Lisa Miller is an acclaimed Melbourne based singer and songwriter with nine ARIA Award nominations to her name. Lisa has a distinct soulful and rootsy acoustic style. Her songs and lyrics are searching and beautifully constructed, and delivered with a superb voice and accompaniment.
Lisa has released six solo albums, including her 1996 debut Quiet Girl With A Credit Card, 2007's Morning in the Bowl of Night (shortlisted for The Australian Music Prize) and the covers albums Car Tape and Car Tape 2. She has also written for several well-known TV programs such as Seachange and Stingers. Lisa will be appearing with her backing trio. (Check out Billy Bragg and Lisa Miller – Reason To Believe – on You Tube.)
The classy southern blues and country-swing of expatriate US ‘bluesman’ Tabasco Tom and Aussie Doc White will have the Phillip Island Winery stage hopping. With Tom’s daughter Kaitlin on fiddle, and also joined by the legendary Broderick Smith, their sound is tight authentic southern blues.
They have featured at concerts and festivals everywhere. Their style is one part hillbilly swing, one part country blues, spiced with New Orleans jazz and wonderful finger-pickin’ guitar style. www.tabascoanddoc.com
Hugh McDonald, former Redgum frontman and multi-instrumentalist, is a well-known Melbourne-based singer, songwriter, guitarist and violinist. He has had a long and successful career touring internationally and locally in the band Redgum, with hits including ‘Only 19” and ‘The Diamantina Drover’.
A powerful songwriter and consummate entertainer, Hugh is equally at home playing Django Reinhardt as he is with Irish folk music, country swing or putting music to the ballads of Henry Lawson. www.hughmcdonald.com
The Little Stevies, with a string if ‘indie’ hits including Sunshower and Accidentally, were a sensation at Port Fairy in 2011. Their style reflects a long line of great Australian ‘Alt-pop acts’ such as Frente, Ben Lee and Dan Kelly.
Their songs are beautifully constructed, and accessible. Now with a string of successful albums, their latest, Attention Shoppers, was recorded in LA with producer Ethan Allen. The Little Stevies have stunned audiences with their delicious harmonies, musicianship, strong rhythms and diverse instrumentation. www.thelittlestevies.com
Mike McClelland is one of the Australian legends of breezy country/acoustic music. A singer, songwriter with extensive international acclaim and touring fame, Mike has numerous Australian hits to his name including ‘Song and Danceman’, his first national hit in 1974, and ‘The One I Love’. His New CD - If only for a Moment - was launched July 29 at a sellout concert at The Basement in Sydney.
He has toured with Leo Kottke and Dr Hook, among a host of others, tutored at the CMAA Country Music Academy in Tamworth and as Senior Visiting Fellow at the Australian International Conservatorium of Music. www.mikemcclellan.com.au
Zebra Crossing mixes driving West African percussion with European jazz, sax and flute and the beautiful sounds of South African vocals, guitar and kalimba. Singer, musician and storyteller, Valanga Khoza, joins with percussionist Ray Pereira – who has toured internationally with Paul Kelly and Kate Ceberano – and the pumping baritone sax of Leo Dale.
Zebra Crossing will have PHILLIP ISLAND WINERY rocking to the irresistible rhythms of West Africa. www.thezebracrossing.com
The Paradiddle Folk Band is an institution in Australian bush music, and, through Bushfire Press, in music publishing. A grassroots band that has headlined at Port Fairy and other national folk festivals since their first Album in 1978, Paradiddle has supported numerous national and international touring acts – including Peter Paul and Mary and The Fureys. Paradiddle can get any party jumping - an old-time BUSH DANCE under the stars will be the perfect way to finish the day.
The line-up includes Mark Leehy, Rob Fairbairn, Kevin O'Mara, Judy Turner (from the Scottish Fiddle Club), Athalie Brookes on double bass and others who jump on stage from time to time.
Local musician and singer-songwriter Bern Carroll was a founding member of independent band Bluehouse, and has forged a successful and acclaimed recording and touring career. She has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and Michigan Folk Festival, supported Australian guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel on his USA, European and Australian Tours, and made numerous radio and television appearances in Australia and the USA.
With acoustic guitar, a dark edgy voice and lyrical songs, she is a powerful rootsy songwriter and singer with an amazing vocal ability. Her recent album, One Last Kiss (recorded with Blue House) was produced by Tommy Emmanuel. Bern will be performing with Louise Woodward on violin; collectively they are Mrs Brown.
Formerly of Byron Bay, but now calling San Remo home, singer songwriter Jacqui Sterling has built a strong following around Australia for her compositions and gorgeous voice.
Her CD, Bird in the Hand, is a stylish collection of original songs showing her fine musicianship and versatile vocal style. Her songs - finely crafted, with a searing honesty and beautifully sung – are immensely appealing. With a strong, rhythmic, acoustic guitar style, Jacqui’s music and delivery crosses a number of acoustic music genres.
www.myspace.com/jacquisterling
AJ is recognised as one of Australia’s masters of the ukulele. He has featured at national and international ukulele concerts and conventions, including a tour of the US in 2011. AJ Leonard transforms the sound of the ‘uke’: whether playing a rock ‘lead-guitar’ solo or jazz standard, his virtuosity and command of the instrument is simply amazing. In Tropical Lounge, he is joined by cello accompanist, Jenny Rowlands, with Wendy Rowlands on accordion and Dave Billings on guitar and ukulele. www.ajleonard.com