There were many highlights for me this year:
January, February and March saw me doing shows in Australia. I appeared at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in NSW for the 31st year in a row. A couple of visits to my home town of Benalla, Victoria to spend time with my parents and celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary, plus a trip to Perth, Western Australia to visit my brother.
Recording the new ‘Born Free’ CD in Sydney took up a lot of time during February, March and April. My producer, Bob Howe, did a wonderful job with this new ‘easy listening’ album and I am proud to make it available for your listening pleasure.
Then came the long flight to Los Angeles and then to Branson, Missouri ready for another season in the USA.
In June I spent time in Nashville, TN and during the Fan Fair week I caught up with some Australian entertainers, including Bob Howe, and I performed on the Tomkins Guitar Showcase at the Sheraton, as well as celebrating my 53rd birthday.
Back in Australia the ‘Australian Entertainment ‘MO’ Awards were held in Sydney and I was delighted to get an early morning phone call in Nashville to say that I had won the ‘Male Country Performer’ category. This makes five ‘MO’s that I have won during my career.
I returned to ‘Kentucky Down Under’ for a weekend of performances mid June. This Australian Theme Park is a wonderful place to experience a taste life ‘down under’. I also performed at Bakersville, Mansfield, Missouri on a number of occasions. Just nearby is where the ‘Little House On The Prairie’ books were written many years ago.
Performing at the MidWest Country Theatre in Sandstone, Minnesota in September was certainly a highlight. The show is broadcast on RFD-TV throughout the USA to an estimated 35 million households — great exposure for me as my performances are aired to a huge audience.
"A Salute To The Great American Cowboy" was the theme of the National Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City during September. Other artists who performed during this festival were, Roy Rogers Jnr, Asleep At The Wheel, Sons Of The San Joaquin, Texas In The Swing, to name just a few. Then in October we payed tribute to the ‘American Farmer’ with performances by John Conlee, The Wilders, Les Gilliam & His Silver Lake Band…and many more.
I loved working with the HorseCreek Band each day for the popular Barn Dances doing all that Country & Western music.
Once again I was a final nominee in the Australian Club Entertainment (ACE) Awards for ‘Male Country Performer’. They were held in Sydney at the end of October. My congratulations to Troy Cassar-Daley on his win.
I returned home to Sydney early in November, just in time to start a tour to Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria with the Howie Bros. Band.
Check out my touring schedule for Australia and the USA on the links provided to keep up to date with my travels around the world.
All the best,
Wayne
November 14, 2008
• Where is Wayne right now? View his current touring schedules for Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
Go to OZ/NZ Schedule Page
Photo credit: Joshua Heston
Photo credit: Denise Fishel
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