Janelle Saffin (Page, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As a fan of country music I would like to congratulate several established and up-and-coming exponents of the genre who have done the City of Grafton proud recently. The hugely talented Troy Cassar-Daley picked up six Golden Guitars at the 38th Country Music Awards of Australia in Tamworth. That took his career tally to 20 Golden Guitars and four ARIA music industry awards, which is not a bad effort for a boy who started out playing in a band called Little Eagle in the pubs and clubs of the Clarence Valley in northern New South Wales. I know that his Mum, Irene Daley, and old band mate, Andrew Hegedus, who is now managing Aboriginal housing across the North Coast, are very proud of Troy’s achievements as a recording artist and prominent Australian.

Troy shared the award for Vocal Collaboration of the Year with The McClymonts—sisters Brooke, Samantha and Mollie—who also hail from Grafton and who hosted this year’s awards. Samantha joked that there must be something in the Clarence Valley water because Grafton musicians dominated the prestigious talent competitions. Former south Graftonian Luke Austen took out the Toyota Star Maker competition, winning a recording deal, video clip and 12 months use of a car. A local, Aaron Bolton, was a finalist in the Road to Tamworth competition and budding instrumentalist Tullara Connors, of Ramornie, won the right to perform on the final day of the festival. All this has led to the suggestion that Grafton should stage an annual country concert, perhaps at Easter, with its home-grown stars returning to perform. I will be buying tickets for that show. (Time expired)