First line up announced for Hats Off To Country
The first round of headline acts for this year’s ‘Hats Off To Country’ Festival have been announced, including Golden Guitar winners Amber Lawrence, Brendan Radford and The Bushwackers, Dear Tommie, Mak & Shar and Jason Owen.
The popular mid-year festival will take place from 10-12 July, with performances to be held in venues right across Tamworth.
Tamworth’s re-imagined Bluebird Room at the Community Event Centre will play host to 2026 Golden Guitar winner Brendan Radford. It will also stage Strike a Chord, a brand-new show featuring Tamworth stars Aleyce Simmonds, Allison Forbes, Goldheist, Roz Pappalardo and Sally-Anne Whitten.
Tamworth Country Music Coordinator Cheryl Brown says “Hats Off To Country offers a variety of incredible country music acts on a smaller scale to the well-known January festival.
“Tamworth becomes a hub for singer-songwriters in July and offers cooler temperatures for those who prefer travelling in winter.”
The Festival began as a concert in 2000, to salute Australia’s king of country music Slim Dusty and has grown into a mid-year celebration of all thing’s country music right around the Tamworth Region.
Across three big days, Wests Entertainment Group will come alive with live music across Wests, Diggers and The Courts, featuring a stacked lineup of predominantly free shows.
Key artists include Dear Tommie and Mak & Shar, as well as country rock band Brock County, hailing from Sydney. Local acts The Newbees, Peel River Ramblers and Splashpool will also perform during a jam-packed weekend.
Jason Owen is also among the line up, set to sing Songs of John Denver and Glen Campbell at Diggers Showroom. His ticketed show, proudly supporting Doin’ It For Rural Aussie Kids.
At The Press Basement Bar, highlights include Songwriters At The Press hosted by Lawrie & Shelley Minson and The Bushwackers with Dobe Newton and Roger Corbett.
Amber Lawrence is bringing her Cowgirl To Me album tour to town on Tuesday, 7 July, for a special pre-festival treat to start the week.
The CMAA Junior Academy will run from 5-12 July, with the graduation concert aligning with the festival. The Academy is an intensive residential music course held in Tamworth, led by music professionals, mentors and industry leaders including Lyn Bowtell and Roger Corbett.
Moonshiners will host the Aussie Bush Ballad Concert hosted by Lorraine Pfitzner during the festival and Amber Joy Poulton will bring her Wine, Women & Song – Uncorked! to the popular venue where she’ll be raising a glass to the legends of country music.
Elsewhere, The Pub features local artist Matt Barratt & The Redflags and the TSA Showcase Writers In The Round, while The Longyard Hotel hosts local artists Redneck Gentlemen, Brother Hollow, with Jesse Vee & Cody Walker.
Festival goers can find Don Costa daily at Tamworth Shoppingworld, and local duo Twang featuring Kyle Cartner & Rusty Crook at the Post Office Hotel on Saturday night.
After popular line dancing lessons during the Toyota 54th Tamworth Country Music Festival in January, Chris Watson and Dare 2 Dance are bringing back lessons on Saturday from 1:30pm at Tamworth Shoppingworld and Saturday evening at the Oxley Bowling Club.
The Tamworth Songwriters’ Association artists will appear across the Oasis, The Pub and Post Office Hotels throughout the weekend.
While there will no longer be a concert held in July, the 2nd annual Tamworth Bush Ballad Awards will be announced during Hats Off, with nominees to be announced in coming weeks.
For the full program, visit the official website, hatsofftocountry.com.au