This was published 3 years ago
COVID-19 and cancelled, 2021: 49th Tamworth Country Music Festival, but locals fight on
By Anthony Dennis
Greg Maguire, owner of the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges.Credit: Mark Lane
If the late Slim Dusty, immortalised in a statue with wife Joy McKean on Tamworth's main street, recoiled at the thought of a pub with no beer, he'd surely have been horrified at a country music capital devoid of its annual marquee festival.
Australia's undisputed country music capital this January is feeling not only "lonesome and morbid" but decidedly "drear" with the cancellation of the 49th Tamworth Country Music Festival.
It was due to have been held from January 14 to 23 but has been cancelled because of COVID-19 risks and the withdrawal of key sponsors such as Toyota (which sells the odd Kelpie-friendly ute to the event's traditional devotees).
Golden Guitar monument, Tamworth, NSW. Credit: Alamy
However, the centrepiece Golden Guitar Awards, recognising country music excellence, are meant to proceed, at least at last word. That's in spite of rolling border closures and escalating COVID-19 cases elsewhere in NSW that will make it impossible for interstate artists to attend in person.
Despite the odds, local tourism operators, whose livelihoods depend on holidaymakers attracted to the "bucket list" festival, have been valiantly fighting back for both town and country.
Take John Krsulja, also known artistically as Johnny K. He's a local performer who also owns a property at tiny Nundle on the fringes of Tamworth where he runs the DAG Sheep Station function centre.
Tamworth-based musician John Krsulja, known artistically as Johnny K.Credit: Andrew Pearson
Mr Krsulja in the spirit of "the show must go on", plans to hold concerts at the property featuring himself and fellow country artists Alison Forbes and Luke O'Shea.
Despite the challenges faced by Tamworth, whose population is nudging 64,000, Mr Krsulja hopes that January will not completely represent the month that country music died.
"You may walk down Peel Street, our main street, to a venue [where some performances are still be held] this year and there won't be the atmosphere of past years but the soul and spirit of Tamworth will still be there," he says.
His latest album, Burden of the Fool, had a COVID-restricted release in June 2020. "Even though I didn't get to launch my new album, at least I'll get the chance to perform it at my concerts in Nundle," he says.
Greg Maguire, who has recently completed a $12 million refurbishment of his Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges, says he's not only concerned about the loss of guests for his own establishment, but also about the impact on smaller operators.
"We normally double the population of the town in the last week of January thanks to the festival," he says. "The cancellation will have a devastating effect on some small hotels as the festival provides the main income for the year."
At the City Lights Caravan Park, Gary and Deborah Norris decided with two other operators to stage concerts starring Queensland-based Chad "the Sheik of Scrubby Creek" Morgan, an annual guest at the facility during January. But bookings have proved disappointing.
"It's been slow," says Mrs Norris. "People are just so unsure and frightened, especially those in the older age groups, and I don't blame them. Everyday we look at each other and wonder whether the effort in trying to stage these concerts was worth it.
"But the festival is our bread and butter. We start months before each event to get the park ready for guests. We're planning to do everything by the [health guidelines] book this year with the concerts and nothing willy-nilly in terms of COVID-19 ."
Mrs Norris fears that if the Golden Guitar Awards are also cancelled, the 50th anniversary of the festival in 2022 will be unable to be marked, robbing Tamworth of a chance for some financial redemption.
That would really have the legendary Slim rolling in his grave.
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