TAMWORTH will be beamed to the world tonight as Music City Roots broadcasts for the first time outside of Nashville at the Tamworth Town Hall.
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Nashville’s weekly country music variety show, Music City Roots, is hosted by American music industry icon Jim Lauderdale and the show at Tamworth Town Hall will feature a mix of Americana music, old time Grand Ole Opry-style radio and a touch of Tamworth all mixed into one.
The star-studded line-up includes Elizabeth Cook and David Jacobs-Strain from the USA and Australian flavour from Tamworth’s own Felicity Urquhart and 2007 Toyota Star Maker Kirsty Lee Akers.
Music City Roots is streamed worldwide as well as broadcast on radio and plays to packed audiences every Wednesday night at Nashville’s iconic Loveless Cafe in a barn behind the venue called the Loveless Barn.
Co-executive producer Todd Mayo said Dobe Newton had been a real connection between Nashville and Tamworth as he attended the Americana festival every year in the US.
“We started talking and he said we should do the broadcast from Tamworth,” he said.
“We got talking to Tim Daley from CMC and they are televising the show on Sunday nights, and we don’t even air on television in the states.”
Todd said they wanted to plant the flag of music all over the world. He said the show was the result of a collaboration between Australian and US artists and radio people.
Fellow co-executive producer John Walker said he was excited about the opportunity to bring the show to Tamworth.
“Music City Roots has been an international vision from its inception, so we are extremely excited that Australia will be the first to welcome the show on another continent,” he said.
“We’ve always loved the fact that Australia has a broader definition of country music that is more in line with ours. We’re looking forward to a wonderful cultural exchange and the beginning of a long-term partnership that is perfectly aligned with the Music City Roots mission to eliminate borders of all kinds when it comes to art and music of integrity.”
Jim Lauderdale, who’s on his fourth visit to Tamworth. said the closer for the deal to bring the show to Tamworth was the visit by Tamworth Regional Council representatives to Nashville.
“I am so impressed by the quality of musicianship and songwriting and the passion of the fans here,” he said. “I love the uniqueness of this town.”
Everyone involved is already talking about how they will repeat it next year.
Catch the live broadcast at the town hall tonight from 8pm.
