DAVE'S DIARY - 5 JULY 2005 - PREVIEW OF EPISODE 1 - SERIES 4

KEITH URBAN REIGNS ON NU COUNTRY

Expatriate Australasian country superstar Keith Urban is shunned by commercial radio in Australia but not TV. Keith headlines the first episode of Series #4 of Nu Country TV on C 31 at 8 p m on Saturday July 9. Urban, 37, recently celebrated his sixth #1 U.S. hit Making Memories Of Us with a six week reign at #1 on the U.S Billboard charts. Texan troubadour Rodney Crowell wrote the song that also appeared on the Notorious Cherry Bombs self-titled CD in 2004. Urban was on tour in Belfast in Ireland when he learned he added to his honours tally by winning two more major Academy Of Country Music Awards.

The singer followed his sold out Australian tour in February with guest appearances on Logies and other major TV shows.

Urban's TV assault was designed to counter absence of commercial radio airplay and prime the sales pump for his fifth huge selling album Be Here.

CLICK HERE for a Palais concert review of Urban from the Diary on March 18.

NATALIE HOWARD FOLLOWS URBAN

Queensland singer-songwriter Natalie Howard is the latest member of the Aussie posse in Nashville. The Redcliffe born balladeer has written with a brace of leading Nashville songsmiths on her annual Music City sojourns. Several of those sessions sourced her debut disc Yesterday's Make-up and helped her gain work at prestige locales such as the legendary Bluebird Café. Howard performs a duet with Kentucky born writing partner James Dean Hicks on the video of their single McBride-Tommy Lee James penned song The Long Night. CLICK HERE for a Diary story on Natalie Howard.

PAUL HICKS LIVE CD LAUNCH

Former Nu Country TV host and singer-songwriter Paul Hicks launched his solo CD Kettle Of Fish in Geelong and Melbourne with showcases. Hicks travelled from his farm at Wangaratta to perform with his band The High Kings with expatriate Kiwi Brent Parlane sharing the bill. Nu Country TV director, producer and host Peter Hosking filmed Hicks at the Cornish Arms in Brunswick.

Hicks performed his song Better Than That.

CLICK HERE for a review of Hicks CD from the DIARY on January 23.

BRENT PARLANE

We also feature live footage of Parlane performing Robinson Crusoe.

Brent, who arrived in Australia in 1976 and worked with bands diverse as 33 South, nee The Tourists, before embarking on a solo career.

CLICK HERE for a story on Parlane from the Diary on October 14, 2003.

FELICITY FLIES

Tamworth born troubadour Felicity Urquhart also performs a video of her award winning song Throw Your Arms Around Me.

The singer is also a presenter on travel show Sydney Weekender, hosted by former test cricketer Mike Whitney, on the Seven Network.

Felicity is about to release her fourth album Lonely Girl and has re-released her swing album New Shadow, cut with the Feral Swing Katz.

Felicity and her guitarist partner Glen Hannah won best duo at the Victorian Country Music Awards at Whittlesea for their performance of Dear Someone.

CLICK HERE for a Felicity story from the Diary on June 26, 2003.

MARTY STUART TEMPTED

Multiple instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Marty Stuart toured Australia in 1981 with former singing spouse Cindy Cash in bands backing Johnny Cash and Cowboy Jack Clement. Marty was a member of Cash's band for six years after making his Grand Ole Opry debut at 14 as a member of the late Lester Flatt's band Nashville Grass. Stuart has made 16 albums in a recording career dating back to his 1982 debut disc Busy Bee Café. Marty, second spouse of Cindy, became the fourth husband of country singer Connie Smith, 17 years his senior, when they wed in 1997.

Stuart, a prolific live and recording artist, has three new albums scheduled for release in 2005.

But we reach back to his huge selling 1991 MCA album Tempted for the title track - one of the singer's many hits - for our vintage video.

CLICK HERE for a Marty Stuart story from THE DIARY

top / back to diary