Facing 8 – 12 weeks on crutches, after a stupid fall off a roof, sees me sitting around pondering my navel, bruises and wanting to get up and going again whilst outside the weather is beautiful Autumn days full of sunshine.

I’m still doing gigs with the help of friends and band members and can sit on a stool and play.

Thank you everybody for your well wishes, calls and cards. I’ve been on the radio trail with Album of the Week at 94One Today’s Country and 98.9fm and doing lots of interviews promoting “The Soundtrack of My Life”. Thank you to all the radio folk for your support! The first single Song and Danceman  is getting played lots, thanks!

As the old saying goes’ “this too shall pass” and on the circus will roll. In the meantime we’re busily getting the Octopus Garden show ready for the Studio ARTES Ball May 25th at Hornsby RSL and looking forward to the Cessnock CM Fest in May and Bluewater CM Fest on the June long weekend.

Cheers for now, Steve.

Last weekend was the Central Coast Country Music Festival and with 6 months of rain Memorial Park has never looked better. Both days were sunny and warm. The fishermen were reeling in some bream in the lake and a top lineup of Country Music artists made the park ring. 1,000’s of fans turned up with there folding chairs, hats and gazebos and with a sharp MC, yours truly, (thank you) together with a top class band, and this festival was a hoot. Add to that a couple of well attended gigs of my own and it made for a fan-tastic weekend. Thank you everyone for coming along. If anybody has any good pics of the park full of CM fans please send me one or 2. Put the date in your calendar for next year, it’ll be even bigger and better.

This coming weekend is St Patricks Day and we’ll be diddly-eyeing as best as we can. Gigs are up on my gig page if you care to check them out.

Now, blues, country, celtic, I’m confused and heading to bed to dream of more music.

Bye for now.

Steve.

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.