Bellbird Music Artists elevated to the 2005 Country Music Roll of Renown

The Singing Kettles and Athol McCoy elevated to the Roll of Renown

One of Australia’s earliest successful country trios, The Singing Kettles, was elevated to the Country Music Roll of Renown in Tamworth at the 2005 Country Music Festival, together with Athol McCoy, one of our pioneering country touring artists.

The Country Music Roll of Renown - Australia ’s own Country Music “Hall of Fame” - was established by Radio 2TM in 1976 to recognise and salute those artists who have made a lasting and significant contribution to Australian Country Music.  

“We were thrilled with the news of the Singing Kettles and Athol McCoy being awarded this prestigious honour, which pays tribute to the hard work, talent and dedication of some of our most loved and revered artists” says partner Meryl Davis.

Bill and Ross Kettle and Grady Vincent, the son of the late Max Kettle who died at the peak of the trio’s career in 1971, accepted the award presented to The Singing Kettles by John Williamson on behalf of the Australian Country Music Foundation. 

The Roll of Renown Concert in the Tamworth Town Hall was an especially moving affair as it featured a one-time only performance of The Singing Kettles, with Bill and Ross and Max’s son Grady filling in for his Dad.

Ron Adsett recounted "To be there when the Kettles took the stage of the Town Hall performing together for the first time in 19 years, was a very special occasion, a real piece of living history that I'll not forget in a hurry".

The Kettles first recorded in 1961 on the Hadley label in Tasmania with a string of singles, extended plays and a number of albums to follow. They moved to the mainland in 1969 to further their career but, tragically, Max died from a massive asthma attack in 1971. Bill and Ross continued stoically touring constantly for the next 17 years until they decided to pursue solo careers in 1988.

Bellbird Music acquired the catalogue of Hadley recordings including recordings by the Singing Kettles and Athol McCoy in 2004 and issued the CD “The Way It Used To Be” January 17^th 2005 combining two of their LPs recorded in 1971 on one CD.

The award to Athol McCoy was made posthumously and accepted today by a family friend.

Athol won his heat of Australia’s Amateur Hour in 1950 and recorded for EMI. He toured with Noel George’s Wild West Show, Reg Lindsay and Rick & Thel Carey before taking out his own show in 1961. In 1966, he toured Australia again, this time with Tex Morton as “The Mortons & McCoys” and recorded with RCA and Hadley. Athol continued touring until the mid 1970s when he retired to Bega playing local gigs and occasional special performances. He died in 1996.

Bellbird Music will issue a first time on CD release on Athol later in 2005

The 2005 Roll of Renown Concert in the Tamworth Town Hall was an especially moving affair as it featured a one-time only performance of The Singing Kettles, with Bill and Ross and Max’s son Grady filling in for his Dad.

The Singing Kettles and Athol McCoy are the 31st and 32nd inductees to Australia’s highest country music honour.  They join Tex Morton, Buddy Williams, Smoky Dawson, Slim Dusty, Shirley Thoms, Tim McNamara, Gordon Parsons, The McKean Sisters, Reg Lindsay, Rick & Thel Carey, Johnny Ashcroft, Chad Morgan, John Minson, The Hawking Bros, Stan Coster, Barry Thornton, Nev Nicholls, Shorty Ranger, Jimmy Little, Ted Egan, Dusty Rankin, John Williamson, Rocky Page, Brian Young, Rex Dallas, Arthur Blanch, The Schneider Sisters, Frank Ifield, The Webb Bros and Kenny Kitching on the Roll of Renown located in front of the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre.

The Roll of Renown – Australia’s own Country Music Hall of Fame – is presented to those artists who have made a lasting and significant contribution to Australian country music.  It is administered by the Australian Country Music Foundation. www.acmf.org.au

1 February 2005  

Images

Photos courtesy June Underwood Ross and Max Kettle with Grady Vincent with Grady Vincent (son of Bill Kettle) receiving their Roll of Renown Plaque. January 2005 John Williamson makes the Roll Of Renown presentation to the Singing Kettles Kettles on stage again, Tamworth Town Hall, Jan 2005 Rex Dallas performs Athol McCoy songs for the Town Hall crowd Terry Gordon assists Ross Kettle to unveil the Roll of Renown on the rocks in Tamworth

Available now from Bellbird Music:

BMCB401 Call Of The Bellbird Volume One
BMCP402 Rick & Thel Carey – Mr & Mrs Country Music
BMCP403 Jean Stafford – Flowers For Mama/Jean Stafford
BMCB404 Call Of The Bellbird Volume Two
BMCP405 The Singing Kettles – The Way It Used To Be
BMCP406 Shirley Thoms – The Hadley Years 1970 – 72
BMCP407 Rex Dallas – I Love The Old Bush Ballad Songs

Bellbird Music Albums are available from all good music retailers right around the country, or contact the Country Music Store in Brisbane on (07) 3221 3000 or  www.bellbirdmusic.com.au for online ordering.

For more information and interviews please contact: Meryl Davis 0419 190 395 or meryl@countrymusic.com.au or Ron Adsett 07 3221 3000 ron@countrymusic.com.au