Main Stage, Sunday August 31- 5.30pm

JOHN WILLIAMSON

John Williamson will be hitting the road to Gympie with his mate Warren H. Williams for a brand new tour: HILLBILLY ROAD.

HILLBILLY ROAD, John's first album in 3 years features freshly penned ballads inspired by his rural retreat in the Queensland hinterland. Fans will be pleased with John's fresh sounding 'Beach of Love' plus the father-daughter inspired ballad 'Cydi' to 'Pmurra Knatcha (My Home in the Bush)' co-written with Warren H. Williams. The HILLBILLY ROAD tour, spanning the East Coast, Perth, Mt. Isa and South Australia, also features John's renowned yarns from the bush plus our old favourite singalong crowd pleasers including 'Rip Rip Woodchip', 'True Blue' and 'Waltzing Matilda'. John has become an international Aussie icon, renowned for his love of the bush with a swag of accolades.

John Williamson
Over 35 years in the industry, John has:
- released 38 albums, 10 videos, 4 DVD's and 3 impressive books of stories and lyrics;
- collected 23 Golden Guitars at the Australia Country Music Awards;
- February 2008, John Williamson's QUAMBATOOK, a musical journey of John's growing up in the Mallee, premiered at Panther's World of Entertainment, Penrith to sell-out crowds. The folk musical was written by Simon Heath and featured 21 of John's popular songs.
John is known for his dedication to Australian causes which are close to his heart, like the campaign he helped to launch in March 2003 to save the endangered Australian Bilby and his public plea for peace in the song "Keep Australia Beautiful". In January 2004, John was recognised by the Tamworth Songwriters Association with THE TEX MORTON AWARD, awarded to a person for outstanding contribution to the cause of country music. John became an ambassador for Steve Irwin's Wildlife Warriors Worldwide in 2006.
From his musical family beginnings in the Victorian Mallee, to defining the Australian character through song, John Williamson has achieved musical success and respect internationally and nationwide, writing over 350 songs and selling 3.5 million albums in Australia.

Warren H Williams
Born in Hermannsburg near Alice Springs in Central Australia, Warren H. Williamson first started playing guitar with his father, the legendary Gus Williams, at the age of six. He was brought up on country music but also pursued rock and roll, developing his guitar skills. Country music was in his blood, however, and Warren soon went back to country as a songwriter and recording artist and talented multi-instrumentalist.
Warren is a regular DJ on CAAMA Radio in Alice playing all his favourite country tunes and encouraging many of the newer artists of all musical genres in the area.
Warren has joined John's tours including 'Mates on the Road', 'Stone and Wire', 'Chandelier of Stars' and 'Wildlife Warrior on Tour'.