| HOME |
| BIO |
| MERCHANDISE |
| ORDER FORM |
| TOUR DATES |
| NEWSLETTER |
| LINKS |
NEWSLETTER - March 21st 2008
|
VIETNAM VETS HONOURED IN GRAHAM RODGER'S NEW ALBUM RELEASE Vietnam Vets Australia wide have once again been honoured by Graham. Vets who took part in the Battle of Coral/Balmoral, which took place in Vietnam 13th May 1968, and raged for 26 days, have had their deeds recognised in song on the new album "The Fire Within Me" In 2006 Graham released the song, "The Battle Of Long Tan" which went on to win a number of Awards and gained final berth at the 2007 Golden Guitar. "This new album will stand as the benchmark for things to come" said Graham, "and we are very happy with the end product. Michael Fix did a great job as producer and managed to capture in the music the feel I wanted for the album". The album release will take place via a small tour around the South-East of Queensland. NEW CD LAUNCH Concert Dates Sunday, 6th April 2008 - Pioneer Village CMC - Petrie QLD - 2pm Tuesday, 8th April 2008 - Casino Golf Club NSW - 10.30am Saturday 12th April 2008 - Boonah CMC - Boonah Golf Club QLD - 7pm Sunday, 13th April 2008 - Ma Ma Creek Community Hall (via Gatton) QLD 1.30pm Sunday, 20th April 2008 - Tannymorel Hall (via Warwick) QLD 1.30pm Graham will be complimented with Guest Artists, Tony Wagner, Piano Player/Singer from Brisbane and Sharon Smith, Bass Guitar and Singer from Oakey. Graham has just returned from a very successful tour around Victoria and wishes to express his gratitude to the organisers of each show, the support of the audience and to the Vietnam Vets who fought in the Battle Of Coral, who were there to hear, shed a tear, and celebrate their song for the first time honouring their deeds and the mates they lost. "I chose the name of the album "THE FIRE WITHIN ME" because the songs I have chosen to include express all the feelings that I hold for this Southern Country of Mine, Australia, its people and out history" said Graham, "I proudly give you my Seventh Album" Graham austrakmusic@bigpond.com |
NEWSLETTER - March 1st 2008
|
Hello Everyone, as new news comes to hand I will update. If you could all take note of my new email address that would be great, austrakmusic@bigpond.com Tamworth was a wonderful success story for me. I took out four of the most prestigious songwriting awards, namely, National Songwriting Contest of Australia, The Songwriting Salute of Australia Country Ballad of the Year, The Songwriting Salute of Australia Country Song of the Year, The Songwriting Salute of Australia Comedy/Novelty of the Year. At Bungendore I was successful in winning the Male Vocal Section of the Year. I am very proud to announce the launch of my new CD "THE FIRE WITHIN ME". I won the National Songwriting Contest of Australia with a new song for this album called "A Saddle for a Throne". which contains songs of my love of this country, pride for its people and true life stories. I have songs from other writers on the CD again which I believe gives variety to the story telling. I recorded with Michael Fix who has won 3 Golden Guitars for his instrumental work, so the music is of a very high order. Jeanette Wormald accompanied me in a beautiful lullaby duet and did backing tracks for some of the songs. I went into a studio with the musicians and we all recorded together which gave me a great feeling for the songs hearing all the musical collaboration whilst I was singing. I must also say that it was a great experience for myself as I have never recorded this way before, great fun! "I was requested by the our Vietnam Vets of 1 and 3 RAR to write a song for them for their 40th Anniversary of a mighty battle called The Battle of Coral/Balmoral." I am proud to include the song "The Battle of Coral" on my new CD. Our concerts in Tamworth were a great success, the free smoko was a great opportunity for all our mates and friends to have a chat and get to know each other. We had a wonderful variety of talent as support acts. The ladies in the kitchen did a wonderful job catering for everyone and I was pleased there was not too much left over for me to polish off as the waistline is suffering a little lately. We plan to do different concerts next year and are doing a couple of evening shows as well. We had some bad luck coming home, the car, from the weight of the caravan, snapped its chassis mountings. On top of that we also had the gearbox break and clutch fluid was leaking so we had to wait for parts and availability of mechanics to fix the old car. Anyway we are back on the road again. We are looking for sponsors for a car, any takers? Graham austrakmusic@bigpond.com |
NEWSLETTER - November 27th 2007
|
LIVE CONCERT dvd "UNDER THE BIG BLUE SKY"
Around the campfire out in the central west
I am very excited about this new DVD. It captures everything that I have experienced throughout the past five years, friendship, laughs, sharing a drink or two, and the nights that I treasure singing around the campfire.
Well hello everyone, back again with all of my news. Firstly I am writing songs to be included in the new CD due to be out by February/March 2008. I am very excited about the songs, this will be my best I reckon. You can guess that we have a new DVD but later on that. I must tell you all of our time at the Gympie Muster. It was our first time performing there and we experienced the mud, Mud, MUD. As we drove into the area there was a sea of tents on every vantage point, and then there was the sea of water and mud. The country music fans were all dressed in Akubras, drizabones and gum boots, well the lucky ones were, the rest of us scrapped off as much of it as we could and hopped from one stub of grass to another. We loved it, contrary to the weather spoiling it, the atmosphere was only enhanced, and everyone was there to enjoy and listen and appreciate the music. There were competitions on the best "dressed" tents, but it's best I don't describe those. Entrepreneurs had rushed back to Gympie and bought up all of the gumboots and prices were reaching $100-$150 a pair. I had Ashley Cook and Tony Wagner with me in the band. Water levels were rising and we heard we were all cut off for a couple of days. We all had to get out so our intrepid little group planned our escape. Our convey left, to the cheers of the crowd, and we headed out on the Pie Creek Road. Tony only had a low-slung Ute so he was a worry. We reached a fast, deep flowing causeway, we were all worried, but Dad said, "Ah, that's nothing, when I was young we crossed worst than that!" Right! We young blokes were determined we were just as good. All our hearts were in our mouths, I think Tony's stopped for a while, but with the water halfway up his door he forged through in the wake of Ashley's four wheel drive. Much cheering and patting on each other's backs congratulating ourselves on how good we were. It has been wonderful meeting up with so many of you again through the year. It is really great saying hello again and catching up on your news. I am always amazed when someone comes up to me and says, "G'day Graham I met you when you were singing out at a caravan park. We really enjoyed ourselves". This DVD is all about those nights, nothing fancy just me and my guitar under the trees with all of my mates sitting back with either a cup of billy tea, dripping cocky joy all over themselves, or sipping wine or downing a beer. The DVD was taken just as it happens, me talking, you calling out comments, people chatting and laughing. So many good memories for which I want to thank you all. I have been travelling around this great country of ours now for five years and every concert is a memorable experience. I reckon this would be a great Xmas present to your loved ones so they know what fun their parents are having spending their inheritance. I'll give you a discount so you won't spend all of the inheritance. LAUNCH OF NEW DVD SPECIAL:- NORMALLY $25-00 PLUS POSTAGE - Email me for Special pre-Christmas price. Graham austrakmusic@bigpond.com GRAHAM RODGER - Friends & Supporters Order Form |
NEWSLETTER - March 7th 2007
|
Well what a year it's been for us. Tamworth saw us take out for the second year in a row, three TSA songwriting awards They were "The National Songwriting Contest of Australia" with the song "Woman on the Land", "The Songwriters Salute Award for Bush Ballad of the Year" with the song "What Country's All About", and "The Songwriters Salute Award of Australia" for country ballad of the year with the song "The Battle of Long Tan". It surely was a night to remember. We also had two finals nominations in the TIARA awards, four in The People's Choice Awards, and two in The Golden Guitar Awards. The highlight of the festival was undoubtedly being asked to perform on the golden guitar awards. I felt honoured indeed to have performed "The Battle of Long Tan" on behalf of all the men and women who served in that infamous war in Vietnam. We are currently working on having the song included in a major film which they hope to release in 2008. Following Tamworth Awards I was awarded the Stan Coster Memorial Award for "Songwriter of the Year".
Plans for this year include formulating a tour in SE Qld, as well as parts of Victoria and north east New South Wales. Dates will be advised as they come to hand. Some dates of appearances include: March 9 Morwell Vic Italian Australian Club March 10 Colac RSL Club Vic March 11 Warrnambool Vic March 16 - 26 Hobart then Launceston, Tasmania April 25-29 Boondooma CM Festival Qld May 4-5 Caboolture Urban CM Festival Qld May 25-28 Barham CM Festival Aug 30-Sep 1 Lismore CM Festival  We have recently released a new album "Thunderbolt" which is being well received amongst both the public and radio stations alike. The title track is the story of the much admired Captain Thunderbolt, alais Fred Ward. We have had an enormous amount of fun filming an upcoming video of the song. Even managed to include film of Thunderbolt being chased on horseback across the rugged New England terrain by Constable Alex Walker.
Other songs of note on the new CD include the beautiful moving ballad "Woman on The Land" which took out the National Songwriting Contest of Australia. Salute to RM is a tribute to one Australia's icons from the bush, and take a trip back in time to the good old days when we all had ourselves tucked inside a mozzie net. The track receiving the most airplay is still "The Battle of Long Tan". The song is going from strength to strength as Australians recognize the great deeds achieved by our Vietnam Vets during the tumultuous times of the sixties and seventies. A new single is set for release around May so keep your ears open for that one. All albums are available through One Stop Entertainment and your favourite record bar or can be ordered through this website, just follow the directions. I'll let you know where I'm off to for the winter months shortly. Thank you for your continued support of my music. Graham austrakmusic@bigpond.com GRAHAM RODGER - Friends & Supporters Order Form |