Home Forums General Forums Articles and Stories Tamworth Country Music 2009

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  • #101741
    Brian
    Member

    Hi

    Perhaps you are like us into Country Music and possibly attending the Tamworh Country Music Festival held over the next couple of weeks if so watch out for us as we will have our guide Wallace Lemeki possibly along with his ukulele with us.

    If you do spot us please do make yourself known to Wallace as he would sure like to meet you.

    I am giving a short talk along with a DVD on my Kokoda experience at the Underwood (Brisbane) library on the 29th I am hoping that Wallace will be there also.

    Not sure of the time yet but phone the library they should know by now.

    Brian

    17/01/09 Photo of Wallace with Davidson Brothers (Blue Grass) added
    Tamworth_resized.jpg

    #101740
    Boss Meri
    Member

    Spoke to Wallace and Brian and seems they are really enjoying Tamworth! Wallace said in the beginning he did not have the courage to get up on stage but yesterday he ended up singing two songs.

    Afterwards he mentioned that people were coming up to him and saying how they appreciated what the PNG people did for our diggers during the war and what guys like Wallace are doing now in safely walking trekkers across the Kokoda Track.

    I am sure Wallace will come back with lots of stories to tell us on his return.

    #101746
    Brian
    Member

    Hi

    Well we are all having a ball at Tamworth particularly Wallace as we have been attending many shows here. Wallace was invited to sing with the Davidson Brothers Australia's leading blue grass band but declined as it was too much for him. But when my mate Graham Rodger and his wife Dierdre asked him to come on their show he did and whilst very nervous as he had never been in front of a Microphone before he went very well indeed receiving a very big applause with many coming up and chating to him afterwards.

    Amongst many other things here Wallace has never been to a Rodeo and we are hoping to take him to his first this coming Saturday evening if we can get seats there.

    Has been early mornings and late nights so far but we are taking it easy this morning with a big late night tonight ahead of us today.

    Attached is a photo of Wallace on stage talking to the 200 odd people there just before he started singing which I took in video mode on my little digital camera for him to take home with him.

    One of Wallaces highlights was at the awards yesterday where the Australian Poem of the year was announced the poem which was called Kokoda. What a thrill it was for him coming from Kokoda to be there to not only hear it, but to be there also to hear it announced as the 'Australian Poem of the Year'. May be a few weeks before I get a copy and permission to do so but I am hoping to be able to put this Kokoda poem up on this forum.

    More later in the week.

    Brian
    Wallace2.jpg

    #101748
    Brian
    Member

    Wallace is still having a real exciting time seeing and hearing many things for the first time in his life.
    We were able to get virtually the last tickets for the Rodeo tonight, Saturdays were already sold out, and whilst Maureen attends another function I am taking wallace there for his first every Rodeo.

    Tomorrow morning we have the Festival Procession here quite a large one to and whilst the norm for us again something that Wallace has never experienced.

    Wallace has being eyeing off the Mandolins being used around the various performances but when I checked out the prices they were certainly beyond mine and his means. Was hoping that perhaps someone reading this may have one sitting there or know of one looking for a good home?

    Couple more photos attached one taken with Brendan Warmsley and my better half Maureen and another with the three of us in front of the big Golden Guitar.

    Still a few more days before we return to Brisbane.

    Brian
    Golden_Guitar_resized.jpg
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    #101755
    Brian
    Member

    Hi

    Well we all returned to Brisbane today after a really wonderful time with Wallace at the Country Music Festival with part of our enjoyment being with Wallace whilst he saw and experienced things for the first time in his life.

    We would normally drive straight up the highway to Brisbane about an 8 hour trip but on reaching Tenterfield we decided to leave the highway and use the back roads adding a couple of hours to the trip. We really went down the back roads narrow sealed and unsealed roads with a couple of sections of gravel farm roads thrown in travelling through rainforest areas as well as farming areas all of which gave Wallace a good idea of the country around here.

    I am sure we will all sleep well tonight.

    Wallace still has a few more days with us and I am sure that he will have much to tell and photos to show his family when he returns home.

    Attached is a photo of Wallace and Maureen with Mt Lindesay in the background
    Mt_Lindsay_resized.jpg

    #101765
    Brian
    Member

    Hi All

    Well Wallace has is now on his way back to Kokoda via Nathan's home on the Gold Coast after we arrived back from Tamworth we certainly needed a rest from the full on activity there but we still together with Wallace managed a Kokoda talk at a local library, shopping, walk with friends at Brisbane's Southbank, a BBQ with family and friends, church, country music afternoon and a visit and BBQ with family living at Redland Bay.

    We sure enjoyed Wallace's visit and am sure that he will have a lot to talk about together with the photos he is taking back when he gets back home to Kokoda.

    Photos of our walk at Southbank attached.
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