OBERON singer-songwriter and guitarist Mickey Pye knew what he wanted when he took the stage for the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final – to win – and win he did.
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Against strong contenders Gretta Ziller and Dana Hassall, Pye took to the stage with a confidence and showmanship that comes from experience in the industry and the desire to succeed.
He said it was a special moment to win, but he couldn’t help feel guilty at the same time.
“I feel guilty because I’ve been on the losing side, too,” he said.
“Gretta and Dana still have bright futures in country music. I’m obviously excited, but although I won, there are two people who didn’t.”
Pye was a Toyota Star Maker finalist in 2010 and said he hoped it was the hard work he had invested since that loss that got him the win this time.
“I went out and worked hard and have done 600 since last Star Maker,” he said.
“This has been the best Tamworth (festival) ever. Things seem to be going my way.”
When he’s not playing for artists including Travis Collins, Tania Kernaghan and Beccy Cole, Pye runs the Bathurst Academy of Music with more than 120 students and six teachers.
With his Toyota Star Maker prize including the use of a new Rav 4 and fuel card for 12 months, Pye said he wanted to go out to regional and remote schools and connect with young people.
“It’s important that young people are inspired. They are the future of country music and I think we need to grow the genre,” he said.
The crowd at the Toyota Concert for Rural Australia were certainly behind Pye with more than 40 signs supporting him held by fans, friends and family from Bathurst and Oberon.
Among them were Michelle and Georgia Heeney from Bathurst.
“We are really excited for him,” they said.
They said they believed Pye would use his Star Maker year well.
“He’s brilliant,” Georgia said.