BARRY Harley, a titan of the local country music scene whose career has paralleled the history of the famous festival, has been recruited to a plum council role.
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Mr Harley will start as country music manager at Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) in late January after almost two decades as general manager of Rural Press Events.
The local 2013 business leader of the year has a close affiliation with the festival, starting as a humble stage design artist for the Golden Guitar Awards in the mid-70s.
A former board member of the Country Music Association of Australia, Mr Harley is chairman of the Country Music Festival Stakeholders Group and played a pivotal role in Star Maker, Capital News and creating the Toyota Country Music Theatre at TRECC.
He said he was relishing the prospect of helping guide the future of the festival from 2016.
“The festival is so important to Tamworth,” Mr Harley said.
“It has been a large part of my life for some four decades and I am looking forward to helping create an environment where country music entrepreneurs can flourish.”
TRC mayor Col Murray said council had been fortunate to secure the services of one of the most experienced country music operators in the nation.
“Barry understands what makes Tamworth tick and he absolutely reflects the culture of the community,” Cr Murray said.
“He’s such a strong part of the festival’s history and a very pro-active player.
“He’s helped create and maintain a number of significant events and he will be a great attribute going forward.”
