For many years now it has been one of the most popular gigs during the festival.
The Bill Chambers Sessions fill the room at The Pub, which is named after the singer and musician who has played there every festival for almost 20 years.
During the 1990s, Chambers’ family band, the Dead Ringer Band, had performed at the festival and won three Golden Guitars along the way before daughter Kasey launched her solo career in 1999.
In 2000, Chambers and the late Audrey Auld started playing hillbilly jam sessions at The Pub, where the concert area is now called the Bill Chambers Room.
After Auld moved to Nashville, the Tamworth shows became known as the Bill Chambers Sessions, and over the years many guest artists and emerging singers have performed on the show, and you never know who will turn up to sing.
“They like the casual atmosphere and the fact that I never know what I’m doing,” Chambers said, when asked what the audience likes about his gig.
“I’m very lucky, I get a lot of artists come along here. Some of the are pre-arranged and some aren’t.
“Sometime I’ll spot a face in the audience and say ‘C’mon, get up here’ and it’s totally spur of the moment. I’ve got a great band and they seem to be able to handle that,” he said.
“Sometime we try to hard to organise things. If we just let it happen, that’s when the magic happens.”
Chambers said his favourite memories included the gigs with Audrey, as well as the time Jim Lauderdale from Nashville
“We’ve had some great artists on this stage,” Chambers said, before mentioning Canadian Fred Eaglesmith who appeared on the show one year.
This year, Chambers has Lucky Oceans in his band, playing pedal steel. Oceans was part of the great western swing band in America, Asleep At The Wheel.
“He’s a total legend,” Chambers said.
“He’s been living in Perth for quite a long time now, and he hadn’t been here (to the festival) for 15 years, so we said ‘mate, it’s time you came back’. He’s quite a character and one of the best pedal steel players in the world and he sings as well, so we’re very glad to have him.”
