Slim Dusty CMF 

Hi country music tragics. Now dont worry, its not an insult as I have jumped on the band wagon and yes...now a true convert to the aural pleasures

of this fine genre. Well alot has certainly happened soince my last blab, oops I mean Blog. Yes its been a few years that's for sure.

Although I have slowed down in the show department I am still keeping my toes in the water and my next shows will be at the Slim Dusty CMF in my home town of Kempsey. Although I left Kempsey many years ago, I still hold wonderful memories of growing up in what I know to be a beautiful country town with stunning scenery and many characters that make the town what is is today.

 The Slim Dusty Festival celebrates the life and music of one of this countries true music pioneers-Slim Dusty. I am very honoured and proud to be invited back to sing and reconnect with my roots.

The festival is held each year at the Kemspey showgrounds and if you havent been to the Slim Dusty Centre, even if you arent a country music fan, you will be delighted with the history and interactive displays they have on offer. It really is very impressive.

Anyways, I am looking forward to the weekend and hope to see some familiar faces.

Cheers KJ

 

Sheep, deer and lobsters- my post NZ tour blab 

Is it just me or can everyone feel the winter coming on ? Okay so today is overcast & a tad miserable & okay we actually have had some sensational autumn weather here in the Byron Shire so I cant complain but winter shall be upon us in no time. I think my last  update was banging on about our New Zealand tour that Steve Passfield & myself embarked upon. WOW, what hoot that was. It was so lovely to connect with my Kiwi family & see little Rabbit my Godson who I hadnt seen since I went there last year to birth him. He is such a cutee & his big sister Matilda is a funny little character indeed. We started our lovely ground roots tour with an intimate house concert at the Nook Grandeur. A picturesque property located in Lake Hawea just outise of Wannaka at the home of Jamie & Vikki Urghuart. Kindly sponsored by Anna van Riel it was a sweet night that turned a little awnry when a guest brought out the Tequila shots ( did'nt it Passy?)  Being a ground roots tour organised by Anna, we truly experienced an amazing time & played in far out places like the Last Light  Backpackers in Tuatapere right down in the south west of the island where the road simply ends, holding the oldest living dinosaur at the Invercargil museum where we played a daytime set, being wined & dined at the Barnyard Backpackers on a deer farm in  Te Anau with my talented NZ music partner Anna van Riel doing support, visiting the epicentre of the big earthquake Littleton & playing the whacky Wunderbar nightclub, rocking the markets at Queenstown not to mention the West coast adventure of a house concert for Dan & Cath - owners of the Wildside Backpackers ( & wild it was) & playing a hunters pub on none other than the evening of the world cricket finals NZ v's Australia. We couldnt help but wonder how things would go if the Aussies won as there were about 80 deer antlers & assorted goats heads displayed on the walls as trophies with the hunters name proudly displayed next to them. Well the Aussies did get up but luckily its a shooters town not sport & the local cattle sale was on the next day so half way through our gig in tramps a bunch of cattlefolk to liven things up..luckily no  Aussie musos were hurt in the process.
 We played a great show at Gore the country music capital of NZ & met a whole bunch of great people there. Thanks again to the Gore country music club for donating their club house for our show, very generous indeed. Oh,I had forgotten the house concert at Tim Taylors  sheep station in Kingston. There we were high up a hill with stunning views overlooking the Queenstown Lake with a bunch of wonderful folk. Tim spoilt us with fresh lamb & 5 great big whopping lobsters at midnight cooked up in a cream & garlic sauce. Oh man, we were spoilt rotten & truly treated like rockstars. We stayed in peoples homes like Gore folk Rosemary & Eun who again fed, housed & watered us & made us feel like family. Another gorgeous host was NZ folk star Liv McBride from the award winning duo Into The East, also Kath & fam in Christchurch who risked her life to get us to the bus on time to Wannaka and we had a delightful stay at Willemina van Riels gingerbread cottage after our gig at the Luggate Hotel.What have I forgotten? Probably lots, it was a HUGE 16 days but one I will never forget. We sold lots of albums & met so many wonderful people & it felt good to be back in NZ where I feel one day I will live. Massive thanks to Anna who threw this tour together last minute with two wee babies ( NZ-ers say "wee" instead of little or small..cute hey) & gave both Steve & I an amazing tour that was so rich in so many ways. Thanks Miss Annie, we love you lady. 
 SO- here are some gigs coming up if you wish to catch us soon.
Fri 24th April - Courthouse Hotel Murwillumbah 6pm
Sat 25th April - Cherry st Bowling Club Ballina
Sat 9th May - Wagner Awards Sydney
Sun 24th May - Tyalgum Hotel NSW


That's about it for me at the moment folks, I hope you are all well & don't forget if you wish to purchase a copy of Lil Gypsy then go to the music tab on this website & its available digitally or hard copy.Take care & I hope to see you at a show somewhere.
xxx KJ

Home Town Launch 

G'day folks,
 well its been awhile since my last post as I have been off galavanting about the town at Tamworth in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival then no sooner was I home that I flew back to Sydney to join Steve Passfield for 3 Sydney shows. Our Sydney launch of the new album Lil Gypsy at the Berowra RSL was such a great night. With entertaining performances from the BUGS ( Berowra Ukulele Group ) and a stunning set from my good friend, Northern Rivers singer/songwriter Evelina Piga the evening was a complete delight. Steve was in top form as usual and entertained the crowd as he does so well and played beautifully.
Whilst in Sydney Steve and I started on a fun project recording a uke album. Not sure when we will finish that but we promise to let you know.
 Next on the agenda is some shows and another cd launch back in our hometown of Kempsey. Both Steve and I were raised in Kempsey and even though we didn't know each other growing up we share the same love for the Macleay Valley which gives us a special bond that shows when we play together.
We will be doing a full 3 hour show at the Freddo Golf Club on Fri night, a bush house concert on the Sat night ( I am super excited for this, thanks a million Gail & Chissel Cheers for being such gracious hosts ) and then to top it off we head up bush and finish with a show at the good old Willawarrin Hotel on the Sunday. 
 Its been a massive effort so far this year juggling family and touring but I have a strong team behind me and I feel very blessed to be able to follow my dream and make music with people I love. Huge thanks to my husband Phil Sheridan for holding the fort and to my wonderful boys Sebastian, Jasper and the two littlies that have grown into fine young independent men Oliver and Kasey-Joe. I certainly am not your average mum and my kids certainly haven't had the most "normal" upbringing but we all work together as a team and do our best to support each other in our passions and that's what counts the most.
 Steve Passfield is such an exciting artist to work alongside and sometimes I am very challenged. I love a challenge. I am becoming a finer musician because of all the input and direction he offers and again I am blessed to be playing music with him.
 So maybe we will see some of you at one of our upcoming shows. Holy moly- just realised the shows are this weekend coming. Ahhhh, panic buttons. Gotta go tie up some loose ends. Stay well people.

Its December...what the heck !! 

How the heck did we get here folks? And where did 2014 slip away to? Well I for one will be glad to see a new year come as this Year of The Horse has had me galloping off in all directions.

 Quick re-cap: Tamworth CMF in January, March saw a mini tour back to Tammy with my band The Southern Stallions as guest act at the Nundle Picnic Day ( shame it was rained out after our first set )  plus Sydney shows and pre-production with Steve Passfield on my new spandangled album.

An extended NZ trip to the south island to primarily birth my dear friend Anna van Riels' bubba but I managed to slip in some songwriting with the songs making it onto the album. Not long home from NZ and I was off to the Port Stephens Country and Blues Music Festival playing some great shows with Steve.

September we headed off to the Bony Mountain Music Fest hosted by the infamous Norma O'Hara Murpghy( now was'nt that a hoot), followed by a trip to my hometown of Kempsey to play at the wonderful Slim Dusty Country Music Memories Week in October. Not finished yet..throw in numerous trips to Sydney to record at Steve's great studio and the Canberra CMF in November.

Phew, yep, its been a HUGE year. But at the end of it I have a spunky new album ( can't wait to play you all my new tunes ) Steve has done an amazing job peoples, my family are all healthy and well and I am in tip top shape. Okay, that's a little fib, I am still trying to shed some kilo's after my NZ stay where there was a French chef who made the most glorious deserts mmmmm, but other than that life is rosy.

 And on that note, I wish you all a very safe, happy and joyous festive time. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope you all have many moments of inner peace, good fortune and are surrounded by people who love you.

See you in the big "T" kids ( that's Tamworth for all my non-country friends)
Lotsa love xxx Jonesy

New Album, Tamworth and itchy feet 

Howdy folks, well what a HUGE year it has been for lil' ol Jonesy. I don't even know where to begin so I will try & be as brief as possible. Not easy for someone like me who spends 90% of her day yapping. Well first off, my new album, or should I say "our" new album, meaning Steve Passfields' & mine is almost ready. I cannot truly claim this album as my own because in all honesty it has been a complete collaboration. Steve who took on the very brave role of producing my 3rd album has endured many a storm this year with a certain cowgirl being  probably a little too precious, a little too precocious & possibly a little too impossible. Steve has so graciously worked his magic on my songs adding that special touch that only years in the industry & a fierce passion for music can create. He has been amazing to work alongside & I am so very excited to show you all the fruits of our labour. And trust me - labour it was at times.Thanks Steve...I did warn you though.
 Tamworth is just around the corner & if you take the time to checkout my show schedule you will see I am going to be a busy beaver. Shows with my beautiful friend Clelia Adams as well as our comedy variety show "The Mad Mullum Mob" debuting at the festival with bush poet Ray Essery, guitarist Adrian Davis & special guest Steve Passfield will keep me real busy. Steve & I have a stack of shows & one I am excited about is at Tamworth's most talked about boutique venue " The Square Man Inn". Great food, great staff & such a vibey but relaxed restaurant. Make a booking though to avoid missing out. I am trying to get fit vocally as well as physically for Tamworth as I packed on 8 kilos over winter-erfff, too many Mars Bars at midnight after a gig. Red Rock Deli chips don't help as well. Damn! Anyways, doing my best to shape up to present the new album well & give it my best shot. 
 All year I have had "itchy feet" & have loved getting out & about. I've been tripping off all over the shop.March saw me off to the south island of New Zealand to help my gorgeous friend Anna van Riel birth her second baby ( nice excuse to visit the beauifiul south island ) then back & forth to Sydney to record at Steve's Berowra studio, ran a workshop & performed for the Hornsby Bugs Ukulele group & played some new festivals.It was my first time at Norma O'Hara's Bony Mountain Festival which was such a unique experience, also was invited back to my hometown of Kempsey to sing at the Slim Dusty Country Music Memories Week & made lots of new friends there. I also performed at the Port Stephens Bluewater CMF & again made some great new friends ( I think I stole them from Steve he he he ) & just recently travelled with Steve to the Canberra Country Blues & Roots Festival. I have very much been the little Gypsy indeed.
 I am enjoying my time at home now, catching up with family duties ( I even made banana chocky muffins today ) Yeah, I know, not great for the waistline but heck- Tamworth's a bit away yet.
 So I hope all is well with my fans & friends out there. Stay well & maybe i will see a few of you in Tammy

What's In A song ? 

Well well well, here I find myself in the midst of writing tunes ( hopefully good ones..whatever that means) for this next album. Scrounging through bits of scrap paper, torn receipts with random words scrawled in all corners, flipping pages and pages of note pads that have absolutely no order to which the information has been recorded and frantically scrolling through 100's of entries in my notes page on my iphone to rediscover that amazing hidden gem of a lyric that will make this "good" song a "brilliant" song.
 Why is it that some songs just flow out like honey and others ya gotta kinda scrape out like home brand crunchy peanut butter that your boys have left out for 3 months with the lid off. What's in a good song anyway? Ok, so you may say the usual, a good lyric, nice melody, some say it's about the "groove", others go on about the structure - hell, there are so many variations and opinions on what makes a great song that at times I find myself swallowed up in the technical side of writing and chasing that elusive recipe that I drain myself of all inspiration and I forget what I am writing about in the first place. Then there's the post mortem of taking your precious little baby to another songwriter and/or your producer ( Steve Passfield in my case) and surrendering up my little virginal scrawlings for the slaughter..ahhhhhhh. This is a most excrutiating moment for me. Oh I am sure there are many songwriters out there not nearly as attached to their inner "vomitations" (ewww, that's a horrible word, is that a word, well it is now- I'm a songwriter and we make up words lol) but for me this "sharing" opens up a universe of terror. Ok, so yes I see you rolling your eyes.I'm a drama queen, its not like I am going to beheaded because a line does'nt fit the phrasing or it needs rewording to actually make sense ( this country music genre seems to have a liking for making sense ..now how about that ) Being from a rock/folk background I find myself  cringing at the rawness of pulling apart an obscure sentence (which probably came to me after indulging too much ) and re-moulding it into a more direct, no nonsense form of communication. Of course, I can see the benefits of this for the audience I am playing to at the majority of my gigs AND I can see how this does embellish songs but for me its like going from full cream milk down to skim- you know its possibly a better choice for your overall health but it does take getting used to . Now did everyone understand that? So you can possibly understand my resistance and challenges in moving out of the old into the new. Luckily I am in good, strong, solid hands with Steve.Slowly I am allowing my well guarded creative fortress to be dismanttled piece by piece and you know what- its not nearly as painful as I think it is. I am not saying I am totally at ease with the whole process  but working with such a patient,experienced writer and someone who can sit there whilst I go into looney land fumbling through my explainations as to what the line is about which you know, at times can be simply unexplainable, has been a really valuable experience. So onwards I march toward this new album with great gusto along with trepidation. And still I question "Whats in a Song - your thoughts? 

Head in the dust and rump in the air 

Howdy folks, well what a stupendous time I had at the Port Stephens Country and Blues Festival early this month. Played some great shows alongside the hilarious Steve Passfield  as well as Australia's No:1 champion yodeller , the amazing Johanne Hemara . Met some awesome folk, danced my cowgirl jig for the masses and watched a great performance from Catherine Britt as well as legendary rock star Ian Moss. 
 But now, back to work for lil 'ol Jonesy. I am making a new album with Steve Passfield and my orders are to put my head down and rump up and get stuck into songwriting. Oh that may seem easy for some but for this little chicken distraction always seems to come into play with friends dropping by for coffee 'n' catchups, beachwalks with the winter sun shining and little discreet visits to our cutesy op- shops ( we have alot here in the Northern Rivers) that seem to swallow up my time and spare change. Naughty naughty me ! Steve and I have penned a handful of tunes together and I have a whole bunch that I have been sitting on for awhile now so hopefully there will be some gems for this new album. Collaborating with another songwriter has been quite a new experience for me and at times I just feel like a shag on a rock, other times I am proud of my contributions- a bit of a roller coaster ride actually. But I am certainly learning alot and I feel we have some great tunes that will appeal to those who like my last album Yesterday's News. 
 Anyways, enough time wasting..again, back to it kids. See you all at a show or a festival hopefully.
 Happy days,
cowgirl kisses
xxxx

New Website 

This online porthole will give you snapshots into my colourful, vibrant world of making music at Australias most easterly, magical point Byron Bay. I hope you enjoy exploring my site and please feel free to drop me a line.