Donna Jones
Thirty budding troubadours, balladeers and singer/songwriters have signed up to be part of the 2023 Song Muster.
The popular song-writing workshop is in its third year, all with the help of major sponsor the Gympie Branch of the Bendigo Community Bank, with Senior Lecturer in Music at QUT, Gavin Carfoot, once more at the helm.
Musicians from across the country are champing at the bit to take part, from as far afield at WA, SA, Vic, and closer to home, Emerald, Miles and Rockhampton.
The workshop will start next Monday (26 June) and will run for 4 days, culminating in a private concert for the participants, who come from diverse ages and backgrounds from teens up to over 50s.
That will be the opening act for when the participants will all have an opportunity to perform their newly penned songs for patrons at the 2023 Gympie Music Muster on Friday, 25 August.
The group will light up the stage in the Dodge Tavern from 3-5pm on the Friday night, performing their songs for a real, live audience with the potential exposure to thousands of people, not to mention movers and shakers in the Australian Music Industry.
The daunting task of mentoring the participants falls once more to Golden Guitar winner Melody Moko, QMA winner Jen Minze and her band The Rough ‘n Tumble, husband and wife team Lawrence Menard and Clare Quinn from Those Folk and Gympie rocker Linc Phelps.
All have themselves performed at the Gympie Music Muster and all bring with them a broad knowledge of not just writing and composing music, but of performing and industry business acumen too.
Co-creator of the Song Muster and herself an acclaimed classic singer, Kerri Eaton said the Song Muster concept is poised to take off.
“People are really noticing that we’re doing this,” she said.
“We’re really hoping to expand it in the future and bring about this vision after this year.
“I also want to let people know that we really have to thank the Bendigo Bank – this is their third year of sponsoring this.
“I want to thank them for seeing its potential,” Ms Eaton said.