Hillbilly Heaven Opening at Silverado Lounge in Tasmania
Friday December 16 saw the opening of the Hillbilly Heaven Show at the Silverado Lounge at the Australian Axeman’s Hall of Fame at Latrobe in Tasmania’s north.
Proudly supporting the event was two of state’s most widely recognised home-grown country music talents, international artist Jean Stafford and equally renown in the music world in Australia legendary guitarist Stuie French, who just recently confirmed a tour schedule in the US in 2012.
Promoters recently decided to extend entertainment to Friday nights on a monthly basis after the success of the Peoples Choice Awards Shows on Thursday nights at the same venue, and will cater to a broader local market for line dancers with an added inclusion of a mechanical bull and a mainland artist.
Now Sydney based for several years, Stuie appeared with his wife Camille in the duo Stuie and Camille backed by the Stuie French Band.
Audiences were also entertained by the showmanship of The Stafford City Jam Band, under an alias as the Butt Sliders Band, opening the show with some great Texan tracks.
The fans welcomed their own Jean Stafford to the stage with the Butt Sliders, singing many of her latest hits and a few from the early part of her career
The highlight of the evening was the last hour of the show when Jean Stafford, Stuie & Camille joined the Butt Sliders on stage for a raging 60 minute set covering many songs Stuie had performed on Jean’s road show in the early 90’s when he first moved to Sydney and became an integral part of the Jean’s Boys for five years.
‘It was like turning the clock back for Jean, Stuie and Rob Brown with the great talent of Camille with them’ the group agreed.
Jean and Camille swapped harmony lines and sang duets together with some awesome picking between Stuie and Dave Hawkins from the Butt Sliders band, two great guitar slingers. A highlight was the amazing version of Steelin’ Corn at a hundred kilometres an hour!
Excitement and commentary from fans flowed after the show. Most of the comments confirming a great concert and one, no doubt memorable over time.
Release| JLCM GROUP Latrobe Tasmania