Rachel's Debut Album
- "I'm A Country Girl"
I've just recorded my debut album with talented producer and session musician Lindsay Waddington of KrossKut Records and it's a very exciting project which Waddo brings a wealth of experience to. It consists of 12 tracks, 7 of which are Rachel Richards originals, including the award winning song, "The Drover" and crowd favourite "Weeping Willows", and the tribute song to the Great Stan Coster co-written with my great mate and talented balladeer, Barry "Bazza" Salkeld, "Coster....You're A Legend", as an added bonus there will be one original song written for me by the exceptional songwriting talent of Keith Jamieson, a couple of Coster Classics and my rendition of Slim's, "When The Rain Tumbles Down In July". It will be sure to please the most die hard Bush Ballad fan and lovers of songs which tell great stories of the bush and our Australian life. After all we are Australian!
RACHEL RICHARDS not only took out the prestigious A.B.B.A. Bush Balladeer Star Quest in Tamworth this January, but also released her debut album I’m A Country Girl. This album contains seven tracks written by Rachel, along with a co-write with Bazza Salkeld. There are songs from the pens of STAN COSTER and SLIM DUSTY and the title track I’m A Country Girl is penned by KEITH JAMIESON. Rachel is an exceptional songwriter and material such as The Last Horse Standing, Weeping Willows and The Drover see her clearly defined as a fine young Australian singer songwriter. This is an excellent debut album and I recommend it as a must for your record collection.
Album REVIEW FROM A.B.B.A. Bulletin April 2008
Rachel Richards the Australian Bush Balladeers Star quest Winner for
2008, launched her first album during the Tamworth Festival in
January. Recorded last year, the album has 7 of her own
writings plus a co-write on this 12 track album. The
collection of songs shows that Rachel likes to write and perform
songs that tell stories about what is going on around her.
This lady is a bush ballad singer and song writer and it shows in
her vocal delivery and songwriting. I think the two stand out
songs on the album are “Weeping Willows” and “The Drover” which are
both her own songs. The opening song written by Keith Jamieson
sums up this CD I’m A Country Girl In A Bush Ballad World.
Reviewed by Lorraine Pfitzner.
Hello everyone,
Just a quick note to say thanks to all my fans and friends for your support during my Star Quest year. Thanks go to the ABBA for doing such a great job and really advancing my career by getting me out there to all of the festivals over 2008. It was a great year and congratulations to all the finalists this year. What a great lot of Bush Balladeers, good luck with your future plans. Congratulations Sharon, I am thrilled for you and I know you will enjoy the next twelve months as much as I did.
Unfortunately I am still struggling with my back injury and was unable to continue our trip from Tamworth to Bungendore. But many thanks to Jammo for accepting my award for New Talent, and many thanks to Maureen and her fabulous committee, my apologies for not being there in person. I am thrilled to bits to receive this award and it will take pride of place in my cabinet. Thanks to Charley and Sandy Boyter who are looking after the award for me at present.
I have put the new album with Stuie French on hold at present while I work on getting back to being 100 percent with my chronic pain, But as soon as I'm able I'll have that started and hope to get it out this year. Thanks to everyone for their understanding with this matter and I apologise also to Graham Butterworth for being unable to perform at his ABBA show. We really needed to leave Tamworth and have a little holiday with the family so I could get some rest in, after such a fun but hectic year, we had a great time slowly heading back to Rosewood.
Thanks to everyone at Tamworth this year who helped me in varied ways to get through the week, I appreciate you all, I won't mention individuals as I will be sure to forget someone, but you know who you all are and how much I appreciate you. Tamworth was great fun, and a highlight was Jammo and Alisha's daughter Caitlyn Jane singing with Jackson, (look out next year I reckon Kyan will be in on it too,) The kids did an awesome version of Twinkle Twinkle. I'd also like to thank Tom and Lyn Maxwell for making me a part of their show in Tamworth, I had an absolute ball. To Barry K and Lyn Chandler thank you also for letting me be involved in your show I think both shows were just great.
Lastly, I'd like to remember some people who passed away recently, my number one fan, Colin E Webster passed away from a massive stroke and I will miss him dearly and I pray his family will recover from this tragic loss at some point in time. Colin was a great supporter of my music and I will miss his friendly face in the crowd when I perform.
Another sad loss was Chilla Seeney, I wrote a song for Chilla on my first album, and I met him and his wife Jan and was so thrilled to meet them, I was very honoured that the family chose to play my song, "Chilla Seeney" at the funeral. Chilla passed away on Christmas Day, at the age of 80.
Hope to see you all soon, as I say I'll be cutting back a little but will still be performing at Primrose Sands in Tassie on the 20th of February, The Katherine Muster in May and also the Bundy Aussie Muster in May, The Nanango Festival, and the Charity show at the Empire Theatre, I also have guest spots at a the Coal City and West Moreton Country Music Clubs.
So Thanks again for your support and friendship and I wish you all a great 2009.
Rach x
