By Annette Shailer
A stalwart of Sydney’s country music industry is just one of 19 finalists in the Tooheys New Country Pub Song Competition, which carries a main prize of $2500.
80 year-old entrant Nev Nicholls began song-writing on the back porch of his family’s Blayney farmhouse in the early 1940s before stumbling onto a recording contract in the early 1950s.
Nicholls went on to work with greats Reg Lindsay and Chad Morgan, making dozens of albums and selling more than a million records.
“I’ve had a great life no doubt about it, I’ve been to every corner of Australia and made so many good friends,” Nicholls said.
“I thought I would give the country pub song contest a try; my competition entry, entitled ‘It’s Pub Time Again’, is all about going to the pub with your group of mates for a few beers and a talk about 6 o’clock – that’s what we always used to do.”
AHA NSW CEO, Sally Fielke, said she was pleased with the quality of entries.
“The finalists are of exceptional quality – it is great to have entries from right across the state. I congratulate all the finalists and look forward to hearing the next great country pub song.”
The winners will be announced at The Pub Hotel, Tamworth, on January 20.
For a full list of the finalists, click here.