***STOP PRESS*** Little Things by KIRSTY LEE AKERS has now risen to #5 in the European Country Music Top 20 and #5 in the Independent Artists UK Radio chart
!
20 March 2008:
Frank Ifield, Normie Rowe, Little Pattie and Bob Howe joined the Sydney Street Choir for a concert at Maroubra Seals Sports & Community Club.
This show was presented by Francis Edwards who also performed along with Graham Jacups and Jeremy Brennan.
Pictured above: Frank Ifield performing a monologue backed by
The Sydney Street Choir
Pictured left:Bob Howe, Frank Ifield, Little Pattie and Normie Rowe
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LEGENDS OF BANDSTAND SHOW
at SEAGULLS Friday 6th June,
doors open 7.15pm, show starts 8.00pm
Little Pattie,
Lucky Starr,
Warren Williams,
Bev Harrell,
Ian Turpie,
and compered by
Frank Ifield
General Admission
All Ages - children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Tickets $25.00
Bookings 07 5536 0833
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Listen out for Frank and a new interview with Judi Spiers on BBC Devon on Wednesday 19th March 2008 at 11.15am GMT (10.15pm EDST Australia). Choose the 'Listen Live' option at BBC Devon or, during the following week, click on the 'Listen Again' button.
Listen out for a replay of Frank's interview with Ed Doolan on BBC Birmingham on Friday 21st March 2008 at 20:00 GMT
KIRSTY LEE AKERS wins my 2008 International 'Spur' Award. Sponsored by The Rotary Club of Galston in conjunction with the Galston Country Music Festival, this award is designed to give exposure to our most promising Australian talent overseas.
The song I chose to promote her on over 800 radio stations throughout the UK & Europe is the title track of her debut album released by Compass Brothers called Little Things.
At the end of the first week of March it had made its debut appearance in the European Country Music Top 20 at #13 & reached #9 in the Independent Artists UK Radio chart; we expect even bigger things for her over the next few months.
Thursday 13th March, at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club,
Frank Ifield (right) presents his
2008 International Spur Award to Kirsty Lee Akers (centre)
along with Tony Page (left)
of The Rotary Club of Galston . Photo by Bob Howe of 'Canterbury Country'.
People have affectionately referred to Kirsty the 'Pocket Rocket' and at little more than 4'10" in high heels, she certainly is living proof of the adage 'good things come in small packages'. When first I saw this pretty young blonde from Kurri Kurri NSW, she was just seventeen years old performing at the Grand Final of the 2004 'Music & Arts Talent Search' (MATS) of which I am proudly the Patron. Not only was she a winner of the contest, but went on to take out my '2005 Patrons Choice Award'. Then she surprised us all by gaining an American Song Writers Award for her self-penned song Bashed Up, Beaten, Battered, Broken Heart.
However, the icing on the cake was when she became the winner of the coveted 'Toyota Star Maker Award' in January 2007 joining the ranks of previous outstanding Australian winners such as Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole and Travis Collins. Then in January 2008, she added another string to her bow by achieving a life-long ambition being crowned Best New Talent at the awards ceremony in Australia's country music capital -Tamworth and by winning her first Golden Guitar, Kirsty has claimed her place as one of Australian Country Music's brightest young stars.
Go Get 'em Kirsty! - Frank Ifield
Tribute to the great Country legend
Smoky Dawson
died February 13, 2008
I was saddened to hear that the man I have become to know as a friend, Smoky Dawson passed away. Born Herbert Henry Dawson in Collingwood in 1913 and raised in Warrnambool Victoria, Smoky grew to become known as Australia's first cowboy crooner.
I remember in 1948, as a young lad, my Gran and I would be glued to the radio to listen to his series 'The Adventures of Smoky Dawson' with his horse called Flash. We loved to hear his unique style of singing and yodelling and held him in great reverence. I have often said Australia should wrap him in cotton wool and keep him forever, but this Country music icon, dubbed Australia's first cowboy, had been ill for a week or so and died aged 94 at 5.15pm in Sydney on the 13th February; survived by his devoted wife Dot who turns 102 this year.
A strictly small private service for family and friends will be held in Sydney, because of his wife's frailty; to be followed by a public memorial in a few weeks time.
Smoky Dawson recorded dozens of albums and hosted the radio show from 1952 until the early 1960s. He was elevated to the 'Country Music Roll of Renown' in 1978 and in 1993 the 'Australian Country Music Foundation' was created in Tamworth, citing him as a direct inspiration.
Awarded an MBE in 1978, he was also recognised in the United States having played at 'The Grand Old Opry' with an Honorary Citizenship Of Tennessee. In 2005 Dawson was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
Philip Mortlock, the managing director of Origin Records, Dawson's record label, said it was time to celebrate the life of an Australian legend.
"It is a very sad day, but I have to say that Smoky brought a lot of joy to a lot of people for many years," Mr Mortlock told Sky News.
"While it is a sad day, his passing for me, I think it's time to celebrate a great life and a great man."
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At 1pm on 1st March 2008, FRANK IFIELD will officially open the ever popular
'CASTLE HILL ANNUAL SHOW'.
If you have read his autobiography, you will recall that it was at this very show in 1950 that the young thirteen year old Frank met and performed in a side show starring Indian wrestler Big Chief Little Wolf; famous for his Indian Death Lock. This also led to Frank working with the Chief doing Gymkhana's and Agriculture Shows in his first country tour of NSW.
The Show's secretary Gabrielle Klopf said, "...by Frank accepting to attend at our show, it certainly has created a lot of interest."
Frank says Cheers!
...and thanks you all for the many greetings and messages of goodwill on the occasion of his 70th Birthday.
Many Happy
Returns Frank!
A message from Frank:
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|
 Carole and I would like to share with you our best wishes for Christmas. May the New Year 2008 bless you with happiness and joy;
But most of all;
LOVE. |
The above picture is of our Grandchildren; 4 year old Jack; 3 year old Max; and the latest; our baby girl 'Mila'. You can see in them the innocence of childhood and we feel blessed by their presence.
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