Star Maker

01/08/2025

IT'S OUT!!

Congratulations to our very own Toyota Star Maker winner Felicity Kircher on the release of her new single Fair Weather!

Go and give it a listen!

Felicity said, “The night before I was due to record, I took the concept and phrase ‘fair weathered friend’ to Lottie McLeod, who is one of my best friends, and an amazing artist in her own right. We were sitting on the floor of her bedroom, with our guitars, and I was just venting to her about various experiences with relationships, friendships, things in life feeling so temporary, and how people can be so quick to leave or give up when it gets hard.
“As a chronic overthinker, this song became a significant outlet for the self-doubt, confusion, and hurt I had been feeling. I picked up my pretty new Maton guitar (thank you Maton & Star Maker) and the chorus poured out of me, basically word for word, as you’ll hear. Working on this song has been a therapeutic journey, and I’m so excited to share it with you.”

31/07/2025

Flashback to the 1982 Star Maker - Were you there? What do you remember?

Date – Sunday, 19 September 1982
Sponsor – NSW Building Society
Organisers – BAL Marketing, Radio 2TM
Venue – Tamworth Workmen’s Club
Coordinator – Gary Robertson
Total entries – unknown
Judges – Colin Munro, Nick Erby, Eric Scott, Peter Burleigh, Ian Skippen, Ron Adsett

1. Beaudesert Band (Bankstown NSW)
2. Bob Hirst (Lilydale Vic)
3. Bobby Silk (Lewisham NSW formerly NZ)
4. Buck Taylor (Charters Towers Qld)
5. David Steel (Mordialloc Vic)
6. Gary Gregor (Moil NT)
7. Glen Lawrence (Greensborough Vic)
8. Home Brew (Glen Forest WA)
9. Indian Pacific Group (Epping NSW)
10. J Johnson (Dundas NSW)
11. Kate Veld (Salisbury Heights SA)
12. Keith Blinman (Woodstock NSW)
13. Kerry Flood (Charters Towers Qld)
14. Lee Kernaghan (Albury NSW) Winner
15. Michael Roundhill (Mackay Qld);
16. Paul Musson (Launceston Tas)
17. Ron Halsey (Woonoona, NSW)
18. Ross Bostock (Perth WA)
19. Shirley Thomas (Campbelltown NSW)
20. Thelma Thompson (Winmalee NSW)

Do you know which group or duo Anne Luber and Liz Wilson Smith were in? We've included a photo of them taken by Michael Bagnall.

31/07/2025

A new festival with not ONE, TWO or THREE .... but FOUR Star Maker winners featured in the line-up.

Kaylee Bell, Wade Forster, Rachael Fahim and current winner Felicity Kircher!

Plus four top 10 finalists too! Chelsea Berman, Dear Tommie, Denvah Music and Claudia Tripp

Strummingbird

30/07/2025

Star Maker 1981
Leanne Douglas was the first female to win the competition.
We're keen to know if you were a finalist?

We know that Darcy LeYear, who went on to become the lead vocalist in the famous trio The Wolverines, was a finalist that year.

Top 9 or maybe you were top 20
2 Darcy LeYear
3 John Lecner
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Were you?

Pictured: Leanne performing in 1981 and with Nick Erby in 2019 at the 40 years anniversary at TRECC.

29/07/2025

Did you know that in October 1979 the first Star Maker event was organised by BAL Marketing, Radio 2TM.
It was coordinated by Terry Wescombe and held at the Tamworth Workmen's Club.
The sponsor was the NSW Building Society.
The judges head by the late Colin Munro from the ABC, were Mr Hoedown the late John Minson, country music artist Johnny Heap and music producer Doug Trevor.
There were 169 entries, 30 finalists down to 10 grand finalists.
You'll notice that that 4 & 9 went on to win the competition in other years.

1. Dead Livers, Melbourne Vic
2. Grand Junction
3. Images, Brisbane Qld
4. Lee Kernaghan, Albury NSW
5. Michael O’Dwyer, Wollongong NSW
6. Ray Griffiths, Geelong Vic
7. Sharon Fleming, Kandos NSW
8. Sweet Feelin’, Cundleton
9. Tommy Miller, Mildura Vic
10. Tricia Axon, Renmark SA

And the winner was Grand Junction featuring Peter Johnson, Dave Tyne, Lance Clarke, Alan Trudinger, and John Fraser. Peter left the band the following year and Doug Rowe joined the lineup.

Sadly, two Star Maker stars have fallen and both from Grand Junction. They are Lance Clarke and Doug Rowe.

Were you a finalist in Star Maker? If so what year/s?

08/07/2025

The stars have been amongst us this past week in Tamworth.

Lee Kernaghan helped raise over $100k for Lifeline

Max Jackson and Travis Collins were on hand to launch the 2026 Tamworth Country Music Festival

Rachael Fahim is guest of Pete Murray currently on his national tour and

Bob Corbett was visiting the region

And every one of them is promoting ticket sales for their TCMF2026 shows.


04/07/2025

New music video out today from Rachael Fahim 2017 Toyota Star Maker

Who You Are

Watch it below

Official music video for 'Who You Are' by Rachael Fahim.Stream 'Who You Are': https://RachaelFahim.lnk.to/WhoYouAreIDListen to more: https://RachaelFahim.lnk...