The winners of the Dick Dale Fender Guitar, generously given to me by Fender Australia, are Sam & Helen Ursino of western Sydney. I caught up with them last night at the Riverstone Country Thunder gig where Vic & Barb Baillie put on a great night of music and entertainment, man those gals can sing!

Here’s a pic of Helen, Sam & I with the guitar.

They live only minutes away from the Riverstone Club and hadn’t been to the Country Thunder night before, thoroughly enjoying the nigh, dancing and staying until the end.

The CD packs, kindly donated by the breakfast show guests & a your truly pack, were won by Frank & Rose Dahlhaus of Geelong Vic, Karen & Keith Keishaw of Cambewarra NSW & Michael Grealy of Charleville QLD. Michael left Tamworth and is half way to WA but assured me there house in QLD is above the flood water. Congratulations all, the cd packs will be on their way to you soon and are valued around $200 each.

Thanks to Carter & Carter, Michael Kerin (Fettler), Dean Perrett, Brandan Radford, Tamara Stewart, Kathryn Jones, Kalesti Butler, Bidge Boyd, Tara Nasmith, Adam James, Johanna Hemarra, John O’Dea & Chris James for coming to guests on the Hot Breakfast show and putting in an album or 2 for the prize packs. As note, Dean went on to win a Golden Guitar in Tamworth and a Bungendore Award this weekend for His duet with Lee Kernaghan Channel Country Ground, great song Deano, well done mate!

Upcoming gigs for me are on my gig guide and include The Entrance CM Fest, Cessnock CM Fest, Tullamore Irish Fest & Urban Country so hope to catch you around soon.

Pickin’ & a grinnin’

Steve

And yes, I’ve finished my new album The Soundtrack of my Life and it’s up on my website shop now. It’s been a very satisfying, all consuming and satisfying project. I played lots of things on it, produced, engineered, mixed it and even did the artwork myself. I had great help from Glenn Wilson (drums), Ian Lees (bass), Garry Steel (accordion & piano) & Michael Kerin (fiddle). The guitars, papoose, mandolin and banjo are all my efforts. 14 tracks, 3 instrumentals and contains my versions of songs from Slim, Shorty, Reg Lindsay, Mike McClellan, Geoff Mack as a tribute to these great Australian Country Music artists. I’ve also done versions of some awesome songs, Wonderful World, Make you Feel My Love, Wings of a Dove & That’s the Way Love Goes.

The Tamworth Country Music Festival is up this week and I’m always excited about 10 days of playing my music, spinning a yarn or 2 and spreading a happy message – the Steve Passfield musical journey from Convicts to  City Slickers.

My shows in Tamworth are:

Steve Passfield’s Hot Breakfast – Diggers Corona Courtyard daily 8 am – 10.30 am. January 20 – 29th. Guests,  prizes and a great Fender guitar giveaway. Every day is different so come along often eh, it’s worth getting out of bed for, we do!

Joe Maguires Fri Jan 20, Sat Jan 21, Sun Jan 22, Tues Jan 24 & Sun Jan 29th various times, see the Tamworth Festival website for details of all the shows www.tcmf.com.au

Sun Jan 22 Carter & Carter’s Gospel Show at The Capitol Theatre, tickets at www.tcmf.com.au

Tues Jan 24 the TSA Awards at The Longyard tickets at www.tcmf.com.au

Wed Jan 25 Tamara Stewart’s – The Song Factory Legends bar at Wests.

Thur 26th Nemingha Tavern 4.30 pm Telstra Childflight fundraiser concert with Margie May Hockey.

Thur Jan 26th 7.30pm AUSTRALIA DAY – host & performance for The People’s Choice Awards Light City Church, cnr Anne & Kathleen Streets, South Tamworth

The Tamworth Country Music Festival is gonna be a big one this year celebrating it’s 40th year so if you head north west please come along, catch a show and say hi.

Cheers for now, Steve.

I’d like to wish everyone of my fans a very Merry and Peaceful Christmas mostly filled with love and happiness and maybe a few gifts and some tucker. Please travel safe and we’ll al be able to get together in 2012. Maybe I’ll see you at the 2012 Tamworth Country Music Festival? I’ve got my Hot Breakfast daily at Diggers and several gigs back at Joe Maguires. I’m also appearing on Carter & Carter’s Gospel Show and the TSA Awards and hosting the People’s Choice Awards so it’ll be go, go go again in the Country Music Capital for this fella.

I have some exciting news, I’ve finished my new album of covers “The Soundtrack of My Life” and will have it available at the Tamworth Festival. I played, recorded, sang, strummed & picked my way through 14 great tracks. One new song, the title track and 13 covers including 3 instrumentals. Songs from the Bushwackers, Slim, Shorty, Reg, Mike McClellan, Geoff Mack (yes that really fast one), Buck, Lefty & several others are all included.

The Fettler and I will be travelling to NZ for NYE by the way so stay tuned cuz.

Thank you to all those generous people who gave towards the Studio Artes Ride a Day In My Wheels event on Dec 3rd. We raised over $10,000 and together with a grant received form the Hornsby Advocate through their competition, Studio Artes will get a new website and some much needed funds to benefit the guys.

Til next time, please stay happy and safe and remember what Christmas is all about, Peace, Love & relationships.

Best regards,

Steve

Unbelievable but Christmas is coming, well the advertising is telling us that anyway. I’m into a new album of covers with some great Australian Country songs that have been important in my musical journey. They’re all my versions of well known songs. A bit of Slim, Shorty, Mike McClellan, The Bushwackers, Geoff Mack, Bob Dylan and the others are just great songs that I’ve sung at special occasions for people. Wonderful World, On the Wings of a Dove, That’s the Way Love Goes, Make You Feel My Love, all great songs with my slant.

These, together with a couple of guitar tunes and a banjo tune and that’s the covers. I’ve written one track The Soundtrack Of My Life, the Title Track, and that’s the list.

I’m very excited to be doing this in my own studio and it’s sounding really good.

Stay safe folks and much happiness in the run-up to Christmas. I hope you get time to stop and smell the Christmas Bush!!

Till next time.

Steve

Don’t forget Ride A Day in My Wheels Sat Dec 3rd, Hornsby Westfield 10 am – 3pm.