Tania's Riding High, Thanks
Sun Herald
Sunday January 23, 2000
BEING told she looks like the side of a bus won't bother country star Tania Kernaghan one bit at this year's Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Tania's image has been plastered all over the official festival bus, with the slogan ``Ride with Tania" a reference to one of her recent hits, When I Ride.It's a far cry from this genuine country girl's first trip to Tamworth half a lifetime ago, as a raw, shy 15-year-old.``Back then, I appeared in my dad Ray Kernaghan's family show. This year, we're doing the family show again, but it's a sell-out performance at the Tamworth Town Hall," Tania said.This time, 31-year-old Tania is the star of the show, which is also tipped to feature a surprise performance from big brother Lee like Tania, one of the hottest properties in Australian country music.With her latest single, If You're Leaving, reaching the No.1 one spot on the country chart last week, Tania has literally been riding high, even performing on horseback at the National Finals Rodeo in Tamworth last weekend, when she sang When I Ride and Advance Australia Fair for the crowd.
With a recent photo spread in She magazine under her belt buckle, Tania's other plans for this week include a spot of modelling in the magazine's country fashion parade.
She has also been invited to co-host the Toyota Country Music Awards of Australia next Saturday night, as well as being in contention for two Golden Guitars, for Album of the Year (with her latest release, Dancing On Water) and Female Vocalist of the Year. Tania has already collected four of the coveted trophies since the release of her debut album, December Moon, in 1996.
``Just being in the finals is fantastic, but being asked to host the awards is like a dream come true," Tania said.
With Tania and dozens of other major stars, including a swag of Americans headed up by the legendary Willie Nelson, in town, it's not surprising that the fans are flocking to Australia's country music mecca.
According to festival spokesman Gary Martin, this year's crowd looks like being a record 70,000 people - more than doubling the population of Tamworth and filling every available motel, caravan and camping spot. The locals have rallied to solve the accommodation crisis by opening up numerous private homes to country fans looking for a place to stay.
Highlights this week include the Star Maker Quest, now in its third decade. The quest has spawned some of the biggest names in contemporary country, among them Lee Kernaghan, Gina Jeffreys, Keith Urban and Darren Coggan.
Star Maker is also celebrating its first 20 years with a collector's album launched this weekend.
A host of rising and big stars will take part in the already sold-out Fan Fest 2000 during the week. They include Felicity, Jane Saunders, Brendon Walmsley, Michael Fix and Adam Harvey, plus special guests like Tania Kernaghan.
Lee Kernaghan will make a huge splash, and probably need plenty of crowd control, when he launches his brand new album, Rules of the Road, in Peel Street next Saturday, and Willie Nelson is expected to draw a capacity crowd of around 5,000 people at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre next Sunday.
Other American stars flying in to appear at the festival include JoDee Messina, Gary Allen and Sherrie Austin.
But the big event of the festival is always the Toyota Country Music Awards of Australia show, this year featuring Slim Dusty, John Williamson, Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Jimmy Little, Colin Buchanan, Kasey Chambers and Paul Kelly.
Cassar-Daley heads the nominations with a record seven.
TAMWORTH HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY
Toyota Star Market Quest.
MONDAY
Golden Guitar New Talent Showcase.
TUESDAY
TIARA Awards for independent artists.
The Australian Bush Laureate Awards.
WEDNESDAY
Slim Dusty teams up with special guest Smoky Dawson.
THURSDAY
FanFest.
FRIDAY
Morning, Graeme Connors; evening, John Williamson.
SATURDAY
The Golden Guitar awards.
© 2000 Sun Herald
