Wolverines to Top Noosa Charity Gig

Coast and Hinterland Country and Bluegrass music fans are in for a treat in August.

Two top acts, one in each genre, will perform at a fundraising event for cystic fibrosis and Noosa Community Radio in Noosa on Saturday 16 August 2008.

"The Wolverines do very hard-hitting rock-your socks-off music and with a unique tongue-in-cheek humour," says Rick McCann, who presents Country music at the station.

Bluegrass presenter, Mary-Rose Long, has been able to attract the Redlands Bluegrass Boys and says they’re looking forward to the gig at the 320-seat "The J" in Noosa Junction.

Also on the bill of 101.3FM Country Music Show Case – Bringing The Country To The Beach will be Graeme Jensen, from just north of Gympie, and up-and-coming young Chad Shuttleworth, from Eumundi.

Rick remarks that Bluegrass and Country have a huge following on the Sunshine Coast, which has three big Country clubs at Maroochydore, Buderim and Yandina.

Redlands Bluegrass Boys who will also be appearing at the Country Music Showcase

Mary-Rose and Rick receive inordinate amounts of positive feedback about both music genres; the proximity to the Gympie Muster highlights the popularity of both Country and Bluegrass.

When Noosa Community Radio did its Country Concert fundraiser last year, people came up to Rick and urged him to get The Wolverines this year.

He’s very chuffed that he has. "They are very passionate about cystic fibrosis sufferers and when I told them part of our proceeds would go to Cystic Fibrosis Qld, they were very keen to come," said Rick. "Last year’s event was more or less a testing ground where we raised enough funds to share with one of the local charities here, Frangipani Dreams."

So, for the uninitiated, what is Bluegrass? Here's Mary-Rose's explanation.

"Bluegrass is fuelled by banjos, fiddles, dobro (a kind of sliding guitar), acoustic base, mandolins and the high lonesome sound of the human voice. Originally it's an offshoot of old-time music. That's the term the Southerners in the USA used to describe their folk music which originated in the British Isles and came with the earliest Appalachian settlers as far back as the sixteen-hundreds. The Bluegrass that we hear now originated with Bill Monroe and his band, The Bluegrass Boys, and that's where the word Bluegrass came from, from his actual band.

Graeme Jensen, supporting
Hear what Graeme Jensen sounds like here

Chad Shuttleworth from Eumundi will also be a supporting act at the Country Music Showcase
Learn more about Chad and listen to some of his music here

"A lot of people in the Hinterland and in the Noosa region, who are themselves musicians, phone in to my radio program with comments on how much they love Bluegrass music and we do have a lot of followers in our broadcast area who listen in."

The vision is to develop this annual event into one of the major attractions of its genre in the region and to show-case more local artists. Totally run by volunteers, CBAA Station of The Year 2007, Noosa Community Radio offers a lot more to the community besides large concerts, such as broadcasting training, airing the needs of community groups, local news and support of charities.

If you would like to get involved, see how you can under the "Support Us" section on this website or give us a ring on (07) 5447 2233.