity thus far.
Her life as a roving musician has taken her across multiple states of the USA, playing her music and also pursuing the talents of some of the best people and studios in the business to assist her in recording her songs.

Lucie possesses something of a magnetic quality in both her music and personal charm.
She is the embodiment of a Southern infused, Country Rock singer, colored with a hefty dose of good old Americana charm, to create an infusion of Southern Rock, Blues, and Country that draws on Lucie’s heavy influences including The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as more modern touches of Rae Lynn and Miranda Lambert.

Following two USA tours and two EP releases, her latest single, ‘Found My Home’, received notable acclaim in February ‘21, reaching no. 20 on the Music Network CountryTown Hot 50 chart and spending 8 weeks (so far) on the Nashville Music Row charts.

Lucie’s most current offering comes in the form of a classic break-up song ‘Midnight Goodbye’’.
Written by Lucie, the song features the talents of Bob Wray (Ray Charles), Will McFarlane (Bonnie Raitt), and Justin Holder (Jason Isbell) and was produced by John Gifford III and Don Srygley (GRAMMY nominees for Gregg Allman’s final album ‘Southern Blood’)

Shane has explored everything from folk to country, bluegrass, and rock, picking up 12 Golden Guitars, APRA, and ARIA Awards along the way and has established himself as one of the country’s most in-demand record producers for other recording artists and as a talent scout for Lost Highway Australia.

Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Riley Catherall

Riley Catherall is an Americana influenced Singer-Songwriter based in Melbourne whose graceful trajectory into the Australian Alt-Country Music world has not gone unnoticed. Working with some of the industry's finest (Bill and Kasey Chambers) for his first EP, Venture In Vain, Riley has built a credible status as one of the country’s most promising songwriters.

Riley appeared at the Maverick Americana Festival in Suffolk, the UK where he was listed as a festival favorite alongside Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes, Chance McCoy (Old Crow Medicine Show), and Hannah Aldridge.

Riley is set to release his debut full-length record this year, featuring singles Leave Me Out To Dry, and his newest release Vacant Lot, for which he is touring Australia 2021.

Cielle Montgomery and James Church are Montgomery Church - a blend of acoustic folk, Americana, and bluegrass influences, grown and distilled in the Snowy Mountain ranges of NSW.

With their organic union of dobro, guitar, and harmony vocals, this captivating duo is breaking ground in the contemporary folk-country music scene through the masterful control of their instruments, inspired songwriting, and magnetic live performances.

They have toured far and wide and graced the stages of many iconic festivals including Nannup Music Festival, Queens cliff Music Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, National Folk Festival, Groundwater Country Music Festival & Americana fest in Nashville.

Our guest today is Ben Ransom

Born and raised in Sydney, Ben Ransom, started playing guitar and writing songs at the age of fifteen.

Growing up, he was constantly exposed to a broad range of music that strongly influences his own original writing style. It has allowed Ben to draw the listener in on many different levels and connect in a more personal way.

In 1999, Ben left Australia to spend time in Europe, essentially to hone his skills and develop his musical style. He cut his teeth in the heart of London’s West End with a permanent residency in one of the most happening venues at the time.

Ben’s down-to-earth personality and ability to deliver live saw him become one of the hottest, most sought-after artists in that scene, bringing “the spirit of a B&S Ball to the heart of London”.
Ben toured extensively throughout the UK and Europe before returning to Australia where his passion in music held root.

In 2010, Ben completed his first album, “The Long Way”.
The first single, “Bourbon & Sunsets”, was a runaway hit – peaking at #2 on the Hot Country Top 50 chart and as a solid performer on the CMC Top 50.

In 2012 he was a finalist in the coveted Toyota Star Maker competition and completed the album, “Slow Burn”, with Matt Fell and Glen Hannah.
The first single, “Truck Stop Honey”, received national airplay and earned him a nomination for Contemporary Song of The Year at the TSA Awards.
The album was released in 2013 to rave reviews and continued to produce hit singles in the form of “Big Country Sky” and “You’re On The Top of My To-Do List”.

Ben has been named a finalist at the 2013 Southern Stars Awards for Best Male Artist and Best New Talent.

In October 2013, Ben was introduced to international hitmaker and multi-million record selling producer, Rob E.G. Porter. This resulted in the collaboration on the Jackson Browne classic, “Somebody’s Baby”.
Released under Porters’ famous Wizard record label, the track was launched at the 2014 Country Music Festival and entered the charts at #10.

In 2017 Ben joined Country Rocks Records as their first signed artist to their newly formed label.

Earlier in the year he performed daily in the main arena at the 2017 Sydney Royal Easter Show and had the pleasure of supporting iconic artists including Jon Stevens, 1927, and James Blundell.

January 2018 saw the release of the album – “101”

Ben has gone on to play every major country music festival in Australia and was selected as an opening performer for US superstar, Tim McGraw, at the Deni Ute Muster.

One thing is for certain, Ben Ransom is the real deal and is destined for very big things.

Our guest today is Melody Moko.

Melody is one of emergent stars of Australian Country Music and one of those artists whose style is a natural and heartfelt extension of her personality and perspective on life. Her heroes and contemporaries include Brandi Carlile, Tift Merritt, Kathleen Edwards, Fanny Lumsden, and Brooke Fraser.

Growing up with a father who was a passionate and encouraging music enthusiast, Melody knew early on that she “wanted to sing like Linda Ronstadt, and write songs like Bob Dylan.” The allure of international travel took her to the USA where she had the honor of performing at iconic country music venues such as Nashville’s famous Bluebird Cafe, The Continental Club in Austin, Texas and Hank William's favourite hangout, Tootsies.

As a critically acclaimed songwriter, she’s taken her music to the world since the release of her debut album "The Wreckage" in 2017.

The album established her as a songwriter and performer and she undertook a national tour, received a CMC New Artist nomination, played shows with Fanny Lumsden, The McClymonts, and Catherine Britt, and appeared at high profile festivals including Groundwater Country Music Festival (2018), Gympie Music Muster (2019), and Spunk Record's Thirroul Music Festival in 2019.

In 2019 she embarked on another successful USA tour, with Catherine Britt, and traveled to Nashville, TN to record her second album – “Two Kids and A Radio”

Off the back of the album, Melody entered the ARIA Australian Country Albums Chart at #1, #3 ARIA Country Albums, #9 ARIA Australian Albums, #40 ARIA Albums Chart and #1 AIR 100% Independent Albums.
She also earned three nominations at the 2021 Golden Guitar Awards – Alt-Country Album of The Year, Female Artist of The Year, and New Talent of The Year. Melody was awarded the Golden Guitar for New Talent of The Year for the song, “Like Hank Would”. She was also named a nominee for the prestigious Australian Music Prize, named iHeart Country’s Artist of the Week, and a finalist for the Q Music Awards.

Our guest today on Songversations Podcast is Gareth Leach.
Gareth is at the forefront of contemporary country music in Australia. He’s a performer and songwriter who understands and respects the tradition, whilst giving it a contemporary edge.
Raised on the muddy banks of Echuca’s Murray River, songwriter Gareth Leach draws inspiration from the introspective and reflective lyrical concepts of his outlaw heroes, tinged with guitar-riff driven hooks that have remained in his blood since he was a young kid growing up with a background in punk-rock.

As a record producer/engineer with diverse tastes and influences, Gareth has also collaborated with musicians from the rock, country, folk, punk, and pop industries to further refine and realize the ideas of the songwriter.

The self-produced and engineered sophomore album of the hard-hitting Australian outlaw country singer/songwriter “Trigger”, debuted at #2 on the iTunes Country and #4 Overall charts and #2 on the Official Australian ARIA Country Charts.

Introspective lyrics and a powerful vocal performance are met with traditional folk and country instrumentation across this exceptional album, featuring guest performances from Ewen Baker (Shane Howard Trio) and Aussie bluegrass legend and Golden Guitar slinger, Hamish Davidson.