CMC Rocks the Hunter 2012 Festival

CMC Rocks the Hunter 2012 Festival

Line up’s, Reports, Photos, Videos, Interviews and CMC Awards

About:

The CMC ROCKS the HUNTER 2012 FESTIVAL, took take place over March 16 – 18, 2012.

Now in its fifth year, CMC Rocks has a reputation for offering Australian music fans mind-blowing line-ups not seen anywhere else in the country.

 It is held in Hope Estate perfectly located in the heart of Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley, 15kms from the township of Cessnock and less than 2 hours drive north of Sydney and set on 420 acres of picturesque vineyards and offers breathtaking views. The Hunter Valley is one of Australia's oldest and most respected grape growing and wine producing regions.  The warm sunny climate and rich soils are ideal for growing grape varieties such as Semillon, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Merlot

Over 3 days, CMC “country rocks” the luscious surrounds of the estate with an  impressive program of big international and national roots and country music artists.

US country stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill headlined CMC Rocks the Hunter 2012! 

CMC Rocks the Hunter 2012 Line up
(Australian Acts unless otherwise stated) Source

FRIDAY 16 MARCH 2012

MAIN STAGE

 4.35pm - 5.30pm McAlister Kemp, 6.05pm - 7.05pm Sherrie Austin (USA), 7.45pm - 9.00pm Steve Forde,

 9.45pm - 11.00pm Beccy Cole

CMC OZ ARTIST STAGE

 4.00pm - 4.35pm  Luke Austen,  5.30pm - 6.05pm  Jetty Road , 7.05pm - 7.45pm  Sunny Cowgirls,

 9.00pm - 9.45pm  Jayne Denham

SATURDAY 17 MARCH 2012

MAIN STAGE

11.45am - 12.45pm James Blundell ,  1.20pm - 2.20pm Shane Nicholson ,

 2.55pm - 3.55pm Jim Lauderdale (USA), 4.30pm - 5.30pm Craig Campbell (USA),

 6.05pm - 7.05pm The McClymonts,  7.45pm - 9.00pm Lee Kernaghan,

9.45pm - 11.00pm Dierks Bentley (USA)

CMC OZ ARTIST STAGE

10.30am - 11.45am Davidson Brothers , 12.45pm - 1.20pm Kaylee Bell (NZ),

2.20pm - 2.55pm Harry Hookey, 3.55pm - 4.30pm Travis Collins ,  5.30pm - 6.05pm Peter McWhirter , 7.05pm - 7.45pm Felicity Urquhart,  9.00pm - 9.45pm Catherine Britt

SUNDAY 18 MARCH 2012

MAIN STAGE

10.30am - 11.15am Pete Denahy,  11.50am - 12.50pm Jedd Hughes (USA),

1.25pm - 2.25pm Tracy Lawrence (USA),  3.00pm - 4.00pm Tex Perkins & The Dark Horses ,

4.35pm - 5.35pm Eli Young Band (USA),  6.15pm - 7.15pm Wynonna Judd (USA),

8.00pm - 10.00pm TIM McGRAW & FAITH HILL (USA)

CMC OZ ARTIST STAGE

 11.15am - 11.50am Buddy Goode,  12.50pm - 1.25pm Harmony James,  2.25pm - 3.00pm Kirsty Akers

 4.00pm - 4.35pm Morgan Evans, 5.35pm - 6.15pm Mcalister KEMP,  7.15pm - 8.00pm O'shea

Rockin Good Time in the Hunter  
Report 17/18 March 2012  (www.dailymercury.com.au)

RAIN, hail or shine (Photo) - country music fans have dealt with two of the three so far at the 2012 CMC Rocks the Hunter music festival.

After a boiling 30C start to the festival on Friday, yesterday's rain helped to cool things down if make car parking in the paddocks a bit more interesting.

Nashville-based Aussie singer songwriter Sherrie Austin helped to open the three-day festival in her first performance on home soil in more than a decade.

"It's been wonderful," said Austin, who moved to the US and starred in the TV series The Facts of Life in her late teens.

"It was a great show last night.  "Country music fans, they'll sit through a tornado. They're amazing."

Austin featured songs from Circus Girl, her first studio album in eight years.

"I haven't even played with a band in eight years, it wasn't just coming back to Australia," she said.

"But it was totally natural. I felt totally at home. "I had to go back and re-learn my earlier songs because I don't sing them anymore."

Grafton sisters The McClymonts played an energetic set yesterday, featuring several songs from their forthcoming album Two Worlds Collide, to be released on May 1.

The man in the black hat Lee Kernaghan played his hit Boys From The Bush as well as a tribute to Slim Dusty.

Today, the main stage is dominated by Americans artists including Tracy Lawrence, Jedd Hughes and the Eli Young Band.

International headliners Wynonna Judd, in her only Australian show, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill close the festival tonight.

Aussie Tex Perkins also plays the main stage with his band The Dark Horses.

Wynonna on her way to The Hunter 

Veteran radio host Trevor Smith asked Wynnona Judd what fans could expect in her Rock The Hunter set :

When you're on stage in Australia, what will the set comprise of roughly?

Wynnona: I'm such a work in progress, not least because I never know what I'm going to do on stage - and that's the beauty of live. That's why I say there will always need to be movies and theatres and the live performance because something remarkable happens between the singer and the listener. That live thing where you come on stage and everything's uncertain and there's that raw, unpredictability and you just feel like you're flying. It's the closest thing to flying I've ever experienced.

You're gonna hear classic music from the past - from the '80s and '90s when Mom and I were playing all over the place, being "America's sweethearts", I think they call us at the time. You're gonna hear that, and you're gonna hear the song I did with Jeff Beck - I Wanna Know What Love Is - the rock classic. Then I'm gonna turn around and sing some kind of poetry that the Baby Boomers will identify with, because I just finished a record of all classics because we're losing our legends in country music

Tim and Faith wow at The Hunter 
Report 18 March 2012 -  (www.dailymercury.com.au)

Faith Hill Live at
CMC Rocks The Hunter 2012
18 March 2012

CMC Rocks the Hunter wrapped up on Sunday with the biggest day in the festival's five-year history.

Aussie Pete Denahy kicked things off before Americans Jedd Hughes and Tracy Lawrence played the main stage.

Aussie rocker Tex Perkins looked at home with his band The Dark Horses and their hour-long set broke up a day dominated by American artists.

The Eli Young Band and McAlister Kemp prepped the crowd for music legend Wynonna Judd's only Australian performance.

Judd's flame-red hair could be seen from the top of the hill as her powerful, soulful voice carried to every corner of the festival site.

Passing showers didn't seem to bother the 10,000-strong crowd, and the rain made for a spectacular, if short lived, rainbow.

After some playful banter with a fan known as "Lou" , she finally invited the man up on stage and he was happy to oblige, dancing around as she wore his cowboy hat. (photo)  Wynnona closed her hour-long set with her famous ballad “I Want To Know What Love Is”, inspiring a crowd-wide sing along.

American husband and wife duo O'Shea kept energy levels up as the crowd restlessly waited for another husband and wife duo - Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - to close the festival.

It's the first time the country music power couple have toured Australia together.

Hill opened the two-hour set with a 45-minute show featuring her hits including Breathe, The Way You Love Me and This Kiss before McGraw joined her on stage for a duet.

The man in the black hat then took the reigns for his own 45-minute set, featuring songs from his new album Emotional Traffic, before Hill once again joined him for the finale.

*** Highlights from the festival will air on the Country Music Channel on April 21 from noon

ROCK THE HUNTER 2012 PHOTOS

"This Kiss"
Tim McGraw & Faith HillCMC
Rocks The Hunter 2012

The Stage at CMC Rocks the Hunter 2012 - Photo

CMC Rocks Sunday Hot babes! - Photo

CMC Rocks Sunday – Main Stage - Photo

Kirsty Akers -  Live Photo

McAlister Kemp - Live Photo

The McClymonts - Photo –
Live Photo - Live Photo -  Live Photo

Eli Young Band  - Live Photo

Jim Lauderdale (Saturday) - Live Photo

Dierks Bentley – Live Photo - Photo

Tracy Lawrence - Live Photo

Wynnona Judd signing autographs - Photo

Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Wynnona & her husband to be Cactus Moser after the show - Photo

Faith Hill "This Kiss" Lucky Tim!!!! - Live Photo

Tim & Faith - Live Photo

Tim McGraw – Live Photo – Live Photo  - Live Photo

Tim & Faith and Storme Warren - Photo

A Young Tim & Faith fan ! – Photo

CMC Rocks the Hunter 2012 Slideshow  - dailyexaminer.co.au link

VIDEO

Watch the CMC Rocks timelapse camera. Three days of festival awesomeness in three minutes >   YouTube

CMC Rocks The Hunter 16th, 17th, 18th March 2012 (Distortion on audio)  >   YouTube

Dierks Bentley and the guys head to Australia in an all new DBTV.
Take a look at how Country & Cold Cans went over in the land down under
 in Episode 57 >    YouTube

Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying - Live at CMC Rocks The Hunter 2012
 >    YouTube

RADIO INTERVIEWS

Felicity Urquhart and Wynona Judd-Interview
17 March 2012 caption

Felicity Urquhart from “Saturday Night Country” ABC local radio talks to Dierks Bentley on phone about babies, country, bluegrass, his album HOME and working with and touring with Aussie country star Lee Kernaghan.

**  Then from (16 minutes) a wonderful candid face to face interview with Wynnona Judd who had flown 7,000 miles to do one show at Rock the Hunter 2012. This was Wynnona’s first ever Australian radio interview after 28 years in the business. She’s still a girl with a guitar!

ABC Country is a digital radio station from the ABC, available on DAB+ and online

Wynonna Judd chats to Felicity Urquhart from Saturday Night Country about her music and what it's like to be in Australia for the first time
 >   Download the audio file   (Right Click Save As) Courtesy ABC Country. Thanks Felicity!

Jasmine Rae and Peter McWhirter
 with their CMC 2012 Awards

The CMC Awards winners 

On Friday the 16th of March CMC announced the recipients of its annual, viewer voted CMC Awards.

The winners were announced at a special ceremony at the Hope Estate Winery (photo) as part of the CMC Rocks The Hunter 2012 festival, and were presented by Mark and Jay O'Shea.

New Oz Artist of the Year was given to Peter McWhirter who's had a great year in the aftermath of releasing his debut record Luck As A Seven.

Oz Arist of the Year was given to young singing dynamo Jasmine Rae who was graciously presented with her award from the reigning, longtime title holder Adam Brand.  (photo)

Aussie boy done good overseas, Keith Urban took out two awards on the night including International Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for 'Without You.'

Finally, the inaugural CMC Hall of Fame Award was presented to a true legend of the industry, James Blundell.  (photo)

The ceremony also included fantastic live performances from US singer songwriter Craig Campbell (photo), and local performers Catherine Britt (photo), Travis Collins (photo) and O'Shea (photo).

The CMC Awards Winners:

New Oz Artist of the Year: Peter McWhirter

Oz Artist of the Year: Jasmine Rae

International Artist of the Year: Keith Urban

Video of the Year: Keith Urban - 'Without You'

Hall Of Fame Award: James Blundell

SOURCES – Daily Mercury, CMC Channel, ABC Country, Facebook,  news-mail.com.au

John McCane front man of Last of the Breed has died

Last of the Breed
A sad time for the British Country music scene.....

(Monday March 19, 2012) John McCane front man of Last of the Breed has died along with keyboard player Pete McDonald who passed away a few weeks previously. 

John McCane the front man of Last of the Breed, sadly died on Thursday March 15, 2012, at aged 53. He leaves wife Susan and boys Harry and Keon (?) In the early 90’s Pete toured with Wild Country before joining Last Of The Breed in 1998. Amongst his accolades Pete toured with The Dakotas and made many TV appearances , worked as an extra on TV and as a comedy scriptwriter - freelance and commissioned (The Two Ronnie's, Les Dawson, Russ Abbott and Brian Conley, etc). He was also a fine artist/cartoonist and kept a comic book record of the band. He was also a qualified teacher.
A few weeks ago John’s keyboard player Pete McDonald also died after a short illness.

John McCane

About John McCane

Band leader and bass player John McCane was born in Salford, of first generation Irish extraction, spent part of his childhood as a pupil of the prestigious Manchester School of Music because of his natural ability with musical instruments and singing. This ability soon found him on the Irish Show band circuit as a bass guitar player and harmony vocalist which in turn led to session work and a musical discipline combined with a built in integrity remained with him.

Over the years John developed his song writing ability. He had played with numerous local bands before fronting bands (Nevada & 16th Avenue) which rapidly gained a reputation on the national/international country music circuit. A recording of a couple of Johns own songs “Only A Fool” and “Know The Dance” gained respect and bookings at The Pontin’s Country Music Festivals and Mill At The Pier in Wigan.

Later John went on to form Last Of The Breed and they recorded an album called “THE BREED”.

A self-composed song called “The Immigrant” from the album won critical acclaim both in Ireland and Mainland Britain. The Breed became residents at The Irish Festival at Pontins in Southport and again became in demand throughout Britain and Ireland.

John McCane
Cross Country Magazine
 Image -  March 2007

John McCane and The Breed - Branded their mark on the British country music scene. While others bands were drawn to artistes such as Hal Ketchum and Alan Jackson, John and his four-piece band drew greatly on the 60's - 70's music of Ronnie Millsap, George Jones and Merle Haggard, playing some of those less remembered songs but instantly recognizable.

John and the band played the British country music clubs for many years with some changes in line-up with musicians that were committed to the cause and able to travel.

About The Band

Last Of The Breed was formed and had been on the road since 1992.

The main core of the band was John McCane (Lead Vocals / Bass), the now late Pete McDonald (Keyboards / Vocals) who died a few weeks ago, Paul Burgess (Drums) [who after a one-off gig with John in 2006 joined the band], Shane O’Borne (Lead Guitar / Vocals) and Mike Foley (Lead Guitar / Vocals) who in 1984 met John McCane for the first time and joined him in a band called Country Comfort.

Part time members who deputized included: Gerry McLaughlin (Lead Guitar / Vocals), Lenny Whitehead (Lead Guitar / Vocals) and Martin Clooney (Drums / Vocals)

This Manchester (UK) based outfit drew their inspiration from self penned songs and quality covers, not only from the rich vaults of country music but also from blues, soul and rock and roll. A good 80% of their live shows met the country criteria in the style of the Irish show bands of the past hence the bands name Last Of The Breed. A typical set would include Love Songs, classics, Irish and rock ‘n roll medleys and John’s own compositions.

At UK Country Radio Awards in February 2003 they won Single of the Year with "Wrap My Arms Around The World" which was first recorded in the early 60's by Narvel Felts.  The awards continued with Album of the Year and Song of the Year in 2003/2004. The following year saw them winning Listeners Choice 2004/2005

John McCane and The Breed – Known Awards:

Peoples Country Music Award Band Of The Year in 2001/2002

UK Country Radio Award Single Of The Year 2002/2003  “Wrap My Arms Around The World”

UK Country Radio Award Song Of The Year 2003/2004

UK Country Radio Award Album Of The Year 2003/2004

UK Country Radio Award Listeners Choice 2004/2005

UK Country Radio Award Song Of The Year 2005/2006

British Country Music Award Song Of The Year 2008   for “I Don't Have Far to Fall.”

Southern Country Magazine Readers Choice Band Of The Year 2008

Albums

John McCane

'Area Code 0161'

Echo Park © 2003

Album Art
AREA CODE 0161

Tracks:  Ya Know The Dance / Why / Afraid / Don't Come Cryin' To Me / La Jolla Shore / Fool Hearted Memory / I See It Now / New Shade Of Blue / Running Round In Circles / She Keeps The Home Fires Burning /How's The Radio Know / Familiar Pain / Only A Fool.

AREA CODE 0161, was named after the telephone code for Manchester where John lived.

 This was  the sophomore CD release from the Salford born Singer-Songwriter John McCane following on from YOU GET THE LIGHTS an album which spawned many  singles such as Collin Raye's "'Scuse Moi My Heart" , Gram Parsons' "High Fashion Queen",  his self penned "You Close The Door And I'll Get The Lights", "Fall Down A Tramp, Stand Up a Lady" and a reading of a Narvel Felts song "Wrap My Arms Around The World”

AREA CODE 0161 offered up 13 tracks,  made up of 5 originals, 2 co-writes,  2 from the pen of John, a track written by  Liverpool artist Tony Ainscough and 8 covers. This second album took 14 months to complete and the recording took place in Ireland working the likes of Jim McVie (Dominic Kirwan's musical director) and gifted musician Steven Smith.

The song is titled "Afraid " is one performed on the country music circuit here in the U.K , in various arrangement's, with the many bands that John  fronted since the 1960s.

Of the other 4 original's, two J. C. penned tracks book-end the album. The lively opener "Ya Know The Dance " a song telling of the joy's of being free after a marriage breakdown  while a tale of a passionate love affair in "Only A Fool" brings the album to a close. On San Diego's "La Jolla Shore" was a song co-written with his ex Dakota's keyboard player Pete McDonald. The slow ballad "Running Round In Circles" is the second of two co-writes that make up the quintet.

John picked out an excellent reading of Southern Pacific's "New Shade Of Blue" a top 5 hit for the band in the late 80s.  "Familiar Pain" is a song that was recorded by Restless Heart.

The catchy "Why" was pulled from the Tracy Byrd songbook and Aaron Tippin's "How's The Radio Know" was tipped as a sure fire winner to attract radio airplay. John included a cover of Ronnie Milsap’s "She Keeps The Home Fire's Burning", a song that was a #1 for Ronnie in 1985. 

Familiar songs with Vince Gill's "Don't Come Cryin' To Me" and George Strait's first ever #1 "Fool Hearted Memory" from 1982 also made the cut on this album. 

John McCane
Straight From The Heart

Echo Park Records

Straight From The Heart
Album Artwork

Track list - Holdin' Heaven / Couldn't Love Have Picked / Last Cheaters Waltz/ Why Not Tonight / Touch Me With Your Tenderness/ Kick Ass Country/ Who's Gonna Hold Me/ Louisiana Rain/ Spread A Little Love Around/ I Do But I Don't / The Lady/ Second Time Around.

Straight From The Heart was the third CD released by John containing a mixed bag of 12 tracks featuring a diverse selection of appealing covers and original songs. Along with band members Peter McDonald (Keyboards) and John Cosgrove(Drummer) they made the trip across the water to Northern Ireland to team up again with top producer and musician Stephen Smyth. John also stuck to winning formulae of mixing rarely covered songs with his own originals.

 Alongside "Who's Gonna Hold Me" which was written by British songwriter Lorna Flowers it found John and Lorna combining their songwriting talents on "Touch Me With Your Tenderness” a lovely ballad about making up after a relationship has gone bad.  John and band member Pete McDonald penned the emotive "Second Time Around", a song about lost love, whilst  John's own western swing styled "The Lady" lifted the spirits with this tale of a fun loving girl.

The opening track is a honky tonker "Holdin' Heaven",  closely followed by the Curly Putman/Bucky Jones weepy "Couldn't Love Have Picked A Better Place To Die". Sonny Throckmoton's "Last Cheater's Waltz" was a number 1 hit for T.G. Sheppard in the late 70's and a popular number in John's set-list during his live shows. Harley Allen/John Wiggins' "Spread A Little Love Around" and the Tommy/Jimmy Swarbrigg composition "Kiss Ass Country" were also included.

STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART offers a traditional country music style in its purest form with a generous helping of steel licks.

Tributes

Allan Watkiss BBC Radio Sheffield:

“John  performed regularly at the Royal British Legion at Edlington in Doncaster, several of his shows were Gig Of The Month on “Your Country” . I thought he was a great ballad singer, super stuff and had a real distinctive voice. As well as being a great singer he put a lot of great work into the production of his tracks and made them sound superb. He will be remembered with great affection on the British country music circuit and I’ll remember him for his great ballads “

Jonny Williams & Lynnette Marie (Facebook) (Popular UK country duo) :

He was a lovely chap, shared some great gigs together, had some great laughs with him...I cant believe it.

Irene Tradewell (Editor of Country Music Routes)

oh, no, he was a great bloke and his band, superb. He did a lot for the Brit music scene. So much behind the scenes many will be unaware of. So sorry for those he's left behind - family, friends and our music ix

LISTEN to the Audio tribute broadcast on March 18, 2012 on Allan Watkiss “Your Country” show

(Note quality is poor due to ongoing problems with BBC iPlayer Listen again)

Music Played: “I Don’t Have Far To Fall”, “Running Around In Circles”

** UPDATE  **

Sunday March 25, 2012

Long-time British country artist and BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Kenny Johnson paid tribute to John McCane on “Sounds Country”  broadcast Sunday 25 March 2012

 Song medley played: “Don’t Come Cryin’ To Me”, “Why”, “Last Cheaters Waltz”, “I Don’t Have Very Far To Fall”, “Afraid” (written by Liverpool artist Tony Ainscough), “One Night At A Time” and “Wrap My Arms Around The World”

LISTEN to the Audio tribute

VIDEO

 John McCane and the Last of the Breed – “Legend In My Time”  >    YouTube

John McCane & The Last Of The Breed – “Kick Ass Country”  >   YouTube

Great North Country and Western Festival 2010. Watch it on Myspace Videos.

SOURCES:

March 2007 Issue Cross Country Magazine, Metro Country, Graham Lees and BBC Radio Sheffield

If anyone has a memory or thoughts about John and the Last of the Breed please leave a comment.

R.I.P John McCane & Pete “The Feet” McDonald.