Featuring: Adam Brand, Beccy Cole, Felicity, Mitchell Shadlow and Melinda Schneider.

ADAM BRAND

Adam's grass roots policy paid off at the recent Toyota Country Music Awards, when he scooped up Golden Guitars for Song Of The Year ("Last Man Standing"), Video Clip Of The Year ("Last Man Standing") and New Talent. And earlier in the same week, Adam was awarded the coveted Tamworth Songwriters Association Best New Songwriter Award, for another of his own compositions, "Uncle Pete". While racking up the kilometers he's played hundreds of shows at clubs, pubs and anywhere else they'll have him. A publishing deal with Rondor Music led in turn to a recording contract with Festival Records. His self-titled debut hit the streets in July 1998, with a rapturously received industry launch at The Cave Nightclub at Sydney's Star City Casino.

A golden voice isn't a bad attribute as is his well-developed Tunesmithery skills. Adam wrote (or co-wrote) ten of his debut tracks, these compositions include the award-winning cut (and first single) Last Man Standing and Adam's second single, Grandpas Piano, which goes to show that's he's much more than just a good-looking newcomber in blue jeans and boots.

Now Adam Brand is not only Australian country music's Best New Talent,but he's also the face of Newcastle City Holden. Given that cars and country music have always maintained a tight relationship, what could be more natural.

While he may have a trio of Golden Guitars resting on his mantlepiece, Adam Brand has no plans to slow down. The dirt track cowboy has found his place in the world.

BECKY COLE

In February 1993 Beccy burst onto the national stage from her home town in Adelaide to win the prestigious Starmaker Award at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Just twelve months later Beccy was named Australian Country Music Best New Talent, when she was awarded a Golden Guitar for her debut single, "Foolin' Around" - Country Music had clearly announced Beccy Cole as their brightest new talent.

In 1997, Beccy signed a recording deal with Harveststone/Sony and established a publishing relationship with Polygram Music. The first single off the Beccy Cole album, "Big Girls," went to number one on the Country Music Airplay charts and remained there for eight weeks. The track also gained Beccy a finalist nomination in the category of Best Female Vocalist at the 1997 Australian Country Music Awards.

In her first year of album release Beccy was chosen to perform at every major Country Music Festival including The Gympie Muster, The Emerald Festival, The Norfold Island Festival and The Tamworth Country Music Festival. Her live performances earned Beccy a finalist nomination as Country Entertainer Of The Year. Confirmation of oncoming stardom came when Beccy received three nominations for the following awards at the 1998 Toyota Country Music Awards; Female Vocalist of the Year "Rest in Pieces", Vocal Collaboration of the Year "Can I Trade Him In" with Gina Jeffreys.
FELICITY

Being discovered busking on a street corner is the stuff of musical myths and fantasy, or so you'd think. But in the case of Felicity, truth really is stranger than fiction. As a fresh-faced twelve year old with a head full of songs, she set up on the legendary Peel Street in her hometown of Tamworth and her career has gone from strength to strength since.

During the course of her lengthy apprenticeship, Felicity has played everywhere from a stage set up on top of milk crates in a nowhere pub, to treading the boards at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, as well as being guest host on TV's top rating Sale Of The Century. Along the way she has collected MO Awards, been nominated for Golden Guitars and cut two albums independently.

And with the success of her recent singles "Country Girl (in an urban world)" and "Sugar Town", Felicity's major-label debut "Nothing To Hide", has become a highly anticipated release. She may have come a long way from Peel Street Tamworth but Felicity - as she reminded us in her recent hit single "Country Girl (in an urban world)", hasn't shaken off her rural roots. "When I go back to Tamworth, it's kind of a homecoming, the town's been great to me."