COUNTRY artists are a charitable bunch and the Tamworth Country Music Festival seems to bring this side to the fore.
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We're only on our fifth day and we've already had events including the annual Bush Balladeers Concert for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Country In The Vines and the Tamworth HOG Poker Run, both in aid of Ronald McDonald House, Country Turns Pink for The McGrath Foundation, the ABBA Jimmy Little Bronze Bust Fundraiser to raise money to build the next bronze bust in Bicentennial Park, and Lex K's been raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Still to come, we have the annual charity bowls challenge with Mayor versus Music Celebrities on Thursday for breast cancer; Westpac Charity Big Bush Bingo this morning and two wet t-shirt competition run by Dirty Pierre in aid of charity (for the over-18s and definitely not something I'll be entering), among others.
Country Cares is on tomorrow night, organised by Allan Caswell and involving a heap of his mates for Bush Telegraph which links farmers with retired farmers and volunteers to help them out with their mental health.
Also helping the farmers is Toyota's Concert for Rural Australia on Friday night in Bicentennial Park, which sees the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final opening the show, closed by Lee Kernaghan.
And now Kenny Rogers is jumping on board, raffling two autographed banners, that advertise his Tamworth show, for Buy A Bale. Even though he's from the US, he dug deep when he was in Tamworth last and donated about $20,000 to the Queensland Flood appeal and he's helping out again.
This festival has a wonderful atmosphere and part of that is because country music artists and their fans are so willing to give. It's not just about what they can get from the festival, but what they can give back. They are generous with their time and their talents, which surely endears the country music family to all other genres and gives festivals, like Tamworth, a friendly family atmosphere.
We've all been told it is better to give than to receive and the country music fraternity appear to be getting on board in a big way.
So, get out there, give back and you will be repaid in spaces.