I had gone through a tough time and the one thing that made me happy was to listen to country music.

It was the music I was brought up on, as my dad blasted it through the house and in the car over and over and over again.

I loved writing songs with my mates Matt and Adele Wakeling, so one year we decided, just for fun, to write some country songs and go to Tamworth and have a go at busking in Peel St.

One of the songs was Chick Ute, which became an anthem for the ute girls.

In January my husband and I hooked up our lime-green caravan and took off to Tamworth with my sister, Liesel, Phil Davidson, mum, dad and all the gang to have a lot of fun camping and caravanning at Bendemeer.

(Matt and Adele had twins six weeks before Tamworth, so the plan changed a little.) 

So what started out as a visit to Tamworth to busk has led to two Golden Guitar nominations, three albums, a swag of hit songs and video clips, getting signed to ABC Music and having my artwork on the side of two trucks, thanks to Wickham Freight Lines (one truck will be there for the festival).

I now have the honour of touring the country with my band, flying the flag for Australian country music.

For me, Tamworth is where it all began, and coming back just reminds me that if we had not hooked up the caravan that year and headed off to the hot and steamy Peel St, lugging our PA and trying not to upset the busker outside the shop next door, I would not be writing this little piece.

So a big thanks, Tamworth! JD started here!