THE musical talent of young artists will be on show next month at the CMAA Junior Academy of Country Music.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Joining the list of singers, songwriters and musicians at the academy in Tamworth is Goondiwindi’s Mackenzie Timms.
“I’m super excited, but also a bit nervous,” she said.
“I come from Gundi, which is a small town, and I think that other people might have more experience.”
This is the first time the singer-songwriter has applied for the academy and she said she wanted to take a lot from the education side of the week-long intensive course.
“I’m hoping you learn a lot more to do with the music side of it,” she said.
“I’m also hoping someone might discover me down there, which would be really good. (Academy director) Lyn Bowtell is absolutely my favourite to work with and she was one of the people who encouraged me to apply for the academy. I met her when she did judging here and I performed back-up for her when she played here.”
Timms said she started singing in Year 4 when she joined the choir and taught herself how to sing and to play the guitar in Year 8.
She has been doing solo performances since then.
“I just love the thrill of entertaining people, especially when you see a smile on their face. It’s really good,” she said.
“Before my music teacher passed away, he told me to carry on the legacy, so I was determined to do it.
“I took about half a year of guitar lessons, but went back to teaching myself and have been doing vocal lessons now for close to 12 months.”
The Goondiwindi teenager said she grew up on country music, including Keith Urban and Patsy Cline, because that’s what she heard in the country town, .
One of the biggest highlights of the academy for the students who attend is meeting so many like-minded people of their own age.
“Friends at school think it’s a bit uncool, but I don’t really care,” she said.
“A couple of my friends are supportive, who are also country music fans.”
Her grandfather is Fibber, a favourite of the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
“He has helped me a lot,” she said.
Timms said she would like to make a career from music, travelling and playing everywhere.
She writes her own music and has about 30 half-completed songs and about six or seven completed.
