Almost upstaging the trucks, utes and hot rods at Alexandra are the musical performers ready to shine under the spotlight.
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Entertaining the crowds this year are Andrew Swift and Billie-Jo Porter.
Andrew Swift
With three ARIA #1 albums and three CMAA Golden Guitar Awards to his name — most recently Male Artist of the Year 2023 — Andrew Swift is one of Australia’s most discerning storytellers.
His debut album, Call Out For The Cavalry, earned him a whopping four Golden Guitar nominations in 2019, from which he took home gongs for Alt Country Album of the Year and New Talent of the Year.
His sophomore effort, The Art of Letting Go, came three years later, after a signing with ABC and a whirlwind of touring alongside some of the genre’s biggest names — The Wolfe Brothers, Catherine Britt and Shannon Noll, to name a few.
The new record became the fifth highest selling Australian Country Music album in 2021.
Hits like Head Full of Honey and Say The Word spun light-hearted stories of courtship and calamity through a sonic lens that pushed the boundaries of the genre.
Swift’s latest album, Lightning Strikes and Neon Nights, is his most daring yet.
Produced by Matt Fell (Troy Cassar-Daley, Fanny Lumsden), it mixes Swift’s signature grit with retro soundscapes and contemporary rhythms.
Despite his meteoric ascent he’s immensely passionate about helping those following in his footsteps. It’s this same compassion that earned him the mantle of official ambassador for Gundagai’s Dog on the Tuckerbox.
Billie-Jo Porter
Billie-Jo Porter.
Singer-songwriter Billie-Jo Porter’s rootsy sound flirts with Country, Americana and Indie Folk to create music that heals.
Chasing thrills around North America on a shoestring budget, Porter spotted a poster for a Canadian yoga festival and the wheels of change began to turn.
“Attending one of the talks I finally got quiet enough to listen to the voice inside me that reminded me music was my true calling, where I could do the most good.”
She returned to Australia to begin work on her debut album, Billie-Jo Porter, enlisting Alt-Country heavyweight Shane Nicholson in the producer’s seat.
“As I geared up to record my album, I couldn’t help but wonder — what if this was my only shot at leaving a musical mark on the world? I quickly realised that I wanted to have fun, spread happiness and infuse some pure joy into people’s lives.”
Her freshman release led to numerous accolades — semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition, finalist in Unsigned Only and finalist in the prestigious Toyota Star Maker Competition.
The album scaled the ARIA Country Albums chart to #4 and was featured as ABC Country’s Album of the Week.
A near-constant touring schedule emerged, including support slots for Thirty Merc, Tim Freedman and The Sunny Cowgirls, as well as festivals: Groundwater Country Music Festival, Boots & Beach, Tamworth Country Music Festival and Bello Winter Music Festival.
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