McAlister kemp join CMC Rocks the Hunter 2013!

By now, most of you will have heard the sad news that due to a medical condition, Billy Ray Cyrus will no longer be able to perform at the festival and it is too close to the festival for us to secure visas for another international artist. When we announced the news on Friday, we were inundated with suggestions for who should perform in his stead, and one artist emerged as a clear favourite – McALISTER KEMP.

The chart-topping local duo, made up of Drew McAlister and Hunter-area local Troy Kemp, are the biggest double-act in Australian country.  The Golden Guitar and CMC Music Award winners are veterans of CMC Rocks, winning more fans with each electrifying performance.
Their latest album ‘Country Proud’, launched at CMC Rocks the Hunter 2012, has spawned hits including the anthemic title track and the cheeky ‘Cold Beer, Hot Women’. The fan-favourites will bring their rowdy charisma and boundless energy to the main stage on the Saturday night from 7.45pm to 9.00pm.

Tommy Emmanuel releases new album!

Now released in Australia and available exclusively on certifiedguitarplayer.com!  
Tommy Emmanuel CGP and Martin Taylor MBE, The Colonel and The Governor
Available in Australia and with pending global release dates, certifiedguitarplayer.com has imported stock that is available and shipping NOW!


The concept behind this acoustic duet album was to find songs that Tommy and
Martin both love and come up with arrangements that allowed both of them to
(in the words of Tommy) “fly their own our kites".

Multi-award winning guitarist Martin Taylor dazzles audiences with his solo
shows, combining virtuosity, emotion, humor, and a strong stage presence.
Recognized as the world’s foremost expert of solo-finger style, Taylor's
guitar-playing is admired and imitated by guitarists all over the world.

Needing no introduction, Tommy Emmanuel is highly regarded for his complex and
amazing fingerstyle guitar playing.  Voted Best Acoustic Guitarist in Guitar Player
Magazine’s Readers Poll for 2008 and 2010 and one of the only recipients of the title
Certified Guitar Player from Chet Atkins, the Grammy-nominated master guitarist
tours the world relentlessly, sharing his talent and delivering incredible performances
to sold out crowds on a nightly basis.

track listing:

• I Won't Last a Day Without You
• Jersey Bounce
• Bernie's Tune
• A Smooth One
• True
• Heat Wave
• One Day
• Lullaby of Birdland
• The Nearness of You
• Down at Cocomo's
• The Fair Haired Child
• Secret Love
• Wonderful Baby
• I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

Rascal Flatts side shows announced for Brisbane and Melbourne

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AUSTRALIA, USA SUPERSTARS
RASCAL FLATTS AND THE BAND PERRY TO TOUR IN MARCH

Direct from Music City USA, one of the biggest bands in country music history and the hottest new group in Nashville are coming to Australia for the first time ever for a tour this March – Rascal Flatts and The Band Perry.

Rascal Flatts is one of the most successful groups in country music history, with over 21 million album sales, 25 million digital downloads, and 14 US #1 singles over the course of their 13-year career, including “Bless The Broken Road”, “Fast Cars and Freedom”, “What Hurts the Most”, “Life is a Highway” and “Banjo”. With over 40 awards, Rascal Flatts is celebrated by their millions of fans globally for their distinctive, knockout harmonies, high energy live performances and rich catalogue of songs that is equal parts party anthems and soaring ballads. This will be the first time the six-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year has performed in Australia.

The spotlight has been shining on sibling trio, The Band Perry, since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2010, yielding 5 hit singles, including the 4 x platinum Grammy nominated #1 smash, “If I Die Young”, (written by lead singer, Kimberly Perry). As reigning winners of the CMA “New Artist of the Year” award, their hip, contemporary sound combines elements of country, folk, 60s pop and classic rock, making their music as exciting and distinctive as their wonderfully blended three-part harmonies.

The two mega-selling groups will perform two special theatre shows for their Australian fans – Wednesday 13 March at Brisbane Convention Centre and Friday 15 March at the Palais Theatre, Melbourne. They will then journey up to the Hunter Valley to play the final day of the CMC Rocks the Hunter 2013 festival at the Hope Estate, on Sunday 17 March.

“We’re thrilled to bring two of the hottest acts in music down under for the first time” said promoter Michael Chugg. “Rascal Flatts have a reputation for some of the most exciting live shows in the business and the fans have been clamoring to see them in Australia for years”.

Tickets for the Brisbane and Melbourne shows will be on sale Wednesday 13 February at 9am.  Tickets for CMC Rocks the Hunter are on sale now.

RASCAL FLATTS
with special guests THE BAND PERRY
WEDNESDAY 13 MARCH - BRISBANE CONVENTION CENTRE
Tickets available from ticketek.com.au or call 132 849

FRIDAY 15 MARCH - THE PALAIS THEATRE, MELBOURNE
Tickets available through ticketmaster.com.au or call 136 100

SUNDAY 17 MARCH – CMC ROCKS THE HUNTER, HOPE ESTATE, NSW
Tickets available through cmcrocks.com.au