Chapter Twelve – 1995-99

Australia Day 1995 – SLIM DUSTY at Darling Harbour in front of the Sydney skyline.
L to R: Mike Kerin, Bob Howe, Robbie Souter, Slim Dusty, Rod Coe, Warren Morgan, cameraman

1995 – Mike ‘Fettler’ Kerin, Bob Howe, Slim Dusty

1995 began with a thrilling phone call. Would I like to play in Slim Dusty’s band on Australia Day? Slim’s guitar player had commitments at the Tamworth Country Music Festival and couldn’t get back to Sydney in time for a special outdoor concert in Tumbalong Park at Darling Harbour. After a brief rehearsal with Slim at his home studio, on January 26th I joined the rest of the Travelling Country Band on stage. The concert also featured Lee Kernaghan, Felicity Urquhart, Tommy Emmanuel and Anne Kirkpatrick.

My favourite memory of the day was a backstage moment: Slim and Tommy Emmanuel were challenging each other to remember all the guitar introduction licks from the old Australian hillbilly records. Somehow the conversation moved to the time that Slim appeared on the rock radio station triple J, where he performed the Rolling Stones classic Honky Tonk Women (or Country Honk as their album version is known). Now Slim was singing the song in the Tumbalong Park dressing room with Tommy on acoustic guitar and me joining in on harmonica. Great fun on a memorable day!

In March, I was asked to appear on a benefit concert for my old boss Reg Lindsay (who incidentally, was Slim Dusty’s brother-in-law). Reg had recently collapsed with a cerebral haemorrhage at the Tamworth Country Music Festival and sadly, this was the start of many health issues for him. The show was organised by Donita Dey and held at Wentworthville Leagues Club in Sydney. Reg wasn’t well enough to attend (Geoff Mack sang for him at his hospital bedside), but the showbiz family was out in force to pay tribute to Reg that day.

Clockwise from top left, just some of the artists: Lee Kernaghan, Bob Howe, (Reg Lindsay), Tanya Sullivan, Donita Dey, Kenny Ansett, Greg Anderson, Gina Jeffreys, Bruce Henries & Col Joye, Dee Donavan, Judy Stone, Dinah Lee, Donnie Sutherland, Little Pattie, Barry Crocker, Randy Costa, Nev Nicholls

Back when I first met Michael Vidale (Reg Lindsay’s 1978 tour), he had been a studio engineer at EMI and recorded Slim Dusty, with Rod Coe producing. Later he was the bass player for Jimmy And The Boys and The Whitlams and many more bands. Michael is a man with unlimited ideas – some are wild, but some only seem crazy until they actually eventuate. Earlier in this decade I had played guitar and contributed a composition to the album named after his avant-garde ensemble St John’s Ambience. Now he was up to more musical mischief with Thanks Pet, Next which was his collaboration with Robert Grayson.

Closer is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails and it has remained their most popular song to date, despite Michael and Robert creating their parody, Closer to Hogs. Released under the group name Nine Inch Richards, the CD single charted in Australia and even scored College Radio airplay in the USA. For my small contribution I was credited under the wonderful name Howie Boudit and hilariously, you can find Howie Boudit in some online discographies. Following on from the success of that record, the boys were invited to perform a song live on the wireless at triple j. It was a hilarious session with the lads improvising over live banjo, toy piano and my tambourine and backing vocals. That recording, Gloves, would be a bonus track on their next single, under the name of Silverpram.

Recording live at triple j, 21 April 1995: L to R: Bob Howe, Michael Vidale,
Robert Grayson, Ian Simpson, Tim Freedman, Anthony Mir

At the other end of the musical spectrum, Allan Caswell had been recording an album to be called Different Eyes. The last two projects of his that I had worked on were a single by The Delltones that featured Allan, and an album re-recording Allan’s best known works, including On The Inside CD cover

. This next album was literally something new and different, full of inspirational and Gospel-tinged songs. A project of the Northside Urban Mission, the album featured vocal harmonies by The Delltones, Jane Saunders and a duet with Deniese Morrison. It also used a core band with Tim Foot, who co-wrote several of the songs, on piano, Craig Hitchcock on bass, Mark Marriott on drums, Marcus Holden on fiddle, Edwina Nicolaisen on vocals and myself on guitar. The album was launched with a full concert at Norths Leagues Club and the band appeared on the morning television show At Home with John Mangos to perform the lead single, 1963.

Many networks of musicians would overlap for me at this time. Allan Caswell and Martin Cass (of Tracking Station Studios) would produce many projects and I would often be called in for overdubs. Other regulars there were Mark Marriott and guitarist Terry Murray (both from The Fargone Beauties) and I would often play with Terry in a Saturday afternoon trio at Five Dock RSL Club, which also included at various times, bassist Denis McNamara, and keyboard players Greg Hooper, Cos Russo and Steven Isoardi. I would squeeze this gig in between my other three weekend gigs with The Trojans.

Wayne Law CD cover

Terry Murray and Martin Cass were also producing a country singer from Oberon named Wayne Law. He was eventually signed to the Massive Records label and his debut album Small Town Dreamer was completed by Herman Kovac (drummer from the Ted Mulry Gang and now owner of Ramrod Studio) and Keith Glass (of Glass Hamilton Young) who had relocated from Melbourne to Sydney. The album was released in time for the 1996 Tamworth Country Music Festival and I travelled there to play in Wayne’s band for some of his shows.

Glass Hamilton Young had played at the Festival, too but the following week Mick Hamilton couldn’t make their entire Sydney show at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club, so I stood in for him. Little did I realise that in a while Keith would join my band and we would play regularly at that venue (by then booked by Denis McNamara), and I would join Keith’s band and play at Marrickville RSL Club (as featured on the cover of his album Smoke and Mirrors) near where he lived. If I tried to draw a Venn Diagram of how the associates in my career intersected over the years, there would not be enough paper or ink. It also never seems to end; twenty odd years later, the Promotions Manager from that club would reappear as a singer in a dance band of which I was a member and a showbiz agent (hello Sara!).

Mid-year, Karen and I took four and a half weeks off to visit England and my family, plus a lovely wander around Italy, France and Ireland. At Molloy’s Pub in Dún Laoghaire, while waiting for the Dublin – Holyhead ferry, Karen snapped this photo (right) of me with a giant promotional Hohner harmonica.

Randwick advert

Back to Australia and a hair-raising number of gigs and guest spots around town. We lived next-door to a beautiful soul named Rose who thought of us as her adopted grand-children, except when I’d walk up the road with her and she would tell any friends passing by that I was her boyfriend (she was in her eighties at the time). When I appeared at the nearby Randwick Labor Club, we took her along as she had never seen me perform. I dedicated Rose of San Antone to her which delighted her a lot.

Around this time, I also met up with a young musician named Nathan who was a favourite choice for local Jewish celebrations. We did several gigs that would have qualified me to add the cliché ‘Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, Parties, Anything’ on my business card. I got a crash course in Klezmer Music, learning on the job, while adding secular songs to the band’s repertoire – Elton John’s Daniel was a favourite. We played at venues such as the Ritz Carlton in Double Bay and the Hakoah Club at Bondi Beach (now demolished). Just down the street, I also performed at the iconic Bondi Pavilion, where Colin Bright joined me for a Seniors Concert that included a free afternoon tea. What’s not love about that?

Off to the border again next, for a Saturday night show at South Tweed Bowling Club. Karen’s family and my Mum turned up in force to be my cheer squad once again. Karen was on babysitting duty, looking after all our young nephews and nieces so that their parents could come to the show.

Apparently, the following day, Karen’s father Jack who was well known for loving a chat, was out shopping and admiring some knives in a local store. He got to having a yarn with a fellow customer, discussing camping and caravan needs. Out of the blue, the stranger tells Jack that he saw a fabulous show last night by a guitarist at the South Tweed Bowls. Pleased as Punch, Jack replies, “that’s my son-in-law!”

Jack is on the left in the picture below, as I perform my inevitable Benny Hill tribute, Yakety Axe.

Jack watching Bob

The KGB around the pink piano at Marrickville RSL.
Front: Robbie Souter, Keith Glass
Back: Bob Howe, Chris Löfvén

Towards the end of the year, the Petersham gig switched to Fridays and Saturdays, meaning an end to our Kirribilli nights, but opening up Sundays for me, a day when I could often fit in two shows. In March of 1997 I joined the KGB…the Keith Glass Band, for a regular Sunday afternoon gig at Marrickville RSL Club that would last for sixteen months.

In the sixties, Keith Glass formed a soul music group Cam-Pact and appeared in the Australian stage production of Hair before later becoming a record mogul and a country singer/songwriter. Rounding out this new line-up was bassist Chris Löfvén (ex-The Prickles and renowned filmmaker) and drummer Robbie Souter (Slim Dusty band and ex-Dynamic Hepnotics). We had a very good run there, aided somewhat by an excellent raffle of electrical and household goods that took place during our breaks!

When Slim Dusty’s birthday came around each June, a private performance/party would be organised for his official Fan Club. Rod Coe invited me to come to Granville RSL Club and sing with the Travelling Country Band as a warm-up to Slim’s appearance. I re-joined them for Slim’s encore, Lights On The Hill. Here I am (below) playing harmonica with Slim, Anne Kirkpatrick and guitarist Jeff Mercer (Rod & Robbie obscured behind). Bob, Slim, Anne, Jeff

Keith Glass had his tour manager hat on when we headed out to the 1998 Tamworth Country Music Festival. Riding shotgun was Texan singer Dale Watson, who even then had been heralded as the “keeper of the true country music flame”. It was Dale’s first trip to Australia and after stopping for lunch and trying to explain why Burger King is called Hungry Jacks here, we arrived in Tamworth and checked in to our shared room at the incongruously named Abraham Lincoln Motel. Amongst our gigs we played a double bill at the Tamworth Services Sports Club that was recorded for ABC Radio, and the Tomkins Guitar Showcase that was held in the Cowboy’s Bar, a large steel framed tent, some 20 metres by 25 metres with attached bar and diner, located on the West Tamworth League Club football field.

Bob Howe, Dale Watson, Allan Tomkins and Keith Glass at the 1998 Tomkins Guitar Showcase

Bob Howe and Dale Watson, Tamworth 1998

Dale became enamoured of Tomkins Guitars and ended up owning several of them, including his original model that was embedded with sliver dollar coins. He later said, “‘I have never heard, felt, or seen a custom guitar built so individually with so much quality and designed to fit the players ears, hands and visual likes. Allan Tomkins knows what it means to make a ‘CUSTOM’ guitar.”

On the fourth day of the Tamworth visit, I had to fly back to Sydney for my regular Friday and Saturday gigs and to attend a Sunday concert at The Sydney Opera House – All You Need Is Beatles starring record producer Sir George Martin conducting the fifty-piece Sydney Symphony Orchestra with vocals by Human Nature, Tommy Emmanuel, James Reyne, and Glenn Shorrock. Before I left Tamworth though, Dale Watson was scheduled to play at some slightly less renowned venues; the local K-Mart store, which amused him a lot and Chandlers electrical appliance shop. It was just the two of us for these gigs and as you can see in the photo, Chandlers sold music and vacuum cleaners! For those who have never been to the Tamworth Country Music Festival, for the entire 10 days, every possible square metre of public space becomes a performance venue.

Monday was Australia Day, so I started the day at Petersham RSL Club (the first of 8 gigs for me that week) and in the evening headed to the Harbourside Brassiere to reconnect with Keith and Dale who had now arrived back in Sydney. The KGB played a set and the show that also included rockabilly singer Red Rivers. Dale had been using the bass player (Steve Wood) and pedal steel guitarist (Garrett Costigan) from Red’s band, plus ‘our’ drummer (Robbie Souter).

Dale invited me to join his band for the night and, with Karen in the audience, Dale noted from the stage that I had brought my “designated drinker” with me! A joke that referenced me being a teetotaller, which was at odds with the hard-drinking themes of many of his songs. In parting, Dale told me, “There’s always a place for you on my stage Bob…”, which made my night.

From far left: Garrett Costigan, Dale Watson, Robbie Souter, Steve Wood, Bob Howe

Earlier in 1997, I had begun to create websites for myself and later, I other artists via my ShowNet portal. As far back as using the Commodore 64 I had connected to other computers using a bulletin board system (BBS) to transfer music files. Now, having upgraded from the Atari ST to a fully-fledged Windows-based PC, I was able to explore more via the internet. article example

I wrote an essay for my website entitled ‘Cowboys In Cyberspace – Country Music on the Internet’. It was a short overview of the sort of things a country music fan might find interesting while surfing the World Wide Web. Having been a contributor to Country Music Capital News magazine during the previous fifteen years, I decided to offer them the article for publication. Editor (at the time) Jon C. Farkas, recognising the impact that the internet was having on the music business, asked if we could make Cowboys In Cyberspace a monthly column. There began a regular expedition into the outer reaches of the on-line universe and become “Australia’s most entertaining Internet Country Music resource!” Capital News cover

Each month a new Cowboys In Cyberspace page appeared in Capital News, a national printed paper publication, alerting readers what was new on the internet and what websites might interest them. Technological advances were sometimes discussed, and occasional surfing hints, but the articles were always presented in an entertaining way without too much jargon. Instead of having to type in all those long web addresses, each website mentioned was already linked on-line for the reader – just a click away! It lasted in print for 12 years and 146 articles, and continued for sometime afterwards. The entire venture can still be found archived (but unattended) at www.cowboysincyberspace.com to this day. It was in January at Tamworth that I first met Belinda Miller who broadcast for Murri Country, 4AAA –FM (98.9 in Brisbane), and I began a monthly radio chat with her to coincide with each column.

St John's Ambience cassette cover In February I played possibly the most unusual gig of my career. Whilst it sometimes felt like I didn’t know what I was doing, that was actually the point of this particular performance. Four contributors to Michael Vidale’s St John’s Ambience gathered at the Landsdowne Hotel at Broadway in Sydney and performed totally a spontaneous and improvised set, following each other’s noses. Michael himself on bass and ‘Chapman Stick’, the ever-versatile Michel Rose on pedal steel guitar, plus Ian Hildebrand and myself on electric guitars. The house DJ even joined in at one point. The audience was almost as minimal as the music, but we had free-spirited fun.

Toe The Line CD cover In March, another of Michael’s ideas proved to be relatively more appreciated. The two of us joined forces under the banner of OTT Productions (Over the Top) to produce a dance version of On The Inside, the theme song (written by our friend Allan Caswell) for the classic TV show Prisoner. For the vocals I called on Maz, a brilliant soulful singer from Perth that I had met through Raddy Ferreira’s band, and my friend Frank Ifield narrated the third verse. Thanks to Keith Glass, the track eventually found its way on to a UK 2-CD set called Toe The Line 4, compiled by Linedancer magazine. It was released on MCA Records and our track appeared alongside The Mavericks, Reba McEntire and Jimmy Buffet. Had Toe The Line 4 been as popular as Volumes 1, 2 or even 3, we may have done very well out of it. As it was, we covered costs which, as anyone in the music business will tell you, can be classed as a win.

Frank Ifield CD cover Also in March, was the launch party for Frank Ifield’s album The Fire Still Burns, which contained songs he had recorded with Barbary Coast in the UK, ‘Cowboy’ Jack Clement in Nashville, and overdubs that I had recorded in London. A cute story – a young country music fan named Meryl once wrote away for an autographed picture of Australian singing sensation Frank Ifield. Sadly, no reply was received. This year she finally got that autograph. Now ‘Head of Contemporary Music’ for ABC Music, Meryl Gross obtained Frank’s signature on a recording contract! You may remember that Meryl was also a senior executive at Festival Records back when I worked there in the mid-seventies. It’s a small world! The launch was held at the ABC Radio Centre in Ultimo, on the ‘Dot Strong Terrace’ (delightfully named after the last official tea-lady that worked at the ABC). It was there that I snapped this photo of Frank reminiscing with his old pal and fellow music pioneer, Smoky Dawson.

Frank Ifield and Smoky Dawson at the ABC 1998 (photo by Bob Howe)

Kitty Wells and Bobby Wright visit a koala

April brought a rare treat, another visiting legend, “The Queen Of Country Music” Miss Kitty Wells, who recorded It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels in 1952. It became the first No. 1 Billboard country hit for a solo woman artist, paving the way for so many other female singers. The tour was organised by our own ‘Queen’ Jean Stafford and her then manager/steel player Wayne Appleby.

Miss Kitty was 79 years old at the time and making the trip with her from Nashville were: her husband, singer Johnny Wright (of Johnny and Jack fame), their son Bobby Wright (singer and also actor – ‘Willie’ from TV’s McHale’s Navy), their pedal steel player the legendary Jimmie Crawford, ace guitarist Ed Canaday, ‘Nashville Superpicker’ steeler Russ Hicks and his singing wife Laney, and finally manager Brian Edwards. On the local side were Jean, Wayne, bassist Allan Tomkins, drummer Terry Phillpot and myself.

Johnny Wright, Bob Howe, Kitty Wells
Rockhampton Airport, Australia 1998

We were scheduled to make two appearances only at a festival in Comet, near Emerald in Queensland. This involved us all flying to Rockhampton and then transferring to our tour bus, headed 242km west. The next day we checked out the venue – a new purpose built stage fronting a natural amphitheatre on a private property owed by Ron Moon. A dedicated country music fan, he hoped that this would be the first of many shows.

There were many stars including Chad Morgan and John McSweeney. Headlining the two nights were Jean Stafford and our band and the Kitty Wells family show. In between the two Queens were two Kings of the pedal steel guitar, Jimmie Crawford and Russ Hicks. They had cut an album together (Chicken Pickin’ Good!) and played on countless recordings by the who’s who of country stars. It was a huge thrill for me to play guitar for them both, with Ed switching to bass for their set.

Russ Hicks, Bob Howe, Jimmy Crawford – Comet, Queensland, Australia 1998

Russ & Laney Hicks with Bob Howe,
in transit, Australia 1998

L to R: Russ Hicks, Bob Howe, Laney Hicks,
Terry Phillpot, Jimmie Crawford, Ed Canaday

With Ed back on guitar, I wasn’t needed for Miss Kitty’s performance, but I made sure I was on stage to sing with them all for the finale on both nights. On the second day, we headed out to the local wildlife park so that the visitors could see the koalas and kangaroos – something at the top of every American tourist’s wish-list. Despite the fun of the weekend, sadly the location and exclusivity of the shows, meant that many fans around Australia missed out on seeing a living legend.

L to R: Wayne, Bob, Jimmy, Jean, Ed, Kitty, Terry, Allan, Johnny, Laney, Bobby, Russ – Australia 1998

June 1998: Another Slim Dusty Birthday Party for his Fan Club. Pictured above, Me and Slim, and on stage with Anne Kirkpatrick, Robbie Souter and Chris Bailey on the bass.

Deniese Morrison CD cover

In June I also made several trips to Main Street Studios in Corrimal (Wollongong) for sessions that became a double album by Deniese Morrison. Entitled One of a Kind, it was a fine tribute to the music of Tammy Wynette. The main CD featured Deniese’s favourite Tammy songs, while the bonus disc contained interpretations of Tammy’s greatest hits. Around this time I also did many sessions for Don Spencer and his continued run of children’s albums, recorded by John Bee at Beez Kneez studio.

1998 Dylan poster In September it was time for another Bob Dylan concert, this time at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. It wasn’t the most memorable of all his concerts that I’d seen, but it had the added attraction of Patti Smith as his ‘special guest’.

We had seen some fabulous concerts during the second half of the nineties; country singer Jann Browne, guitar hero Albert Lee (again!), master songwriter Guy Clark, Chris Isaak in his mirror suit, Broderick Smith, The Whitlams, Bruce Springsteen (solo), Richard Thompson (acoustic but with the wonderful Danny Thompson on bass) supported by Loudon Wainwright III, Tony Joe White (getting swampy with just a drummer), the brilliant Jimmy Webb making the solo piano sound like an orchestra, The Manfreds (with both original singers, Paul Jones and Mike D’Abo), Iris Dement, Roger McGuinn, John Fogerty, ‘rockabilly filly’ Rosie Flores, The Dixie Chicks (as they were called then) with Natalie Maines stomping in full flight, and the one and only Reba McEntire.

Pam Tillis in Australia 1999

Now that I was writing a column on a regular basis, I was on the lookout for any country music story with a slant towards the internet. The perfect combination appeared when American singing star Pam Tillis arrived for an Australian visit in January 1999. In this photo she is relaxing at the Chatswood office of AOL, the American web portal and online service provider that was trying to gain a foothold in Australia. They opened the ‘AOL Live’ chat line for one hour so that Pam and Shanley Del, who was to be her support act on the tour, could answer questions from about a hundred people at any given moment. This was quite cutting-edge for its day!

A week later it was time for the Tamworth Country Music Festival again and this year I had more gigs with Keith Glass, Tomkins Guitars and Deniese Morrison. Relatively new venues The Pub and the Southgate Inn were providing good opportunities for new and alternative talent. After playing up to three gigs a day, it was time for a bit of relaxation and the air-conditioned West Tamworth Leagues Club seemed like a good place for Karen and myself to escape the 40 °C heat and watch Pam Tillis in concert. In the middle of the concert, she left the stage and walked down the middle aisle into the audience…

Pam Tillis finds Bob Howe in the audience Tamworth 1999

Bob Howe sings with Pam Tillis, Tamworth 1999 The next thing I know, Pam is pulling me to my feet as a random audience member, which I’m sure was a complete coincidence. I’m suitably under-dressed in a polo shirt and shorts. “What’s your name?” she asked. “Bob,” I replied. “And what do you do, Bob?” she continued. “I’m a musician,” I replied, to a huge laugh from the audience who know that the number of musicians at the festival is enormous. “Of course you are,” she laughed. Up on the stage I can see the band, the McCormack Brothers and Tomi Graso, hooting at my plight. Pam led me through a few lines of the song she was singing, which I faked almost convincingly as I didn’t know the song, and then returned to the rest of her concert, probably trying to forget those last few minutes. Note to self – avoid sitting in the aisle seat in future.

Meeting all of Karen’s friends in Tamworth, had opened my eyes to a much more ‘sociable’ Festival than the ones I had attended by myself in the past. Where I had previously gone back to my motel after the last gig of the night, now we were sitting around kitchen tables, righting the wrongs of the world and dissecting the events of the day.

On one such occasion, in a house rented from Tamworth residents who had fled the town for the Festival to make a tidy profit, the group included Karen and myself, Ron & Rosie Adsett, Denise Torenbeek, Sue Y. and master raconteur Pat Drummond. Ron and had retired early but when the party began to break up, it was decided we should all bid him goodnight. We all crashed his bedroom and jumped on the bed for this hilarious snapshot. It was much later that we realised that in the background of the photo, you could clearly see the wedding photo of the absent house-owners! We quickly removed the photo from our online photo albums and looking back, it was good that there was barely any social media in those days. Here’s that photo, prudently cropped…

Wake up Ron!

Jon and Rob In July 1999, Jon my Dad, made his only trip to Australia and as well as showing him the sights, he got to see a mixture of shows as well. He witnessed the KGB at Mt Druitt, The Trojans at Petersham, and Bill & Audrey’s Hillbilly Jam at the Victoria on the Park Hotel, Enmore. He also saw a multi-artist show at Manly Leagues Club where I was doing a guest spot and, off-duty, we attended an ALVA (Australian Ladies’ Variety Association) trivia night where he promptly won a bottle of wine for Karen in the charity auction. He came to Ingleburn RSL Club to see one of my many appearances on the Bill Kelly Show and it was there that this photograph of us both was taken. Now you know from where I inherited my ‘western’ dress sense!

Jon Howe visiting Frank Ifield in his trophy room, 1999

At the end of July, I began a new regular monthly gig on a Wednesday, this time at Dural Country Club. With Dee Donavan hosting, the band – George Boyer on keyboards, Bill Graham on bass, Fab Omodei on drums and yours truly on guitar – backed two guest artists for each show, with lunch in between. It was a marvellously civilised engagement that lasted for several years. Eventually Jim Piesse took over the drum chair and Greg Hayes became the host.

Also in July, I was proud that Cowboys In Cyberspace was a Top Ten finalist in the Best Music Print Media Website category of the 1999 ONYA Awards. They were the inaugural Australian Online Music Awards designed to honour innovation, pioneering and excellence in the creation, presentation, delivery and commerce of music and music technology via the Internet.

Frank Ifield was presenting a regular show on Radio 2KY and on 17th October 1999, he had a live radio broadcast of the Frank Ifield Sunday Special at the ‘2KY Racing Radio Charity Day’. It was held at the Rooty Hill RSL Club in aid of the Australian Quadriplegic Association. As part of the show, The Frank Ifield Awards were presented for the very first time (later to be renamed The Frank Ifield International Spur Award), in association with The Rotary Club of Galston. Initially, this was an encouragement award to be presented to Frank’s choice for the best new Independent Australian country music performer each year.

Frank's 2KY outside broadcast Pictured above from L to R: Colin Greatorix is presented the 1998 Frank Ifield Award by Frank and Carole Ifield, Wayne Horsburgh is interviewed, guest Darcy Le Year and Frank, three fans in 2KY caps (Karen and our mothers, Barbara and Vera!), Frank interviews me, Melinda Schneider receiving the 1999 Award.

For many years, Wayne Horsburgh had been dividing his time between the USA and Australia. He approached me about producing some albums for him. Joining forces with Michael Vidale, we created two albums in 1999 to be released on Wayne’s Rotation Records label. The first was a patriotic collection, I Still Call Australia Home, that proved as popular at Wayne’s American concerts as it did ‘down under’. The second was a Gospel set, The Old Country Church, that featured a cover photo of Wayne’s childhood church in Swanpool, Victoria.

Press reception for MARTINA McBRIDE at the Marble Bar in Sydney, 1st Nov 1999
L to R: Bob Howe (ShowNet), Jim White (PPCA), Martina McBride, Meryl Gross (CMAA) and Alex Coroneos (WEA)

And so, it was time to “party like it’s 1999′ for the last time. It was New Year’s Eve and tomorrow, things would never be the same. The Y2K computer bug would activate, banks would crash, satellites would fall from the sky and general mayhem would ensue…

New Year’s Eve at Petersham RSL Club. L to R: Bob, Karen, Trish, Peter, Brian, Toni, Gisele, Graham

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