Big Names Have Their Eyes Set On Tamworth in 2022

The countdown is on to the 50th anniversary of the Tamworth Country Music Festival. And with more big names set to roll into Australia’s country music capital to celebrate the huge milestone, 2022 is shaping up to be the most memorable year yet!

Among the names added to the 2022 line-up is ARIA Hall of Fame and Roll of Renown Inductee John Williamson, who’ll celebrate 52 years at the Tamworth Town Hall on January 21. As well as ARIA nominated and APRA Award winner Busby Marou, who have teamed up with 4 x Golden Guitar nominee Brad Cox for a double header at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC) on January 19.

ARIA nominee and Golden Guitar winner Adam Harvey will perform at Blazes Show Room, as well as Tex Dubbo, Casey Barnes, Amber Lawrence, Kirsty Lee Akers, Tania Kernaghan, Gina Jeffreys and the 2019 Golden Guitar Female Artist of the Year, Beccy Cole.

Other artists included in the Wests Entertainment Group line-up include Hurricane Fall, Hayley Jensen and Christie Lamb, Australian songwriter Michael Waugh, who will be joined by Camille Trail, as well as Festival funny men Kevin Bloody Wilson and Darren Carr.

At Tamworth’s own Honky Tonk venue, Moonshiners, Festivalgoers can see the likes of Andrew Swift, Lyn Bowtell, Jayne Denham, Melody Moko and Darlinghurst, The Buckleys and many more.  

Aleyce Simmonds will perform at the Tamworth Hotel on January 16, while festival fans can catch Brad Butcher and the Weeping Willows for an intimate performance at Tamworth Town Hall on January 19.

They’ll all join ARIA Hall of Fame and Roll of Renown inductee, Kasey Chambers and country music luminaries Troy Cassar-Daley, Ashleigh Dallas, Fanny Lumsden, Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley, Felicity Urquhart and Josh Cunningham who’ve already been announced for the 50th anniversary festival.

Multi-award-winning artists Adam Brand and Travis Collins will headline a string of free concerts in Toyota Park, the biggest venue in the city, and the prestigious Toyota 50th Golden Guitar Awards will be a feature event of the festival, with the theme ‘Then. Now. Forever. Australian Country’ held on the final Saturday, 22 January at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Conference Centre (TRECC).

The Longyard Hotel’s famous ‘back room’ will feature The Bushwackers, The Viper Creek Band, The Pigs, The Hillbilly Goats, and The Wolfe Brothers. At The Pub, fans can catch Shane Nicholson and The General Waste, Catherine Britt, and Pete Denahy and The Travelling Country Band.

Toyota Country Music Festival Manager, Barry Harley says, “For many of these artists Tamworth is where it all began. Whether it was busking on Peel Street or performing as part of the festival early in their career, there is a huge connection between country musicians and Tamworth. And it is only fitting that they are here in the city for the 50th anniversary.”

Many of these artists will also be taking part in the special 50th anniversary concert to be held at the TRECC on Wednesday, 19 January 2022. The 50th Anniversary Concert will be a musical journey documenting the past half-century of country music in Australia and includes some of the country’s most revered artists together with Australian country music fan favourites. The event will showcase the festivals evolution from its modest beginnings in 1973 into the biggest Festival in Australia today with rare video footage of the pioneers of Australian country music and respected performers also featured.    

Harley adds, “The 50th Anniversary Concert will be a musical journey documenting the past half-century of country music in Australia and includes some of the country’s most revered artists like John Williamson, Graeme Connors, Sara Storer, Adam Harvey, Felicity Urquhart, James Blundell and Gina Jeffreys.”

The Tamworth Country Music Festival is recognised as the biggest music festival in Australia and the biggest country music festival in the Southern Hemisphere.  Following its 1972 debut, the TCMF is a cornerstone summer celebration that sees over 300,000 people converge on Tamworth in North West NSW.  

Held over ten days in January, the Festival boasts over 700 artists and 2800 shows, including the iconic Country Music Awards of Australia, commonly known as the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards, which are the only industry affiliated country music awards in Australia and the biggest celebration of Australian country music talent.  

The 50th Tamworth Country Music Festival will be held from Friday, 14 to Sunday, January 23, 2022, and the Toyota 50th Golden Guitar Awards will be held on Saturday, January 22, 2022.   

Despite the 49th TCMF being cancelled in 2021, planning for the 50th anniversary event continues despite the current COVID-19 restrictions, with organisers optimistic for January 2022.

Harley promises the 50th anniversary will be like no other.

“The total Tamworth experience will see Toyota FanZone pumping in the CBD, hundreds of buskers, and the famous Toyota Park shows that will include all the favourites across ten days.  The Opening Concert, Toyota Star Maker, Back to the Bush, and two massive shows headlined by Adam Brand and another by Travis Collins, there’s a lot to celebrate next year.”   

To purchase tickets, head to the Festival website www.tcmf.com.au and stay up to date on the official Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth via TCMF Facebook and TCMF Instagram. 

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Image: Supplied