Banjo player Chloe Nott is no stranger to the public of Tamworth and is often seen picking out bluegrass on the streets of the country music capital. 

Sponsored by McDonalds, Tamworth, Chloe will join the academy as a member of the band, after musician Lawrie Minson encouraged her to apply for the two-week intensive course.

The course runs for the fortnight before the Tamworth Country Music Festival starts and involves professional country artists who tutor the students in all aspects of the music industry, including business, musicianship and songwriting.

Chloe said she wanted to meet new musicians and learn about the music industry.

The Tamworth musician has been playing for seven years, after she saw people playing the banjo and liked how fast they played.

“It seemed fun,” she said.

“Academy was a good opportunity and Lawrie organised it for me. I want to keep playing and learning and performing.”

Chloe has been teaching herself, with the help of local musicians, for the past five years and took out the Nundle Pickers Comp and Battle of the Bluegrass this year during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

After attending the academy Chloe said she would possibly go to university to study music next year after finishing school and hoped to play in bands.

“I love country music for the diversity of it, with bluegrass being part of that,” she said.

Before the Tamworth festival, Chloe has the Woodford Folk Festival, then academy, and during the Tamworth festival she will be busking and playing at Andrew Clermont’s Supper Club.