Western no more. Country music has a new name, a new sound, and now a new show on Community Radio Hamilton. Hosted by talented country music duo Ashley Cooper and Michael Tipping, ‘Country Throwdown’ airs Tuesday nights from 9pm, starting 3 August, 2010. The show features interviews with local and touring acts, news from the country music scene, giveaways, and the latest music releases.
Ashley and Michael share more than twenty years experience as performers, since first starting out in New Zealand’s strong local country music club. While they are now international artists, they still plan to acknowledge their roots. “We’ll play a bit of the older stuff too, because that’s what a lot of people can relate to,” promises Ashley.
The Cambridge-based entertainers are up for the best duo/group award at this year’s National Country Music Awards, to be announced at the Founders Theatre on Saturday, 14 August 2010. While recording their first album the pair lived in Nashville, the American home of country music, and want to encourage Kiwis to embrace the genre that’s so popular in the USA. “Country music is moving in a different direction now,” explains Ashley.
Community Radio Hamilton’s general manager Phil Grey agrees. “Country music should not be pigeonholed. It’s far more diverse, challenging, and engaging than the ‘pop-country’ that was commercially popular through the 1980s and 90s. It’s long time we had a great country show back in the Waikato!”
The pair are excited to get started on air, and while they already have a keen audience in their loyal fan base they also hope to turn a few new listeners on to country’s new sound. “We’re going to change one cowboy at a time,” says Ashley. Tune in for ‘Country Throwdown’, 9pm on Tuesdays on Community Radio Hamilton – 106.7FM, 1206AM, and online at www.communityradio.co.nz. On-demand podcasts of exclusive live to air performances and interviews will also be available for free download from the website. For more information telephone 07 834 2170.