FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MEDIA RELEASE
 As two of the country’s most well respected country singer songwriters, multi-Golden Guitar winners Graeme Connors and Melinda Schneider are joining forces for a string of special tour dates throughout Western Australia in October.
The Heartland Tour is a rare opportunity for audiences to get an insight into the inspiration behind some of the most beautiful songs in Australian country music history. Graeme and Melinda will share the stage for the night, telling stories about their lives and their music, and supporting each other in song. Unlike many co-headlining tours which feature individual sets by each artist and a quick joint song as the finale, The Heartland Tour will see Graeme and Melinda share the stage for the entire show, performing new material from their 2011 releases and old favourites. This is a chance for audiences to hear some of the best of country music, in an intimate and special setting. Opportunities like this don’t come along very often, and its certain The Heartland Tour will be an unforgettable experience.
It goes without saying that Graeme Connors and Melinda Schneider are two of the most respected songwriters in the Australian country scene, and have both carved themselves incredible careers as singers. They’re widely reputed for their incredible live shows, and the honesty and empathy of their songs has earned them fans around the globe, and a swag of the country’s biggest accolades to prove it. As long time friends, and music collaborators, it was only a matter of time before they joined forces out on the road.
“I’ve known Melinda, both professionally and personally, for quite some time,” Graeme says. “We’ve co-written together, and long admired each other’s work. Melinda has a great ability as a performer and songwriter. Our paths were always going to unite in this way, and now the time has come to do it.” Melinda explains that the topic of heading out on tour together has been bandied about for a few years. “It’s something we’ve been talking about,” she says. “Graeme is one of the best songwriters, he is world class.”
The concept of hosting the concert series in a different manner, by both being onstage together at all times, was a joint decision. “We wanted it to be different,” Melinda says. “Because we’re both writers and we love songs, and each other’s songs, we wanted to share the stage. We’ll do duets, and backing vocals. It will be like ‘writers in the round’.” Graeme agrees, saying the tour is the ‘songwriters’ concert’ and will give people an insight that they wouldn’t ordinarily see. “We’ve got a good knowledge of each other’s songs,” he says. “We’ll focus on each other’s songs, and songs that have been written in a similar theme, but from a different perspective.”
Graeme Connors is easily one of Australia’s most loved, and respected, songwriters. He creates cinematic-style stories with music and effortlessly crosses genres from folk, pop to contemporary and country. With a career spanning 35 years, featuring 17 albums, 14 Golden Guitars, an ARIA, two APRA songwriting awards, two American Song Festival Awards, two MO awards, 12 Tamworth Songwriters Association Awards and a prestigious Songmaker accolade for his contribution to songwriting, Graeme is well placed to tell the stories of Australia. Graeme’s 2009 album Still Walking earned him his latest collection of Golden Guitars and further proved he can write about anything. He is one of those performers who will never stop making music, and if his latest offering At The Speed of Life, released in August, is anything to go by, the inspiration is boundless and his music just keeps getting better.
Melinda Schneider also doesn’t need an introduction to music fans. Dubbed as one of the artists paving the way with a ‘new-breed’ country, Melinda has earned acclaim at the US as well as at home. With six albums under her belt, including six Golden Guitars and multiple ARIA nominations, her songs have also found their way onto the albums of some of Australia’s most endeared performers such as John Farnham, Billy Thorpe, Olivia Newton-John and Paul Kelly, to name a few. Melinda has also been a starring member of the reality TV show Dancing with the Stars and has recently been touring nationally with her Melinda Does Doris album as a stage show. Melinda celebrates the release of her new double album in October Life Begins at 40 which features a cross section of the most popular music from her career to date. This is only the start for Melinda, who bravely touches on some of the rawest emotions in her songs, telling the stories that have touched many lives, including her own.
Don’t miss these exciting evenings of Country Music at Its Best with Graeme Connors and Melinda Schneider as they bring The Heartland Tour to Western Australia in October. More dates for The Heartland Tour to be announced around Australia in the coming months.
TOUR DATES
Wednesday 26th October 2011
Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, BUNBURY WA
Ph: 1300 661 272 | www.bunburyentertainment.com
Thursday 27th October 2011
Cummins Theatre, MERREDIN WA
Ph: (08) 9041 3295 | www.cumminstheatre.com.au
Friday 28th October 2011
Goldfields Arts Centre, KALGOORLIE WA
Ph: (08) 9088 6900 | www.goldsfieldartscentre.com.au
Saturday 29th October 2011
Esperance Civic Centre, ESPERANCE WA
Ph: (08) 9083 1566 | www.esperanceciviccentre.com
Sunday 30th October 2011
Albany Entertainment Centre, ALBANY WA
Ph: (08) 9844 5005 | www.albanyentertainment.com.au
Graeme Connors album At The Speed of Life is out now. Melinda Schneider’s album Life Begins at 40 is due out late October 2011.
www.graemeconnors.com | www.melindaschneider.com
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